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Comte A, Barreyre J, Monnier B, de Rafael R, Boudouresque CF, Pergent G, Ruitton S. Operationalizing blue carbon principles in France: Methodological developments for Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows and institutionalization. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 198:115822. [PMID: 38016206 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Conservation of ecosystems is an important tool for climate change mitigation. Seagrasses, mangroves, saltmarshes and other marine ecosystems have particularly high capacities to sequester and store organic carbon (blue carbon), and are being impacted by human activities. Calls have been made to mainstream blue carbon into policies, including carbon markets. Building on the scientific literature and the French voluntary carbon standard, the 'Label Bas-Carbone', we develop the first method for the conservation of Posidonia oceanica seagrasses using carbon finance. This methodology assesses the emission reduction potential of projects that reduce physical impacts from boating and anchoring. We show how this methodology was institutionalized thanks to a tiered approach on key parameters including carbon stocks, degradation rates, and decomposition rates. We discuss future needs regarding (i) how to strengthen the robustness of the method, and (ii) the expansion of the method to restoration of seagrasses and to other blue carbon ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrien Comte
- IRD, Univ Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, LEMAR, 29280 Plouzané, France.
| | | | - Briac Monnier
- Université de Corse, UMR CNRS SPE 6134, Campus Grimaldi BP 52, Corte, France
| | | | - Charles-François Boudouresque
- Aix Marseille Université - Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), UM 110, Marseille, France
| | - Gérard Pergent
- Université de Corse, UMR CNRS SPE 6134, Campus Grimaldi BP 52, Corte, France
| | - Sandrine Ruitton
- Aix Marseille Université - Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), UM 110, Marseille, France
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2
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Tyllianakis E. “Please let me visit”: Management options for marine ecosystems in a Mediterranean Marine Protected Area. J Nat Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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3
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Spatiotemporal Trends Observed in 20 Years of Posidonia oceanica Monitoring along the Alicante Coast, Spain. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14030274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Posidonia oceanica meadows, known to be valuable marine ecosystems, have been reported to be in decline as a result of human activities in recent decades. However, it is still controversial if this decline is a global phenomenon or it is caused by specific disturbances related to human development at a local scale. In order to evaluate changes in P. oceanica meadows, in this study, monitoring data obtained at 14 stations along the Mediterranean coast near Alicante, Spain, over a 20-year period were analyzed. Field data were obtained through the citizen science project POSIMED, which had the aim of carrying out annual monitoring of both shallow and deep P. oceanica meadows along the coast near Alicante and determining whether their ecological status was changing over time. The percentage cover of living P. oceanica and dead matte and shoot density data were used to assess the ecosystem status and to determine whether there had been an overall regional decline in seagrass over the 20-year period. Both cover and density data showed a significant positive trend at most locations. However, the amount of dead matte was noted to slightly increase with time while six shallow and one deep station showed a negative P. oceanica cover trend, indicating that in certain locations meadow regression might be taking place. Shoot density decreased with depth and increased with the amount of rock cover; its correlation with the dead matte percentage was unclear, which probably means that a range of different factors can result in the presence of dead plants. These results support the idea that local disturbances are the cause of seagrass decline in the Mediterranean, thus demonstrating the need for management plans that focus on local stressors of P. oceanica meadows at specific locations. Long-term, large-scale monitoring allows the ecosystem status in the western Mediterranean to be assessed; however, local disturbances can also affect specific locations.
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Kerninon F, Payri CE, Le Loc'h F, Alcoverro T, Maréchal JP, Chalifour J, Gréaux S, Mège S, Athanase J, Cordonnier S, Rouget ML, Lorre E, Uboldi T, Monnier O, Hellio C. Selection of parameters for seagrass management: Towards the development of integrated indicators for French Antilles. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 170:112646. [PMID: 34225197 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Seagrass beds are increasingly impacted by human activities in coastal areas, particularly in tropical regions. The objective of this research program was to study seagrass beds characteristics under various environmental conditions in the French Antilles (FA, Caribbean Sea). A total of 61 parameters, from plant physiology to seagrass ecosystem, were tested along a gradient of anthropogenic conditions, distributed across 11 sites and 3 islands of the FA. A selection of 7 parameters was identified as relevant for the monitoring of seagrass meadows in the framework of public policies. They combined "early warning indicators" (e.g. nutrients and some trace metals) and long-term responding parameters (e.g. shoot density) adapted to management time scales. The ecological status of seagrass meadows was evaluated using a PCA. This work is a first step towards monitoring and management of seagrass meadows in the FA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Kerninon
- Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, F-29280 Plouzané, France.
| | - Claude E Payri
- UMR Entropie (IRD, Université de la Réunion, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, CNRS, Ifremer), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 101 Promenade Roger Laroque, Nouméa 98848, Nouvelle-Calédonie, France
| | | | - Teresa Alcoverro
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Carretera d'accés a la cala sant Francesc 14, 17300 Blanes, Spain; Nature Conservation Foundation, 3076/5, 4th Cross, Gokulam Park, Mysore, India
| | | | - Julien Chalifour
- Réserve Naturelle Nationale de Saint-Martin, Anse Marcel, 97150 Saint-Martin, France
| | - Sébastien Gréaux
- Agence Territoriale de l'Environnement de Saint-Barthélemy, Rue de la République, Gustavia 97133, Saint-Barthélemy, France
| | - Simone Mège
- Parc National de la Guadeloupe, rue Jean-Jaurès, 97122 Baie-Mahault, Guadeloupe, France
| | - Julien Athanase
- Réserve Naturelle Nationale de Petite-Terre, Association Tité, Capitaineries, 97127 La Désirade, France
| | - Sébastien Cordonnier
- Université des Antilles, UMR BOREA, B.P. 592, Pointe-à-Pitre 97159, Guadeloupe, France
| | - Marie-Laure Rouget
- UMS 3113, Univ Brest, IUEM, rue Dumont d'Urville, 29280 Plouzané, France
| | - Elise Lorre
- Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, F-29280 Plouzané, France
| | - Thomas Uboldi
- Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, F-29280 Plouzané, France
| | - Olivier Monnier
- Office français de la biodiversité, 5 Square Félix Nadar, 94300 Vincennes, France
| | - Claire Hellio
- Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, F-29280 Plouzané, France
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Broad A, Rees MJ, Davis AR. Anchor and chain scour as disturbance agents in benthic environments: trends in the literature and charting a course to more sustainable boating and shipping. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 161:111683. [PMID: 33038636 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Millions of recreational boats and ~ 65,000 ocean-going merchant ships anchor routinely. Anchor and chain scour associated with these vessels mechanically disturb the seabed having implications for marine environments globally. Our review summarises the scientific literature that examines the response of biota to anchor scour across five habitats; unvegetated sediments; seagrass; rhodolith beds; coral and rocky reefs. Forty-one studies met our criteria with >85% of articles targeting recreational-based disturbances, mostly focussed on seagrass. Investigations of anchor scour from ships comes almost exclusively from cruise ships anchoring on coral reef. All research examined reported biota responding negatively to anchor scour, either directly or indirectly. Effects to biota were dependent on the spatio-temporal scale of the perturbation or the life-histories of the organisms impacted. We highlight several key knowledge gaps requiring urgent investigation and suggest a range of management strategies to work towards sustainable anchoring practices and the preservation of valuable seabed environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Broad
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
| | - Matthew J Rees
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystem Unit, Fisheries Research, PO Box 89, Huskisson, NSW 2540, Australia
| | - Andrew R Davis
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
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Sagerman J, Hansen JP, Wikström SA. Effects of boat traffic and mooring infrastructure on aquatic vegetation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. AMBIO 2020; 49:517-530. [PMID: 31297728 PMCID: PMC6965043 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-019-01215-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Sustainable management of coastal and inland water areas requires knowledge of how tourism and recreation affects the ecosystems. Here, we present the first systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify to what extent recreational boat traffic and infrastructure for mooring affect the abundance of submerged vegetation on soft bottoms. Our systematic search yielded 25 studies containing data on effects of boat traffic, docks and mooring buoys on vegetation abundance. The abundance below docks was on average 18% of that in controls, and areas with boat traffic had on average 42% of the abundance in control areas. Mooring buoys often created scour areas without vegetation. However, the effects were variable and there were too few studies to test the reasons for this variability. We conclude that boating can cause significant declines in submerged vegetation but that informed management of boat traffic and improved design of docks and buoys can reduce negative impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefin Sagerman
- The Swedish Species Information Centre (ArtDatabanken), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7007, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Joakim P. Hansen
- Baltic Sea Centre, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
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7
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Manna GL, Sarà G. A False Sense of Protection: Recreational Uses and Illegal Behavior in a Mediterranean Marine Protected Area and Implications for Management. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2019; 15:961-973. [PMID: 31218834 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Over the last 35 years, at both the European and the Italian level, great efforts have been made to increase the number of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): they are considered an effective tool for protecting oceans and biodiversity. In recent years, MPAs have become more than simply tools to improve marine conservation. In fact, their management agencies are actively involved in the sustainable development of nearby communities through the promotion of recreational activities (boating, snorkeling, diving). Even if the recreational uses of the marine environment are generally considered benign, they can potentially be highly detrimental for species and their habitats. As a result, these activities should be controlled through the spatial zoning and the regulation of the MPAs. Thus, the achievement of the conservation goals of the MPAs depends primarily on compliance with the regulations of recreational uses inside their boundaries. The objective of this study was to estimate boating usage and the related level of compliance inside the Capo Gallo and Isola delle Femmine (Italy) MPA. The spatial and temporal trend of boating and the behaviors of boaters were measured through direct observation over a period of 2 summer months. The study highlighted a weakness in the effectiveness of this MPA, linked to a social component and compliance with the regulation. Solutions for effective management plans are outlined thanks to an understanding of the limitations and potential of existing MPA policies. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2019;00:1-13. © 2019 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella La Manna
- MareTerra Onlus - Environmental Research and Conservation, Alghero, Italy
| | - Gianluca Sarà
- MareTerra Onlus - Environmental Research and Conservation, Alghero, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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8
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Kelly JJ, Orr D, Takekawa JY. Quantification of damage to eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds and evidence-based management strategies for boats anchoring in San Francisco Bay. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 64:20-26. [PMID: 31049645 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-019-01169-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Seagrasses are highly productive, but human nearshore activities have reduced their global distribution by >29% since the twentieth century. In the United States and Canada, the native seagrass Zostera marina (eelgrass) provides habitat for many species and multiple ecosystem services. By supplying spawning surface for fish and substrate for invertebrates, eelgrass creates foraging areas for high densities of migratory birds. Eelgrass beds stabilize sediment, protect adjacent shorelines, improve water quality, and sequester carbon in their underlying substrate. San Francisco Bay (California, USA) is a significant estuary for eelgrass, and recent surveys show that eelgrass beds are in decline. Protecting eelgrass is a conservation priority for federal, state, and local agencies, yet few studies have documented the extent of eelgrass loss due to human impacts such as boat anchoring. The purpose of our study was to provide factual evidence for policy makers by quantifying damage to eelgrass caused by illegal anchor-outs in San Francisco Bay, an issue that has been disputed for decades. Using aerial imagery and GIS analyses, we determined the amount of direct damage to eelgrass caused by anchor-outs. We found that boats damage up to 41% of the eelgrass bed, and each boat may cause up to 0.3 ha of damage. These results can be used to inform decisions about anchor-outs by stakeholders and government agencies. Furthermore, our efficient analytical approach could be implemented in other coastal regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia J Kelly
- Audubon California, 220 Montgomery, St. San Francisco, CA, 94910, USA.
| | - Daniel Orr
- Audubon California, 220 Montgomery, St. San Francisco, CA, 94910, USA
| | - John Y Takekawa
- Suisun Resource Conservation District, 2544 Grizzly Island Rd, Suisun City, CA, 94595, USA
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9
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Díaz López B. “Hot deals at sea”: responses of a top predator (Bottlenose dolphin,Tursiops truncatus) to human-induced changes in the coastal ecosystem. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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10
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Deter J, Lozupone X, Inacio A, Boissery P, Holon F. Boat anchoring pressure on coastal seabed: Quantification and bias estimation using AIS data. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2017; 123:175-181. [PMID: 28916347 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.08.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Global shipping is economically important, but has many adverse environmental effects. Anchoring contributes greatly to this adverse impact, as it is responsible for mechanical disturbance of highly sensitive marine habitats. Recovery of these ecosystems is limited by slow regrowth. Anchoring pressure on coastal seabed habitats was estimated using AIS (Automatic Identification System) data along 1800km of Mediterranean coastline between 2010 and 2015. A comparison with field observations showed that these results were most consistent for large boats (>50m). An analysis of AIS data coupled with a seabed map showed that around 30% of the habitats between 0 and -80m exhibited anchoring pressure. Posidonia oceanica seagrass beds were the most impacted habitat in terms of duration. This methodology efficiently estimates spatial and temporal anchoring pressure principally due to large boats and should interest managers of marine protected areas as much as coastline managers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Deter
- Andromède Océanologie, 7 Place Cassan, 34280 Carnon, France; UMR 5554 - ISEM, Campus triolet de l'Université Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 05, France.
| | | | - Adrien Inacio
- Andromède Océanologie, 7 Place Cassan, 34280 Carnon, France; UMR 5554 - ISEM, Campus triolet de l'Université Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 05, France
| | - Pierre Boissery
- Agence de l'eau Rhône-Méditerranée-Corse, Immeuble le Noailles, 62 La Canebière, 13001 Marseille, France
| | - Florian Holon
- Andromède Océanologie, 7 Place Cassan, 34280 Carnon, France
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Moschino V, Schintu M, Marrucci A, Marras B, Nesto N, Da Ros L. An ecotoxicological approach to evaluate the effects of tourism impacts in the Marine Protected Area of La Maddalena (Sardinia, Italy). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2017; 122:306-315. [PMID: 28666593 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.06.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In the Marine Protected Area of La Maddalena Archipelago, environmental protection rules and safeguard measures for nautical activities have helped in reducing anthropogenic pressure; however, tourism related activities remain particularly significant in summer. With the aim of evaluating their impacts, the biomarker approach using transplanted Mytilus galloprovincialis as sentinel organisms coupled with POCIS deployment was applied. Mussels, translocated to four marine areas differently impacted by tourism activities, were sampled before, during and after the tourist season. Moreover, endocrine disruptors in passive samplers POCIS and the cellular toxicity of whole POCIS extracts on mussel haemocytes were evaluated to integrate ecotoxicological information. Lysosomal biomarkers, condition index and mortality rate, as well as metals in tissues suggested an alteration of the health status of mussels transplanted to the most impacted sites. The cellular toxicity of POCIS extracts was pointed out, notwithstanding the concentrations of the examined compounds were always below the detection limits.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Moschino
- Institute of Marine Sciences, ISMAR-CNR, Venezia, Italy.
| | - M Schintu
- Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - A Marrucci
- Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - B Marras
- Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - N Nesto
- Institute of Marine Sciences, ISMAR-CNR, Venezia, Italy
| | - L Da Ros
- Institute of Marine Sciences, ISMAR-CNR, Venezia, Italy; Institute for the Dynamics of Environmental Processes, IDPA-CNR, Padova, Italy
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Catania V, Sarà G, Settanni L, Quatrini P. Bacterial communities in sediment of a Mediterranean marine protected area. Can J Microbiol 2017; 63:303-311. [DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2016-0406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity is crucial in preservation of ecosystems, and bacterial communities play an indispensable role for the functioning of marine ecosystems. The Mediterranean marine protected area (MPA) “Capo Gallo–Isola delle Femmine” was instituted to preserve marine biodiversity. The bacterial diversity associated with MPA sediment was compared with that from sediment of an adjacent harbour exposed to intense nautical traffic. The MPA sediment showed higher diversity with respect to the impacted site. A 16S rDNA clone library of the MPA sediment allowed the identification of 7 phyla: Proteobacteria (78%), Firmicutes (11%), Acidobacteria (3%), Actinobacteria (3%), Bacteroidetes (2%), Planctomycetes (2%), and Cyanobacteria (1%). Analysis of the hydrocarbon (HC)-degrading bacteria was performed using enrichment cultures. Most of the MPA sediment isolates were affiliated with Gram-positive G+C rich bacteria, whereas the majority of taxa in the harbour sediment clustered with Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria; no Gram-positive HC degraders were isolated from the harbour sediment. Our results show that protection probably has an influence on bacterial diversity, and suggest the importance of monitoring the effects of protection at microbial level as well. This study creates a baseline of data that can be used to assess changes over time in bacterial communities associated with a Mediterranean MPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Catania
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.16 - 90128 Palermo, Italia
| | - Gianluca Sarà
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare (DISTEM), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.16 - 90128 Palermo, Italia
| | - Luca Settanni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali (SAF), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.4 - 90128 Palermo, Italia
| | - Paola Quatrini
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.16 - 90128 Palermo, Italia
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Hotaling-Hagan A, Swett R, Ellis LR, Frazer TK. A spatial model to improve site selection for seagrass restoration in shallow boating environments. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2017; 186:42-54. [PMID: 27839845 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Revised: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/02/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Due to widespread and continuing seagrass loss, restoration attempts occur worldwide. This article presents a geospatial modeling technique that ranks the suitability of sites for restoration based on light availability and boating activity, two factors cited in global studies of seagrass loss and restoration failures. The model presented here was created for Estero Bay, Florida and is a predictive model of light availability and boating pressure to aid seagrass restoration efforts. The model is adaptive and can be parameterized for different locations and updated as additional data is collected and knowledge of how factors impact seagrass improves. Light data used for model development were collected over one year from 50 sites throughout the bay. Coupled with high resolution bathymetric data, bottom mean light availability was predicted throughout the bay. Data collection throughout the year also allowed for prediction of light variability at sites, a possible indicator of seagrass growth and survival. Additionally, survey data on boating activities were used to identify areas, outside of marked navigation channels, that receive substantial boating pressure and are likely poor candidate sites for seagrass restoration. The final map product identifies areas where the light environment was suitable for seagrasses and boating pressure was low. A composite map showing the persistence of seagrass coverage in the study area over four years, between 1999 and 2006, was used to validate the model. Eighty-nine percent of the area where seagrass persisted (had been mapped all four years) was ranked as suitable for restoration: 42% with the highest rank (7), 28% with a rank of 6, and 19% with a rank of 5. The results show that the model is a viable tool for selection of seagrass restoration sites in Florida and elsewhere. With knowledge of the light environment and boating patterns, managers will be better equipped to set seagrass restoration and water quality improvement targets and select sites for restoration. The modeling approach outlined here is broadly applicable and will be of value to a large and diverse suite of scientists and marine resource managers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Althea Hotaling-Hagan
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, 103 Black Hall, PO Box 116455, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
| | - Robert Swett
- Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, 136 Newins Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - L Rex Ellis
- Soil and Water Science Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; St. Johns River Water Management District, 4049 Reid St, Palatka, FL 32178, USA
| | - Thomas K Frazer
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, 103 Black Hall, PO Box 116455, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, 136 Newins Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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