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Toso A, Necci F, Martines A, Lacorte R, Toso Y, Gianguzza P, Deidun A, Ungaro N, Costantino G, Caforio M, Giannuzzi CG, D'Onghia FM, Strippoli G, Barbone E, Milisenda G, Piraino S. Overfishing and sea warming drive the collapse of Paracentrotus lividus. Sci Rep 2025; 15:18733. [PMID: 40437019 PMCID: PMC12119820 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-02642-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2025] [Accepted: 05/14/2025] [Indexed: 06/01/2025] Open
Abstract
As a seafood delicacy, the purple sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus is the most exploited echinoid species in the Mediterranean Sea, with a significant increase in total catches being reported over the last 2 decades. This work presents: (i) the findings from two demographic monitoring campaigns, conducted on P. lividus populations in summer 2023, at shallow depths within the coastal areas of Sicily and Apulia; (ii) a meta-analysis of the P. lividus density in the Mediterranean Sea over the last 30 years. In both sampled areas, the recorded individual density was lower than ever, with an average value of 0.2 ind/m2. No significant difference in P. lividus density was detected between protected and non-protected areas. The observed rarity of the edible sea urchin is corroborated by a meta-regression analysis of data from 44 published articles over the period 1990-2020, showing that the decline of P. lividus populations in the Mediterranean Sea began in 2003, coincident with the occurrence of a pan-European heat wave and with the anomalous warming of the entire Mediterranean Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Toso
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTeBA), University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133, Palermo, Italy.
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare (CoNISMa), Roma, Italy.
| | - Francesca Necci
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTeBA), University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133, Palermo, Italy
- Università degli Studi di Palermo, via Archirafi 18, 90123, Palermo, Italy
| | - Alessandra Martines
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTeBA), University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133, Palermo, Italy
- Università degli Studi di Palermo, via Archirafi 18, 90123, Palermo, Italy
| | - Roberta Lacorte
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTeBA), University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
- Università di Pisa, via Derna 1, 56126, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Genova Marine Centre, 16126, Genova, Italy
| | - Yann Toso
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133, Palermo, Italy
- Università degli Studi di Palermo, via Archirafi 18, 90123, Palermo, Italy
| | - Paola Gianguzza
- Università degli Studi di Palermo, via Archirafi 18, 90123, Palermo, Italy
| | - Alan Deidun
- Oceanography Malta Research Group (OMRG), Department of Geosciences, University of Malta, Msida, 2080, Malta
| | - Nicola Ungaro
- Apulian Regional Agency for the Environmental Prevention and Protection, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Gaetano Costantino
- Apulian Regional Agency for the Environmental Prevention and Protection, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Marianna Caforio
- Apulian Regional Agency for the Environmental Prevention and Protection, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | | | | | - Giuseppe Strippoli
- Apulian Regional Agency for the Environmental Prevention and Protection, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Enrico Barbone
- Apulian Regional Agency for the Environmental Prevention and Protection, 70126, Bari, Italy
| | - Giacomo Milisenda
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Sicily Marine Centre, Palermo, PA, Italy
| | - Stefano Piraino
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTeBA), University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133, Palermo, Italy
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare (CoNISMa), Roma, Italy
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Machado AA, Moraes FCD, Aguiar AA, Hostim-Silva M, Santos LN, Bertoncini ÁA. Rocky reef fish biodiversity and conservation in a Brazilian Hope Spot region. NEOTROPICAL ICHTHYOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2022-0032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Coastal islands of Grande Rio, located south Rio de Janeiro and Maricá cities have been under multiple anthropogenic impacts. Despite these problems, these insular systems shelter a high diversity of fish species. Reef fishes are essential components of tropical marine coastal communities, also providing food and income for millions of people around the world. In this work, we generated an updated checklist from Cagarras Islands Natural Monument and surrounding areas based on fisheries data, literature records and multiple sampling techniques, including the Submersible Rotating Video technique, used for the first time in Brazil. We present an inventory of 282 fish species representing 91 different families, with 21 new records for the study area, including a non-native species (Heniochus acuminatus). In addition, our results show a moderate endemism level for the Brazilian province (approximately 6.0%), while 10.5% of species are assigned to one of IUCN’s threatened categories. Our efforts show the fish biodiversity scenario and their distribution on coastal islands more than 10 years after the Cagarras Islands Natural Monument establishment, reinforcing the importance of monitoring research programs for the management of this Marine Protected Area and surrounding waters, that play a key role for artisanal fisheries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augusto A. Machado
- Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Brazil; Instituto Mar Adentro, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Luciano N. Santos
- Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Brazil; Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Áthila A. Bertoncini
- Instituto Mar Adentro, Brazil; Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil
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Belharet M, Di Franco A, Calò A, Mari L, Claudet J, Casagrandi R, Gatto M, Lloret J, Sève C, Guidetti P, Melià P. Extending full protection inside existing marine protected areas, or reducing fishing effort outside, can reconcile conservation and fisheries goals. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mokrane Belharet
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria Politecnico di Milano Milano Italy
| | - Antonio Di Franco
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Sicily, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo (Complesso Roosevelt) Palermo Italy
- UMR 7035 ECOSEAS Université Côte d'AzurCNRS Nice France
| | - Antonio Calò
- UMR 7035 ECOSEAS Université Côte d'AzurCNRS Nice France
- CoNISMa Roma Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare (DiSTeM) Università di Palermo Palermo Italy
| | - Lorenzo Mari
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria Politecnico di Milano Milano Italy
| | - Joachim Claudet
- National Center for Scientific Research PSL Université ParisCRIOBEUSR3278 CNRS‐EPHE‐UPVDMaison des Océans Paris France
| | - Renato Casagrandi
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria Politecnico di Milano Milano Italy
| | - Marino Gatto
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria Politecnico di Milano Milano Italy
| | - Josep Lloret
- Faculty of Science University of Girona Girona Spain
| | - Charlotte Sève
- National Center for Scientific Research PSL Université ParisCRIOBEUSR3278 CNRS‐EPHE‐UPVDMaison des Océans Paris France
| | | | - Paco Melià
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria Politecnico di Milano Milano Italy
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