1.
Gratsia, Eirini; Zenetos, Argyro; Digenis, Markos; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Kasapidis, Panagiotis; Karakassis, Ioannis
In: Diversity, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 127, 2026, ISSN: 1424-2818.
@article{gratsia_hulls_2026,
title = {From Hulls to Caves: Insights into the Introduction and Expansion of Non-Indigenous Marine Bivalves of the Genera Isognomon and Malleus in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea},
author = {Eirini Gratsia and Argyro Zenetos and Markos Digenis and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Panagiotis Kasapidis and Ioannis Karakassis},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/18/2/127
/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Gratsia-diversity-11.pdf},
doi = {10.3390/d18020127},
issn = {1424-2818},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-03-17},
urldate = {2026-02-01},
journal = {Diversity},
volume = {18},
number = {2},
pages = {127},
abstract = {Although the Eastern Mediterranean Sea is a hotspot for marine bioinvasions, the accurate identification and monitoring of non-indigenous species (NIS) remain impeded by the ambiguous morphologies of species and limited regional genetic data. This study applied an integrative approach, combining morphological identification with DNA barcoding, to assess the taxonomy and expansion of bivalves from the genera Isognomon and Malleus in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Specimens were collected from a broad range of habitats, including marinas, ship hulls, reefs, and marine caves. Phylogenetic analyses revealed two distinct Isognomon species in the region: I. bicolor, frequently associated with artificial substrates and showing evidence of multiple introductions, and I. aff. legumen, restricted to cryptic natural habitats. A single species of Malleus cf. regula was also detected, clustering with sequences from neighboring Mediterranean regions. The study highlights the limitations of morphology-based taxonomy and the urgent need to enhance genetic reference databases, particularly with sequences from areas of nativity. As NIS increasingly expand from anthropogenic habitats into natural ecosystems, validated data are essential for risk assessment and conservation management.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Although the Eastern Mediterranean Sea is a hotspot for marine bioinvasions, the accurate identification and monitoring of non-indigenous species (NIS) remain impeded by the ambiguous morphologies of species and limited regional genetic data. This study applied an integrative approach, combining morphological identification with DNA barcoding, to assess the taxonomy and expansion of bivalves from the genera Isognomon and Malleus in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Specimens were collected from a broad range of habitats, including marinas, ship hulls, reefs, and marine caves. Phylogenetic analyses revealed two distinct Isognomon species in the region: I. bicolor, frequently associated with artificial substrates and showing evidence of multiple introductions, and I. aff. legumen, restricted to cryptic natural habitats. A single species of Malleus cf. regula was also detected, clustering with sequences from neighboring Mediterranean regions. The study highlights the limitations of morphology-based taxonomy and the urgent need to enhance genetic reference databases, particularly with sequences from areas of nativity. As NIS increasingly expand from anthropogenic habitats into natural ecosystems, validated data are essential for risk assessment and conservation management.
2.
Gonzalez-Marrero, Y.; Canepa-Oneto, A.; Clemente, S.; Cristobo, J.; Hernandez-Gonzalez, C.; Herrero-Perez, A.; Adrover-Huesca, M.; Gerovasileiou, V.
The vulnerability paradox in Atlantic marine caves: A multiscale mechanistic explanation from wave exposure to cave gradients Journal Article
In: Marine Environmental Research, vol. 217, pp. 107915, 2026, ISSN: 01411136.
@article{gonzalez-marrero_vulnerability_2026,
title = {The vulnerability paradox in Atlantic marine caves: A multiscale mechanistic explanation from wave exposure to cave gradients},
author = {Y. Gonzalez-Marrero and A. Canepa-Oneto and S. Clemente and J. Cristobo and C. Hernandez-Gonzalez and A. Herrero-Perez and M. Adrover-Huesca and V. Gerovasileiou},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S014111362600084X
/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Gonzalez-Marrero-MER-10.pdf},
doi = {10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107915},
issn = {01411136},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-03-11},
urldate = {2026-03-11},
journal = {Marine Environmental Research},
volume = {217},
pages = {107915},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
3.
Dimitriadis, Charalampos; Konsta, Katerina; Çinar, Melih Ertan; Doğan, Alper; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Gatti, Giulia; d’Avray, Laure Thierry De Ville; Sini, Maria; Katsanevakis, Stelios; Mazaris, Antonios D.; Koutsoubas, Drosos
Assessing the limits: citizen science data accuracy in underwater monitoring Journal Article
In: Biodiversity and Conservation, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 75, 2026, ISSN: 0960-3115, 1572-9710.
@article{dimitriadis_assessing_2026,
title = {Assessing the limits: citizen science data accuracy in underwater monitoring},
author = {Charalampos Dimitriadis and Katerina Konsta and Melih Ertan Çinar and Alper Doğan and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Giulia Gatti and Laure Thierry De Ville d’Avray and Maria Sini and Stelios Katsanevakis and Antonios D. Mazaris and Drosos Koutsoubas},
url = {https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10531-026-03290-3
/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Dimitriadis-BiodCons-9-proof.pdf},
doi = {10.1007/s10531-026-03290-3},
issn = {0960-3115, 1572-9710},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-03-09},
urldate = {2026-03-01},
journal = {Biodiversity and Conservation},
volume = {35},
number = {3},
pages = {75},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
4.
Christofilogiannis, Ioannis; Georgopoulou, Dimitra G.; Vouidaskis, Charalabos; Choulakis, Zacharias; Voskakis, Dimitris; Papandroulakis, Nikos
Corrigendum to “Automatic detection of fin, operculum, and skin deformities in Mediterranean fish species” [Aquac. Eng. 113 (2026) 102684] Journal Article
In: Aquacultural Engineering, vol. 113, pp. 102704, 2026, ISSN: 01448609.
@article{christofilogiannis_corrigendum_2026,
title = {Corrigendum to “Automatic detection of fin, operculum, and skin deformities in Mediterranean fish species” [Aquac. Eng. 113 (2026) 102684]},
author = {Ioannis Christofilogiannis and Dimitra G. Georgopoulou and Charalabos Vouidaskis and Zacharias Choulakis and Dimitris Voskakis and Nikos Papandroulakis},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0144860926000208
/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Christofilogiannis-AquaEng-8.pdf},
doi = {10.1016/j.aquaeng.2026.102704},
issn = {01448609},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-03-06},
urldate = {2026-03-01},
journal = {Aquacultural Engineering},
volume = {113},
pages = {102704},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
5.
Stefanos, Katsoulis-Dimitriou; Antigoni, Vasilaki; Morgane, Henry; Eleni, Fountoulaki; Chrysanthi, Nikoloudaki; Maria, Mastoraki; Petros, Chronopoulos; Elvira, Alcalde; Koen, Meynen; Elena, Mente; Ioannis, Nengas
In: Aquaculture, vol. 617, pp. 743743, 2026, ISSN: 00448486.
@article{stefanos_effects_2026,
title = {Effects of dietary lysophospholipids and butyrate supplementation on growth, feed utilization, fillet fatty acids, intestinal enzymes, innate immunity and liver and gut histology in European Sea bass, \textit{Dicentrarchus labrax}},
author = {Katsoulis-Dimitriou Stefanos and Vasilaki Antigoni and Henry Morgane and Fountoulaki Eleni and Nikoloudaki Chrysanthi and Mastoraki Maria and Chronopoulos Petros and Alcalde Elvira and Meynen Koen and Mente Elena and Nengas Ioannis},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0044848626001262
/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Katsoulis-Dimitriou-Aqua-7.pdf},
doi = {10.1016/j.aquaculture.2026.743743},
issn = {00448486},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-03-03},
urldate = {2026-04-01},
journal = {Aquaculture},
volume = {617},
pages = {743743},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
6.
Samiotaki, Katerina; Papadaki, Maria; Sigelaki, Irini; Manini, Evangelia; Hmida, Sabrin; Katharios, Pantelis; Ruetten, Maja; Karapanagiotis, Stelios; Mylonas, Constantinos C.
In: Aquaculture, vol. 617, pp. 743740, 2026, ISSN: 00448486.
@article{samiotaki_induction_2026,
title = {Induction of sex inversion and feminization in the protandrous gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) with 17β-estradiol implants, and its effects on egg production and quality},
author = {Katerina Samiotaki and Maria Papadaki and Irini Sigelaki and Evangelia Manini and Sabrin Hmida and Pantelis Katharios and Maja Ruetten and Stelios Karapanagiotis and Constantinos C. Mylonas},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0044848626001237
/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-Samiotaki-AQUA-6.pdf},
doi = {10.1016/j.aquaculture.2026.743740},
issn = {00448486},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-02-26},
urldate = {2026-04-01},
journal = {Aquaculture},
volume = {617},
pages = {743740},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
7.
Mammola, Stefano; Brankovits, David; Lorenzo, Tiziana Di; Amorim, Isabel R.; Bancila, Raluca Ioana; Bellvert, Adrià; Bernard, Enrico; Blomberg, Anna; Borges, Paulo A. V.; Cappelletti, Martina; Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes; Gabriel, Rosalina; Galassi, Diana M. P.; Garzoli, Laura; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Hose, Grant C.; Korbel, Kathryn L.; Martino, Simone; Miller, Ana Z; Mori, Nataša; Nanni, Veronica; Nicolosi, Giuseppe; Saccò, Mattia; Sakihara, Troy S.; Silva, Marconi Souza; Tamalavage, Anne E.; Zagmajster, Maja; Chávez, Efraín; Griebler, Christian; Cardoso, Pedro; Martínez, Alejandro
Subterranean environments contribute to three‐quarters of classified ecosystem services Journal Article
In: Biological Reviews, pp. brv.70137, 2026, ISSN: 1464-7931, 1469-185X.
@article{mammola_subterranean_2026,
title = {Subterranean environments contribute to three‐quarters of classified ecosystem services},
author = {Stefano Mammola and David Brankovits and Tiziana Di Lorenzo and Isabel R. Amorim and Raluca Ioana Bancila and Adrià Bellvert and Enrico Bernard and Anna Blomberg and Paulo A. V. Borges and Martina Cappelletti and Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira and Rosalina Gabriel and Diana M. P. Galassi and Laura Garzoli and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Grant C. Hose and Kathryn L. Korbel and Simone Martino and Ana Z Miller and Nataša Mori and Veronica Nanni and Giuseppe Nicolosi and Mattia Saccò and Troy S. Sakihara and Marconi Souza Silva and Anne E. Tamalavage and Maja Zagmajster and Efraín Chávez and Christian Griebler and Pedro Cardoso and Alejandro Martínez},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/brv.70137
/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-Mammola-Biological-Reviews-5.pdf},
doi = {10.1002/brv.70137},
issn = {1464-7931, 1469-185X},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-02-16},
urldate = {2026-02-01},
journal = {Biological Reviews},
pages = {brv.70137},
abstract = {ABSTRACT
Beneath the Earth's surface lies a network of interconnected caves, voids, and systems of fissures forming in rocks of sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic origin. Although largely inaccessible to humans, this hidden realm supports and regulates services critical to ecological health and human well‐being. Subterranean ecosystems are integral to major biogeochemical cycles, sustain diverse surface habitats, and serve as the primary source of irrigation and drinking water. They also offer non‐material benefits, including scientific discovery, education, and cultural practices. Yet, these contributions often go unrecognised, partly due to the lack of a unified synthesis of ecosystem services across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine subterranean compartments. This gap limits effective communication of their value to scientists, practitioners, and the public. Through a systematic expert‐based review, we show that subterranean ecosystems contribute to up to 75% of classified ecosystem services. Notably, many of these contributions are described only qualitatively, lacking numerical or economic quantification. Next, we list examples of the main ecosystem services provided by subterranean systems to offer a global overview of their multifaceted value and vulnerability to environmental change. We believe this synthesis provides researchers and practitioners with concrete examples to communicate more effectively the importance of subterranean ecosystems to diverse audiences.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
ABSTRACT
Beneath the Earth's surface lies a network of interconnected caves, voids, and systems of fissures forming in rocks of sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic origin. Although largely inaccessible to humans, this hidden realm supports and regulates services critical to ecological health and human well‐being. Subterranean ecosystems are integral to major biogeochemical cycles, sustain diverse surface habitats, and serve as the primary source of irrigation and drinking water. They also offer non‐material benefits, including scientific discovery, education, and cultural practices. Yet, these contributions often go unrecognised, partly due to the lack of a unified synthesis of ecosystem services across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine subterranean compartments. This gap limits effective communication of their value to scientists, practitioners, and the public. Through a systematic expert‐based review, we show that subterranean ecosystems contribute to up to 75% of classified ecosystem services. Notably, many of these contributions are described only qualitatively, lacking numerical or economic quantification. Next, we list examples of the main ecosystem services provided by subterranean systems to offer a global overview of their multifaceted value and vulnerability to environmental change. We believe this synthesis provides researchers and practitioners with concrete examples to communicate more effectively the importance of subterranean ecosystems to diverse audiences.
Beneath the Earth's surface lies a network of interconnected caves, voids, and systems of fissures forming in rocks of sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic origin. Although largely inaccessible to humans, this hidden realm supports and regulates services critical to ecological health and human well‐being. Subterranean ecosystems are integral to major biogeochemical cycles, sustain diverse surface habitats, and serve as the primary source of irrigation and drinking water. They also offer non‐material benefits, including scientific discovery, education, and cultural practices. Yet, these contributions often go unrecognised, partly due to the lack of a unified synthesis of ecosystem services across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine subterranean compartments. This gap limits effective communication of their value to scientists, practitioners, and the public. Through a systematic expert‐based review, we show that subterranean ecosystems contribute to up to 75% of classified ecosystem services. Notably, many of these contributions are described only qualitatively, lacking numerical or economic quantification. Next, we list examples of the main ecosystem services provided by subterranean systems to offer a global overview of their multifaceted value and vulnerability to environmental change. We believe this synthesis provides researchers and practitioners with concrete examples to communicate more effectively the importance of subterranean ecosystems to diverse audiences.
8.
Chatzinikolaou, Eva; Grigoriou, Panagiotis; Anastasiadis, Athanasios; Vernadou, Emmanouela; Dailianis, Thanos
A standardised experimental setup for simulating ocean warming and acidification in benthic marine invertebrates Journal Article
In: Biodiversity Data Journal, vol. 14, pp. e185047, 2026, ISSN: 1314-2828, 1314-2836.
@article{chatzinikolaou_standardised_2026,
title = {A standardised experimental setup for simulating ocean warming and acidification in benthic marine invertebrates},
author = {Eva Chatzinikolaou and Panagiotis Grigoriou and Athanasios Anastasiadis and Emmanouela Vernadou and Thanos Dailianis},
url = {https://bdj.pensoft.net/article/185047/
/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-Chatzinikolaou-BDJ-4.pdf},
doi = {10.3897/BDJ.14.e185047},
issn = {1314-2828, 1314-2836},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-02-11},
urldate = {2026-02-01},
journal = {Biodiversity Data Journal},
volume = {14},
pages = {e185047},
abstract = {Recent studies identify ocean warming and acidification as major drivers of ecological change in the Eastern Mediterranean, posing serious threats to marine biodiversity, particularly for sessile or low-mobility organisms that cannot escape unfavourable conditions. At the same time, the need for standardised experimental approaches capable of generating high-quality data on organismal responses to multiple climate stressors has become increasingly evident. This manuscript presents a fully detailed and replicable experimental framework for simulating ocean warming and acidification in benthic marine invertebrates under controlled laboratory conditions. Detailed protocols include the technical set-up, experimental design, selection of climate scenarios, monitoring procedures and criteria for species selection and demonstrating its application through a validation case study from the MACCIMO project.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Recent studies identify ocean warming and acidification as major drivers of ecological change in the Eastern Mediterranean, posing serious threats to marine biodiversity, particularly for sessile or low-mobility organisms that cannot escape unfavourable conditions. At the same time, the need for standardised experimental approaches capable of generating high-quality data on organismal responses to multiple climate stressors has become increasingly evident. This manuscript presents a fully detailed and replicable experimental framework for simulating ocean warming and acidification in benthic marine invertebrates under controlled laboratory conditions. Detailed protocols include the technical set-up, experimental design, selection of climate scenarios, monitoring procedures and criteria for species selection and demonstrating its application through a validation case study from the MACCIMO project.
9.
Orestis, Stavrakidis-Zachou; Sidera, Paraskevi; Nikos, Papandroulakis
Behavioral responses of European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, fingerlings under the influence of an electromagnetic field Journal Article
In: Aquaculture International, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 60, 2026, ISSN: 1573-143X.
@article{orestis_behavioral_2026,
title = {Behavioral responses of European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, fingerlings under the influence of an electromagnetic field},
author = {Stavrakidis-Zachou Orestis and Paraskevi Sidera and Papandroulakis Nikos},
url = {https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10499-026-02468-4
/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-Stavrakidis-AquaInt-3.pdf},
doi = {10.1007/s10499-026-02468-4},
issn = {1573-143X},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-02-06},
urldate = {2026-02-01},
journal = {Aquaculture International},
volume = {34},
number = {2},
pages = {60},
abstract = {Abstract
The advent of wind farming as a renewable energy source necessitates assessment of the effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on fish, especially when done in conjunction with aquaculture. In this study, we investigated the effects of an EMF on the behavior of European sea bass fingerlings. A T-maze apparatus was used to record the behavior of the fish with and without the presence of a static EMF of 10 mT and subsequently, several behavioral metrics were analyzed using specialized software. Our results suggest that E. sea bass can perceive magnetic fields. Compared to the control group, fish exposed to the EMF showed reduced exploratory behavior with longer periods of immobility, traveled a shorter total distance, and exhibited freezing behavior at an increased frequency. In addition, fish showed a preference for the geomagnetic south. The findings offer valuable contributions to our understanding of EMF effects on fish, which in turn may be useful in shaping the future of fish farming in conjunction with energy production
.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Abstract
The advent of wind farming as a renewable energy source necessitates assessment of the effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on fish, especially when done in conjunction with aquaculture. In this study, we investigated the effects of an EMF on the behavior of European sea bass fingerlings. A T-maze apparatus was used to record the behavior of the fish with and without the presence of a static EMF of 10 mT and subsequently, several behavioral metrics were analyzed using specialized software. Our results suggest that E. sea bass can perceive magnetic fields. Compared to the control group, fish exposed to the EMF showed reduced exploratory behavior with longer periods of immobility, traveled a shorter total distance, and exhibited freezing behavior at an increased frequency. In addition, fish showed a preference for the geomagnetic south. The findings offer valuable contributions to our understanding of EMF effects on fish, which in turn may be useful in shaping the future of fish farming in conjunction with energy production
.
The advent of wind farming as a renewable energy source necessitates assessment of the effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on fish, especially when done in conjunction with aquaculture. In this study, we investigated the effects of an EMF on the behavior of European sea bass fingerlings. A T-maze apparatus was used to record the behavior of the fish with and without the presence of a static EMF of 10 mT and subsequently, several behavioral metrics were analyzed using specialized software. Our results suggest that E. sea bass can perceive magnetic fields. Compared to the control group, fish exposed to the EMF showed reduced exploratory behavior with longer periods of immobility, traveled a shorter total distance, and exhibited freezing behavior at an increased frequency. In addition, fish showed a preference for the geomagnetic south. The findings offer valuable contributions to our understanding of EMF effects on fish, which in turn may be useful in shaping the future of fish farming in conjunction with energy production
.
10.
Santi, Ioulia; Pavloudi, Christina; Abagnale, Maria; Azua, Iñigo; Baña, Zuriñe; Bastianini, Mauro; Belser, Caroline; Berg, Kristel; Bilbao, Jone; Bird, Kimberley; Broudin, Caroline; Camusat, Mathieu; Cancio, Ibon; Caray-Counil, Louis; Casotti, Raffaella; Castel, Jade; Comtet, Thierry; Cox, Cymon; Cunliffe, Michael; Daguin, Claire; Deneudt, Klaas; Cerio, Oihane Díaz De; Exter, Katrina; Fauvelot, Cécile; Fontana, Yann; Frada, Miquel; Galand, Pierre; Gallia, Roberto; Garczarek, Laurence; Fernández, Jose González; Guillou, Laure; Heynderickx, Hanneloor; Koplovitz, Gil; Labrune, Celine; Lagaisse, Rune; Laroquette, Arnaud; Lescure, Lyvia; Lopes, Eva; Loulakaki, Melina; Louro, Bruno; Magalhães, Catarina; Margiotta, Francesca; Moal, Hannah; Moussy, Alice; Not, Fabrice; Percopo, Isabella; Rosendo, Estefanía Paredes; Péru, Erwan; Poulain, Julie; Praebel, Kim; Rigaut-Jalabert, Fabienne; Romac, Sarah; Rzeznik-Orignac, Jadwiga; Sarno, Diana; Troncoso, Jesús Souza; Thiébaut, Eric; Thomas, Wilfried; Tkacz, Andrzej; Tramontano, Ferdinando; Trano, Anna Chiara; Wincker, Patrick; Pade, Nicolas
In: Biodiversity Data Journal, vol. 14, pp. e178484, 2026, ISSN: 1314-2828, 1314-2836.
@article{santi_next_2026,
title = {Next release of the European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON) shotgun metagenomic data from water and sediment samples (Release 2)},
author = {Ioulia Santi and Christina Pavloudi and Maria Abagnale and Iñigo Azua and Zuriñe Baña and Mauro Bastianini and Caroline Belser and Kristel Berg and Jone Bilbao and Kimberley Bird and Caroline Broudin and Mathieu Camusat and Ibon Cancio and Louis Caray-Counil and Raffaella Casotti and Jade Castel and Thierry Comtet and Cymon Cox and Michael Cunliffe and Claire Daguin and Klaas Deneudt and Oihane Díaz De Cerio and Katrina Exter and Cécile Fauvelot and Yann Fontana and Miquel Frada and Pierre Galand and Roberto Gallia and Laurence Garczarek and Jose González Fernández and Laure Guillou and Hanneloor Heynderickx and Gil Koplovitz and Celine Labrune and Rune Lagaisse and Arnaud Laroquette and Lyvia Lescure and Eva Lopes and Melina Loulakaki and Bruno Louro and Catarina Magalhães and Francesca Margiotta and Hannah Moal and Alice Moussy and Fabrice Not and Isabella Percopo and Estefanía Paredes Rosendo and Erwan Péru and Julie Poulain and Kim Praebel and Fabienne Rigaut-Jalabert and Sarah Romac and Jadwiga Rzeznik-Orignac and Diana Sarno and Jesús Souza Troncoso and Eric Thiébaut and Wilfried Thomas and Andrzej Tkacz and Ferdinando Tramontano and Anna Chiara Trano and Patrick Wincker and Nicolas Pade},
url = {https://bdj.pensoft.net/article/178484/
/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026-Santi-BDJ-2.pdf},
doi = {10.3897/BDJ.14.e178484},
issn = {1314-2828, 1314-2836},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-01-27},
urldate = {2026-01-01},
journal = {Biodiversity Data Journal},
volume = {14},
pages = {e178484},
abstract = {The European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON) is a long-term genomic observatory run by the European Research Infrastructure European Marine Biological Resource Centre (EMBRC). It was established in 2021 to support the challenges of biodiversity observation and unsystematic management of biodiversity data in the European seas. EMO BON introduced and coordinated the systematic and harmonised observation of biodiversity amongst more than fourteen marine stations in the European coastline. Here, we report the next release (Release 2) of shotgun metagenomic data from seawater and sediment microbial communities.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON) is a long-term genomic observatory run by the European Research Infrastructure European Marine Biological Resource Centre (EMBRC). It was established in 2021 to support the challenges of biodiversity observation and unsystematic management of biodiversity data in the European seas. EMO BON introduced and coordinated the systematic and harmonised observation of biodiversity amongst more than fourteen marine stations in the European coastline. Here, we report the next release (Release 2) of shotgun metagenomic data from seawater and sediment microbial communities.
11.
Reverté, Jaume; Alkassar, Mounira; Rambla-Alegre, Maria; Sanchez-Henao, Andres; Mandalakis, Manolis; Peristeraki, Panagiota; Sureda, Francesc X.; Diogène, Jorge; Campàs, Mònica
Mechanistic insights into antibody recognition of tetrodotoxin analogues: Implications for neurotoxicological assessment Journal Article
In: Chemico-Biological Interactions, vol. 424, pp. 111871, 2026, ISSN: 00092797.
@article{reverte_mechanistic_2026,
title = {Mechanistic insights into antibody recognition of tetrodotoxin analogues: Implications for neurotoxicological assessment},
author = {Jaume Reverté and Mounira Alkassar and Maria Rambla-Alegre and Andres Sanchez-Henao and Manolis Mandalakis and Panagiota Peristeraki and Francesc X. Sureda and Jorge Diogène and Mònica Campàs},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0009279725005010
/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026-Reverte-CBInter-1.pdf},
doi = {10.1016/j.cbi.2025.111871},
issn = {00092797},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-01-09},
urldate = {2026-01-01},
journal = {Chemico-Biological Interactions},
volume = {424},
pages = {111871},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
12.
Kogiannou, Dimitra; Kotsiri, Mado; Nikoloudaki, Chrysanthi; Kakagianni, Myrsini; Grigorakis, Kriton
Biochemical and Physical Factors Contributing to Seasonal Variations of Fillet Gaping in Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata) Journal Article
In: vol. 2025, no. 1, pp. 3044512, 2025, ISSN: 1355-557X, 1365-2109.
@article{kogiannou_biochemical_2025,
title = {Biochemical and Physical Factors Contributing to Seasonal Variations of Fillet Gaping in Gilthead Seabream (\textit{Sparus aurata})},
author = {Dimitra Kogiannou and Mado Kotsiri and Chrysanthi Nikoloudaki and Myrsini Kakagianni and Kriton Grigorakis},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/are/3044512
/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2025-Kogiannou-AR-82.pdf},
doi = {10.1155/are/3044512},
issn = {1355-557X, 1365-2109},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-30},
urldate = {2025-12-30},
volume = {2025},
number = {1},
pages = {3044512},
abstract = {The gaping phenomenon in gilthead seabream (
Sparus aurata
) causes profitability problems for the relevant aquaculture industry. To gain insights into the factors affecting gaping in gilthead seabream, the seasonality of gaping intensity and the relative contribution of postmortem physical and chemical factors to the fillet integrity were investigated. Gilthead seabream of commercial weight (400–600 g) were sampled seasonally. Gaping frequencies were evaluated and related to water holding capacity (WHC), muscle pH, proximate composition, ATP breakdown products (
K
‐value), total collagen content, and collagen fractions. With the exception of the
K
‐value, all examined physical and chemical parameters were seasonally affected. Moreover, gaping score frequencies were found to be statistically different among seasons. It was evident that during seasons with high water temperatures (summer and autumn), gaps in muscle tissue of gilthead seabream were more pronounced, while a mitigation of gaping intensity appeared during wintertime. ATP breakdown as a measure of chemical freshness, proximate composition, pH, and collagen levels, showed no correlation with gaping intensity, but a clear negative correlation was observed between high gaping incidences and WHC. There was also a strong correlation between gaping incidences and collagen fractions. A higher amount of acid‐soluble collagen (ASC) was observed during summer, highlighting that collagen solubility affects gaping in farmed gilthead seabream. Overall, our results demonstrate that seasonal gaping variability in this species is primarily a result of temperature‐driven changes in collagen solubility.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The gaping phenomenon in gilthead seabream (
Sparus aurata
) causes profitability problems for the relevant aquaculture industry. To gain insights into the factors affecting gaping in gilthead seabream, the seasonality of gaping intensity and the relative contribution of postmortem physical and chemical factors to the fillet integrity were investigated. Gilthead seabream of commercial weight (400–600 g) were sampled seasonally. Gaping frequencies were evaluated and related to water holding capacity (WHC), muscle pH, proximate composition, ATP breakdown products (
K
‐value), total collagen content, and collagen fractions. With the exception of the
K
‐value, all examined physical and chemical parameters were seasonally affected. Moreover, gaping score frequencies were found to be statistically different among seasons. It was evident that during seasons with high water temperatures (summer and autumn), gaps in muscle tissue of gilthead seabream were more pronounced, while a mitigation of gaping intensity appeared during wintertime. ATP breakdown as a measure of chemical freshness, proximate composition, pH, and collagen levels, showed no correlation with gaping intensity, but a clear negative correlation was observed between high gaping incidences and WHC. There was also a strong correlation between gaping incidences and collagen fractions. A higher amount of acid‐soluble collagen (ASC) was observed during summer, highlighting that collagen solubility affects gaping in farmed gilthead seabream. Overall, our results demonstrate that seasonal gaping variability in this species is primarily a result of temperature‐driven changes in collagen solubility.
Sparus aurata
) causes profitability problems for the relevant aquaculture industry. To gain insights into the factors affecting gaping in gilthead seabream, the seasonality of gaping intensity and the relative contribution of postmortem physical and chemical factors to the fillet integrity were investigated. Gilthead seabream of commercial weight (400–600 g) were sampled seasonally. Gaping frequencies were evaluated and related to water holding capacity (WHC), muscle pH, proximate composition, ATP breakdown products (
K
‐value), total collagen content, and collagen fractions. With the exception of the
K
‐value, all examined physical and chemical parameters were seasonally affected. Moreover, gaping score frequencies were found to be statistically different among seasons. It was evident that during seasons with high water temperatures (summer and autumn), gaps in muscle tissue of gilthead seabream were more pronounced, while a mitigation of gaping intensity appeared during wintertime. ATP breakdown as a measure of chemical freshness, proximate composition, pH, and collagen levels, showed no correlation with gaping intensity, but a clear negative correlation was observed between high gaping incidences and WHC. There was also a strong correlation between gaping incidences and collagen fractions. A higher amount of acid‐soluble collagen (ASC) was observed during summer, highlighting that collagen solubility affects gaping in farmed gilthead seabream. Overall, our results demonstrate that seasonal gaping variability in this species is primarily a result of temperature‐driven changes in collagen solubility.
13.
Gavriilidou, Athina; Stamatakis, Alexandros; Kupczok, Anne; Bista, Iliana; Jiggins, Chris D; Fernández, Rosa; Skourtanioti, Eirini; Amoutzias, Grigoris; Delneri, Daniela; Kyrpides, Nikos; Nikolaou, Christoforos; Pittis, Alexandros A; Manousaki, Tereza; Vakirlis, Nikolaos
In: Bioinformatics Advances, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. vbaf223, 2025, ISSN: 2635-0041.
@article{gavriilidou_advances_2024,
title = {Advances and challenges in understanding evolution through genome comparison: meeting report of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) lecture course “Evolutionary and Comparative Genomics”},
author = {Athina Gavriilidou and Alexandros Stamatakis and Anne Kupczok and Iliana Bista and Chris D Jiggins and Rosa Fernández and Eirini Skourtanioti and Grigoris Amoutzias and Daniela Delneri and Nikos Kyrpides and Christoforos Nikolaou and Alexandros A Pittis and Tereza Manousaki and Nikolaos Vakirlis},
editor = {Michael DeGiorgio},
url = {https://academic.oup.com/bioinformaticsadvances/article/doi/10.1093/bioadv/vbaf223/8277547
/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2025-Gabriilidou-BioAdv-81.pdf},
doi = {10.1093/bioadv/vbaf223},
issn = {2635-0041},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-30},
urldate = {2024-12-01},
journal = {Bioinformatics Advances},
volume = {5},
number = {1},
pages = {vbaf223},
abstract = {Abstract
This perspective outlines emerging trends, key challenges, and future opportunities in evolutionary and comparative genomics. Our starting point are the topics presented at the 2024 EMBO Early Career Lecture Course “Evolutionary and Comparative Genomics”, which highlighted recent conceptual and methodological advances in areas ranging from microbial pangenomes, protein evolution, hybrid speciation, novel gene origination and transposon dynamics. Here, we emphasize the role of computational and molecular approaches, providing a forward-looking view on where the field is headed and how it is being reshaped by new technologies and approaches.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Abstract
This perspective outlines emerging trends, key challenges, and future opportunities in evolutionary and comparative genomics. Our starting point are the topics presented at the 2024 EMBO Early Career Lecture Course “Evolutionary and Comparative Genomics”, which highlighted recent conceptual and methodological advances in areas ranging from microbial pangenomes, protein evolution, hybrid speciation, novel gene origination and transposon dynamics. Here, we emphasize the role of computational and molecular approaches, providing a forward-looking view on where the field is headed and how it is being reshaped by new technologies and approaches.
This perspective outlines emerging trends, key challenges, and future opportunities in evolutionary and comparative genomics. Our starting point are the topics presented at the 2024 EMBO Early Career Lecture Course “Evolutionary and Comparative Genomics”, which highlighted recent conceptual and methodological advances in areas ranging from microbial pangenomes, protein evolution, hybrid speciation, novel gene origination and transposon dynamics. Here, we emphasize the role of computational and molecular approaches, providing a forward-looking view on where the field is headed and how it is being reshaped by new technologies and approaches.
14.
Bottacini, Davide; Noordman, Carien; Renaud, Victor; Skouradakis, Grigorios; Dailianis, Thanos; Mastoraki, Maria; Chatzifotis, Stavros; Kotrschal, Alexander
Camouflage in a moving predator: testing for background choice in stalking lionfish ( textitPterois miles ) Journal Article
In: Royal Society Open Science, vol. 12, no. 12, pp. 250836, 2025, ISSN: 2054-5703.
@article{bottacini_camouflage_2025,
title = {Camouflage in a moving predator: testing for background choice in stalking lionfish ( textitPterois miles )},
author = {Davide Bottacini and Carien Noordman and Victor Renaud and Grigorios Skouradakis and Thanos Dailianis and Maria Mastoraki and Stavros Chatzifotis and Alexander Kotrschal},
url = {https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/12/12/250836/366120/Camouflage-in-a-moving-predator-testing-for
/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2025-Bottacini-RSOS-80.pdf},
doi = {10.1098/rsos.250836},
issn = {2054-5703},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-30},
urldate = {2025-12-01},
journal = {Royal Society Open Science},
volume = {12},
number = {12},
pages = {250836},
abstract = {Abstract
Predation is pervasive in the natural world, where predators and prey have evolved spectacular mechanisms to avoid detection and recognition. An example is camouflage through background matching, which allows animals to resemble their background. Animals can move strategically towards backgrounds that match their morphology (background choice) to enhance camouflage. We studied the relevance of background choice in lionfish (Pterois miles), conspicuous stalking predators that could take advantage of background matching by resembling corals and other invertebrates in their surroundings. We offered different background combinations to hunting lionfish and we found that they indeed account for their background while hunting, although the response did not support the hypothesis that the preference is determined by background matching. Lionfish deviated towards a rocky background, which closely resembled the substrate where lionfish were caught (rocky reefs in the Mediterranean Sea). We suggest that lionfish showed a preference for a rocky background because in the Mediterranean they live on rocky reefs. While we cannot rule out that background matching played a role in background choice, we suggest that remaining close to a rocky reef while hunting offers lionfish the best combination of easy access to hiding spots and high availability of prey.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Abstract
Predation is pervasive in the natural world, where predators and prey have evolved spectacular mechanisms to avoid detection and recognition. An example is camouflage through background matching, which allows animals to resemble their background. Animals can move strategically towards backgrounds that match their morphology (background choice) to enhance camouflage. We studied the relevance of background choice in lionfish (Pterois miles), conspicuous stalking predators that could take advantage of background matching by resembling corals and other invertebrates in their surroundings. We offered different background combinations to hunting lionfish and we found that they indeed account for their background while hunting, although the response did not support the hypothesis that the preference is determined by background matching. Lionfish deviated towards a rocky background, which closely resembled the substrate where lionfish were caught (rocky reefs in the Mediterranean Sea). We suggest that lionfish showed a preference for a rocky background because in the Mediterranean they live on rocky reefs. While we cannot rule out that background matching played a role in background choice, we suggest that remaining close to a rocky reef while hunting offers lionfish the best combination of easy access to hiding spots and high availability of prey.
Predation is pervasive in the natural world, where predators and prey have evolved spectacular mechanisms to avoid detection and recognition. An example is camouflage through background matching, which allows animals to resemble their background. Animals can move strategically towards backgrounds that match their morphology (background choice) to enhance camouflage. We studied the relevance of background choice in lionfish (Pterois miles), conspicuous stalking predators that could take advantage of background matching by resembling corals and other invertebrates in their surroundings. We offered different background combinations to hunting lionfish and we found that they indeed account for their background while hunting, although the response did not support the hypothesis that the preference is determined by background matching. Lionfish deviated towards a rocky background, which closely resembled the substrate where lionfish were caught (rocky reefs in the Mediterranean Sea). We suggest that lionfish showed a preference for a rocky background because in the Mediterranean they live on rocky reefs. While we cannot rule out that background matching played a role in background choice, we suggest that remaining close to a rocky reef while hunting offers lionfish the best combination of easy access to hiding spots and high availability of prey.
15.
Karoumpali, Marina; Marco, Moreno Di; Parmakelis, Aristeidis; Stoumboudi, Maria; Sarropoulou, Elena; Radea, Canela; Kotsakiozi, Panayiota
Identifying possible hotspots of human pressure on European gastropods Journal Article
In: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, vol. 146, no. 3, pp. blaf085, 2025, ISSN: 0024-4066, 1095-8312.
@article{karoumpali_identifying_2025,
title = {Identifying possible hotspots of human pressure on European gastropods},
author = {Marina Karoumpali and Moreno Di Marco and Aristeidis Parmakelis and Maria Stoumboudi and Elena Sarropoulou and Canela Radea and Panayiota Kotsakiozi},
url = {https://academic.oup.com/biolinnean/article/doi/10.1093/biolinnean/blaf085/8312933},
doi = {10.1093/biolinnean/blaf085},
issn = {0024-4066, 1095-8312},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-22},
urldate = {2025-11-01},
journal = {Biological Journal of the Linnean Society},
volume = {146},
number = {3},
pages = {blaf085},
abstract = {Abstract
Human activities are impacting the biosphere, driving unprecedented rates of species loss. Yet, little is known about the ranges of these threats and how they impact invertebrate species. Despite the extensive efforts to preserve biodiversity globally, most of the strategies are designed for vertebrates, whereas invertebrates are seriously underrepresented. European gastropod species, in particular, are a taxon of high conservation interest given the high number of threatened species and the high levels of endemism. Yet the distribution of their threats remains largely unmapped. In this study, we intersect individual ranges of European threatened and near-threatened gastropods with seven human pressure layers to estimate the cumulative overlap between each species and the pressure to which it is sensitive. We found that about one-fifth of the species have their entire distribution range overlapping with at least one relevant pressure, and about one-third of the species coexist with multiple pressures somewhere within their distributions. Our analyses unveil hotspots of impacted and coolspots of unimpacted gastropod biodiversity, providing information for future conservation planning.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Abstract
Human activities are impacting the biosphere, driving unprecedented rates of species loss. Yet, little is known about the ranges of these threats and how they impact invertebrate species. Despite the extensive efforts to preserve biodiversity globally, most of the strategies are designed for vertebrates, whereas invertebrates are seriously underrepresented. European gastropod species, in particular, are a taxon of high conservation interest given the high number of threatened species and the high levels of endemism. Yet the distribution of their threats remains largely unmapped. In this study, we intersect individual ranges of European threatened and near-threatened gastropods with seven human pressure layers to estimate the cumulative overlap between each species and the pressure to which it is sensitive. We found that about one-fifth of the species have their entire distribution range overlapping with at least one relevant pressure, and about one-third of the species coexist with multiple pressures somewhere within their distributions. Our analyses unveil hotspots of impacted and coolspots of unimpacted gastropod biodiversity, providing information for future conservation planning.
Human activities are impacting the biosphere, driving unprecedented rates of species loss. Yet, little is known about the ranges of these threats and how they impact invertebrate species. Despite the extensive efforts to preserve biodiversity globally, most of the strategies are designed for vertebrates, whereas invertebrates are seriously underrepresented. European gastropod species, in particular, are a taxon of high conservation interest given the high number of threatened species and the high levels of endemism. Yet the distribution of their threats remains largely unmapped. In this study, we intersect individual ranges of European threatened and near-threatened gastropods with seven human pressure layers to estimate the cumulative overlap between each species and the pressure to which it is sensitive. We found that about one-fifth of the species have their entire distribution range overlapping with at least one relevant pressure, and about one-third of the species coexist with multiple pressures somewhere within their distributions. Our analyses unveil hotspots of impacted and coolspots of unimpacted gastropod biodiversity, providing information for future conservation planning.
16.
Koumpaki, Eleni; Maidanou, Maria; Chatzigeorgiou, Georgios; Rallis, Ioannis; Mavraki, Dimitra; Dounas, Costas; Arvanitidis, Christos; Koulouri, Panayota
Macrobenthic communities of the continental shelf of Heraklion Bay (Crete, Greece): bathymetric distribution and temporal trends Journal Article
In: Biodiversity Data Journal, vol. 13, pp. e174931, 2025, ISSN: 1314-2828, 1314-2836.
@article{koumpaki_macrobenthic_2025,
title = {Macrobenthic communities of the continental shelf of Heraklion Bay (Crete, Greece): bathymetric distribution and temporal trends},
author = {Eleni Koumpaki and Maria Maidanou and Georgios Chatzigeorgiou and Ioannis Rallis and Dimitra Mavraki and Costas Dounas and Christos Arvanitidis and Panayota Koulouri},
url = {https://bdj.pensoft.net/article/174931/
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Koumpaki-BDJournal-78.pdf},
doi = {10.3897/BDJ.13.e174931},
issn = {1314-2828, 1314-2836},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-18},
urldate = {2025-12-01},
journal = {Biodiversity Data Journal},
volume = {13},
pages = {e174931},
abstract = {The Gulf of Heraklion is one of the most well-studied coastal marine ecosystems in the eastern Mediterranean. It is an oligotrophic area, exposed to wave action where muddy sediments prevail and its coastal zone is relatively unaffected by major riverine inputs. However, it faces pressures deriving from urbanisation, tourism, small-scale fisheries and climate change. Amongst its biological components, macrobenthos is an important component of soft-bottom habitats of the continental shelf and considered to be an indicator of environmental and human-induced disturbance. Nevertheless, long-term data are limited, thus restricting our understanding of their temporal trends. This is of particular importance for the Mediterranean Sea which is characterised as a hot spot of biodiversity and climate change impacts on its biota.
The macrοbenthic faunal communities were investigated in the continental shelf of Heraklion Bay within the framework of the European funded project entitled MARine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning leading to Ecosystem Services (MARBEFES), with the objective to enhance the understanding of marine biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and the ecosystem services they provide. Additional studies, with the same objectives, were carried under national and local monitoring programmes. Samples were collected from a specific transect of stations, named H2 (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100 and 200 m depth), located in the wider marine area of the wastewater treatment plant of Heraklion City. The transect was sampled during three different sampling surveys and periods: June 2010, June 2015 and August 2024.
A total of 30,280 individuals were examined belonging to the taxonomic groups of Annelida, Crustacea, Mollusca, Echinodermata, Nemertea and varia. The identification of the key taxonomic classes (Polychaeta, Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Scaphopoda and Malacostraca) revealed 231 macrobenthic taxa. Out of the 231 taxa, only 30 were common amongst all the three sampling periods, while Polychaeta was the most abundant macrobenthic group in all sampling periods.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The Gulf of Heraklion is one of the most well-studied coastal marine ecosystems in the eastern Mediterranean. It is an oligotrophic area, exposed to wave action where muddy sediments prevail and its coastal zone is relatively unaffected by major riverine inputs. However, it faces pressures deriving from urbanisation, tourism, small-scale fisheries and climate change. Amongst its biological components, macrobenthos is an important component of soft-bottom habitats of the continental shelf and considered to be an indicator of environmental and human-induced disturbance. Nevertheless, long-term data are limited, thus restricting our understanding of their temporal trends. This is of particular importance for the Mediterranean Sea which is characterised as a hot spot of biodiversity and climate change impacts on its biota.
The macrοbenthic faunal communities were investigated in the continental shelf of Heraklion Bay within the framework of the European funded project entitled MARine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning leading to Ecosystem Services (MARBEFES), with the objective to enhance the understanding of marine biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and the ecosystem services they provide. Additional studies, with the same objectives, were carried under national and local monitoring programmes. Samples were collected from a specific transect of stations, named H2 (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100 and 200 m depth), located in the wider marine area of the wastewater treatment plant of Heraklion City. The transect was sampled during three different sampling surveys and periods: June 2010, June 2015 and August 2024.
A total of 30,280 individuals were examined belonging to the taxonomic groups of Annelida, Crustacea, Mollusca, Echinodermata, Nemertea and varia. The identification of the key taxonomic classes (Polychaeta, Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Scaphopoda and Malacostraca) revealed 231 macrobenthic taxa. Out of the 231 taxa, only 30 were common amongst all the three sampling periods, while Polychaeta was the most abundant macrobenthic group in all sampling periods.
The macrοbenthic faunal communities were investigated in the continental shelf of Heraklion Bay within the framework of the European funded project entitled MARine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning leading to Ecosystem Services (MARBEFES), with the objective to enhance the understanding of marine biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and the ecosystem services they provide. Additional studies, with the same objectives, were carried under national and local monitoring programmes. Samples were collected from a specific transect of stations, named H2 (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100 and 200 m depth), located in the wider marine area of the wastewater treatment plant of Heraklion City. The transect was sampled during three different sampling surveys and periods: June 2010, June 2015 and August 2024.
A total of 30,280 individuals were examined belonging to the taxonomic groups of Annelida, Crustacea, Mollusca, Echinodermata, Nemertea and varia. The identification of the key taxonomic classes (Polychaeta, Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Scaphopoda and Malacostraca) revealed 231 macrobenthic taxa. Out of the 231 taxa, only 30 were common amongst all the three sampling periods, while Polychaeta was the most abundant macrobenthic group in all sampling periods.
17.
Christodoulopoulos, Mathis A. B.; Cotou, Efthimia; Politakis, Nektarios; Tsekouras, Nikolaos; Paraskeuas, Vasileios V.; Kotzamanis, Yannis; Christodoulopoulos, Georgios; Pappas, Athanasios C.
Urban Foraging and Plant Toxicological Risks for Rose-Ringed Parakeets (Psittacula krameri) in Athens Journal Article
In: Diversity, vol. 17, no. 11, pp. 801, 2025, ISSN: 1424-2818.
@article{christodoulopoulos_urban_2025,
title = {Urban Foraging and Plant Toxicological Risks for Rose-Ringed Parakeets (\textit{Psittacula krameri}) in Athens},
author = {Mathis A. B. Christodoulopoulos and Efthimia Cotou and Nektarios Politakis and Nikolaos Tsekouras and Vasileios V. Paraskeuas and Yannis Kotzamanis and Georgios Christodoulopoulos and Athanasios C. Pappas},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17/11/801
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Christodoulopoulos-DIVERSITY-77.pdf},
doi = {10.3390/d17110801},
issn = {1424-2818},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-17},
urldate = {2025-11-01},
journal = {Diversity},
volume = {17},
number = {11},
pages = {801},
abstract = {The Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) is an invasive parrot increasingly established in European cities, including Athens, Greece, yet its diet and exposure to plant toxins in Mediterranean ecosystems remain poorly documented. We examined seasonal foraging patterns in Athens and assessed the toxicity of key food items using a brine shrimp lethality assay. Field observations recorded 601 feeding events across 10 plant species. Four foods—cypress seeds (Cupressus sempervirens), chinaberries (Melia azedarach), Canary Island dates (Phoenix canariensis), and olives (Olea europaea)—accounted for 82.9% of feeding events. Dietary diversity was highest in winter and summer, while foraging density remained relatively stable, peaking in autumn. Toxicity assessment of aqueous plant extracts with Brine Shrimp (Artemia franciscana) Lethality Test (BSLT) identified chinaberries as the most toxic, indicating potential dietary risks. These findings indicate that P. krameri exhibits flexible, opportunistic foraging and can tolerate plant compounds that are harmful to other vertebrates, suggesting that toxicity does not seem to limit its diet. Seasonal dietary shifts and ecological plasticity likely support its urban invasion success, highlighting the importance of understanding diet composition and potential exposure to plant toxins in urban parakeet populations.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) is an invasive parrot increasingly established in European cities, including Athens, Greece, yet its diet and exposure to plant toxins in Mediterranean ecosystems remain poorly documented. We examined seasonal foraging patterns in Athens and assessed the toxicity of key food items using a brine shrimp lethality assay. Field observations recorded 601 feeding events across 10 plant species. Four foods—cypress seeds (Cupressus sempervirens), chinaberries (Melia azedarach), Canary Island dates (Phoenix canariensis), and olives (Olea europaea)—accounted for 82.9% of feeding events. Dietary diversity was highest in winter and summer, while foraging density remained relatively stable, peaking in autumn. Toxicity assessment of aqueous plant extracts with Brine Shrimp (Artemia franciscana) Lethality Test (BSLT) identified chinaberries as the most toxic, indicating potential dietary risks. These findings indicate that P. krameri exhibits flexible, opportunistic foraging and can tolerate plant compounds that are harmful to other vertebrates, suggesting that toxicity does not seem to limit its diet. Seasonal dietary shifts and ecological plasticity likely support its urban invasion success, highlighting the importance of understanding diet composition and potential exposure to plant toxins in urban parakeet populations.
18.
Titri, Lucinda; Hubert-Ferrari, Aurélia; Caterina, Basile; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Christodoulou, Dimitris; Fakiris, Elias; Dimas, Xenophon; Geraga, Maria; Papatheodorou, George
Marine animal forests in high-energy environments after a large anthropic impact: discoveries from the Rion-Antirion Strait, Greece Journal Article
In: Frontiers in Marine Science, vol. 12, pp. 1658262, 2025, ISSN: 2296-7745.
@article{titri_marine_2025,
title = {Marine animal forests in high-energy environments after a large anthropic impact: discoveries from the Rion-Antirion Strait, Greece},
author = {Lucinda Titri and Aurélia Hubert-Ferrari and Basile Caterina and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Dimitris Christodoulou and Elias Fakiris and Xenophon Dimas and Maria Geraga and George Papatheodorou},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1658262/full
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Titri-Frontiers-76.pdf},
doi = {10.3389/fmars.2025.1658262},
issn = {2296-7745},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-12},
urldate = {2025-11-01},
journal = {Frontiers in Marine Science},
volume = {12},
pages = {1658262},
abstract = {The Rion–Antirion Strait (Greece, 50–100 m depth) hosts rich Marine Animal Forests (MAFs), formed by several species of anthozoans, sponges, bryozoans and tunicates. Using twelve video transects collected in 2019 and 2023 and a Regional Oceanographic Modelling System (ROMS) hydrodynamic model, we characterized the assemblages’ biological composition, geomorphology, and physical drivers. Strong bidirectional bottom currents (0.01–0.25 m/s, peaking at 0.8 m/s) funnel nutrients into the strait, resulting in the highest chlorophyll concentrations recorded between the adjacent Patras and Corinth Gulfs. Bridge construction (1998–2004) likely caused extensive habitat loss through dredging, excavation, ballast dumping, and fine-sediment remobilization. Today, pioneer taxa – such as
Alcyonium
spp. and Caryophylliidae spp. – form dense fields, benefiting from trophic flexibility, rapid recruitment, and tolerance to moderate turbidity. In contrast, fragile and less adaptable taxa such as Antipatharia and Pennatuloidea remain sparse and degraded, suggesting limited recovery potential under sustained disturbance. Sponges and tunicates play a key role in post-disturbance habitat structuring by providing settlement microhabitats. Our results suggest unexpected resilience of anthozoan assemblages in high-energy, non-rocky settings, while underscoring the ecosystem’s likely vulnerability to cumulative anthropogenic pressures. The absence of pre-disturbance baseline data limits the reconstruction of historical biodiversity levels, emphasizing the need for long-term monitoring to assess future impacts from coastal infrastructure development and climate change. These findings provide new insights into MAF ecosystem dynamics and inform targeted conservation strategies for vulnerable Mediterranean habitats.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The Rion–Antirion Strait (Greece, 50–100 m depth) hosts rich Marine Animal Forests (MAFs), formed by several species of anthozoans, sponges, bryozoans and tunicates. Using twelve video transects collected in 2019 and 2023 and a Regional Oceanographic Modelling System (ROMS) hydrodynamic model, we characterized the assemblages’ biological composition, geomorphology, and physical drivers. Strong bidirectional bottom currents (0.01–0.25 m/s, peaking at 0.8 m/s) funnel nutrients into the strait, resulting in the highest chlorophyll concentrations recorded between the adjacent Patras and Corinth Gulfs. Bridge construction (1998–2004) likely caused extensive habitat loss through dredging, excavation, ballast dumping, and fine-sediment remobilization. Today, pioneer taxa – such as
Alcyonium
spp. and Caryophylliidae spp. – form dense fields, benefiting from trophic flexibility, rapid recruitment, and tolerance to moderate turbidity. In contrast, fragile and less adaptable taxa such as Antipatharia and Pennatuloidea remain sparse and degraded, suggesting limited recovery potential under sustained disturbance. Sponges and tunicates play a key role in post-disturbance habitat structuring by providing settlement microhabitats. Our results suggest unexpected resilience of anthozoan assemblages in high-energy, non-rocky settings, while underscoring the ecosystem’s likely vulnerability to cumulative anthropogenic pressures. The absence of pre-disturbance baseline data limits the reconstruction of historical biodiversity levels, emphasizing the need for long-term monitoring to assess future impacts from coastal infrastructure development and climate change. These findings provide new insights into MAF ecosystem dynamics and inform targeted conservation strategies for vulnerable Mediterranean habitats.
Alcyonium
spp. and Caryophylliidae spp. – form dense fields, benefiting from trophic flexibility, rapid recruitment, and tolerance to moderate turbidity. In contrast, fragile and less adaptable taxa such as Antipatharia and Pennatuloidea remain sparse and degraded, suggesting limited recovery potential under sustained disturbance. Sponges and tunicates play a key role in post-disturbance habitat structuring by providing settlement microhabitats. Our results suggest unexpected resilience of anthozoan assemblages in high-energy, non-rocky settings, while underscoring the ecosystem’s likely vulnerability to cumulative anthropogenic pressures. The absence of pre-disturbance baseline data limits the reconstruction of historical biodiversity levels, emphasizing the need for long-term monitoring to assess future impacts from coastal infrastructure development and climate change. These findings provide new insights into MAF ecosystem dynamics and inform targeted conservation strategies for vulnerable Mediterranean habitats.
19.
Rigos, George; Padrós, Francesc; Constenla, Maria; Jerončić, Ana; Kogiannou, Dimitra; Consuegra, Sofia; Adamek, Mikolaj; Mladineo, Ivona
Global Warming Affects the Pathogenesis of Important Fish Diseases in European Aquaculture Journal Article
In: Reviews in Aquaculture, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. e70112, 2025, ISSN: 1753-5123, 1753-5131.
@article{rigos_global_2026,
title = {Global Warming Affects the Pathogenesis of Important Fish Diseases in European Aquaculture},
author = {George Rigos and Francesc Padrós and Maria Constenla and Ana Jerončić and Dimitra Kogiannou and Sofia Consuegra and Mikolaj Adamek and Ivona Mladineo},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/raq.70112
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Rigos-RinAqua-75.pdf},
doi = {10.1111/raq.70112},
issn = {1753-5123, 1753-5131},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-10},
urldate = {2026-12-10},
journal = {Reviews in Aquaculture},
volume = {18},
number = {1},
pages = {e70112},
abstract = {ABSTRACT
Global warming remains a neglected environmental challenge for the sustainability of primary production, particularly aquaculture, which is highly susceptible to the spread of established pathogens and the induction of emerging infectious diseases under warming conditions. Over the past decade, Europe has experienced dramatically high temperatures that may impact both farmed fish and their pathogens in a largely unpredictable manner. While, in general, warming may boost the rate of disease transmission and its virulence by increasing pathogens' fitness in weakened hosts, some diseases characteristic of cooler environments may become rare. Field data is still largely fragmented, but in vitro experiments reveal that almost 28 microbial diseases in European finfish farming could be facilitated by climate warming. Innovative mitigation tools, such as fish selective breeding, epigenetic programming, the development of new vaccines, and alternative treatments, may prove essential in coping with the effects of rising water temperatures on fish diseases in Europe.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
ABSTRACT
Global warming remains a neglected environmental challenge for the sustainability of primary production, particularly aquaculture, which is highly susceptible to the spread of established pathogens and the induction of emerging infectious diseases under warming conditions. Over the past decade, Europe has experienced dramatically high temperatures that may impact both farmed fish and their pathogens in a largely unpredictable manner. While, in general, warming may boost the rate of disease transmission and its virulence by increasing pathogens' fitness in weakened hosts, some diseases characteristic of cooler environments may become rare. Field data is still largely fragmented, but in vitro experiments reveal that almost 28 microbial diseases in European finfish farming could be facilitated by climate warming. Innovative mitigation tools, such as fish selective breeding, epigenetic programming, the development of new vaccines, and alternative treatments, may prove essential in coping with the effects of rising water temperatures on fish diseases in Europe.
Global warming remains a neglected environmental challenge for the sustainability of primary production, particularly aquaculture, which is highly susceptible to the spread of established pathogens and the induction of emerging infectious diseases under warming conditions. Over the past decade, Europe has experienced dramatically high temperatures that may impact both farmed fish and their pathogens in a largely unpredictable manner. While, in general, warming may boost the rate of disease transmission and its virulence by increasing pathogens' fitness in weakened hosts, some diseases characteristic of cooler environments may become rare. Field data is still largely fragmented, but in vitro experiments reveal that almost 28 microbial diseases in European finfish farming could be facilitated by climate warming. Innovative mitigation tools, such as fish selective breeding, epigenetic programming, the development of new vaccines, and alternative treatments, may prove essential in coping with the effects of rising water temperatures on fish diseases in Europe.
20.
Pagnier, Justine; Allcock, Louise; Cancio, Ibon; Chatzinikolaou, Eva; Chatzigeorgiou, Giorgos; Chrismas, Nathan; Costantini, Federica; Dailianis, Thanos; Deneudt, Klaas; Cerio, Oihane Díaz De; Digenis, Markos; Exter, Katrina; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Fernández, Jose González; Kauppi, Laura; Keklikoglou, Kleoniki; Kristoffersen, Jon Bent; Lagaisse, Rune; Mavrič, Borut; Mortelmans, Jonas; Paredes, Estefania; Pavloudi, Christina; Piazza, Alessandro; Power, Anne Marie; Ramšak, Andreja; Santi, Ioulia; Solbakken, Jostein; Stavroulaki, Melanthia; Stæhr, Peter; Tajadura, Javier; Troncoso, Jesus Souza; Vasileiadou, Katerina; Vernadou, Emmanouela; Obst, Matthias
A long-term ecological research dataset from the marine genetic monitoring programme ARMS-MBON 2020-2021 Journal Article
In: Biodiversity Data Journal, vol. 13, pp. e148981, 2025, ISSN: 1314-2828, 1314-2836.
@article{pagnier_long-term_2025,
title = {A long-term ecological research dataset from the marine genetic monitoring programme ARMS-MBON 2020-2021},
author = {Justine Pagnier and Louise Allcock and Ibon Cancio and Eva Chatzinikolaou and Giorgos Chatzigeorgiou and Nathan Chrismas and Federica Costantini and Thanos Dailianis and Klaas Deneudt and Oihane Díaz De Cerio and Markos Digenis and Katrina Exter and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Jose González Fernández and Laura Kauppi and Kleoniki Keklikoglou and Jon Bent Kristoffersen and Rune Lagaisse and Borut Mavrič and Jonas Mortelmans and Estefania Paredes and Christina Pavloudi and Alessandro Piazza and Anne Marie Power and Andreja Ramšak and Ioulia Santi and Jostein Solbakken and Melanthia Stavroulaki and Peter Stæhr and Javier Tajadura and Jesus Souza Troncoso and Katerina Vasileiadou and Emmanouela Vernadou and Matthias Obst},
url = {https://bdj.pensoft.net/article/148981/
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Pagnier-BDJ-74.pdf},
doi = {10.3897/BDJ.13.e148981},
issn = {1314-2828, 1314-2836},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-08},
urldate = {2025-11-01},
journal = {Biodiversity Data Journal},
volume = {13},
pages = {e148981},
abstract = {Continuing the international efforts of the ARMS Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (ARMS-MBON), we present data from the second sampling campaign, coming from 56 Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) deployed in 2020 and 2021 along European coasts under the European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON). The dataset includes information on sampling locations and conditions, sample archiving and quality reports of collected samples. Data and metadata are openly accessible and can be downloaded from the associated GitHub repository. Sequence data can be accessed via the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) through the corresponding accession numbers. Images of ARMS plates are stored on PlutoF and can be downloaded through links provided in this paper. Sequence data were processed and explored with the PEMA pipeline, resulting in 17,194, 7,235 and 5,261 unique ASVs/OTUs for COI, 18S and ITS, respectively. In this dataset, ARMS revealed the presence of over 61 eukaryotic phyla, aligning with our previous sampling campaign. Amongst these phyla, 35 had sequences identified to the species level. With this dataset and its associated paper, we provide a standardised resource for marine biodiversity monitoring and scientific analyses of benthic biodiversity. The presented data product supports future studies on the status and changes in species composition, distribution and genetic diversity.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Continuing the international efforts of the ARMS Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (ARMS-MBON), we present data from the second sampling campaign, coming from 56 Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) deployed in 2020 and 2021 along European coasts under the European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON). The dataset includes information on sampling locations and conditions, sample archiving and quality reports of collected samples. Data and metadata are openly accessible and can be downloaded from the associated GitHub repository. Sequence data can be accessed via the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) through the corresponding accession numbers. Images of ARMS plates are stored on PlutoF and can be downloaded through links provided in this paper. Sequence data were processed and explored with the PEMA pipeline, resulting in 17,194, 7,235 and 5,261 unique ASVs/OTUs for COI, 18S and ITS, respectively. In this dataset, ARMS revealed the presence of over 61 eukaryotic phyla, aligning with our previous sampling campaign. Amongst these phyla, 35 had sequences identified to the species level. With this dataset and its associated paper, we provide a standardised resource for marine biodiversity monitoring and scientific analyses of benthic biodiversity. The presented data product supports future studies on the status and changes in species composition, distribution and genetic diversity.
2026
Gratsia, Eirini; Zenetos, Argyro; Digenis, Markos; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Kasapidis, Panagiotis; Karakassis, Ioannis
In: Diversity, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 127, 2026, ISSN: 1424-2818.
@article{gratsia_hulls_2026,
title = {From Hulls to Caves: Insights into the Introduction and Expansion of Non-Indigenous Marine Bivalves of the Genera Isognomon and Malleus in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea},
author = {Eirini Gratsia and Argyro Zenetos and Markos Digenis and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Panagiotis Kasapidis and Ioannis Karakassis},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/18/2/127
/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Gratsia-diversity-11.pdf},
doi = {10.3390/d18020127},
issn = {1424-2818},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-03-17},
urldate = {2026-02-01},
journal = {Diversity},
volume = {18},
number = {2},
pages = {127},
abstract = {Although the Eastern Mediterranean Sea is a hotspot for marine bioinvasions, the accurate identification and monitoring of non-indigenous species (NIS) remain impeded by the ambiguous morphologies of species and limited regional genetic data. This study applied an integrative approach, combining morphological identification with DNA barcoding, to assess the taxonomy and expansion of bivalves from the genera Isognomon and Malleus in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Specimens were collected from a broad range of habitats, including marinas, ship hulls, reefs, and marine caves. Phylogenetic analyses revealed two distinct Isognomon species in the region: I. bicolor, frequently associated with artificial substrates and showing evidence of multiple introductions, and I. aff. legumen, restricted to cryptic natural habitats. A single species of Malleus cf. regula was also detected, clustering with sequences from neighboring Mediterranean regions. The study highlights the limitations of morphology-based taxonomy and the urgent need to enhance genetic reference databases, particularly with sequences from areas of nativity. As NIS increasingly expand from anthropogenic habitats into natural ecosystems, validated data are essential for risk assessment and conservation management.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Although the Eastern Mediterranean Sea is a hotspot for marine bioinvasions, the accurate identification and monitoring of non-indigenous species (NIS) remain impeded by the ambiguous morphologies of species and limited regional genetic data. This study applied an integrative approach, combining morphological identification with DNA barcoding, to assess the taxonomy and expansion of bivalves from the genera Isognomon and Malleus in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Specimens were collected from a broad range of habitats, including marinas, ship hulls, reefs, and marine caves. Phylogenetic analyses revealed two distinct Isognomon species in the region: I. bicolor, frequently associated with artificial substrates and showing evidence of multiple introductions, and I. aff. legumen, restricted to cryptic natural habitats. A single species of Malleus cf. regula was also detected, clustering with sequences from neighboring Mediterranean regions. The study highlights the limitations of morphology-based taxonomy and the urgent need to enhance genetic reference databases, particularly with sequences from areas of nativity. As NIS increasingly expand from anthropogenic habitats into natural ecosystems, validated data are essential for risk assessment and conservation management.
Gonzalez-Marrero, Y.; Canepa-Oneto, A.; Clemente, S.; Cristobo, J.; Hernandez-Gonzalez, C.; Herrero-Perez, A.; Adrover-Huesca, M.; Gerovasileiou, V.
The vulnerability paradox in Atlantic marine caves: A multiscale mechanistic explanation from wave exposure to cave gradients Journal Article
In: Marine Environmental Research, vol. 217, pp. 107915, 2026, ISSN: 01411136.
@article{gonzalez-marrero_vulnerability_2026,
title = {The vulnerability paradox in Atlantic marine caves: A multiscale mechanistic explanation from wave exposure to cave gradients},
author = {Y. Gonzalez-Marrero and A. Canepa-Oneto and S. Clemente and J. Cristobo and C. Hernandez-Gonzalez and A. Herrero-Perez and M. Adrover-Huesca and V. Gerovasileiou},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S014111362600084X
/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Gonzalez-Marrero-MER-10.pdf},
doi = {10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107915},
issn = {01411136},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-03-11},
urldate = {2026-03-11},
journal = {Marine Environmental Research},
volume = {217},
pages = {107915},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Dimitriadis, Charalampos; Konsta, Katerina; Çinar, Melih Ertan; Doğan, Alper; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Gatti, Giulia; d’Avray, Laure Thierry De Ville; Sini, Maria; Katsanevakis, Stelios; Mazaris, Antonios D.; Koutsoubas, Drosos
Assessing the limits: citizen science data accuracy in underwater monitoring Journal Article
In: Biodiversity and Conservation, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 75, 2026, ISSN: 0960-3115, 1572-9710.
@article{dimitriadis_assessing_2026,
title = {Assessing the limits: citizen science data accuracy in underwater monitoring},
author = {Charalampos Dimitriadis and Katerina Konsta and Melih Ertan Çinar and Alper Doğan and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Giulia Gatti and Laure Thierry De Ville d’Avray and Maria Sini and Stelios Katsanevakis and Antonios D. Mazaris and Drosos Koutsoubas},
url = {https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10531-026-03290-3
/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Dimitriadis-BiodCons-9-proof.pdf},
doi = {10.1007/s10531-026-03290-3},
issn = {0960-3115, 1572-9710},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-03-09},
urldate = {2026-03-01},
journal = {Biodiversity and Conservation},
volume = {35},
number = {3},
pages = {75},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Christofilogiannis, Ioannis; Georgopoulou, Dimitra G.; Vouidaskis, Charalabos; Choulakis, Zacharias; Voskakis, Dimitris; Papandroulakis, Nikos
Corrigendum to “Automatic detection of fin, operculum, and skin deformities in Mediterranean fish species” [Aquac. Eng. 113 (2026) 102684] Journal Article
In: Aquacultural Engineering, vol. 113, pp. 102704, 2026, ISSN: 01448609.
@article{christofilogiannis_corrigendum_2026,
title = {Corrigendum to “Automatic detection of fin, operculum, and skin deformities in Mediterranean fish species” [Aquac. Eng. 113 (2026) 102684]},
author = {Ioannis Christofilogiannis and Dimitra G. Georgopoulou and Charalabos Vouidaskis and Zacharias Choulakis and Dimitris Voskakis and Nikos Papandroulakis},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0144860926000208
/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Christofilogiannis-AquaEng-8.pdf},
doi = {10.1016/j.aquaeng.2026.102704},
issn = {01448609},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-03-06},
urldate = {2026-03-01},
journal = {Aquacultural Engineering},
volume = {113},
pages = {102704},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Stefanos, Katsoulis-Dimitriou; Antigoni, Vasilaki; Morgane, Henry; Eleni, Fountoulaki; Chrysanthi, Nikoloudaki; Maria, Mastoraki; Petros, Chronopoulos; Elvira, Alcalde; Koen, Meynen; Elena, Mente; Ioannis, Nengas
In: Aquaculture, vol. 617, pp. 743743, 2026, ISSN: 00448486.
@article{stefanos_effects_2026,
title = {Effects of dietary lysophospholipids and butyrate supplementation on growth, feed utilization, fillet fatty acids, intestinal enzymes, innate immunity and liver and gut histology in European Sea bass, \textit{Dicentrarchus labrax}},
author = {Katsoulis-Dimitriou Stefanos and Vasilaki Antigoni and Henry Morgane and Fountoulaki Eleni and Nikoloudaki Chrysanthi and Mastoraki Maria and Chronopoulos Petros and Alcalde Elvira and Meynen Koen and Mente Elena and Nengas Ioannis},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0044848626001262
/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Katsoulis-Dimitriou-Aqua-7.pdf},
doi = {10.1016/j.aquaculture.2026.743743},
issn = {00448486},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-03-03},
urldate = {2026-04-01},
journal = {Aquaculture},
volume = {617},
pages = {743743},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Samiotaki, Katerina; Papadaki, Maria; Sigelaki, Irini; Manini, Evangelia; Hmida, Sabrin; Katharios, Pantelis; Ruetten, Maja; Karapanagiotis, Stelios; Mylonas, Constantinos C.
In: Aquaculture, vol. 617, pp. 743740, 2026, ISSN: 00448486.
@article{samiotaki_induction_2026,
title = {Induction of sex inversion and feminization in the protandrous gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) with 17β-estradiol implants, and its effects on egg production and quality},
author = {Katerina Samiotaki and Maria Papadaki and Irini Sigelaki and Evangelia Manini and Sabrin Hmida and Pantelis Katharios and Maja Ruetten and Stelios Karapanagiotis and Constantinos C. Mylonas},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0044848626001237
/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-Samiotaki-AQUA-6.pdf},
doi = {10.1016/j.aquaculture.2026.743740},
issn = {00448486},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-02-26},
urldate = {2026-04-01},
journal = {Aquaculture},
volume = {617},
pages = {743740},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Mammola, Stefano; Brankovits, David; Lorenzo, Tiziana Di; Amorim, Isabel R.; Bancila, Raluca Ioana; Bellvert, Adrià; Bernard, Enrico; Blomberg, Anna; Borges, Paulo A. V.; Cappelletti, Martina; Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes; Gabriel, Rosalina; Galassi, Diana M. P.; Garzoli, Laura; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Hose, Grant C.; Korbel, Kathryn L.; Martino, Simone; Miller, Ana Z; Mori, Nataša; Nanni, Veronica; Nicolosi, Giuseppe; Saccò, Mattia; Sakihara, Troy S.; Silva, Marconi Souza; Tamalavage, Anne E.; Zagmajster, Maja; Chávez, Efraín; Griebler, Christian; Cardoso, Pedro; Martínez, Alejandro
Subterranean environments contribute to three‐quarters of classified ecosystem services Journal Article
In: Biological Reviews, pp. brv.70137, 2026, ISSN: 1464-7931, 1469-185X.
@article{mammola_subterranean_2026,
title = {Subterranean environments contribute to three‐quarters of classified ecosystem services},
author = {Stefano Mammola and David Brankovits and Tiziana Di Lorenzo and Isabel R. Amorim and Raluca Ioana Bancila and Adrià Bellvert and Enrico Bernard and Anna Blomberg and Paulo A. V. Borges and Martina Cappelletti and Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira and Rosalina Gabriel and Diana M. P. Galassi and Laura Garzoli and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Grant C. Hose and Kathryn L. Korbel and Simone Martino and Ana Z Miller and Nataša Mori and Veronica Nanni and Giuseppe Nicolosi and Mattia Saccò and Troy S. Sakihara and Marconi Souza Silva and Anne E. Tamalavage and Maja Zagmajster and Efraín Chávez and Christian Griebler and Pedro Cardoso and Alejandro Martínez},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/brv.70137
/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-Mammola-Biological-Reviews-5.pdf},
doi = {10.1002/brv.70137},
issn = {1464-7931, 1469-185X},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-02-16},
urldate = {2026-02-01},
journal = {Biological Reviews},
pages = {brv.70137},
abstract = {ABSTRACT
Beneath the Earth's surface lies a network of interconnected caves, voids, and systems of fissures forming in rocks of sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic origin. Although largely inaccessible to humans, this hidden realm supports and regulates services critical to ecological health and human well‐being. Subterranean ecosystems are integral to major biogeochemical cycles, sustain diverse surface habitats, and serve as the primary source of irrigation and drinking water. They also offer non‐material benefits, including scientific discovery, education, and cultural practices. Yet, these contributions often go unrecognised, partly due to the lack of a unified synthesis of ecosystem services across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine subterranean compartments. This gap limits effective communication of their value to scientists, practitioners, and the public. Through a systematic expert‐based review, we show that subterranean ecosystems contribute to up to 75% of classified ecosystem services. Notably, many of these contributions are described only qualitatively, lacking numerical or economic quantification. Next, we list examples of the main ecosystem services provided by subterranean systems to offer a global overview of their multifaceted value and vulnerability to environmental change. We believe this synthesis provides researchers and practitioners with concrete examples to communicate more effectively the importance of subterranean ecosystems to diverse audiences.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
ABSTRACT
Beneath the Earth's surface lies a network of interconnected caves, voids, and systems of fissures forming in rocks of sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic origin. Although largely inaccessible to humans, this hidden realm supports and regulates services critical to ecological health and human well‐being. Subterranean ecosystems are integral to major biogeochemical cycles, sustain diverse surface habitats, and serve as the primary source of irrigation and drinking water. They also offer non‐material benefits, including scientific discovery, education, and cultural practices. Yet, these contributions often go unrecognised, partly due to the lack of a unified synthesis of ecosystem services across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine subterranean compartments. This gap limits effective communication of their value to scientists, practitioners, and the public. Through a systematic expert‐based review, we show that subterranean ecosystems contribute to up to 75% of classified ecosystem services. Notably, many of these contributions are described only qualitatively, lacking numerical or economic quantification. Next, we list examples of the main ecosystem services provided by subterranean systems to offer a global overview of their multifaceted value and vulnerability to environmental change. We believe this synthesis provides researchers and practitioners with concrete examples to communicate more effectively the importance of subterranean ecosystems to diverse audiences.
Beneath the Earth's surface lies a network of interconnected caves, voids, and systems of fissures forming in rocks of sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic origin. Although largely inaccessible to humans, this hidden realm supports and regulates services critical to ecological health and human well‐being. Subterranean ecosystems are integral to major biogeochemical cycles, sustain diverse surface habitats, and serve as the primary source of irrigation and drinking water. They also offer non‐material benefits, including scientific discovery, education, and cultural practices. Yet, these contributions often go unrecognised, partly due to the lack of a unified synthesis of ecosystem services across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine subterranean compartments. This gap limits effective communication of their value to scientists, practitioners, and the public. Through a systematic expert‐based review, we show that subterranean ecosystems contribute to up to 75% of classified ecosystem services. Notably, many of these contributions are described only qualitatively, lacking numerical or economic quantification. Next, we list examples of the main ecosystem services provided by subterranean systems to offer a global overview of their multifaceted value and vulnerability to environmental change. We believe this synthesis provides researchers and practitioners with concrete examples to communicate more effectively the importance of subterranean ecosystems to diverse audiences.
Chatzinikolaou, Eva; Grigoriou, Panagiotis; Anastasiadis, Athanasios; Vernadou, Emmanouela; Dailianis, Thanos
A standardised experimental setup for simulating ocean warming and acidification in benthic marine invertebrates Journal Article
In: Biodiversity Data Journal, vol. 14, pp. e185047, 2026, ISSN: 1314-2828, 1314-2836.
@article{chatzinikolaou_standardised_2026,
title = {A standardised experimental setup for simulating ocean warming and acidification in benthic marine invertebrates},
author = {Eva Chatzinikolaou and Panagiotis Grigoriou and Athanasios Anastasiadis and Emmanouela Vernadou and Thanos Dailianis},
url = {https://bdj.pensoft.net/article/185047/
/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-Chatzinikolaou-BDJ-4.pdf},
doi = {10.3897/BDJ.14.e185047},
issn = {1314-2828, 1314-2836},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-02-11},
urldate = {2026-02-01},
journal = {Biodiversity Data Journal},
volume = {14},
pages = {e185047},
abstract = {Recent studies identify ocean warming and acidification as major drivers of ecological change in the Eastern Mediterranean, posing serious threats to marine biodiversity, particularly for sessile or low-mobility organisms that cannot escape unfavourable conditions. At the same time, the need for standardised experimental approaches capable of generating high-quality data on organismal responses to multiple climate stressors has become increasingly evident. This manuscript presents a fully detailed and replicable experimental framework for simulating ocean warming and acidification in benthic marine invertebrates under controlled laboratory conditions. Detailed protocols include the technical set-up, experimental design, selection of climate scenarios, monitoring procedures and criteria for species selection and demonstrating its application through a validation case study from the MACCIMO project.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Recent studies identify ocean warming and acidification as major drivers of ecological change in the Eastern Mediterranean, posing serious threats to marine biodiversity, particularly for sessile or low-mobility organisms that cannot escape unfavourable conditions. At the same time, the need for standardised experimental approaches capable of generating high-quality data on organismal responses to multiple climate stressors has become increasingly evident. This manuscript presents a fully detailed and replicable experimental framework for simulating ocean warming and acidification in benthic marine invertebrates under controlled laboratory conditions. Detailed protocols include the technical set-up, experimental design, selection of climate scenarios, monitoring procedures and criteria for species selection and demonstrating its application through a validation case study from the MACCIMO project.
Orestis, Stavrakidis-Zachou; Sidera, Paraskevi; Nikos, Papandroulakis
Behavioral responses of European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, fingerlings under the influence of an electromagnetic field Journal Article
In: Aquaculture International, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 60, 2026, ISSN: 1573-143X.
@article{orestis_behavioral_2026,
title = {Behavioral responses of European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, fingerlings under the influence of an electromagnetic field},
author = {Stavrakidis-Zachou Orestis and Paraskevi Sidera and Papandroulakis Nikos},
url = {https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10499-026-02468-4
/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-Stavrakidis-AquaInt-3.pdf},
doi = {10.1007/s10499-026-02468-4},
issn = {1573-143X},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-02-06},
urldate = {2026-02-01},
journal = {Aquaculture International},
volume = {34},
number = {2},
pages = {60},
abstract = {Abstract
The advent of wind farming as a renewable energy source necessitates assessment of the effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on fish, especially when done in conjunction with aquaculture. In this study, we investigated the effects of an EMF on the behavior of European sea bass fingerlings. A T-maze apparatus was used to record the behavior of the fish with and without the presence of a static EMF of 10 mT and subsequently, several behavioral metrics were analyzed using specialized software. Our results suggest that E. sea bass can perceive magnetic fields. Compared to the control group, fish exposed to the EMF showed reduced exploratory behavior with longer periods of immobility, traveled a shorter total distance, and exhibited freezing behavior at an increased frequency. In addition, fish showed a preference for the geomagnetic south. The findings offer valuable contributions to our understanding of EMF effects on fish, which in turn may be useful in shaping the future of fish farming in conjunction with energy production
.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Abstract
The advent of wind farming as a renewable energy source necessitates assessment of the effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on fish, especially when done in conjunction with aquaculture. In this study, we investigated the effects of an EMF on the behavior of European sea bass fingerlings. A T-maze apparatus was used to record the behavior of the fish with and without the presence of a static EMF of 10 mT and subsequently, several behavioral metrics were analyzed using specialized software. Our results suggest that E. sea bass can perceive magnetic fields. Compared to the control group, fish exposed to the EMF showed reduced exploratory behavior with longer periods of immobility, traveled a shorter total distance, and exhibited freezing behavior at an increased frequency. In addition, fish showed a preference for the geomagnetic south. The findings offer valuable contributions to our understanding of EMF effects on fish, which in turn may be useful in shaping the future of fish farming in conjunction with energy production
.
The advent of wind farming as a renewable energy source necessitates assessment of the effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on fish, especially when done in conjunction with aquaculture. In this study, we investigated the effects of an EMF on the behavior of European sea bass fingerlings. A T-maze apparatus was used to record the behavior of the fish with and without the presence of a static EMF of 10 mT and subsequently, several behavioral metrics were analyzed using specialized software. Our results suggest that E. sea bass can perceive magnetic fields. Compared to the control group, fish exposed to the EMF showed reduced exploratory behavior with longer periods of immobility, traveled a shorter total distance, and exhibited freezing behavior at an increased frequency. In addition, fish showed a preference for the geomagnetic south. The findings offer valuable contributions to our understanding of EMF effects on fish, which in turn may be useful in shaping the future of fish farming in conjunction with energy production
.
Santi, Ioulia; Pavloudi, Christina; Abagnale, Maria; Azua, Iñigo; Baña, Zuriñe; Bastianini, Mauro; Belser, Caroline; Berg, Kristel; Bilbao, Jone; Bird, Kimberley; Broudin, Caroline; Camusat, Mathieu; Cancio, Ibon; Caray-Counil, Louis; Casotti, Raffaella; Castel, Jade; Comtet, Thierry; Cox, Cymon; Cunliffe, Michael; Daguin, Claire; Deneudt, Klaas; Cerio, Oihane Díaz De; Exter, Katrina; Fauvelot, Cécile; Fontana, Yann; Frada, Miquel; Galand, Pierre; Gallia, Roberto; Garczarek, Laurence; Fernández, Jose González; Guillou, Laure; Heynderickx, Hanneloor; Koplovitz, Gil; Labrune, Celine; Lagaisse, Rune; Laroquette, Arnaud; Lescure, Lyvia; Lopes, Eva; Loulakaki, Melina; Louro, Bruno; Magalhães, Catarina; Margiotta, Francesca; Moal, Hannah; Moussy, Alice; Not, Fabrice; Percopo, Isabella; Rosendo, Estefanía Paredes; Péru, Erwan; Poulain, Julie; Praebel, Kim; Rigaut-Jalabert, Fabienne; Romac, Sarah; Rzeznik-Orignac, Jadwiga; Sarno, Diana; Troncoso, Jesús Souza; Thiébaut, Eric; Thomas, Wilfried; Tkacz, Andrzej; Tramontano, Ferdinando; Trano, Anna Chiara; Wincker, Patrick; Pade, Nicolas
In: Biodiversity Data Journal, vol. 14, pp. e178484, 2026, ISSN: 1314-2828, 1314-2836.
@article{santi_next_2026,
title = {Next release of the European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON) shotgun metagenomic data from water and sediment samples (Release 2)},
author = {Ioulia Santi and Christina Pavloudi and Maria Abagnale and Iñigo Azua and Zuriñe Baña and Mauro Bastianini and Caroline Belser and Kristel Berg and Jone Bilbao and Kimberley Bird and Caroline Broudin and Mathieu Camusat and Ibon Cancio and Louis Caray-Counil and Raffaella Casotti and Jade Castel and Thierry Comtet and Cymon Cox and Michael Cunliffe and Claire Daguin and Klaas Deneudt and Oihane Díaz De Cerio and Katrina Exter and Cécile Fauvelot and Yann Fontana and Miquel Frada and Pierre Galand and Roberto Gallia and Laurence Garczarek and Jose González Fernández and Laure Guillou and Hanneloor Heynderickx and Gil Koplovitz and Celine Labrune and Rune Lagaisse and Arnaud Laroquette and Lyvia Lescure and Eva Lopes and Melina Loulakaki and Bruno Louro and Catarina Magalhães and Francesca Margiotta and Hannah Moal and Alice Moussy and Fabrice Not and Isabella Percopo and Estefanía Paredes Rosendo and Erwan Péru and Julie Poulain and Kim Praebel and Fabienne Rigaut-Jalabert and Sarah Romac and Jadwiga Rzeznik-Orignac and Diana Sarno and Jesús Souza Troncoso and Eric Thiébaut and Wilfried Thomas and Andrzej Tkacz and Ferdinando Tramontano and Anna Chiara Trano and Patrick Wincker and Nicolas Pade},
url = {https://bdj.pensoft.net/article/178484/
/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026-Santi-BDJ-2.pdf},
doi = {10.3897/BDJ.14.e178484},
issn = {1314-2828, 1314-2836},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-01-27},
urldate = {2026-01-01},
journal = {Biodiversity Data Journal},
volume = {14},
pages = {e178484},
abstract = {The European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON) is a long-term genomic observatory run by the European Research Infrastructure European Marine Biological Resource Centre (EMBRC). It was established in 2021 to support the challenges of biodiversity observation and unsystematic management of biodiversity data in the European seas. EMO BON introduced and coordinated the systematic and harmonised observation of biodiversity amongst more than fourteen marine stations in the European coastline. Here, we report the next release (Release 2) of shotgun metagenomic data from seawater and sediment microbial communities.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON) is a long-term genomic observatory run by the European Research Infrastructure European Marine Biological Resource Centre (EMBRC). It was established in 2021 to support the challenges of biodiversity observation and unsystematic management of biodiversity data in the European seas. EMO BON introduced and coordinated the systematic and harmonised observation of biodiversity amongst more than fourteen marine stations in the European coastline. Here, we report the next release (Release 2) of shotgun metagenomic data from seawater and sediment microbial communities.
Reverté, Jaume; Alkassar, Mounira; Rambla-Alegre, Maria; Sanchez-Henao, Andres; Mandalakis, Manolis; Peristeraki, Panagiota; Sureda, Francesc X.; Diogène, Jorge; Campàs, Mònica
Mechanistic insights into antibody recognition of tetrodotoxin analogues: Implications for neurotoxicological assessment Journal Article
In: Chemico-Biological Interactions, vol. 424, pp. 111871, 2026, ISSN: 00092797.
@article{reverte_mechanistic_2026,
title = {Mechanistic insights into antibody recognition of tetrodotoxin analogues: Implications for neurotoxicological assessment},
author = {Jaume Reverté and Mounira Alkassar and Maria Rambla-Alegre and Andres Sanchez-Henao and Manolis Mandalakis and Panagiota Peristeraki and Francesc X. Sureda and Jorge Diogène and Mònica Campàs},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0009279725005010
/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026-Reverte-CBInter-1.pdf},
doi = {10.1016/j.cbi.2025.111871},
issn = {00092797},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-01-09},
urldate = {2026-01-01},
journal = {Chemico-Biological Interactions},
volume = {424},
pages = {111871},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
2025
Gavriilidou, Athina; Stamatakis, Alexandros; Kupczok, Anne; Bista, Iliana; Jiggins, Chris D; Fernández, Rosa; Skourtanioti, Eirini; Amoutzias, Grigoris; Delneri, Daniela; Kyrpides, Nikos; Nikolaou, Christoforos; Pittis, Alexandros A; Manousaki, Tereza; Vakirlis, Nikolaos
In: Bioinformatics Advances, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. vbaf223, 2025, ISSN: 2635-0041.
@article{gavriilidou_advances_2024,
title = {Advances and challenges in understanding evolution through genome comparison: meeting report of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) lecture course “Evolutionary and Comparative Genomics”},
author = {Athina Gavriilidou and Alexandros Stamatakis and Anne Kupczok and Iliana Bista and Chris D Jiggins and Rosa Fernández and Eirini Skourtanioti and Grigoris Amoutzias and Daniela Delneri and Nikos Kyrpides and Christoforos Nikolaou and Alexandros A Pittis and Tereza Manousaki and Nikolaos Vakirlis},
editor = {Michael DeGiorgio},
url = {https://academic.oup.com/bioinformaticsadvances/article/doi/10.1093/bioadv/vbaf223/8277547
/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2025-Gabriilidou-BioAdv-81.pdf},
doi = {10.1093/bioadv/vbaf223},
issn = {2635-0041},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-30},
urldate = {2024-12-01},
journal = {Bioinformatics Advances},
volume = {5},
number = {1},
pages = {vbaf223},
abstract = {Abstract
This perspective outlines emerging trends, key challenges, and future opportunities in evolutionary and comparative genomics. Our starting point are the topics presented at the 2024 EMBO Early Career Lecture Course “Evolutionary and Comparative Genomics”, which highlighted recent conceptual and methodological advances in areas ranging from microbial pangenomes, protein evolution, hybrid speciation, novel gene origination and transposon dynamics. Here, we emphasize the role of computational and molecular approaches, providing a forward-looking view on where the field is headed and how it is being reshaped by new technologies and approaches.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Abstract
This perspective outlines emerging trends, key challenges, and future opportunities in evolutionary and comparative genomics. Our starting point are the topics presented at the 2024 EMBO Early Career Lecture Course “Evolutionary and Comparative Genomics”, which highlighted recent conceptual and methodological advances in areas ranging from microbial pangenomes, protein evolution, hybrid speciation, novel gene origination and transposon dynamics. Here, we emphasize the role of computational and molecular approaches, providing a forward-looking view on where the field is headed and how it is being reshaped by new technologies and approaches.
This perspective outlines emerging trends, key challenges, and future opportunities in evolutionary and comparative genomics. Our starting point are the topics presented at the 2024 EMBO Early Career Lecture Course “Evolutionary and Comparative Genomics”, which highlighted recent conceptual and methodological advances in areas ranging from microbial pangenomes, protein evolution, hybrid speciation, novel gene origination and transposon dynamics. Here, we emphasize the role of computational and molecular approaches, providing a forward-looking view on where the field is headed and how it is being reshaped by new technologies and approaches.
Kogiannou, Dimitra; Kotsiri, Mado; Nikoloudaki, Chrysanthi; Kakagianni, Myrsini; Grigorakis, Kriton
Biochemical and Physical Factors Contributing to Seasonal Variations of Fillet Gaping in Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata) Journal Article
In: vol. 2025, no. 1, pp. 3044512, 2025, ISSN: 1355-557X, 1365-2109.
@article{kogiannou_biochemical_2025,
title = {Biochemical and Physical Factors Contributing to Seasonal Variations of Fillet Gaping in Gilthead Seabream (\textit{Sparus aurata})},
author = {Dimitra Kogiannou and Mado Kotsiri and Chrysanthi Nikoloudaki and Myrsini Kakagianni and Kriton Grigorakis},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/are/3044512
/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2025-Kogiannou-AR-82.pdf},
doi = {10.1155/are/3044512},
issn = {1355-557X, 1365-2109},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-30},
urldate = {2025-12-30},
volume = {2025},
number = {1},
pages = {3044512},
abstract = {The gaping phenomenon in gilthead seabream (
Sparus aurata
) causes profitability problems for the relevant aquaculture industry. To gain insights into the factors affecting gaping in gilthead seabream, the seasonality of gaping intensity and the relative contribution of postmortem physical and chemical factors to the fillet integrity were investigated. Gilthead seabream of commercial weight (400–600 g) were sampled seasonally. Gaping frequencies were evaluated and related to water holding capacity (WHC), muscle pH, proximate composition, ATP breakdown products (
K
‐value), total collagen content, and collagen fractions. With the exception of the
K
‐value, all examined physical and chemical parameters were seasonally affected. Moreover, gaping score frequencies were found to be statistically different among seasons. It was evident that during seasons with high water temperatures (summer and autumn), gaps in muscle tissue of gilthead seabream were more pronounced, while a mitigation of gaping intensity appeared during wintertime. ATP breakdown as a measure of chemical freshness, proximate composition, pH, and collagen levels, showed no correlation with gaping intensity, but a clear negative correlation was observed between high gaping incidences and WHC. There was also a strong correlation between gaping incidences and collagen fractions. A higher amount of acid‐soluble collagen (ASC) was observed during summer, highlighting that collagen solubility affects gaping in farmed gilthead seabream. Overall, our results demonstrate that seasonal gaping variability in this species is primarily a result of temperature‐driven changes in collagen solubility.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The gaping phenomenon in gilthead seabream (
Sparus aurata
) causes profitability problems for the relevant aquaculture industry. To gain insights into the factors affecting gaping in gilthead seabream, the seasonality of gaping intensity and the relative contribution of postmortem physical and chemical factors to the fillet integrity were investigated. Gilthead seabream of commercial weight (400–600 g) were sampled seasonally. Gaping frequencies were evaluated and related to water holding capacity (WHC), muscle pH, proximate composition, ATP breakdown products (
K
‐value), total collagen content, and collagen fractions. With the exception of the
K
‐value, all examined physical and chemical parameters were seasonally affected. Moreover, gaping score frequencies were found to be statistically different among seasons. It was evident that during seasons with high water temperatures (summer and autumn), gaps in muscle tissue of gilthead seabream were more pronounced, while a mitigation of gaping intensity appeared during wintertime. ATP breakdown as a measure of chemical freshness, proximate composition, pH, and collagen levels, showed no correlation with gaping intensity, but a clear negative correlation was observed between high gaping incidences and WHC. There was also a strong correlation between gaping incidences and collagen fractions. A higher amount of acid‐soluble collagen (ASC) was observed during summer, highlighting that collagen solubility affects gaping in farmed gilthead seabream. Overall, our results demonstrate that seasonal gaping variability in this species is primarily a result of temperature‐driven changes in collagen solubility.
Sparus aurata
) causes profitability problems for the relevant aquaculture industry. To gain insights into the factors affecting gaping in gilthead seabream, the seasonality of gaping intensity and the relative contribution of postmortem physical and chemical factors to the fillet integrity were investigated. Gilthead seabream of commercial weight (400–600 g) were sampled seasonally. Gaping frequencies were evaluated and related to water holding capacity (WHC), muscle pH, proximate composition, ATP breakdown products (
K
‐value), total collagen content, and collagen fractions. With the exception of the
K
‐value, all examined physical and chemical parameters were seasonally affected. Moreover, gaping score frequencies were found to be statistically different among seasons. It was evident that during seasons with high water temperatures (summer and autumn), gaps in muscle tissue of gilthead seabream were more pronounced, while a mitigation of gaping intensity appeared during wintertime. ATP breakdown as a measure of chemical freshness, proximate composition, pH, and collagen levels, showed no correlation with gaping intensity, but a clear negative correlation was observed between high gaping incidences and WHC. There was also a strong correlation between gaping incidences and collagen fractions. A higher amount of acid‐soluble collagen (ASC) was observed during summer, highlighting that collagen solubility affects gaping in farmed gilthead seabream. Overall, our results demonstrate that seasonal gaping variability in this species is primarily a result of temperature‐driven changes in collagen solubility.
Bottacini, Davide; Noordman, Carien; Renaud, Victor; Skouradakis, Grigorios; Dailianis, Thanos; Mastoraki, Maria; Chatzifotis, Stavros; Kotrschal, Alexander
Camouflage in a moving predator: testing for background choice in stalking lionfish ( textitPterois miles ) Journal Article
In: Royal Society Open Science, vol. 12, no. 12, pp. 250836, 2025, ISSN: 2054-5703.
@article{bottacini_camouflage_2025,
title = {Camouflage in a moving predator: testing for background choice in stalking lionfish ( textitPterois miles )},
author = {Davide Bottacini and Carien Noordman and Victor Renaud and Grigorios Skouradakis and Thanos Dailianis and Maria Mastoraki and Stavros Chatzifotis and Alexander Kotrschal},
url = {https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/12/12/250836/366120/Camouflage-in-a-moving-predator-testing-for
/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2025-Bottacini-RSOS-80.pdf},
doi = {10.1098/rsos.250836},
issn = {2054-5703},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-30},
urldate = {2025-12-01},
journal = {Royal Society Open Science},
volume = {12},
number = {12},
pages = {250836},
abstract = {Abstract
Predation is pervasive in the natural world, where predators and prey have evolved spectacular mechanisms to avoid detection and recognition. An example is camouflage through background matching, which allows animals to resemble their background. Animals can move strategically towards backgrounds that match their morphology (background choice) to enhance camouflage. We studied the relevance of background choice in lionfish (Pterois miles), conspicuous stalking predators that could take advantage of background matching by resembling corals and other invertebrates in their surroundings. We offered different background combinations to hunting lionfish and we found that they indeed account for their background while hunting, although the response did not support the hypothesis that the preference is determined by background matching. Lionfish deviated towards a rocky background, which closely resembled the substrate where lionfish were caught (rocky reefs in the Mediterranean Sea). We suggest that lionfish showed a preference for a rocky background because in the Mediterranean they live on rocky reefs. While we cannot rule out that background matching played a role in background choice, we suggest that remaining close to a rocky reef while hunting offers lionfish the best combination of easy access to hiding spots and high availability of prey.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Abstract
Predation is pervasive in the natural world, where predators and prey have evolved spectacular mechanisms to avoid detection and recognition. An example is camouflage through background matching, which allows animals to resemble their background. Animals can move strategically towards backgrounds that match their morphology (background choice) to enhance camouflage. We studied the relevance of background choice in lionfish (Pterois miles), conspicuous stalking predators that could take advantage of background matching by resembling corals and other invertebrates in their surroundings. We offered different background combinations to hunting lionfish and we found that they indeed account for their background while hunting, although the response did not support the hypothesis that the preference is determined by background matching. Lionfish deviated towards a rocky background, which closely resembled the substrate where lionfish were caught (rocky reefs in the Mediterranean Sea). We suggest that lionfish showed a preference for a rocky background because in the Mediterranean they live on rocky reefs. While we cannot rule out that background matching played a role in background choice, we suggest that remaining close to a rocky reef while hunting offers lionfish the best combination of easy access to hiding spots and high availability of prey.
Predation is pervasive in the natural world, where predators and prey have evolved spectacular mechanisms to avoid detection and recognition. An example is camouflage through background matching, which allows animals to resemble their background. Animals can move strategically towards backgrounds that match their morphology (background choice) to enhance camouflage. We studied the relevance of background choice in lionfish (Pterois miles), conspicuous stalking predators that could take advantage of background matching by resembling corals and other invertebrates in their surroundings. We offered different background combinations to hunting lionfish and we found that they indeed account for their background while hunting, although the response did not support the hypothesis that the preference is determined by background matching. Lionfish deviated towards a rocky background, which closely resembled the substrate where lionfish were caught (rocky reefs in the Mediterranean Sea). We suggest that lionfish showed a preference for a rocky background because in the Mediterranean they live on rocky reefs. While we cannot rule out that background matching played a role in background choice, we suggest that remaining close to a rocky reef while hunting offers lionfish the best combination of easy access to hiding spots and high availability of prey.
Karoumpali, Marina; Marco, Moreno Di; Parmakelis, Aristeidis; Stoumboudi, Maria; Sarropoulou, Elena; Radea, Canela; Kotsakiozi, Panayiota
Identifying possible hotspots of human pressure on European gastropods Journal Article
In: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, vol. 146, no. 3, pp. blaf085, 2025, ISSN: 0024-4066, 1095-8312.
@article{karoumpali_identifying_2025,
title = {Identifying possible hotspots of human pressure on European gastropods},
author = {Marina Karoumpali and Moreno Di Marco and Aristeidis Parmakelis and Maria Stoumboudi and Elena Sarropoulou and Canela Radea and Panayiota Kotsakiozi},
url = {https://academic.oup.com/biolinnean/article/doi/10.1093/biolinnean/blaf085/8312933},
doi = {10.1093/biolinnean/blaf085},
issn = {0024-4066, 1095-8312},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-22},
urldate = {2025-11-01},
journal = {Biological Journal of the Linnean Society},
volume = {146},
number = {3},
pages = {blaf085},
abstract = {Abstract
Human activities are impacting the biosphere, driving unprecedented rates of species loss. Yet, little is known about the ranges of these threats and how they impact invertebrate species. Despite the extensive efforts to preserve biodiversity globally, most of the strategies are designed for vertebrates, whereas invertebrates are seriously underrepresented. European gastropod species, in particular, are a taxon of high conservation interest given the high number of threatened species and the high levels of endemism. Yet the distribution of their threats remains largely unmapped. In this study, we intersect individual ranges of European threatened and near-threatened gastropods with seven human pressure layers to estimate the cumulative overlap between each species and the pressure to which it is sensitive. We found that about one-fifth of the species have their entire distribution range overlapping with at least one relevant pressure, and about one-third of the species coexist with multiple pressures somewhere within their distributions. Our analyses unveil hotspots of impacted and coolspots of unimpacted gastropod biodiversity, providing information for future conservation planning.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Abstract
Human activities are impacting the biosphere, driving unprecedented rates of species loss. Yet, little is known about the ranges of these threats and how they impact invertebrate species. Despite the extensive efforts to preserve biodiversity globally, most of the strategies are designed for vertebrates, whereas invertebrates are seriously underrepresented. European gastropod species, in particular, are a taxon of high conservation interest given the high number of threatened species and the high levels of endemism. Yet the distribution of their threats remains largely unmapped. In this study, we intersect individual ranges of European threatened and near-threatened gastropods with seven human pressure layers to estimate the cumulative overlap between each species and the pressure to which it is sensitive. We found that about one-fifth of the species have their entire distribution range overlapping with at least one relevant pressure, and about one-third of the species coexist with multiple pressures somewhere within their distributions. Our analyses unveil hotspots of impacted and coolspots of unimpacted gastropod biodiversity, providing information for future conservation planning.
Human activities are impacting the biosphere, driving unprecedented rates of species loss. Yet, little is known about the ranges of these threats and how they impact invertebrate species. Despite the extensive efforts to preserve biodiversity globally, most of the strategies are designed for vertebrates, whereas invertebrates are seriously underrepresented. European gastropod species, in particular, are a taxon of high conservation interest given the high number of threatened species and the high levels of endemism. Yet the distribution of their threats remains largely unmapped. In this study, we intersect individual ranges of European threatened and near-threatened gastropods with seven human pressure layers to estimate the cumulative overlap between each species and the pressure to which it is sensitive. We found that about one-fifth of the species have their entire distribution range overlapping with at least one relevant pressure, and about one-third of the species coexist with multiple pressures somewhere within their distributions. Our analyses unveil hotspots of impacted and coolspots of unimpacted gastropod biodiversity, providing information for future conservation planning.
Koumpaki, Eleni; Maidanou, Maria; Chatzigeorgiou, Georgios; Rallis, Ioannis; Mavraki, Dimitra; Dounas, Costas; Arvanitidis, Christos; Koulouri, Panayota
Macrobenthic communities of the continental shelf of Heraklion Bay (Crete, Greece): bathymetric distribution and temporal trends Journal Article
In: Biodiversity Data Journal, vol. 13, pp. e174931, 2025, ISSN: 1314-2828, 1314-2836.
@article{koumpaki_macrobenthic_2025,
title = {Macrobenthic communities of the continental shelf of Heraklion Bay (Crete, Greece): bathymetric distribution and temporal trends},
author = {Eleni Koumpaki and Maria Maidanou and Georgios Chatzigeorgiou and Ioannis Rallis and Dimitra Mavraki and Costas Dounas and Christos Arvanitidis and Panayota Koulouri},
url = {https://bdj.pensoft.net/article/174931/
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Koumpaki-BDJournal-78.pdf},
doi = {10.3897/BDJ.13.e174931},
issn = {1314-2828, 1314-2836},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-18},
urldate = {2025-12-01},
journal = {Biodiversity Data Journal},
volume = {13},
pages = {e174931},
abstract = {The Gulf of Heraklion is one of the most well-studied coastal marine ecosystems in the eastern Mediterranean. It is an oligotrophic area, exposed to wave action where muddy sediments prevail and its coastal zone is relatively unaffected by major riverine inputs. However, it faces pressures deriving from urbanisation, tourism, small-scale fisheries and climate change. Amongst its biological components, macrobenthos is an important component of soft-bottom habitats of the continental shelf and considered to be an indicator of environmental and human-induced disturbance. Nevertheless, long-term data are limited, thus restricting our understanding of their temporal trends. This is of particular importance for the Mediterranean Sea which is characterised as a hot spot of biodiversity and climate change impacts on its biota.
The macrοbenthic faunal communities were investigated in the continental shelf of Heraklion Bay within the framework of the European funded project entitled MARine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning leading to Ecosystem Services (MARBEFES), with the objective to enhance the understanding of marine biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and the ecosystem services they provide. Additional studies, with the same objectives, were carried under national and local monitoring programmes. Samples were collected from a specific transect of stations, named H2 (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100 and 200 m depth), located in the wider marine area of the wastewater treatment plant of Heraklion City. The transect was sampled during three different sampling surveys and periods: June 2010, June 2015 and August 2024.
A total of 30,280 individuals were examined belonging to the taxonomic groups of Annelida, Crustacea, Mollusca, Echinodermata, Nemertea and varia. The identification of the key taxonomic classes (Polychaeta, Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Scaphopoda and Malacostraca) revealed 231 macrobenthic taxa. Out of the 231 taxa, only 30 were common amongst all the three sampling periods, while Polychaeta was the most abundant macrobenthic group in all sampling periods.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The Gulf of Heraklion is one of the most well-studied coastal marine ecosystems in the eastern Mediterranean. It is an oligotrophic area, exposed to wave action where muddy sediments prevail and its coastal zone is relatively unaffected by major riverine inputs. However, it faces pressures deriving from urbanisation, tourism, small-scale fisheries and climate change. Amongst its biological components, macrobenthos is an important component of soft-bottom habitats of the continental shelf and considered to be an indicator of environmental and human-induced disturbance. Nevertheless, long-term data are limited, thus restricting our understanding of their temporal trends. This is of particular importance for the Mediterranean Sea which is characterised as a hot spot of biodiversity and climate change impacts on its biota.
The macrοbenthic faunal communities were investigated in the continental shelf of Heraklion Bay within the framework of the European funded project entitled MARine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning leading to Ecosystem Services (MARBEFES), with the objective to enhance the understanding of marine biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and the ecosystem services they provide. Additional studies, with the same objectives, were carried under national and local monitoring programmes. Samples were collected from a specific transect of stations, named H2 (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100 and 200 m depth), located in the wider marine area of the wastewater treatment plant of Heraklion City. The transect was sampled during three different sampling surveys and periods: June 2010, June 2015 and August 2024.
A total of 30,280 individuals were examined belonging to the taxonomic groups of Annelida, Crustacea, Mollusca, Echinodermata, Nemertea and varia. The identification of the key taxonomic classes (Polychaeta, Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Scaphopoda and Malacostraca) revealed 231 macrobenthic taxa. Out of the 231 taxa, only 30 were common amongst all the three sampling periods, while Polychaeta was the most abundant macrobenthic group in all sampling periods.
The macrοbenthic faunal communities were investigated in the continental shelf of Heraklion Bay within the framework of the European funded project entitled MARine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning leading to Ecosystem Services (MARBEFES), with the objective to enhance the understanding of marine biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and the ecosystem services they provide. Additional studies, with the same objectives, were carried under national and local monitoring programmes. Samples were collected from a specific transect of stations, named H2 (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100 and 200 m depth), located in the wider marine area of the wastewater treatment plant of Heraklion City. The transect was sampled during three different sampling surveys and periods: June 2010, June 2015 and August 2024.
A total of 30,280 individuals were examined belonging to the taxonomic groups of Annelida, Crustacea, Mollusca, Echinodermata, Nemertea and varia. The identification of the key taxonomic classes (Polychaeta, Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Scaphopoda and Malacostraca) revealed 231 macrobenthic taxa. Out of the 231 taxa, only 30 were common amongst all the three sampling periods, while Polychaeta was the most abundant macrobenthic group in all sampling periods.
Christodoulopoulos, Mathis A. B.; Cotou, Efthimia; Politakis, Nektarios; Tsekouras, Nikolaos; Paraskeuas, Vasileios V.; Kotzamanis, Yannis; Christodoulopoulos, Georgios; Pappas, Athanasios C.
Urban Foraging and Plant Toxicological Risks for Rose-Ringed Parakeets (Psittacula krameri) in Athens Journal Article
In: Diversity, vol. 17, no. 11, pp. 801, 2025, ISSN: 1424-2818.
@article{christodoulopoulos_urban_2025,
title = {Urban Foraging and Plant Toxicological Risks for Rose-Ringed Parakeets (\textit{Psittacula krameri}) in Athens},
author = {Mathis A. B. Christodoulopoulos and Efthimia Cotou and Nektarios Politakis and Nikolaos Tsekouras and Vasileios V. Paraskeuas and Yannis Kotzamanis and Georgios Christodoulopoulos and Athanasios C. Pappas},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17/11/801
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Christodoulopoulos-DIVERSITY-77.pdf},
doi = {10.3390/d17110801},
issn = {1424-2818},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-17},
urldate = {2025-11-01},
journal = {Diversity},
volume = {17},
number = {11},
pages = {801},
abstract = {The Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) is an invasive parrot increasingly established in European cities, including Athens, Greece, yet its diet and exposure to plant toxins in Mediterranean ecosystems remain poorly documented. We examined seasonal foraging patterns in Athens and assessed the toxicity of key food items using a brine shrimp lethality assay. Field observations recorded 601 feeding events across 10 plant species. Four foods—cypress seeds (Cupressus sempervirens), chinaberries (Melia azedarach), Canary Island dates (Phoenix canariensis), and olives (Olea europaea)—accounted for 82.9% of feeding events. Dietary diversity was highest in winter and summer, while foraging density remained relatively stable, peaking in autumn. Toxicity assessment of aqueous plant extracts with Brine Shrimp (Artemia franciscana) Lethality Test (BSLT) identified chinaberries as the most toxic, indicating potential dietary risks. These findings indicate that P. krameri exhibits flexible, opportunistic foraging and can tolerate plant compounds that are harmful to other vertebrates, suggesting that toxicity does not seem to limit its diet. Seasonal dietary shifts and ecological plasticity likely support its urban invasion success, highlighting the importance of understanding diet composition and potential exposure to plant toxins in urban parakeet populations.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) is an invasive parrot increasingly established in European cities, including Athens, Greece, yet its diet and exposure to plant toxins in Mediterranean ecosystems remain poorly documented. We examined seasonal foraging patterns in Athens and assessed the toxicity of key food items using a brine shrimp lethality assay. Field observations recorded 601 feeding events across 10 plant species. Four foods—cypress seeds (Cupressus sempervirens), chinaberries (Melia azedarach), Canary Island dates (Phoenix canariensis), and olives (Olea europaea)—accounted for 82.9% of feeding events. Dietary diversity was highest in winter and summer, while foraging density remained relatively stable, peaking in autumn. Toxicity assessment of aqueous plant extracts with Brine Shrimp (Artemia franciscana) Lethality Test (BSLT) identified chinaberries as the most toxic, indicating potential dietary risks. These findings indicate that P. krameri exhibits flexible, opportunistic foraging and can tolerate plant compounds that are harmful to other vertebrates, suggesting that toxicity does not seem to limit its diet. Seasonal dietary shifts and ecological plasticity likely support its urban invasion success, highlighting the importance of understanding diet composition and potential exposure to plant toxins in urban parakeet populations.
Titri, Lucinda; Hubert-Ferrari, Aurélia; Caterina, Basile; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Christodoulou, Dimitris; Fakiris, Elias; Dimas, Xenophon; Geraga, Maria; Papatheodorou, George
Marine animal forests in high-energy environments after a large anthropic impact: discoveries from the Rion-Antirion Strait, Greece Journal Article
In: Frontiers in Marine Science, vol. 12, pp. 1658262, 2025, ISSN: 2296-7745.
@article{titri_marine_2025,
title = {Marine animal forests in high-energy environments after a large anthropic impact: discoveries from the Rion-Antirion Strait, Greece},
author = {Lucinda Titri and Aurélia Hubert-Ferrari and Basile Caterina and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Dimitris Christodoulou and Elias Fakiris and Xenophon Dimas and Maria Geraga and George Papatheodorou},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1658262/full
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Titri-Frontiers-76.pdf},
doi = {10.3389/fmars.2025.1658262},
issn = {2296-7745},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-12},
urldate = {2025-11-01},
journal = {Frontiers in Marine Science},
volume = {12},
pages = {1658262},
abstract = {The Rion–Antirion Strait (Greece, 50–100 m depth) hosts rich Marine Animal Forests (MAFs), formed by several species of anthozoans, sponges, bryozoans and tunicates. Using twelve video transects collected in 2019 and 2023 and a Regional Oceanographic Modelling System (ROMS) hydrodynamic model, we characterized the assemblages’ biological composition, geomorphology, and physical drivers. Strong bidirectional bottom currents (0.01–0.25 m/s, peaking at 0.8 m/s) funnel nutrients into the strait, resulting in the highest chlorophyll concentrations recorded between the adjacent Patras and Corinth Gulfs. Bridge construction (1998–2004) likely caused extensive habitat loss through dredging, excavation, ballast dumping, and fine-sediment remobilization. Today, pioneer taxa – such as
Alcyonium
spp. and Caryophylliidae spp. – form dense fields, benefiting from trophic flexibility, rapid recruitment, and tolerance to moderate turbidity. In contrast, fragile and less adaptable taxa such as Antipatharia and Pennatuloidea remain sparse and degraded, suggesting limited recovery potential under sustained disturbance. Sponges and tunicates play a key role in post-disturbance habitat structuring by providing settlement microhabitats. Our results suggest unexpected resilience of anthozoan assemblages in high-energy, non-rocky settings, while underscoring the ecosystem’s likely vulnerability to cumulative anthropogenic pressures. The absence of pre-disturbance baseline data limits the reconstruction of historical biodiversity levels, emphasizing the need for long-term monitoring to assess future impacts from coastal infrastructure development and climate change. These findings provide new insights into MAF ecosystem dynamics and inform targeted conservation strategies for vulnerable Mediterranean habitats.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The Rion–Antirion Strait (Greece, 50–100 m depth) hosts rich Marine Animal Forests (MAFs), formed by several species of anthozoans, sponges, bryozoans and tunicates. Using twelve video transects collected in 2019 and 2023 and a Regional Oceanographic Modelling System (ROMS) hydrodynamic model, we characterized the assemblages’ biological composition, geomorphology, and physical drivers. Strong bidirectional bottom currents (0.01–0.25 m/s, peaking at 0.8 m/s) funnel nutrients into the strait, resulting in the highest chlorophyll concentrations recorded between the adjacent Patras and Corinth Gulfs. Bridge construction (1998–2004) likely caused extensive habitat loss through dredging, excavation, ballast dumping, and fine-sediment remobilization. Today, pioneer taxa – such as
Alcyonium
spp. and Caryophylliidae spp. – form dense fields, benefiting from trophic flexibility, rapid recruitment, and tolerance to moderate turbidity. In contrast, fragile and less adaptable taxa such as Antipatharia and Pennatuloidea remain sparse and degraded, suggesting limited recovery potential under sustained disturbance. Sponges and tunicates play a key role in post-disturbance habitat structuring by providing settlement microhabitats. Our results suggest unexpected resilience of anthozoan assemblages in high-energy, non-rocky settings, while underscoring the ecosystem’s likely vulnerability to cumulative anthropogenic pressures. The absence of pre-disturbance baseline data limits the reconstruction of historical biodiversity levels, emphasizing the need for long-term monitoring to assess future impacts from coastal infrastructure development and climate change. These findings provide new insights into MAF ecosystem dynamics and inform targeted conservation strategies for vulnerable Mediterranean habitats.
Alcyonium
spp. and Caryophylliidae spp. – form dense fields, benefiting from trophic flexibility, rapid recruitment, and tolerance to moderate turbidity. In contrast, fragile and less adaptable taxa such as Antipatharia and Pennatuloidea remain sparse and degraded, suggesting limited recovery potential under sustained disturbance. Sponges and tunicates play a key role in post-disturbance habitat structuring by providing settlement microhabitats. Our results suggest unexpected resilience of anthozoan assemblages in high-energy, non-rocky settings, while underscoring the ecosystem’s likely vulnerability to cumulative anthropogenic pressures. The absence of pre-disturbance baseline data limits the reconstruction of historical biodiversity levels, emphasizing the need for long-term monitoring to assess future impacts from coastal infrastructure development and climate change. These findings provide new insights into MAF ecosystem dynamics and inform targeted conservation strategies for vulnerable Mediterranean habitats.
Rigos, George; Padrós, Francesc; Constenla, Maria; Jerončić, Ana; Kogiannou, Dimitra; Consuegra, Sofia; Adamek, Mikolaj; Mladineo, Ivona
Global Warming Affects the Pathogenesis of Important Fish Diseases in European Aquaculture Journal Article
In: Reviews in Aquaculture, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. e70112, 2025, ISSN: 1753-5123, 1753-5131.
@article{rigos_global_2026,
title = {Global Warming Affects the Pathogenesis of Important Fish Diseases in European Aquaculture},
author = {George Rigos and Francesc Padrós and Maria Constenla and Ana Jerončić and Dimitra Kogiannou and Sofia Consuegra and Mikolaj Adamek and Ivona Mladineo},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/raq.70112
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Rigos-RinAqua-75.pdf},
doi = {10.1111/raq.70112},
issn = {1753-5123, 1753-5131},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-10},
urldate = {2026-12-10},
journal = {Reviews in Aquaculture},
volume = {18},
number = {1},
pages = {e70112},
abstract = {ABSTRACT
Global warming remains a neglected environmental challenge for the sustainability of primary production, particularly aquaculture, which is highly susceptible to the spread of established pathogens and the induction of emerging infectious diseases under warming conditions. Over the past decade, Europe has experienced dramatically high temperatures that may impact both farmed fish and their pathogens in a largely unpredictable manner. While, in general, warming may boost the rate of disease transmission and its virulence by increasing pathogens' fitness in weakened hosts, some diseases characteristic of cooler environments may become rare. Field data is still largely fragmented, but in vitro experiments reveal that almost 28 microbial diseases in European finfish farming could be facilitated by climate warming. Innovative mitigation tools, such as fish selective breeding, epigenetic programming, the development of new vaccines, and alternative treatments, may prove essential in coping with the effects of rising water temperatures on fish diseases in Europe.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
ABSTRACT
Global warming remains a neglected environmental challenge for the sustainability of primary production, particularly aquaculture, which is highly susceptible to the spread of established pathogens and the induction of emerging infectious diseases under warming conditions. Over the past decade, Europe has experienced dramatically high temperatures that may impact both farmed fish and their pathogens in a largely unpredictable manner. While, in general, warming may boost the rate of disease transmission and its virulence by increasing pathogens' fitness in weakened hosts, some diseases characteristic of cooler environments may become rare. Field data is still largely fragmented, but in vitro experiments reveal that almost 28 microbial diseases in European finfish farming could be facilitated by climate warming. Innovative mitigation tools, such as fish selective breeding, epigenetic programming, the development of new vaccines, and alternative treatments, may prove essential in coping with the effects of rising water temperatures on fish diseases in Europe.
Global warming remains a neglected environmental challenge for the sustainability of primary production, particularly aquaculture, which is highly susceptible to the spread of established pathogens and the induction of emerging infectious diseases under warming conditions. Over the past decade, Europe has experienced dramatically high temperatures that may impact both farmed fish and their pathogens in a largely unpredictable manner. While, in general, warming may boost the rate of disease transmission and its virulence by increasing pathogens' fitness in weakened hosts, some diseases characteristic of cooler environments may become rare. Field data is still largely fragmented, but in vitro experiments reveal that almost 28 microbial diseases in European finfish farming could be facilitated by climate warming. Innovative mitigation tools, such as fish selective breeding, epigenetic programming, the development of new vaccines, and alternative treatments, may prove essential in coping with the effects of rising water temperatures on fish diseases in Europe.
Pagnier, Justine; Allcock, Louise; Cancio, Ibon; Chatzinikolaou, Eva; Chatzigeorgiou, Giorgos; Chrismas, Nathan; Costantini, Federica; Dailianis, Thanos; Deneudt, Klaas; Cerio, Oihane Díaz De; Digenis, Markos; Exter, Katrina; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Fernández, Jose González; Kauppi, Laura; Keklikoglou, Kleoniki; Kristoffersen, Jon Bent; Lagaisse, Rune; Mavrič, Borut; Mortelmans, Jonas; Paredes, Estefania; Pavloudi, Christina; Piazza, Alessandro; Power, Anne Marie; Ramšak, Andreja; Santi, Ioulia; Solbakken, Jostein; Stavroulaki, Melanthia; Stæhr, Peter; Tajadura, Javier; Troncoso, Jesus Souza; Vasileiadou, Katerina; Vernadou, Emmanouela; Obst, Matthias
A long-term ecological research dataset from the marine genetic monitoring programme ARMS-MBON 2020-2021 Journal Article
In: Biodiversity Data Journal, vol. 13, pp. e148981, 2025, ISSN: 1314-2828, 1314-2836.
@article{pagnier_long-term_2025,
title = {A long-term ecological research dataset from the marine genetic monitoring programme ARMS-MBON 2020-2021},
author = {Justine Pagnier and Louise Allcock and Ibon Cancio and Eva Chatzinikolaou and Giorgos Chatzigeorgiou and Nathan Chrismas and Federica Costantini and Thanos Dailianis and Klaas Deneudt and Oihane Díaz De Cerio and Markos Digenis and Katrina Exter and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Jose González Fernández and Laura Kauppi and Kleoniki Keklikoglou and Jon Bent Kristoffersen and Rune Lagaisse and Borut Mavrič and Jonas Mortelmans and Estefania Paredes and Christina Pavloudi and Alessandro Piazza and Anne Marie Power and Andreja Ramšak and Ioulia Santi and Jostein Solbakken and Melanthia Stavroulaki and Peter Stæhr and Javier Tajadura and Jesus Souza Troncoso and Katerina Vasileiadou and Emmanouela Vernadou and Matthias Obst},
url = {https://bdj.pensoft.net/article/148981/
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Pagnier-BDJ-74.pdf},
doi = {10.3897/BDJ.13.e148981},
issn = {1314-2828, 1314-2836},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-08},
urldate = {2025-11-01},
journal = {Biodiversity Data Journal},
volume = {13},
pages = {e148981},
abstract = {Continuing the international efforts of the ARMS Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (ARMS-MBON), we present data from the second sampling campaign, coming from 56 Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) deployed in 2020 and 2021 along European coasts under the European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON). The dataset includes information on sampling locations and conditions, sample archiving and quality reports of collected samples. Data and metadata are openly accessible and can be downloaded from the associated GitHub repository. Sequence data can be accessed via the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) through the corresponding accession numbers. Images of ARMS plates are stored on PlutoF and can be downloaded through links provided in this paper. Sequence data were processed and explored with the PEMA pipeline, resulting in 17,194, 7,235 and 5,261 unique ASVs/OTUs for COI, 18S and ITS, respectively. In this dataset, ARMS revealed the presence of over 61 eukaryotic phyla, aligning with our previous sampling campaign. Amongst these phyla, 35 had sequences identified to the species level. With this dataset and its associated paper, we provide a standardised resource for marine biodiversity monitoring and scientific analyses of benthic biodiversity. The presented data product supports future studies on the status and changes in species composition, distribution and genetic diversity.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Continuing the international efforts of the ARMS Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (ARMS-MBON), we present data from the second sampling campaign, coming from 56 Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) deployed in 2020 and 2021 along European coasts under the European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON). The dataset includes information on sampling locations and conditions, sample archiving and quality reports of collected samples. Data and metadata are openly accessible and can be downloaded from the associated GitHub repository. Sequence data can be accessed via the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) through the corresponding accession numbers. Images of ARMS plates are stored on PlutoF and can be downloaded through links provided in this paper. Sequence data were processed and explored with the PEMA pipeline, resulting in 17,194, 7,235 and 5,261 unique ASVs/OTUs for COI, 18S and ITS, respectively. In this dataset, ARMS revealed the presence of over 61 eukaryotic phyla, aligning with our previous sampling campaign. Amongst these phyla, 35 had sequences identified to the species level. With this dataset and its associated paper, we provide a standardised resource for marine biodiversity monitoring and scientific analyses of benthic biodiversity. The presented data product supports future studies on the status and changes in species composition, distribution and genetic diversity.
Alexandridis, Damianos; Manousaki, Tereza; Antoniou, Aglaia; Kristoffersen, Jon; Apostolidis, Charis; Cannas, Rita; Spedicato, Maria Teresa; Cariani, Alessia; Bellido, Jose María; Magoulas, Antonios; Ramírez, Francisco; Lloret‐Lloret, Elena; Albo‐Puigserver, Marta; Coll, Marta; Tsigenopoulos, Costas S.
Uncovering the Genetic Structure of European Anchovy Populations in Central and Western Mediterranean Journal Article
In: Ecology and Evolution, vol. 15, no. 11, pp. e72441, 2025, ISSN: 2045-7758, 2045-7758.
@article{alexandridis_uncovering_2025,
title = {Uncovering the Genetic Structure of European Anchovy Populations in Central and Western Mediterranean},
author = {Damianos Alexandridis and Tereza Manousaki and Aglaia Antoniou and Jon Kristoffersen and Charis Apostolidis and Rita Cannas and Maria Teresa Spedicato and Alessia Cariani and Jose María Bellido and Antonios Magoulas and Francisco Ramírez and Elena Lloret‐Lloret and Marta Albo‐Puigserver and Marta Coll and Costas S. Tsigenopoulos},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.72441
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Alexandridis-EcoEvo-73.pdf},
doi = {10.1002/ece3.72441},
issn = {2045-7758, 2045-7758},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-03},
urldate = {2025-11-01},
journal = {Ecology and Evolution},
volume = {15},
number = {11},
pages = {e72441},
abstract = {ABSTRACT
Among small pelagic fishes, the European anchovy (
Engraulis encrasicolus
) is a key species within the marine ecosystem of the Mediterranean Sea, exhibiting significant population structure across its geographic range. This study applied state‐of‐the‐art genomic analyses, utilizing 9497 genome‐wide SNPs derived from ddRAD sequencing, to investigate population structure, genetic diversity, and genotype‐environment associations in anchovy samples collected across 12 locations in the Western and Central Mediterranean as well as nearby Atlantic regions. In order to increase the number of polymorphic loci identified, we first assembled a draft reference genome for the species (1.69 Gb and 79.8% BUSCO completeness), which proved to be a powerful tool for downstream analyses. Two main genetic clusters were delineated: one comprising individuals from the Atlantic and Alboran Sea and the other including those from the Northwestern (particularly Balearic Sea and Gulf of Lion) and Central Mediterranean (
F
ST = 0.09), indicating the Almeria–Oran front as a potential dispersal barrier for gene flow in the species. Seascape genomic analyses identified statistically significant associations between SNPs and environmental variables such as temperature and nutrient availability. Overall, our research highlighted the genetic relationships among anchovies in the studied area, providing essential insights needed for identifying distinct management units and developing conservation strategies, while emphasizing the need to address genetic and environmental dynamics in light of climate change, which may threaten the stability and resilience of anchovy populations and their habitats.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
ABSTRACT
Among small pelagic fishes, the European anchovy (
Engraulis encrasicolus
) is a key species within the marine ecosystem of the Mediterranean Sea, exhibiting significant population structure across its geographic range. This study applied state‐of‐the‐art genomic analyses, utilizing 9497 genome‐wide SNPs derived from ddRAD sequencing, to investigate population structure, genetic diversity, and genotype‐environment associations in anchovy samples collected across 12 locations in the Western and Central Mediterranean as well as nearby Atlantic regions. In order to increase the number of polymorphic loci identified, we first assembled a draft reference genome for the species (1.69 Gb and 79.8% BUSCO completeness), which proved to be a powerful tool for downstream analyses. Two main genetic clusters were delineated: one comprising individuals from the Atlantic and Alboran Sea and the other including those from the Northwestern (particularly Balearic Sea and Gulf of Lion) and Central Mediterranean (
F
ST = 0.09), indicating the Almeria–Oran front as a potential dispersal barrier for gene flow in the species. Seascape genomic analyses identified statistically significant associations between SNPs and environmental variables such as temperature and nutrient availability. Overall, our research highlighted the genetic relationships among anchovies in the studied area, providing essential insights needed for identifying distinct management units and developing conservation strategies, while emphasizing the need to address genetic and environmental dynamics in light of climate change, which may threaten the stability and resilience of anchovy populations and their habitats.
Among small pelagic fishes, the European anchovy (
Engraulis encrasicolus
) is a key species within the marine ecosystem of the Mediterranean Sea, exhibiting significant population structure across its geographic range. This study applied state‐of‐the‐art genomic analyses, utilizing 9497 genome‐wide SNPs derived from ddRAD sequencing, to investigate population structure, genetic diversity, and genotype‐environment associations in anchovy samples collected across 12 locations in the Western and Central Mediterranean as well as nearby Atlantic regions. In order to increase the number of polymorphic loci identified, we first assembled a draft reference genome for the species (1.69 Gb and 79.8% BUSCO completeness), which proved to be a powerful tool for downstream analyses. Two main genetic clusters were delineated: one comprising individuals from the Atlantic and Alboran Sea and the other including those from the Northwestern (particularly Balearic Sea and Gulf of Lion) and Central Mediterranean (
F
ST = 0.09), indicating the Almeria–Oran front as a potential dispersal barrier for gene flow in the species. Seascape genomic analyses identified statistically significant associations between SNPs and environmental variables such as temperature and nutrient availability. Overall, our research highlighted the genetic relationships among anchovies in the studied area, providing essential insights needed for identifying distinct management units and developing conservation strategies, while emphasizing the need to address genetic and environmental dynamics in light of climate change, which may threaten the stability and resilience of anchovy populations and their habitats.
Noble, Chris; Abbink, Wout; Alvestad, René; Ardó, László; Bégout, Marie‐Laure; Bloecher, Nina; Burgerhout, Erik; Calduch‐Giner, Josep; Chivite‐Alcalde, Mauro; Císař, Petr; Durland, Evan; Espmark, Åsa M.; Falconer, Lynne; Føre, Martin; Georgopoulou, Dimitra G.; Heia, Karsten; Helberg, Gaute A. N.; Gomez, David Izquierdo; Johansen, Lill‐Heidi; Johansson, Gunhild Seljehaug; Jónsdóttir, Kristbjörg Edda; Kolarevic, Jelena; Krasnov, Aleksei; Kumaran, Santhosh K.; Kvæstad, Bjarne; Larsson, Thomas; Lazado, Carlo C.; Madaro, Angelico; Moroni, Federico; Måge, Ingrid; Nilsson, Jonatan; Ortega, Samuel; Papandroulakis, Nikos; Pérez‐Sánchez, Jaume; Prentice, Pamela M.; Planellas, Sonia Rey; Roth, Bjørn; Smith, Adrian; Solberg, Lars Erik; Stavrakidis‐Zachou, Orestis; Stien, Lars Helge; Striberny, Anja; Svalheim, Ragnhild Aven; Sæther, Bjørn‐Steinar; Timmerhaus, Gerrit; Toften, Hilde; Tschirren, Linda; Vis, Hans Van De; Ytteborg, Elisabeth; Zena, Lucas A.; Østbye, Tone‐Kari Knutsdatter
Welfare Indicators for Aquaculture Research: Toolboxes for Five Farmed European Fish Species Journal Article
In: Reviews in Aquaculture, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. e70109, 2025, ISSN: 1753-5123, 1753-5131.
@article{noble_welfare_2026,
title = {Welfare Indicators for Aquaculture Research: Toolboxes for Five Farmed European Fish Species},
author = {Chris Noble and Wout Abbink and René Alvestad and László Ardó and Marie‐Laure Bégout and Nina Bloecher and Erik Burgerhout and Josep Calduch‐Giner and Mauro Chivite‐Alcalde and Petr Císař and Evan Durland and Åsa M. Espmark and Lynne Falconer and Martin Føre and Dimitra G. Georgopoulou and Karsten Heia and Gaute A. N. Helberg and David Izquierdo Gomez and Lill‐Heidi Johansen and Gunhild Seljehaug Johansson and Kristbjörg Edda Jónsdóttir and Jelena Kolarevic and Aleksei Krasnov and Santhosh K. Kumaran and Bjarne Kvæstad and Thomas Larsson and Carlo C. Lazado and Angelico Madaro and Federico Moroni and Ingrid Måge and Jonatan Nilsson and Samuel Ortega and Nikos Papandroulakis and Jaume Pérez‐Sánchez and Pamela M. Prentice and Sonia Rey Planellas and Bjørn Roth and Adrian Smith and Lars Erik Solberg and Orestis Stavrakidis‐Zachou and Lars Helge Stien and Anja Striberny and Ragnhild Aven Svalheim and Bjørn‐Steinar Sæther and Gerrit Timmerhaus and Hilde Toften and Linda Tschirren and Hans Van De Vis and Elisabeth Ytteborg and Lucas A. Zena and Tone‐Kari Knutsdatter Østbye},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/raq.70109
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Noble-Reviews-Aqua-72.pdf},
doi = {10.1111/raq.70109},
issn = {1753-5123, 1753-5131},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-12-01},
urldate = {2026-01-01},
journal = {Reviews in Aquaculture},
volume = {18},
number = {1},
pages = {e70109},
abstract = {ABSTRACT
Refining approaches to measuring, monitoring and appraising animal welfare in aquaculture research is key to (i) protecting and optimizing it, (ii) documenting the severity of how and when it deviates, and (iii) ensuring good scientific quality, reliable results and reproducibility, amongst other factors. However, different fish species and life stages can have varying welfare needs and assessing their welfare can be challenging. An array of welfare indicators (WIs) can be utilized when documenting fish welfare, and there is currently little consensus on which WIs are most applicable to the key fish species used in European aquaculture research. The aim of this review is to propose updated, fit for purpose and comprehensive WI toolboxes for aquaculture research involving Atlantic salmon (
Salmo salar
), rainbow trout (
Oncorhynchus mykiss
), European seabass (
Dicentrarchus labrax
), gilthead seabream (
Sparus aurata
), and the common carp (
Cyprinus carpio
). Where possible, these toolboxes will also include life‐stage considerations. It also provides information on utilizing WIs in deciding humane end‐points as well as information on how to sample different types of indicators. The review closes with information on how digitalization can affect the collection, collation and analysis of WI data in aquaculture research, including both practical and theoretical considerations. The toolboxes incorporate a range of WIs that go beyond those required for legally safeguarding fish welfare in both laboratory and operational experimental facilities in the current European 2010/63/EU Directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes and its amendment, the Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2024/1262.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
ABSTRACT
Refining approaches to measuring, monitoring and appraising animal welfare in aquaculture research is key to (i) protecting and optimizing it, (ii) documenting the severity of how and when it deviates, and (iii) ensuring good scientific quality, reliable results and reproducibility, amongst other factors. However, different fish species and life stages can have varying welfare needs and assessing their welfare can be challenging. An array of welfare indicators (WIs) can be utilized when documenting fish welfare, and there is currently little consensus on which WIs are most applicable to the key fish species used in European aquaculture research. The aim of this review is to propose updated, fit for purpose and comprehensive WI toolboxes for aquaculture research involving Atlantic salmon (
Salmo salar
), rainbow trout (
Oncorhynchus mykiss
), European seabass (
Dicentrarchus labrax
), gilthead seabream (
Sparus aurata
), and the common carp (
Cyprinus carpio
). Where possible, these toolboxes will also include life‐stage considerations. It also provides information on utilizing WIs in deciding humane end‐points as well as information on how to sample different types of indicators. The review closes with information on how digitalization can affect the collection, collation and analysis of WI data in aquaculture research, including both practical and theoretical considerations. The toolboxes incorporate a range of WIs that go beyond those required for legally safeguarding fish welfare in both laboratory and operational experimental facilities in the current European 2010/63/EU Directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes and its amendment, the Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2024/1262.
Refining approaches to measuring, monitoring and appraising animal welfare in aquaculture research is key to (i) protecting and optimizing it, (ii) documenting the severity of how and when it deviates, and (iii) ensuring good scientific quality, reliable results and reproducibility, amongst other factors. However, different fish species and life stages can have varying welfare needs and assessing their welfare can be challenging. An array of welfare indicators (WIs) can be utilized when documenting fish welfare, and there is currently little consensus on which WIs are most applicable to the key fish species used in European aquaculture research. The aim of this review is to propose updated, fit for purpose and comprehensive WI toolboxes for aquaculture research involving Atlantic salmon (
Salmo salar
), rainbow trout (
Oncorhynchus mykiss
), European seabass (
Dicentrarchus labrax
), gilthead seabream (
Sparus aurata
), and the common carp (
Cyprinus carpio
). Where possible, these toolboxes will also include life‐stage considerations. It also provides information on utilizing WIs in deciding humane end‐points as well as information on how to sample different types of indicators. The review closes with information on how digitalization can affect the collection, collation and analysis of WI data in aquaculture research, including both practical and theoretical considerations. The toolboxes incorporate a range of WIs that go beyond those required for legally safeguarding fish welfare in both laboratory and operational experimental facilities in the current European 2010/63/EU Directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes and its amendment, the Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2024/1262.
Stamouli, Caterina; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Voultsiadou, Eleni
Sponges as Habitat Formers on Mesophotic, Soft-Substrate Seafloors of the Eastern Mediterranean Journal Article
In: Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, vol. 13, no. 11, pp. 2132, 2025, ISSN: 2077-1312.
@article{stamouli_sponges_2025,
title = {Sponges as Habitat Formers on Mesophotic, Soft-Substrate Seafloors of the Eastern Mediterranean},
author = {Caterina Stamouli and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Eleni Voultsiadou},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13/11/2132
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Stamouli-JMSE-71.pdf},
doi = {10.3390/jmse13112132},
issn = {2077-1312},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-11-26},
urldate = {2025-11-01},
journal = {Journal of Marine Science and Engineering},
volume = {13},
number = {11},
pages = {2132},
abstract = {This study aims to investigate the ecological role of sponges as habitat formers on soft-bottom habitats of the mesophotic zone. As habitat formers, sponges significantly enhance benthic habitat complexity and establish associations with a plethora of organisms consequently augmenting local biodiversity. This role becomes particularly critical in areas subjected to intensive bottom trawling, where sponges often comprise a substantial portion of the discarded material. The examination of 114 massive sponge specimens, belonging to 10 sponge species, which were collected as bycatch from bottom trawls in the Aegean and Ionian ecoregions, revealed a total of over 4600 associated individuals of 78 invertebrate taxa, with crustaceans, mollusks, and polychaetes being the dominant groups. The composition of sponge-associated communities showed strong similarities to previously reported cases from shallow water hard substrates of the eastern Mediterranean, while displaying host-specific differences likely influenced by sponge morphology. Although depth did not significantly affect species richness, Shannon diversity, or evenness, a decrease in abundance of associated invertebrates was observed in deeper samples, suggesting a depth-related pattern that deserves further investigation. By forming stable substrate “islands” in otherwise unstable soft substrate environments, sponges play a vital role in structuring benthic communities. Their removal through bottom trawling not only results in the loss of the sponges themselves, but also disrupts the diverse communities they support. We suggest that sponge-associated fauna should be recognized as part of the discarded bycatch and emphasize the need for broader assessments of sponge-mediated biodiversity across similar Mediterranean habitats to support effective management and conservation strategies.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
This study aims to investigate the ecological role of sponges as habitat formers on soft-bottom habitats of the mesophotic zone. As habitat formers, sponges significantly enhance benthic habitat complexity and establish associations with a plethora of organisms consequently augmenting local biodiversity. This role becomes particularly critical in areas subjected to intensive bottom trawling, where sponges often comprise a substantial portion of the discarded material. The examination of 114 massive sponge specimens, belonging to 10 sponge species, which were collected as bycatch from bottom trawls in the Aegean and Ionian ecoregions, revealed a total of over 4600 associated individuals of 78 invertebrate taxa, with crustaceans, mollusks, and polychaetes being the dominant groups. The composition of sponge-associated communities showed strong similarities to previously reported cases from shallow water hard substrates of the eastern Mediterranean, while displaying host-specific differences likely influenced by sponge morphology. Although depth did not significantly affect species richness, Shannon diversity, or evenness, a decrease in abundance of associated invertebrates was observed in deeper samples, suggesting a depth-related pattern that deserves further investigation. By forming stable substrate “islands” in otherwise unstable soft substrate environments, sponges play a vital role in structuring benthic communities. Their removal through bottom trawling not only results in the loss of the sponges themselves, but also disrupts the diverse communities they support. We suggest that sponge-associated fauna should be recognized as part of the discarded bycatch and emphasize the need for broader assessments of sponge-mediated biodiversity across similar Mediterranean habitats to support effective management and conservation strategies.
Minguito‐Frutos, Mario; Arthur, Rohan; Boada, Jordi; Marco‐Méndez, Candela; Adams, Matthew P.; Pagès, Jordi F.; Buñuel, Xavier; Pessarrodona, Albert; Turon, Xavier; Ballesteros, Enric; Tamburello, Laura; Farina, Simone; Skouradakis, Grigorios; Kletou, Demetris; Cebrian, Emma; Santamaría, Jorge; Verdura, Jana; Alcoverro, Teresa
Grazing halos reveal differential ecosystem vulnerabilities in vegetated habitats Journal Article
In: Ecology, vol. 106, no. 11, pp. e70239, 2025, ISSN: 0012-9658, 1939-9170.
@article{minguitofrutos_grazing_2025,
title = {Grazing halos reveal differential ecosystem vulnerabilities in vegetated habitats},
author = {Mario Minguito‐Frutos and Rohan Arthur and Jordi Boada and Candela Marco‐Méndez and Matthew P. Adams and Jordi F. Pagès and Xavier Buñuel and Albert Pessarrodona and Xavier Turon and Enric Ballesteros and Laura Tamburello and Simone Farina and Grigorios Skouradakis and Demetris Kletou and Emma Cebrian and Jorge Santamaría and Jana Verdura and Teresa Alcoverro},
url = {https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecy.70239
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Minguito-Frutos-ECOLOGY-70.pdf},
doi = {10.1002/ecy.70239},
issn = {0012-9658, 1939-9170},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-11-24},
urldate = {2025-11-01},
journal = {Ecology},
volume = {106},
number = {11},
pages = {e70239},
abstract = {Abstract
The dynamic balance between primary production and herbivory is key to the resilience of plant‐dominated ecosystems across the world. However, many vegetated ecosystems are becoming increasingly susceptible to herbivore‐triggered collapses, as this balance is disrupted due to predator declines, increasing nutrients, and other interacting impacts of global change. Yet without accessible, cost‐effective tools to evaluate the production‐consumption relationship, it is difficult to know how close an ecosystem is to imminent overgrazing collapse. Here, we explore the effectiveness of individually formed sea urchin grazing halos as robust indicators of marine habitat vulnerability to overgrazing. Halos are grazed patches of bare rock on macrophyte‐dominated substrates that represent the balance between macrophyte production and per capita herbivore consumption. We measured 1211 halos in 31 locations across the Mediterranean Sea to characterize how plant‐herbivore interactions are mediated by endogenous (i.e., species identity, habitat type, and sea urchin size) and exogenous factors (i.e., environmental factors influencing biotic and abiotic contexts: depth, nutrients, temperature, or protection level). Our results show that halo size was effective in detecting differences in the effect of endogenous and exogenous factors on these interactions. Across locations, halo size was sensitive to differences in (i) species identity, with some species being more impactful than others; (ii) the type of habitat, with some habitats being more vulnerable than others; (iii) protection level, with halo size consistently lower inside marine protected areas; (iv) urchin size, with halo size increasing consistently with herbivore size; (v) nutrient conditions, with halo size increasing as nutrient availability decreased; as well as (vi) depth, with halo size increasing consistently with depth. These results indicate that overgrazing vulnerability is highly contingent on local ecological contexts, which strongly mediate plant‐herbivore interactions. While drivers of ecosystem collapse may be global, the ability of ecosystems to cope is often inherently local. We need locally responsive measures and contextually meaningful solutions to manage ecological integrity in the face of global change. In this context, individually measured grazing halos can be a powerful tool in assessing and managing the resilience of macrophyte ecosystems.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Abstract
The dynamic balance between primary production and herbivory is key to the resilience of plant‐dominated ecosystems across the world. However, many vegetated ecosystems are becoming increasingly susceptible to herbivore‐triggered collapses, as this balance is disrupted due to predator declines, increasing nutrients, and other interacting impacts of global change. Yet without accessible, cost‐effective tools to evaluate the production‐consumption relationship, it is difficult to know how close an ecosystem is to imminent overgrazing collapse. Here, we explore the effectiveness of individually formed sea urchin grazing halos as robust indicators of marine habitat vulnerability to overgrazing. Halos are grazed patches of bare rock on macrophyte‐dominated substrates that represent the balance between macrophyte production and per capita herbivore consumption. We measured 1211 halos in 31 locations across the Mediterranean Sea to characterize how plant‐herbivore interactions are mediated by endogenous (i.e., species identity, habitat type, and sea urchin size) and exogenous factors (i.e., environmental factors influencing biotic and abiotic contexts: depth, nutrients, temperature, or protection level). Our results show that halo size was effective in detecting differences in the effect of endogenous and exogenous factors on these interactions. Across locations, halo size was sensitive to differences in (i) species identity, with some species being more impactful than others; (ii) the type of habitat, with some habitats being more vulnerable than others; (iii) protection level, with halo size consistently lower inside marine protected areas; (iv) urchin size, with halo size increasing consistently with herbivore size; (v) nutrient conditions, with halo size increasing as nutrient availability decreased; as well as (vi) depth, with halo size increasing consistently with depth. These results indicate that overgrazing vulnerability is highly contingent on local ecological contexts, which strongly mediate plant‐herbivore interactions. While drivers of ecosystem collapse may be global, the ability of ecosystems to cope is often inherently local. We need locally responsive measures and contextually meaningful solutions to manage ecological integrity in the face of global change. In this context, individually measured grazing halos can be a powerful tool in assessing and managing the resilience of macrophyte ecosystems.
The dynamic balance between primary production and herbivory is key to the resilience of plant‐dominated ecosystems across the world. However, many vegetated ecosystems are becoming increasingly susceptible to herbivore‐triggered collapses, as this balance is disrupted due to predator declines, increasing nutrients, and other interacting impacts of global change. Yet without accessible, cost‐effective tools to evaluate the production‐consumption relationship, it is difficult to know how close an ecosystem is to imminent overgrazing collapse. Here, we explore the effectiveness of individually formed sea urchin grazing halos as robust indicators of marine habitat vulnerability to overgrazing. Halos are grazed patches of bare rock on macrophyte‐dominated substrates that represent the balance between macrophyte production and per capita herbivore consumption. We measured 1211 halos in 31 locations across the Mediterranean Sea to characterize how plant‐herbivore interactions are mediated by endogenous (i.e., species identity, habitat type, and sea urchin size) and exogenous factors (i.e., environmental factors influencing biotic and abiotic contexts: depth, nutrients, temperature, or protection level). Our results show that halo size was effective in detecting differences in the effect of endogenous and exogenous factors on these interactions. Across locations, halo size was sensitive to differences in (i) species identity, with some species being more impactful than others; (ii) the type of habitat, with some habitats being more vulnerable than others; (iii) protection level, with halo size consistently lower inside marine protected areas; (iv) urchin size, with halo size increasing consistently with herbivore size; (v) nutrient conditions, with halo size increasing as nutrient availability decreased; as well as (vi) depth, with halo size increasing consistently with depth. These results indicate that overgrazing vulnerability is highly contingent on local ecological contexts, which strongly mediate plant‐herbivore interactions. While drivers of ecosystem collapse may be global, the ability of ecosystems to cope is often inherently local. We need locally responsive measures and contextually meaningful solutions to manage ecological integrity in the face of global change. In this context, individually measured grazing halos can be a powerful tool in assessing and managing the resilience of macrophyte ecosystems.
Radojicic, Jelena; Kristoffersen, Jon Bent; Polovina, Eirini-Slavka; Pavlidis, Pavlos; Ladoukakis, Emmanuel D.
Pervasive non-random mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy in the hybrid water frog Pelophylax esculentus Journal Article
In: BMC Ecology and Evolution, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 91, 2025, ISSN: 2730-7182.
@article{radojicic_pervasive_2025,
title = {Pervasive non-random mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy in the hybrid water frog Pelophylax esculentus},
author = {Jelena Radojicic and Jon Bent Kristoffersen and Eirini-Slavka Polovina and Pavlos Pavlidis and Emmanuel D. Ladoukakis},
url = {https://bmcevolbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12862-025-02436-1
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Radoijcic-BMC-69.pdf},
doi = {10.1186/s12862-025-02436-1},
issn = {2730-7182},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-11-21},
urldate = {2025-09-01},
journal = {BMC Ecology and Evolution},
volume = {25},
number = {1},
pages = {91},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Arvanitidis, Christos; Ameixa, Olga; Basset, Alberto; Chatzinikolaou, Eva; Coman, Claudia; Companys, Berta; Leo, Francesco De; Deneudt, Klaas; Drago, Federico; Eriksson, John; Ferrari, Tiziana; Georgiev, Teodor; Giuliano, Giovanni; Gruber, Stefan; Habermann, Jens; Heil, Katharina; Hubbard, Tim; Olivares, Cristina Huertas; Kotoulas, Georgios; Koureas, Dimitris; Manola, Natalia; Marrocco, Vanessa; Pade, Nicolas; Melo, Ana Portugal; Provenzale, Antonello; Psomopoulos, Fotis; Raes, Niels; Robinson, Susie; Ruch, Patrick; Schaap, Dick; Stanica, Adrian; Stavropoulos, Tassos; Teixeira, Heliana; Tienderen, Peter Van; Tsigenopoulos, Costas; Waterhouse, Robert; Aprea, Giuseppe; Boër, Michel; Casino, Ana; Delauney, Laurent; Ewbank, Jonathan; Mirtl, Michael; Pavlic-Zupanc, Jana; Penev, Lyubomir; Piera, Jaume; Pitta, Paraskevi; Puillat, Ingrid; Richter, David; Stepanyan, Diana; Ussi, Anton; Węsławski, Jan; Zuquim, Gabriela
The Crete Declaration: Uniting Science for One Health Journal Article
In: Research Ideas and Outcomes, vol. 11, pp. e176120, 2025, ISSN: 2367-7163.
@article{arvanitidis_crete_2025,
title = {The Crete Declaration: Uniting Science for One Health},
author = {Christos Arvanitidis and Olga Ameixa and Alberto Basset and Eva Chatzinikolaou and Claudia Coman and Berta Companys and Francesco De Leo and Klaas Deneudt and Federico Drago and John Eriksson and Tiziana Ferrari and Teodor Georgiev and Giovanni Giuliano and Stefan Gruber and Jens Habermann and Katharina Heil and Tim Hubbard and Cristina Huertas Olivares and Georgios Kotoulas and Dimitris Koureas and Natalia Manola and Vanessa Marrocco and Nicolas Pade and Ana Portugal Melo and Antonello Provenzale and Fotis Psomopoulos and Niels Raes and Susie Robinson and Patrick Ruch and Dick Schaap and Adrian Stanica and Tassos Stavropoulos and Heliana Teixeira and Peter Van Tienderen and Costas Tsigenopoulos and Robert Waterhouse and Giuseppe Aprea and Michel Boër and Ana Casino and Laurent Delauney and Jonathan Ewbank and Michael Mirtl and Jana Pavlic-Zupanc and Lyubomir Penev and Jaume Piera and Paraskevi Pitta and Ingrid Puillat and David Richter and Diana Stepanyan and Anton Ussi and Jan Węsławski and Gabriela Zuquim},
url = {https://riojournal.com/article/176120/
/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-Arvanitidis-RIO-68.pdf},
doi = {10.3897/rio.11.e176120},
issn = {2367-7163},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-11-17},
urldate = {2025-11-01},
journal = {Research Ideas and Outcomes},
volume = {11},
pages = {e176120},
abstract = {The interdependence of human, animal, plant and ecosystem health necessitates systemic, cross-domain collaboration to address global challenges, such as emerging diseases, climate change and biodiversity severe change. Through the Crete Declaration, Europe’s (e-)infrastructures, organisations and projects that focus on the functioning of our biosphere commit to jointly advancing the One Health approach. In doing so, the signatories aim to strengthen Europe’s resilience and leadership through the sharing of data and expertise, the development of innovative solutions and the promotion of evidence-based policies.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The interdependence of human, animal, plant and ecosystem health necessitates systemic, cross-domain collaboration to address global challenges, such as emerging diseases, climate change and biodiversity severe change. Through the Crete Declaration, Europe’s (e-)infrastructures, organisations and projects that focus on the functioning of our biosphere commit to jointly advancing the One Health approach. In doing so, the signatories aim to strengthen Europe’s resilience and leadership through the sharing of data and expertise, the development of innovative solutions and the promotion of evidence-based policies.
Bergé, David; Mademli, Geli; Papathanasiadi, Eleanna; Kalogeropoulos, Costas; Brauchli, Roland
Mediterranean Icebergs: Invisible Connections Underwater Book
kyklàda.press, Athens, 2025, ISBN: 9789464772647.
@book{berge_mediterranean_2025,
title = {Mediterranean Icebergs: Invisible Connections Underwater},
author = {David Bergé and Geli Mademli and Eleanna Papathanasiadi and Costas Kalogeropoulos and Roland Brauchli},
editor = {Daphne Dragona},
url = {https://kyklada.press/product/mediterranean-icebergs/?v=d692bc40d834},
isbn = {9789464772647},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-11-12},
urldate = {2025-01-01},
publisher = {kyklàda.press},
address = {Athens},
abstract = {"While the largest parts of icebergs — or islands — remain beneath the sea surface, often unmapped and perilous, a myriad of creatures and non-organic matter connect them to other lands. Nowadays, in the era of the climate crisis, what is hidden in the depths of the sea exponentially manifests the impact of anthropogenic activity on the planet. Plastic waste and pollution, deep sea mining, and undersea network infrastructures affect marine biodiversity and life on Earth at large. Mediterranean Icebergs sheds light on forms of agency, be it human, more-than-human, or machinic, that operate in marine environments, paying attention to their entanglements, encounters, and asymmetries. Addressing the interconnectedness of environmental, political, and legal issues, this book takes the Mediterranean as a starting point to discuss what is at stake for all lives depending on the planet’s seas and oceans."–},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {book}
}
"While the largest parts of icebergs — or islands — remain beneath the sea surface, often unmapped and perilous, a myriad of creatures and non-organic matter connect them to other lands. Nowadays, in the era of the climate crisis, what is hidden in the depths of the sea exponentially manifests the impact of anthropogenic activity on the planet. Plastic waste and pollution, deep sea mining, and undersea network infrastructures affect marine biodiversity and life on Earth at large. Mediterranean Icebergs sheds light on forms of agency, be it human, more-than-human, or machinic, that operate in marine environments, paying attention to their entanglements, encounters, and asymmetries. Addressing the interconnectedness of environmental, political, and legal issues, this book takes the Mediterranean as a starting point to discuss what is at stake for all lives depending on the planet’s seas and oceans."–
Lavecchia, Anna; Virgilio, Caterina De; Manzari, Caterina; Giudice, Claudio Lo; Pousis, Chrysovalentinos; Zupa, Rosa; Mylonas, Constantinos C.; Picardi, Ernesto; Ventriglia, Gianluca; Pesole, Graziano; Corriero, Aldo
In: Animal Reproduction Science, vol. 282, pp. 108024, 2025, ISSN: 03784320.
@article{lavecchia_differential_2025,
title = {Differential pituitary mRNA expression in wild and hatchery-produced greater amberjack Seriola dumerili exhibiting normal and impaired spermatogenesis},
author = {Anna Lavecchia and Caterina De Virgilio and Caterina Manzari and Claudio Lo Giudice and Chrysovalentinos Pousis and Rosa Zupa and Constantinos C. Mylonas and Ernesto Picardi and Gianluca Ventriglia and Graziano Pesole and Aldo Corriero},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0378432025002635
/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-Lavecchia-AniReproSci-pre-print-66.pdf},
doi = {10.1016/j.anireprosci.2025.108024},
issn = {03784320},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-11-10},
urldate = {2025-11-01},
journal = {Animal Reproduction Science},
volume = {282},
pages = {108024},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Vasilaki, Antigoni; Nengas, Ioannis; Kogiannou, Dimitra; Henry, Morgane; Nikoloudaki, Chrysanthi; Chronopoulos, Petros; Berillis, Panagiotis; Golomazou, Eleni; Fountoulaki, Eleni; Karapanagiotidis, Ioannis T.; Mente, Elena
In: Aquaculture Reports, vol. 45, pp. 103135, 2025, ISSN: 23525134.
@article{vasilaki_evaluation_2025,
title = {Evaluation of the nutritional value of processed lupin meal (Lupinus albus) with exogenous enzymes, as feed ingredient in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) aquafeeds},
author = {Antigoni Vasilaki and Ioannis Nengas and Dimitra Kogiannou and Morgane Henry and Chrysanthi Nikoloudaki and Petros Chronopoulos and Panagiotis Berillis and Eleni Golomazou and Eleni Fountoulaki and Ioannis T. Karapanagiotidis and Elena Mente},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2352513425005216
/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-Vasilaki-Aqua-Rep-65.pdf},
doi = {10.1016/j.aqrep.2025.103135},
issn = {23525134},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-11-06},
urldate = {2025-12-01},
journal = {Aquaculture Reports},
volume = {45},
pages = {103135},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Guerra-García, José Manuel; Desiderato, Andrea; Mucciolo, Serena; Navarro-Barranco, Carlos; Ros, Macarena; Ferrario, Jasmine; Moretti, Paula; Marchini, Agnese; Mosbahi, Nawfel; Ruiz-Velasco, Sofía; Gestoso, Ignacio; Ramalhosa, Patrício; Canning-Clode, João; Olabarria, Celia; Cacabelos, Eva; Troncoso, Jesús S.; Pezy, Jean-Philippe; Raoux, Aurore; Dauvin, Jean-Claude; Charbonnelle, Mathilde; Schlicklin, Ferdinand; Ariyama, Hiroyuki; Mancini, Emanuele; Bonifazi, Andrea; Garrec, Vincent Le; Burel, Thomas; Gouillieux, Benoit; Santo, Cristina Espírito; Chainho, Paula; Ribeiro, Romeu S.; Afonso, Inês; Wang, Yanrong; Leclerc, Jean-Charles; Moal, Marine; Houbin, Céline; Viard, Frédérique; Thiébaut, Eric; Fernandez-Gonzalez, Victoria; Navarro-Mayoral, Sandra; Díaz-Vergara, Sonia; Gittenberger, Arjan; Hughes, Lauren Elizabeth; Lampa, Maria; Chatzigeorgiou, Giorgos; Plaitis, Wanda; Tiralongo, Francesco; Martínez-Laiz, Gemma; Cabezas, M. Pilar; Duarte, Sofia; Pinheiro, João P. R.; Reis, Giovanna O.; Revanales, Triana; Juan, Sempere-Valverde; Aylagas, Eva; Poliseno, Angelo; Chebaane, Sahar; Carvalho, Susana; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Frutos, Inmaculada; Saenz-Arias, Pablo
In: Mediterranean Marine Science, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 842–859, 2025, ISSN: 1791-6763, 1108-393X.
@article{guerra-garcia_spread_2025,
title = {The spread of Aoroides longimerus Ren & Zheng, 1996 across the Mediterranean and the Atlantic: genetic diversity, anthropogenic transport, and ecological implications},
author = {José Manuel Guerra-García and Andrea Desiderato and Serena Mucciolo and Carlos Navarro-Barranco and Macarena Ros and Jasmine Ferrario and Paula Moretti and Agnese Marchini and Nawfel Mosbahi and Sofía Ruiz-Velasco and Ignacio Gestoso and Patrício Ramalhosa and João Canning-Clode and Celia Olabarria and Eva Cacabelos and Jesús S. Troncoso and Jean-Philippe Pezy and Aurore Raoux and Jean-Claude Dauvin and Mathilde Charbonnelle and Ferdinand Schlicklin and Hiroyuki Ariyama and Emanuele Mancini and Andrea Bonifazi and Vincent Le Garrec and Thomas Burel and Benoit Gouillieux and Cristina Espírito Santo and Paula Chainho and Romeu S. Ribeiro and Inês Afonso and Yanrong Wang and Jean-Charles Leclerc and Marine Moal and Céline Houbin and Frédérique Viard and Eric Thiébaut and Victoria Fernandez-Gonzalez and Sandra Navarro-Mayoral and Sonia Díaz-Vergara and Arjan Gittenberger and Lauren Elizabeth Hughes and Maria Lampa and Giorgos Chatzigeorgiou and Wanda Plaitis and Francesco Tiralongo and Gemma Martínez-Laiz and M. Pilar Cabezas and Sofia Duarte and João P. R. Pinheiro and Giovanna O. Reis and Triana Revanales and Sempere-Valverde Juan and Eva Aylagas and Angelo Poliseno and Sahar Chebaane and Susana Carvalho and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Inmaculada Frutos and Pablo Saenz-Arias},
url = {https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/hcmr-med-mar-sc/article/view/41784
/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-Guerra-Garcia-MMS-64.pdf},
doi = {10.12681/mms.41784},
issn = {1791-6763, 1108-393X},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-11-03},
urldate = {2025-10-01},
journal = {Mediterranean Marine Science},
volume = {26},
number = {4},
pages = {842–859},
abstract = {Accurate knowledge of the global distribution of non-indigenous species (NIS) is essential for understanding their invasion dynamics and for implementing timely management measures. This study reports the first records of the marine amphipod Aoroides longimerus, putatively native to the East Asian coast, in Italy (2018), Spain (2019) and Tunisia (2022) and provides the earliest documented record of the species in its introduced European range (Portugal, 2011). Furthermore, it expands the species’ known distribution in mainland Portugal (including the northernmost record), Macaronesia (with first records in the Canary Islands and Madeira), and confirms its presence along the Atlantic coasts of France and the Netherlands. Aquaculture facilities, particularly those associated with oyster farming, are probably the primary vector of introduction, while recreational boating may have contributed significantly to secondary dispersal. In comparison to other exotic amphipods, A. longimerus remains absent from many marinas, ports and/or aquaculture facilities in the Mediterranean Sea and adjacent regions, such as the Red Sea. This suggests that the species may still be in the early stages of expansion, or that its dispersal ability across marinas and ports is more limited than that of other amphipods. The present study, however, highlights several key ecological traits of A. longimerus: (i) it can survive year-round despite seasonal fluctuations, and reach high local densities, (ii) it exhibits strong colonisation capacity, as shown by its rapid establishment on settlement plates, and (iii) it displays opportunistic feeding behaviour, primarily consuming detritus. These characteristics underscore the importance of continuous surveillance and effective communication with stakeholders to prevent further expansion of this species.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Accurate knowledge of the global distribution of non-indigenous species (NIS) is essential for understanding their invasion dynamics and for implementing timely management measures. This study reports the first records of the marine amphipod Aoroides longimerus, putatively native to the East Asian coast, in Italy (2018), Spain (2019) and Tunisia (2022) and provides the earliest documented record of the species in its introduced European range (Portugal, 2011). Furthermore, it expands the species’ known distribution in mainland Portugal (including the northernmost record), Macaronesia (with first records in the Canary Islands and Madeira), and confirms its presence along the Atlantic coasts of France and the Netherlands. Aquaculture facilities, particularly those associated with oyster farming, are probably the primary vector of introduction, while recreational boating may have contributed significantly to secondary dispersal. In comparison to other exotic amphipods, A. longimerus remains absent from many marinas, ports and/or aquaculture facilities in the Mediterranean Sea and adjacent regions, such as the Red Sea. This suggests that the species may still be in the early stages of expansion, or that its dispersal ability across marinas and ports is more limited than that of other amphipods. The present study, however, highlights several key ecological traits of A. longimerus: (i) it can survive year-round despite seasonal fluctuations, and reach high local densities, (ii) it exhibits strong colonisation capacity, as shown by its rapid establishment on settlement plates, and (iii) it displays opportunistic feeding behaviour, primarily consuming detritus. These characteristics underscore the importance of continuous surveillance and effective communication with stakeholders to prevent further expansion of this species.
Kolygas, Markos N.; Kostou, Vasiliki; Pappas, Ioannis S.; Karagouni, Evdokia; Toubanaki, Dimitra K.; Bakopoulos, Vasileios; Kotzamanis, Yannis P.; Nathanailides, Cosmas; Athanassopoulou, Fotini
In vitro antibacterial activity of essential oils from medicinal plants against major fish pathogens in Mediterranean aquaculture Journal Article
In: Frontiers in Aquaculture, vol. 4, pp. 1665877, 2025, ISSN: 2813-5334.
@article{kolygas_vitro_2025,
title = {In vitro antibacterial activity of essential oils from medicinal plants against major fish pathogens in Mediterranean aquaculture},
author = {Markos N. Kolygas and Vasiliki Kostou and Ioannis S. Pappas and Evdokia Karagouni and Dimitra K. Toubanaki and Vasileios Bakopoulos and Yannis P. Kotzamanis and Cosmas Nathanailides and Fotini Athanassopoulou},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/faquc.2025.1665877/full
/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-Kolygas-Front-Aqua-63.pdf
},
doi = {10.3389/faquc.2025.1665877},
issn = {2813-5334},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-10-30},
urldate = {2025-10-01},
journal = {Frontiers in Aquaculture},
volume = {4},
pages = {1665877},
abstract = {A rise of intensive Mediterranean aquaculture has been associated with vulnerability to bacterial infections, necessitating alternative approaches to conventional antibiotics. This study evaluated the antibacterial and bactericidal activity of essential oils derived from fifteen medicinal plants against four key bacterial pathogens affecting Mediterranean marine aquaculture:
Aeromonas veronii
biovar
veronii
,
Aeromonas veronii
biovar
sobria
,
Vibrio harveyi
, and
Tenacibaculum maritimum
. Essential oils were screened using disc diffusion assays, and the most effective oils—thyme, oregano, cinnamon, and absinthe—underwent further evaluation through broth microdilution methods. Results demonstrated that these four oils exhibited notable inhibitory and bactericidal effects, with thyme and oregano showing the strongest overall activity across multiple pathogens. Notably, this is among the first studies to document the
in vitro
efficacy of essential oils against
Tenacibaculum maritimum
, a major pathogen with limited treatment options. The findings support the potential use of selected essential oils as sustainable and natural antibacterial agents in fish health management, contributing to reduced reliance on antibiotics in aquaculture.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
A rise of intensive Mediterranean aquaculture has been associated with vulnerability to bacterial infections, necessitating alternative approaches to conventional antibiotics. This study evaluated the antibacterial and bactericidal activity of essential oils derived from fifteen medicinal plants against four key bacterial pathogens affecting Mediterranean marine aquaculture:
Aeromonas veronii
biovar
veronii
,
Aeromonas veronii
biovar
sobria
,
Vibrio harveyi
, and
Tenacibaculum maritimum
. Essential oils were screened using disc diffusion assays, and the most effective oils—thyme, oregano, cinnamon, and absinthe—underwent further evaluation through broth microdilution methods. Results demonstrated that these four oils exhibited notable inhibitory and bactericidal effects, with thyme and oregano showing the strongest overall activity across multiple pathogens. Notably, this is among the first studies to document the
in vitro
efficacy of essential oils against
Tenacibaculum maritimum
, a major pathogen with limited treatment options. The findings support the potential use of selected essential oils as sustainable and natural antibacterial agents in fish health management, contributing to reduced reliance on antibiotics in aquaculture.
Aeromonas veronii
biovar
veronii
,
Aeromonas veronii
biovar
sobria
,
Vibrio harveyi
, and
Tenacibaculum maritimum
. Essential oils were screened using disc diffusion assays, and the most effective oils—thyme, oregano, cinnamon, and absinthe—underwent further evaluation through broth microdilution methods. Results demonstrated that these four oils exhibited notable inhibitory and bactericidal effects, with thyme and oregano showing the strongest overall activity across multiple pathogens. Notably, this is among the first studies to document the
in vitro
efficacy of essential oils against
Tenacibaculum maritimum
, a major pathogen with limited treatment options. The findings support the potential use of selected essential oils as sustainable and natural antibacterial agents in fish health management, contributing to reduced reliance on antibiotics in aquaculture.
Metcalfe, Abigail; Druitt, Tim; Pank, Katharina; Kutterolf, Steffen; Preine, Jonas; Beethe, Sarah; Schmitt, Axel; Hübscher, Christian; Nomikou, Paraskevi; Ronge, Thomas A.; Berthod, Carole; Chen, Hehe; Chiyonobu, Shun; Clark, Acacia; DeBari, Susan; Gertisser, Ralf; Johnston, Raymond; Koukousioura, Olga; Manga, Michael; McCanta, Molly; McIntosh, Iona; Peccia, Ally; Tominaga, Masako; Yamamoto, Yuzuru; Woodhouse, Adam; Bernard, Alexis; Perez, Tatiana Fernandez; Jones, Christopher K.; Joshi, Kumar Batuk; Kletetschka, Günther; Morris, Antony; Polymenakou, Paraskevi; Li, Xiaohui; Papanikolaou, Dimitrios; Pyle, David; Sternai, Pietro
Tectonic modulation of caldera volcanism on the South Aegean Volcanic Arc Journal Article
In: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, vol. 671, pp. 119633, 2025, ISSN: 0012821X.
@article{metcalfe_tectonic_2025,
title = {Tectonic modulation of caldera volcanism on the South Aegean Volcanic Arc},
author = {Abigail Metcalfe and Tim Druitt and Katharina Pank and Steffen Kutterolf and Jonas Preine and Sarah Beethe and Axel Schmitt and Christian Hübscher and Paraskevi Nomikou and Thomas A. Ronge and Carole Berthod and Hehe Chen and Shun Chiyonobu and Acacia Clark and Susan DeBari and Ralf Gertisser and Raymond Johnston and Olga Koukousioura and Michael Manga and Molly McCanta and Iona McIntosh and Ally Peccia and Masako Tominaga and Yuzuru Yamamoto and Adam Woodhouse and Alexis Bernard and Tatiana Fernandez Perez and Christopher K. Jones and Kumar Batuk Joshi and Günther Kletetschka and Antony Morris and Paraskevi Polymenakou and Xiaohui Li and Dimitrios Papanikolaou and David Pyle and Pietro Sternai},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0012821X25004315
/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-Metcalfe-EarthPlSci-62.pdf},
doi = {10.1016/j.epsl.2025.119633},
issn = {0012821X},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-10-30},
urldate = {2025-12-01},
journal = {Earth and Planetary Science Letters},
volume = {671},
pages = {119633},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Kokokiris, Lambros E.; Minos, George; Simeonidis, Christos; Karidas, Theofanis; Papadaki, Maria; Mylonas, Constantinos C.
Induction of Spawning in Captive Female Thicklip Grey Mullet (Chelon labrosus) Treated with Different GnRHa Delivery Systems Journal Article
In: Fishes, vol. 10, no. 10, pp. 516, 2025, ISSN: 2410-3888.
@article{kokokiris_induction_2025,
title = {Induction of Spawning in Captive Female Thicklip Grey Mullet (\textit{Chelon labrosus}) Treated with Different GnRHa Delivery Systems},
author = {Lambros E. Kokokiris and George Minos and Christos Simeonidis and Theofanis Karidas and Maria Papadaki and Constantinos C. Mylonas},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/10/516
/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-Kokokiris-FISHES-61.pdf
},
doi = {10.3390/fishes10100516},
issn = {2410-3888},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-10-27},
urldate = {2025-10-27},
journal = {Fishes},
volume = {10},
number = {10},
pages = {516},
abstract = {Thick-lipped grey mullet (Chelon labrosus) has important characteristics that make it a promising candidate species for diversifying Mediterranean aquaculture. However, spontaneous spawning in captivity has not been documented, mainly due to failure of females to spawn, highlighting the need for further research on reproduction control. This study evaluated the efficacy of GnRHa administration, using repeated intramuscular injections or slow-release Ethylene–Vinyl Acetate (EVAc) implants combined with a dopamine antagonist (metoclopramide, Met), in terms of spawning performance and egg quality. Three groups were established: (a) saline injection (0.9% NaCl; Saline-INJ), (b) GnRHa [Des-Gly10, D-Ala6-ProNEth9-mGnRHa] injection at 10 μg kg−1 BW (GnRHa-INJ), and (c) EVAc implant containing GnRHa at 50 μg kg−1 bw (GnRHa-IMP). Over four weeks, Saline-INJ and GnRHa-INJ females received weekly saline or GnRHa, respectively. GnRHa-INJ and GnRHa-IMP females also received weekly Met (15 mg kg−1 bw). GnRHa induced 11 spawns (1,768,680 eggs), nearly triple the Saline-INJ group (4 spawns, 394,400 eggs). Daily relative fecundity (DRF) and fertilization success were highest in GnRHa-INJ (56,982 eggs kg−1 day−1; 59.7%), followed by GnRHa-IMP (20,375; 18.8%) and Saline-INJ (13,061; 9.1%). Multiple injections showed a trend toward higher spawning performance and egg quality compared to implants, although variability was high and further replication is needed. Nevertheless, optimizing both GnRHa delivery methods could further enhance their effectiveness while maintaining operational benefits for aquaculture.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Thick-lipped grey mullet (Chelon labrosus) has important characteristics that make it a promising candidate species for diversifying Mediterranean aquaculture. However, spontaneous spawning in captivity has not been documented, mainly due to failure of females to spawn, highlighting the need for further research on reproduction control. This study evaluated the efficacy of GnRHa administration, using repeated intramuscular injections or slow-release Ethylene–Vinyl Acetate (EVAc) implants combined with a dopamine antagonist (metoclopramide, Met), in terms of spawning performance and egg quality. Three groups were established: (a) saline injection (0.9% NaCl; Saline-INJ), (b) GnRHa [Des-Gly10, D-Ala6-ProNEth9-mGnRHa] injection at 10 μg kg−1 BW (GnRHa-INJ), and (c) EVAc implant containing GnRHa at 50 μg kg−1 bw (GnRHa-IMP). Over four weeks, Saline-INJ and GnRHa-INJ females received weekly saline or GnRHa, respectively. GnRHa-INJ and GnRHa-IMP females also received weekly Met (15 mg kg−1 bw). GnRHa induced 11 spawns (1,768,680 eggs), nearly triple the Saline-INJ group (4 spawns, 394,400 eggs). Daily relative fecundity (DRF) and fertilization success were highest in GnRHa-INJ (56,982 eggs kg−1 day−1; 59.7%), followed by GnRHa-IMP (20,375; 18.8%) and Saline-INJ (13,061; 9.1%). Multiple injections showed a trend toward higher spawning performance and egg quality compared to implants, although variability was high and further replication is needed. Nevertheless, optimizing both GnRHa delivery methods could further enhance their effectiveness while maintaining operational benefits for aquaculture.
Minguito-Frutos, Mario; Buñuel, Xavier; Marco-Méndez, Candela; Sanmartí, Neus; Skouradakis, Grigorios; Boada, Jordi; Pagès, Jordi F.; Alcoverro, Teresa; Arthur, Rohan
Tropical range extending herbivorous fishes gain foraging benefits by shoaling with native temperate species Journal Article
In: vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 35137, 2025, ISSN: 2045-2322.
@article{minguito-frutos_tropical_2025,
title = {Tropical range extending herbivorous fishes gain foraging benefits by shoaling with native temperate species},
author = {Mario Minguito-Frutos and Xavier Buñuel and Candela Marco-Méndez and Neus Sanmartí and Grigorios Skouradakis and Jordi Boada and Jordi F. Pagès and Teresa Alcoverro and Rohan Arthur},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-19136-x
/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-Minguito-Frutos-SciRep-60.pdf
},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-025-19136-x},
issn = {2045-2322},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-10-23},
urldate = {2025-10-08},
volume = {15},
number = {1},
pages = {35137},
abstract = {Abstract
Tropicalization creates novel species assemblages in temperate ecosystems as range-extending species move. The sociality of range-extending species could facilitate their establishment, particularly if they associate with natives. The eastern Mediterranean Sea has witnessed widespread collapses of vegetated ecosystems since the arrival of the tropical rabbitfishes
Siganus rivulatus
and
Siganus luridus
. We explored whether mixed-species shoaling influenced the fish foraging activity of the novel herbivore assemblage. We recorded 250 shoals, 30% composed exclusively of native species (i.e.,
Sarpa salpa
and
Sparisoma cretense
), 43% of rabbitfish, and 27% of species from both origins.
S. rivulatus
was the most gregarious species, establishing positive shoaling associations with
S. luridus
and
S. salpa
, whereas
S. cretense
was the least sociable. Foraging differed between native and range-extending species. Compared to native species in mixed-species shoals, range-extending species increased their bite rates with shoal size, both in mono- and multi-specific groups, indicating that they boosted their foraging efficiency (i.e., increased bites per minute) when foraging in large groups, regardless of which species they shoaled with. Native species, in contrast, only increased their bite rates with shoal size while foraging in mono-specific groups. Thus, our study shows that, unlike natives, range-extending species may gain foraging benefits from facilitative associations in mixed-species shoals. This gregarious behaviour could help explain the disproportionate herbivory pressures range-extending species impose on tropicalized ecosystems.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Abstract
Tropicalization creates novel species assemblages in temperate ecosystems as range-extending species move. The sociality of range-extending species could facilitate their establishment, particularly if they associate with natives. The eastern Mediterranean Sea has witnessed widespread collapses of vegetated ecosystems since the arrival of the tropical rabbitfishes
Siganus rivulatus
and
Siganus luridus
. We explored whether mixed-species shoaling influenced the fish foraging activity of the novel herbivore assemblage. We recorded 250 shoals, 30% composed exclusively of native species (i.e.,
Sarpa salpa
and
Sparisoma cretense
), 43% of rabbitfish, and 27% of species from both origins.
S. rivulatus
was the most gregarious species, establishing positive shoaling associations with
S. luridus
and
S. salpa
, whereas
S. cretense
was the least sociable. Foraging differed between native and range-extending species. Compared to native species in mixed-species shoals, range-extending species increased their bite rates with shoal size, both in mono- and multi-specific groups, indicating that they boosted their foraging efficiency (i.e., increased bites per minute) when foraging in large groups, regardless of which species they shoaled with. Native species, in contrast, only increased their bite rates with shoal size while foraging in mono-specific groups. Thus, our study shows that, unlike natives, range-extending species may gain foraging benefits from facilitative associations in mixed-species shoals. This gregarious behaviour could help explain the disproportionate herbivory pressures range-extending species impose on tropicalized ecosystems.
Tropicalization creates novel species assemblages in temperate ecosystems as range-extending species move. The sociality of range-extending species could facilitate their establishment, particularly if they associate with natives. The eastern Mediterranean Sea has witnessed widespread collapses of vegetated ecosystems since the arrival of the tropical rabbitfishes
Siganus rivulatus
and
Siganus luridus
. We explored whether mixed-species shoaling influenced the fish foraging activity of the novel herbivore assemblage. We recorded 250 shoals, 30% composed exclusively of native species (i.e.,
Sarpa salpa
and
Sparisoma cretense
), 43% of rabbitfish, and 27% of species from both origins.
S. rivulatus
was the most gregarious species, establishing positive shoaling associations with
S. luridus
and
S. salpa
, whereas
S. cretense
was the least sociable. Foraging differed between native and range-extending species. Compared to native species in mixed-species shoals, range-extending species increased their bite rates with shoal size, both in mono- and multi-specific groups, indicating that they boosted their foraging efficiency (i.e., increased bites per minute) when foraging in large groups, regardless of which species they shoaled with. Native species, in contrast, only increased their bite rates with shoal size while foraging in mono-specific groups. Thus, our study shows that, unlike natives, range-extending species may gain foraging benefits from facilitative associations in mixed-species shoals. This gregarious behaviour could help explain the disproportionate herbivory pressures range-extending species impose on tropicalized ecosystems.
Rosso, Antonietta; Martino, Emanuela Di; Donato, Gemma; Figuerola, Blanca; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Siddiolo, Chiara; Sinagra, Alessandro; Sanfilippo, Rossana; Sciuto, Francesco
In: ZooKeys, vol. 1254, pp. 1–74, 2025, ISSN: 1313-2970, 1313-2989.
@article{rosso_unlocking_2025,
title = {Unlocking Mediterranean bryozoan diversity: seven new species unveiled after fixing a neotype for Fenestrulina malusii (Audouin & Savigny, 1826) (Cheilostomatida, Fenestrulinidae)},
author = {Antonietta Rosso and Emanuela Di Martino and Gemma Donato and Blanca Figuerola and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Chiara Siddiolo and Alessandro Sinagra and Rossana Sanfilippo and Francesco Sciuto},
url = {https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/157989/
/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-Rosso-ZooKeys-58.pdf},
doi = {10.3897/zookeys.1254.157989},
issn = {1313-2970, 1313-2989},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-10-15},
urldate = {2025-10-15},
journal = {ZooKeys},
volume = {1254},
pages = {1--74},
abstract = {Fenestrulina malusii
(Audouin & Savigny), the type species of
Fenestrulina
Jullien, is among the most widely reported bryozoans globally. Following the loss of the original type material, presumed Mediterranean in origin based on Savigny’s depiction on
Sargassum
, we designate a neotype from a colony on deep
Laminaria
blades off Ustica Island (Tyrrhenian Sea). Additionally, seven new species are described from various habitats across the Mediterranean:
F. cavernicola
sp. nov.
, from the semi-dark and dark zones of a submarine cave in Lesvos Island (NE Aegean Sea);
F. communis
sp. nov.
, from beach-cast plastic near Palermo (NW Sicily);
F. foveolata
sp. nov.
, from Ile-Rousse Bank (Corsica);
F. granulosa
sp. nov.
, from
Posidonia
meadows in Dhiaporia (Chios Island, Aegean Sea);
F. kalliste
sp. nov.
, from outer-shelf coarse sediments off Calvi (NW Corsica);
F. ovata
sp. nov.
, from Trémies submarine cave, near Marseille (Gulf of Lion); and
F. variorugosa
sp. nov.
, from
Posidonia
rootlets off Formica Isle (Egadi Archipelago, near the Sicily Strait). Five of these species are currently known only from their type localities, while
F. communis
sp. nov.
and
F. variorugosa
sp. nov.
occur elsewhere. An additional species with distinct features is described but left in open nomenclature owing to the absence of an ovicell. A comprehensive review of the published images of the 77 species currently assigned to
Fenestrulina
, with the identification of new diagnostic features, including kenozooids, has led to a revised diagnosis of the genus.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Fenestrulina malusii
(Audouin & Savigny), the type species of
Fenestrulina
Jullien, is among the most widely reported bryozoans globally. Following the loss of the original type material, presumed Mediterranean in origin based on Savigny’s depiction on
Sargassum
, we designate a neotype from a colony on deep
Laminaria
blades off Ustica Island (Tyrrhenian Sea). Additionally, seven new species are described from various habitats across the Mediterranean:
F. cavernicola
sp. nov.
, from the semi-dark and dark zones of a submarine cave in Lesvos Island (NE Aegean Sea);
F. communis
sp. nov.
, from beach-cast plastic near Palermo (NW Sicily);
F. foveolata
sp. nov.
, from Ile-Rousse Bank (Corsica);
F. granulosa
sp. nov.
, from
Posidonia
meadows in Dhiaporia (Chios Island, Aegean Sea);
F. kalliste
sp. nov.
, from outer-shelf coarse sediments off Calvi (NW Corsica);
F. ovata
sp. nov.
, from Trémies submarine cave, near Marseille (Gulf of Lion); and
F. variorugosa
sp. nov.
, from
Posidonia
rootlets off Formica Isle (Egadi Archipelago, near the Sicily Strait). Five of these species are currently known only from their type localities, while
F. communis
sp. nov.
and
F. variorugosa
sp. nov.
occur elsewhere. An additional species with distinct features is described but left in open nomenclature owing to the absence of an ovicell. A comprehensive review of the published images of the 77 species currently assigned to
Fenestrulina
, with the identification of new diagnostic features, including kenozooids, has led to a revised diagnosis of the genus.
(Audouin & Savigny), the type species of
Fenestrulina
Jullien, is among the most widely reported bryozoans globally. Following the loss of the original type material, presumed Mediterranean in origin based on Savigny’s depiction on
Sargassum
, we designate a neotype from a colony on deep
Laminaria
blades off Ustica Island (Tyrrhenian Sea). Additionally, seven new species are described from various habitats across the Mediterranean:
F. cavernicola
sp. nov.
, from the semi-dark and dark zones of a submarine cave in Lesvos Island (NE Aegean Sea);
F. communis
sp. nov.
, from beach-cast plastic near Palermo (NW Sicily);
F. foveolata
sp. nov.
, from Ile-Rousse Bank (Corsica);
F. granulosa
sp. nov.
, from
Posidonia
meadows in Dhiaporia (Chios Island, Aegean Sea);
F. kalliste
sp. nov.
, from outer-shelf coarse sediments off Calvi (NW Corsica);
F. ovata
sp. nov.
, from Trémies submarine cave, near Marseille (Gulf of Lion); and
F. variorugosa
sp. nov.
, from
Posidonia
rootlets off Formica Isle (Egadi Archipelago, near the Sicily Strait). Five of these species are currently known only from their type localities, while
F. communis
sp. nov.
and
F. variorugosa
sp. nov.
occur elsewhere. An additional species with distinct features is described but left in open nomenclature owing to the absence of an ovicell. A comprehensive review of the published images of the 77 species currently assigned to
Fenestrulina
, with the identification of new diagnostic features, including kenozooids, has led to a revised diagnosis of the genus.
Nunes, Maria João; Varamogianni-Mamatsi, Despoina; Marques, Vanda; Anastasiou, Thekla I; Kagiampaki, Eirini; Vernadou, Emmanouela; Dailianis, Thanos; Kalogerakis, Nicolas; Branco, Luís C; Rodrigues, Cecília M P; Sobral, Rita G; Mandalakis, Manolis; Gaudêncio, Susana P
Chemical profile of extracts from wild and farmed Chondrosia reniformis sponges Journal Article
In: Aquaculture International, vol. 33, no. 6, pp. 558, 2025, ISSN: 0967-6120, 1573-143X.
@article{nunes_chemical_2025,
title = {Chemical profile of extracts from wild and farmed Chondrosia reniformis sponges},
author = {Maria João Nunes and Despoina Varamogianni-Mamatsi and Vanda Marques and Thekla I Anastasiou and Eirini Kagiampaki and Emmanouela Vernadou and Thanos Dailianis and Nicolas Kalogerakis and Luís C Branco and Cecília M P Rodrigues and Rita G Sobral and Manolis Mandalakis and Susana P Gaudêncio},
url = {https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10499-025-02246-8
/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-Nunes-AquaInt-57-preprint.pdf},
doi = {10.1007/s10499-025-02246-8},
issn = {0967-6120, 1573-143X},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-10-13},
urldate = {2025-10-13},
journal = {Aquaculture International},
volume = {33},
number = {6},
pages = {558},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Bolanakis, Giannis; Paragkamian, Savvas; Maroulis, Leonidas; Kontos, Panagiotis; Poursanidis, Dimitris; Nikolakakis, Manolis; Trichas, Apostolos; Chatzaki, Maria
Weaving together the past, present and future of Greek arachnofauna: Biodiversity, knowledge gaps and conservation Journal Article
In: Insect Conservation and Diversity, pp. icad.70019, 2025, ISSN: 1752-458X, 1752-4598.
@article{bolanakis_weaving_2025,
title = {Weaving together the past, present and future of Greek arachnofauna: Biodiversity, knowledge gaps and conservation},
author = {Giannis Bolanakis and Savvas Paragkamian and Leonidas Maroulis and Panagiotis Kontos and Dimitris Poursanidis and Manolis Nikolakakis and Apostolos Trichas and Maria Chatzaki},
url = {https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/icad.70019
/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-Volanakis-InsConsDiv-56-.pdf},
doi = {10.1111/icad.70019},
issn = {1752-458X, 1752-4598},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-10-09},
urldate = {2025-10-09},
journal = {Insect Conservation and Diversity},
pages = {icad.70019},
abstract = {Abstract
Spiders are among the most species‐rich groups of arthropods. As top predators of other arthropods, their ecological role is significant, yet they are often overlooked in conservation efforts. Greece is home to a rich spider fauna, including many newly discovered and endemic taxa.
In this paper, we present an updated, comprehensive dataset of the spiders of Greece, compiled using open standards aligned with the FAIR principles of data management. This update is based on the critical curation of 187 papers covering all available records of spider species occurring in Greece. The curated data contain geographic location (including coordinates and their accuracy) and taxonomic validity of all species.
In total, 1310 species are recorded across more than 18,000 unique occurrences, excluding
nomina dubia
, subspecies and incomplete or erroneous taxonomic identifications. Of these, 226 species are endemic to Greece. Furthermore, an analysis is performed to present the distribution of the spider families/species richness in the complex landscape of Greece, in mainland and 96 islands, and the identified geographical/taxonomic gaps in our knowledge.
The conservation status of 202 IUCN‐assessed species is also presented, alongside a critical analysis of their documented threats and possible ways to promote their conservation.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Abstract
Spiders are among the most species‐rich groups of arthropods. As top predators of other arthropods, their ecological role is significant, yet they are often overlooked in conservation efforts. Greece is home to a rich spider fauna, including many newly discovered and endemic taxa.
In this paper, we present an updated, comprehensive dataset of the spiders of Greece, compiled using open standards aligned with the FAIR principles of data management. This update is based on the critical curation of 187 papers covering all available records of spider species occurring in Greece. The curated data contain geographic location (including coordinates and their accuracy) and taxonomic validity of all species.
In total, 1310 species are recorded across more than 18,000 unique occurrences, excluding
nomina dubia
, subspecies and incomplete or erroneous taxonomic identifications. Of these, 226 species are endemic to Greece. Furthermore, an analysis is performed to present the distribution of the spider families/species richness in the complex landscape of Greece, in mainland and 96 islands, and the identified geographical/taxonomic gaps in our knowledge.
The conservation status of 202 IUCN‐assessed species is also presented, alongside a critical analysis of their documented threats and possible ways to promote their conservation.
Spiders are among the most species‐rich groups of arthropods. As top predators of other arthropods, their ecological role is significant, yet they are often overlooked in conservation efforts. Greece is home to a rich spider fauna, including many newly discovered and endemic taxa.
In this paper, we present an updated, comprehensive dataset of the spiders of Greece, compiled using open standards aligned with the FAIR principles of data management. This update is based on the critical curation of 187 papers covering all available records of spider species occurring in Greece. The curated data contain geographic location (including coordinates and their accuracy) and taxonomic validity of all species.
In total, 1310 species are recorded across more than 18,000 unique occurrences, excluding
nomina dubia
, subspecies and incomplete or erroneous taxonomic identifications. Of these, 226 species are endemic to Greece. Furthermore, an analysis is performed to present the distribution of the spider families/species richness in the complex landscape of Greece, in mainland and 96 islands, and the identified geographical/taxonomic gaps in our knowledge.
The conservation status of 202 IUCN‐assessed species is also presented, alongside a critical analysis of their documented threats and possible ways to promote their conservation.
Finn, Robert D; Balech, Bachir; Burgin, Josephine; Chua, Physilia; Corre, Erwan; Cox, Cymon J; Donati, Claudio; Santos, Vitor Martins Dos; Fosso, Bruno; Hancock, John; Heil, Katharina F; Ishaque, Naveed; Kale, Varsha; Kunath, Benoit J; Médigue, Claudine; Nogueira, Teresa; Pafilis, Evangelos; Pesole, Graziano; Richardson, Lorna; Santamaria, Monica; Strepis, Nikolaos; Bossche, Tim Van Den; Vizcaíno, Juan Antonio; Zafeiropoulos, Haris; Willassen, Nils P; Pelletier, Eric; Batut, Bérénice
Establishing the ELIXIR Microbiome Community Journal Article
In: F1000Research, vol. 13, pp. 50, 2025, ISSN: 2046-1402.
@article{finn_establishing_2025,
title = {Establishing the ELIXIR Microbiome Community},
author = {Robert D Finn and Bachir Balech and Josephine Burgin and Physilia Chua and Erwan Corre and Cymon J Cox and Claudio Donati and Vitor Martins Dos Santos and Bruno Fosso and John Hancock and Katharina F Heil and Naveed Ishaque and Varsha Kale and Benoit J Kunath and Claudine Médigue and Teresa Nogueira and Evangelos Pafilis and Graziano Pesole and Lorna Richardson and Monica Santamaria and Nikolaos Strepis and Tim Van Den Bossche and Juan Antonio Vizcaíno and Haris Zafeiropoulos and Nils P Willassen and Eric Pelletier and Bérénice Batut},
url = {https://f1000research.com/articles/13-50/v2
/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-Finn-F1000R-55.pdf},
doi = {10.12688/f1000research.144515.2},
issn = {2046-1402},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-10-07},
urldate = {2025-10-07},
journal = {F1000Research},
volume = {13},
pages = {50},
abstract = {Microbiome research has grown substantially over the past decade in terms of the range of biomes sampled, identified taxa, and the volume of data derived from the samples. In particular, experimental approaches such as metagenomics, metabarcoding, metatranscriptomics and metaproteomics have provided profound insights into the vast, hitherto unknown, microbial biodiversity. The ELIXIR Marine Metagenomics Community, initiated amongst researchers focusing on marine microbiomes, has concentrated on promoting standards around microbiome-derived sequence analysis, as well as understanding the gaps in methods and reference databases, and identifying solutions to the computational overheads of performing such analyses. Nevertheless, the methods used and the challenges faced are not confined to marine microbiome studies, but are broadly applicable to other biomes. Thus, expanding this Marine Metagenomics Community to a more inclusive ELIXIR Microbiome Community will enable it to encompass a broader range of biomes and link expertise across ‘omics technologies. Furthermore, engaging with a large number of researchers will improve the efficiency and sustainability of bioinformatics infrastructure and resources for microbiome research (standards, data, tools, workflows, training), which will enable a deeper understanding of the function and taxonomic composition of the different microbial communities.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Microbiome research has grown substantially over the past decade in terms of the range of biomes sampled, identified taxa, and the volume of data derived from the samples. In particular, experimental approaches such as metagenomics, metabarcoding, metatranscriptomics and metaproteomics have provided profound insights into the vast, hitherto unknown, microbial biodiversity. The ELIXIR Marine Metagenomics Community, initiated amongst researchers focusing on marine microbiomes, has concentrated on promoting standards around microbiome-derived sequence analysis, as well as understanding the gaps in methods and reference databases, and identifying solutions to the computational overheads of performing such analyses. Nevertheless, the methods used and the challenges faced are not confined to marine microbiome studies, but are broadly applicable to other biomes. Thus, expanding this Marine Metagenomics Community to a more inclusive ELIXIR Microbiome Community will enable it to encompass a broader range of biomes and link expertise across ‘omics technologies. Furthermore, engaging with a large number of researchers will improve the efficiency and sustainability of bioinformatics infrastructure and resources for microbiome research (standards, data, tools, workflows, training), which will enable a deeper understanding of the function and taxonomic composition of the different microbial communities.
Rossi, Sergio; Bramanti, Lorenzo; Costantini, Federica; Dailianis, Thanos; Schubert, Nadine; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis
Marine Animal Forests: Bridging Science, Policy, and Local Knowledge Journal Article
In: Mediterranean Marine Science, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 418–420, 2025, ISSN: 1791-6763, 1108-393X.
@article{rossi_marine_2025,
title = {Marine Animal Forests: Bridging Science, Policy, and Local Knowledge},
author = {Sergio Rossi and Lorenzo Bramanti and Federica Costantini and Thanos Dailianis and Nadine Schubert and Vasilis Gerovasileiou},
url = {https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/hcmr-med-mar-sc/article/view/40440
/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-Rossi-MMS-54.pdf},
doi = {10.12681/mms.40440},
issn = {1791-6763, 1108-393X},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-10-02},
urldate = {2025-10-02},
journal = {Mediterranean Marine Science},
volume = {26},
number = {2},
pages = {418--420},
abstract = {Editorial
Marine Animal Forests: Bridging Science, Policy, and Local Knowledge},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Editorial
Marine Animal Forests: Bridging Science, Policy, and Local Knowledge
Marine Animal Forests: Bridging Science, Policy, and Local Knowledge
Ventriglia, Gianluca; Duncan, Neil; Giménez, Ignacio; Mylonas, Constantinos C; Pousis, Chrysovalentinos; Varvara, Caterina; Valentini, Luisa; Passantino, Letizia; Corriero, Aldo; Zupa, Rosa
Histological Insights into Testicular Apoptosis Associated with Spermatogenesis in Pre-Pubertal and Adult Meagre (Argyrosomus regius) Journal Article
In: Animals, vol. 15, no. 18, pp. 2668, 2025, ISSN: 2076-2615.
@article{ventriglia_histological_2025,
title = {Histological Insights into Testicular Apoptosis Associated with Spermatogenesis in Pre-Pubertal and Adult Meagre (\textit{Argyrosomus regius})},
author = {Gianluca Ventriglia and Neil Duncan and Ignacio Giménez and Constantinos C Mylonas and Chrysovalentinos Pousis and Caterina Varvara and Luisa Valentini and Letizia Passantino and Aldo Corriero and Rosa Zupa},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/18/2668
/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Ventriglia-animals-53.pdf},
doi = {10.3390/ani15182668},
issn = {2076-2615},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-09-29},
urldate = {2025-09-29},
journal = {Animals},
volume = {15},
number = {18},
pages = {2668},
abstract = {To overcome reproductive dysfunctions, recombinant gonadotropin hormones have been synthesised in different fish species. We were interested in gaining further insight into the effects of recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (rFsh) in meagre Argyrosomus regius spermatogenesis and in improving the existing knowledge on the role of testicular apoptosis. Germ cell composition and testicular apoptosis were compared in pre-pubertal fish treated with rFsh (PreP-Fsh) and controls (PreP-C), and adult meagre with testes in the proliferative (Adult-Pro) and meiotic (Adult-Meio) spermatogenesis phases. A lower density of committed spermatogonia was observed in PreP-Fsh compared with PreP-C and in Adult-Meio compared with Adult-Pro. In pre-pubertal fish and in Adult-Pro, apoptosis affected mainly individual germ cells and Sertoli cells. In Adult-Meio, a high number of cysts containing apoptotic germ cells was observed, and apoptosis often involved entire clones of germ cells. rFsh reduced testicular apoptosis in pre-pubertal fish, whereas the advancement of spermatogenesis in adults was associated with an increased density of apoptotic cells. The present study corroborated previous observations on the effects of rFsh on spermatogenesis in pre-pubertal meagre and provided further insights on the changing role of apoptosis in the pre-pubertal phase versus different phases of spermatogenesis.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
To overcome reproductive dysfunctions, recombinant gonadotropin hormones have been synthesised in different fish species. We were interested in gaining further insight into the effects of recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (rFsh) in meagre Argyrosomus regius spermatogenesis and in improving the existing knowledge on the role of testicular apoptosis. Germ cell composition and testicular apoptosis were compared in pre-pubertal fish treated with rFsh (PreP-Fsh) and controls (PreP-C), and adult meagre with testes in the proliferative (Adult-Pro) and meiotic (Adult-Meio) spermatogenesis phases. A lower density of committed spermatogonia was observed in PreP-Fsh compared with PreP-C and in Adult-Meio compared with Adult-Pro. In pre-pubertal fish and in Adult-Pro, apoptosis affected mainly individual germ cells and Sertoli cells. In Adult-Meio, a high number of cysts containing apoptotic germ cells was observed, and apoptosis often involved entire clones of germ cells. rFsh reduced testicular apoptosis in pre-pubertal fish, whereas the advancement of spermatogenesis in adults was associated with an increased density of apoptotic cells. The present study corroborated previous observations on the effects of rFsh on spermatogenesis in pre-pubertal meagre and provided further insights on the changing role of apoptosis in the pre-pubertal phase versus different phases of spermatogenesis.
Racaku, Mbarsid; Ferraresso, Serena; Babbucci, Massimiliano; Blanco, Andres; Tsigenopoulos, Costas S; Manousaki, Tereza; Radojicic, Jelena; Papadogiannis, Vasileios; Martínez, Paulino; Bargelloni, Luca; Patarnello, Tomaso
Complex Sex Determination in the Grey Mullet Mugil cephalus Suggested by Individual Whole Genome Sequence Data Journal Article
In: Animals, vol. 15, no. 16, pp. 2445, 2025, ISSN: 2076-2615.
@article{racaku_complex_2025,
title = {Complex Sex Determination in the Grey Mullet Mugil cephalus Suggested by Individual Whole Genome Sequence Data},
author = {Mbarsid Racaku and Serena Ferraresso and Massimiliano Babbucci and Andres Blanco and Costas S Tsigenopoulos and Tereza Manousaki and Jelena Radojicic and Vasileios Papadogiannis and Paulino Martínez and Luca Bargelloni and Tomaso Patarnello},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/16/2445
/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Racaku-ANIMALS-52.pdf},
doi = {10.3390/ani15162445},
issn = {2076-2615},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-09-25},
urldate = {2025-09-25},
journal = {Animals},
volume = {15},
number = {16},
pages = {2445},
abstract = {Mugil cephalus is a cosmopolitan marine fish highly relevant from ecological and economic perspectives. Previous studies identified sex-associated variants in the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (fshr) gene following an XX/XY sex determination (SD) system. However, these variants could not be fully associated with sex in all samples. This suggests other genes and/or environmental factors may be involved in the SD of this species, denoting intraspecific variation. In this study, we constructed a new high-quality genome assembly of M. cephalus. We then re-sequenced the whole genome in males and females from two divergent Mediterranean populations to ascertain whether other genetic variants could also be involved in SD. fshr gene variants showed to only partially explain SD, while a new intronic variant in the sestd1 gene appeared to be associated with SD following a ZZ/ZW system. The presence of other putative candidate SD variants showing significant differences between the two populations suggested a regional pattern of variation in SD in the Mediterranean Sea. The incomplete association of all the identified variants also pointed to a potential role for environmental factors.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Mugil cephalus is a cosmopolitan marine fish highly relevant from ecological and economic perspectives. Previous studies identified sex-associated variants in the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (fshr) gene following an XX/XY sex determination (SD) system. However, these variants could not be fully associated with sex in all samples. This suggests other genes and/or environmental factors may be involved in the SD of this species, denoting intraspecific variation. In this study, we constructed a new high-quality genome assembly of M. cephalus. We then re-sequenced the whole genome in males and females from two divergent Mediterranean populations to ascertain whether other genetic variants could also be involved in SD. fshr gene variants showed to only partially explain SD, while a new intronic variant in the sestd1 gene appeared to be associated with SD following a ZZ/ZW system. The presence of other putative candidate SD variants showing significant differences between the two populations suggested a regional pattern of variation in SD in the Mediterranean Sea. The incomplete association of all the identified variants also pointed to a potential role for environmental factors.
Metcalfe, Abigail; Druitt, Tim; Pank, Katharina; Kutterolf, Steffen; Preine, Jonas; Kelfoun, Karim; Hübscher, Christian; Nomikou, Paraskevi; Ronge, Thomas A; Chiyonobu, Shun; Koukousioura, Olga; Woodhouse, Adam; Beethe, Sarah; Manga, Michael; McIntosh, Iona; Tominaga, Masako; Berthod, Carole; Chen, Hehe; Clark, Acacia; DeBari, Susan; Gertisser, Ralf; Johnston, Raymond; Peccia, Ally; Yamamoto, Yuzuru; Bernard, Alexis; Perez, Tatiana Fernandez; Jones, Christopher K; Joshi, Kumar Batuk; Kletetschka, Günther; McCanta, Molly; Morris, Antony; Polymenakou, Paraskevi; Li, Xiaohui; Nedelec, Jean-Marie; Lee, Hao-Yang; Papanikolaou, Dimitrios
Submarine ash megabed fed by far-traveled, shoreline-crossing pyroclastic currents from a large explosive volcanic eruption Journal Article
In: Science Advances, vol. 11, no. 33, pp. eads9642, 2025, ISSN: 2375-2548.
@article{metcalfe_submarine_2025,
title = {Submarine ash megabed fed by far-traveled, shoreline-crossing pyroclastic currents from a large explosive volcanic eruption},
author = {Abigail Metcalfe and Tim Druitt and Katharina Pank and Steffen Kutterolf and Jonas Preine and Karim Kelfoun and Christian Hübscher and Paraskevi Nomikou and Thomas A Ronge and Shun Chiyonobu and Olga Koukousioura and Adam Woodhouse and Sarah Beethe and Michael Manga and Iona McIntosh and Masako Tominaga and Carole Berthod and Hehe Chen and Acacia Clark and Susan DeBari and Ralf Gertisser and Raymond Johnston and Ally Peccia and Yuzuru Yamamoto and Alexis Bernard and Tatiana Fernandez Perez and Christopher K Jones and Kumar Batuk Joshi and Günther Kletetschka and Molly McCanta and Antony Morris and Paraskevi Polymenakou and Xiaohui Li and Jean-Marie Nedelec and Hao-Yang Lee and Dimitrios Papanikolaou},
url = {https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ads9642
/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Metcalfe-Sci-Adv-51.pdf},
doi = {10.1126/sciadv.ads9642},
issn = {2375-2548},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-09-22},
urldate = {2025-09-22},
journal = {Science Advances},
volume = {11},
number = {33},
pages = {eads9642},
abstract = {Large explosive volcanic eruptions from island volcanoes deliver vast quantities of ash to the marine environment. While many of the transport pathways are understood, those from shoreline-crossing or submarine pyroclastic currents, and their transformation into water-supported gravity flows, remain poorly constrained. We report the discovery by International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) deep drilling of a 200-meter-thick ash megabed buried in rift basins of the South Aegean Volcanic Arc. The textgreater73–cubic kilometer ash deposit originates from the Kos Plateau Tuff caldera-forming eruption, which occurred 161 thousand years ago, textgreater120 kilometers to the east. The ash forms a chemically uniform, graded megabed lacking bioturbation, interpreted as having been emplaced by a stream of eruption-fed turbidity currents. Bioclastic debris within the ash provides evidence of widespread destruction of marine ecosystems. Large volcanic eruptions can remodel the seafloor landscape, deposit thick ash turbidites, and destroy marine biota on island arc–wide scales in short-lived, catastrophic events.
,
Volcanic ash from an eruption in Greece poured into the sea, forming a bed 200 m thick in a submarine basin far from the volcano.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Large explosive volcanic eruptions from island volcanoes deliver vast quantities of ash to the marine environment. While many of the transport pathways are understood, those from shoreline-crossing or submarine pyroclastic currents, and their transformation into water-supported gravity flows, remain poorly constrained. We report the discovery by International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) deep drilling of a 200-meter-thick ash megabed buried in rift basins of the South Aegean Volcanic Arc. The textgreater73–cubic kilometer ash deposit originates from the Kos Plateau Tuff caldera-forming eruption, which occurred 161 thousand years ago, textgreater120 kilometers to the east. The ash forms a chemically uniform, graded megabed lacking bioturbation, interpreted as having been emplaced by a stream of eruption-fed turbidity currents. Bioclastic debris within the ash provides evidence of widespread destruction of marine ecosystems. Large volcanic eruptions can remodel the seafloor landscape, deposit thick ash turbidites, and destroy marine biota on island arc–wide scales in short-lived, catastrophic events.
,
Volcanic ash from an eruption in Greece poured into the sea, forming a bed 200 m thick in a submarine basin far from the volcano.
,
Volcanic ash from an eruption in Greece poured into the sea, forming a bed 200 m thick in a submarine basin far from the volcano.
Gittings, John A; Livanou, Eleni; Sun, Xuerong; Brewin, Robert J W; Psarra, Stella; Mandalakis, Manolis; Peltekis, Alexandra; Cicco, Annalisa Di; Brando, Vittorio E; Raitsos, Dionysios E
In: Remote Sensing, vol. 17, no. 14, pp. 2362, 2025, ISSN: 2072-4292.
@article{gittings_remotely_2025,
title = {Remotely Sensing Phytoplankton Size Structure in the Mediterranean Sea: Insights from In Situ Data and Temperature-Corrected Abundance-Based Models},
author = {John A Gittings and Eleni Livanou and Xuerong Sun and Robert J W Brewin and Stella Psarra and Manolis Mandalakis and Alexandra Peltekis and Annalisa Di Cicco and Vittorio E Brando and Dionysios E Raitsos},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/14/2362
/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Gittings-RemSense-50.pdf},
doi = {10.3390/rs17142362},
issn = {2072-4292},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-09-15},
urldate = {2025-09-16},
journal = {Remote Sensing},
volume = {17},
number = {14},
pages = {2362},
abstract = {Since the mid-1980s, the Mediterranean Sea’s surface and deeper layers have warmed at unprecedented rates, with recent projections identifying it as one of the regions most impacted by rising global temperatures. Metrics that characterize phytoplankton abundance, phenology and size structure are widely utilized as ecological indicators that enable a quantitative assessment of the status of marine ecosystems in response to environmental change. Here, using an extensive, updated in situ pigment dataset collated from numerous past research campaigns across the Mediterranean Sea, we re-parameterized an abundance-based phytoplankton size class model that infers Chl-a concentration in three phytoplankton size classes: pico- (textless2 μm), nano- (2–20 μm) and micro-phytoplankton (textgreater20 μm). Following recent advancements made within this category of size class models, we also incorporated information of sea surface temperature (SST) into the model parameterization. By tying model parameters to SST, the performance of the re-parameterized model was improved based on comparisons with concurrent, independent in situ measurements. Similarly, the application of the model to remotely sensed ocean color observations revealed strong agreement between satellite-derived estimates of phytoplankton size structure and in situ observations, with a performance comparable to the current regional operational datasets on size structure. The proposed conceptual regional model, parameterized with the most extended in situ pigment dataset available to date for the area, serves as a suitable foundation for long-term (1997–present) analyses on phytoplankton size structure and ecological indicators (i.e., phenology), ultimately linking higher trophic level responses to a changing Mediterranean Sea.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Since the mid-1980s, the Mediterranean Sea’s surface and deeper layers have warmed at unprecedented rates, with recent projections identifying it as one of the regions most impacted by rising global temperatures. Metrics that characterize phytoplankton abundance, phenology and size structure are widely utilized as ecological indicators that enable a quantitative assessment of the status of marine ecosystems in response to environmental change. Here, using an extensive, updated in situ pigment dataset collated from numerous past research campaigns across the Mediterranean Sea, we re-parameterized an abundance-based phytoplankton size class model that infers Chl-a concentration in three phytoplankton size classes: pico- (textless2 μm), nano- (2–20 μm) and micro-phytoplankton (textgreater20 μm). Following recent advancements made within this category of size class models, we also incorporated information of sea surface temperature (SST) into the model parameterization. By tying model parameters to SST, the performance of the re-parameterized model was improved based on comparisons with concurrent, independent in situ measurements. Similarly, the application of the model to remotely sensed ocean color observations revealed strong agreement between satellite-derived estimates of phytoplankton size structure and in situ observations, with a performance comparable to the current regional operational datasets on size structure. The proposed conceptual regional model, parameterized with the most extended in situ pigment dataset available to date for the area, serves as a suitable foundation for long-term (1997–present) analyses on phytoplankton size structure and ecological indicators (i.e., phenology), ultimately linking higher trophic level responses to a changing Mediterranean Sea.
Digenis, Markos; Ragkousis, Michail; Dimitriadis, Charalampos; Katsanevakis, Stelios; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis
Assessing the Motile Fauna of Eastern Mediterranean Marine Caves Journal Article
In: Fishes, vol. 10, no. 8, pp. 383, 2025, ISSN: 2410-3888.
@article{digenis_assessing_2025,
title = {Assessing the Motile Fauna of Eastern Mediterranean Marine Caves},
author = {Markos Digenis and Michail Ragkousis and Charalampos Dimitriadis and Stelios Katsanevakis and Vasilis Gerovasileiou},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/8/383
/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Digenis-fishes-49.pdf},
doi = {10.3390/fishes10080383},
issn = {2410-3888},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-09-12},
urldate = {2025-09-15},
journal = {Fishes},
volume = {10},
number = {8},
pages = {383},
abstract = {Although marine caves are among the most species-diverse habitats in the Mediterranean Sea, most available studies have focused on their sessile fauna. This study provides the first quantitative assessment of motile fauna in 27 marine caves across four geographical subareas of the Aegean and Ionian Seas, using a rapid assessment visual census protocol, applied through 3 min time transects in each ecological cave zone. Multivariate analysis revealed that the motile community structure of the cave entrance was differentiated from that of the semidark and dark zones. Deeper caves were distinct from shallower ones while caves of the east Aegean differed from those around Crete Island. A total of 163 taxa were recorded, 27 of which are reported herein for the first time in marine caves of the eastern Mediterranean Sea, while three species (two native and one introduced) are recorded in Greek waters for the first time, enriching our knowledge on the permanent and occasional cave residents. Seventeen species were introduced, comprising more than half of the total fish abundance in the southeasternmost cave. Our limited knowledge of the motile fauna of Mediterranean marine caves coupled with the continued spread of introduced species highlights the urgent need for monitoring and conservation actions, especially within marine protected areas.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Although marine caves are among the most species-diverse habitats in the Mediterranean Sea, most available studies have focused on their sessile fauna. This study provides the first quantitative assessment of motile fauna in 27 marine caves across four geographical subareas of the Aegean and Ionian Seas, using a rapid assessment visual census protocol, applied through 3 min time transects in each ecological cave zone. Multivariate analysis revealed that the motile community structure of the cave entrance was differentiated from that of the semidark and dark zones. Deeper caves were distinct from shallower ones while caves of the east Aegean differed from those around Crete Island. A total of 163 taxa were recorded, 27 of which are reported herein for the first time in marine caves of the eastern Mediterranean Sea, while three species (two native and one introduced) are recorded in Greek waters for the first time, enriching our knowledge on the permanent and occasional cave residents. Seventeen species were introduced, comprising more than half of the total fish abundance in the southeasternmost cave. Our limited knowledge of the motile fauna of Mediterranean marine caves coupled with the continued spread of introduced species highlights the urgent need for monitoring and conservation actions, especially within marine protected areas.
Tampou, Anna; Kousoulaki, Katerina; Vasilaki, Antigoni; Vlahos, Nikolaos; Nikouli, Eleni; Panteli, Nikolas; Feidantsis, Konstantinos; Kormas, Konstantinos; Andreopoulou, Styliani; Karapanagiotidis, Ioannis T; Berillis, Panagiotis; Nengas, Ioannis; Antonopoulou, Efthimia; Mente, Eleni
Growth Performance of Gilthead Sea Bream ( Sparus aurata ) Fed Low Fish Meal Diets With an Innovative Mixture of Low Trophic Ingredients Journal Article
In: Aquaculture Nutrition, vol. 2025, no. 1, pp. 7504207, 2025, ISSN: 1353-5773, 1365-2095.
@article{tampou_growth_2025,
title = {Growth Performance of Gilthead Sea Bream ( \textit{Sparus aurata} ) Fed Low Fish Meal Diets With an Innovative Mixture of Low Trophic Ingredients},
author = {Anna Tampou and Katerina Kousoulaki and Antigoni Vasilaki and Nikolaos Vlahos and Eleni Nikouli and Nikolas Panteli and Konstantinos Feidantsis and Konstantinos Kormas and Styliani Andreopoulou and Ioannis T Karapanagiotidis and Panagiotis Berillis and Ioannis Nengas and Efthimia Antonopoulou and Eleni Mente},
editor = {Noah Esmaeili},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/anu/7504207
/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Tampou-Aqua-Nutr-48.pdf},
doi = {10.1155/anu/7504207},
issn = {1353-5773, 1365-2095},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-09-11},
urldate = {2025-09-12},
journal = {Aquaculture Nutrition},
volume = {2025},
number = {1},
pages = {7504207},
abstract = {This study examined the growth performance, cellular signaling, and gut microbiome of gilthead sea bream (
Sparus aurata
) fed four diets using low‐trophic‐level ingredients for 65 days. Control (C) diet contained fish meal (FM) as the main protein source and fish oil (FO) as a lipid source. In the 0%FMFO diet all FM and FO present in the C diet was replaced with a combination of microalgae, insect meal (IM), and tunicate meal (TM). IM and TM diets were formulated to contain 20% of the novel protein ingredients, replacing 68.09% and 45.91% of FM in diet C, respectively. Compared to diet C, feed utilization and growth performance of
S
.
aurata
fed 0%FMFO diet was not different (
p
textgreater 0.05) and TM diet had a significantly lower (
p
textless 0.05) specific growth rate (SGR), higher (
p
textless 0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR) and decreased fillet lipid content (
p
textless 0.05). In liver and foregut of fish fed TM diet the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (L‐LDH) significant increased (
p
textless 0.05), indicating higher glycolytic potential, whereas the decrease in Hsp70, Hsp90, AMPK, and p38 MAPK may indicate reduced stress response. Fish midgut microbiome included beneficial taxa for the host. The results suggested that the mixture of algae, insect, and TM could replace all FM and FO in gilthead sea bream diets without affecting the fish growth performance.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
This study examined the growth performance, cellular signaling, and gut microbiome of gilthead sea bream (
Sparus aurata
) fed four diets using low‐trophic‐level ingredients for 65 days. Control (C) diet contained fish meal (FM) as the main protein source and fish oil (FO) as a lipid source. In the 0%FMFO diet all FM and FO present in the C diet was replaced with a combination of microalgae, insect meal (IM), and tunicate meal (TM). IM and TM diets were formulated to contain 20% of the novel protein ingredients, replacing 68.09% and 45.91% of FM in diet C, respectively. Compared to diet C, feed utilization and growth performance of
S
.
aurata
fed 0%FMFO diet was not different (
p
textgreater 0.05) and TM diet had a significantly lower (
p
textless 0.05) specific growth rate (SGR), higher (
p
textless 0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR) and decreased fillet lipid content (
p
textless 0.05). In liver and foregut of fish fed TM diet the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (L‐LDH) significant increased (
p
textless 0.05), indicating higher glycolytic potential, whereas the decrease in Hsp70, Hsp90, AMPK, and p38 MAPK may indicate reduced stress response. Fish midgut microbiome included beneficial taxa for the host. The results suggested that the mixture of algae, insect, and TM could replace all FM and FO in gilthead sea bream diets without affecting the fish growth performance.
Sparus aurata
) fed four diets using low‐trophic‐level ingredients for 65 days. Control (C) diet contained fish meal (FM) as the main protein source and fish oil (FO) as a lipid source. In the 0%FMFO diet all FM and FO present in the C diet was replaced with a combination of microalgae, insect meal (IM), and tunicate meal (TM). IM and TM diets were formulated to contain 20% of the novel protein ingredients, replacing 68.09% and 45.91% of FM in diet C, respectively. Compared to diet C, feed utilization and growth performance of
S
.
aurata
fed 0%FMFO diet was not different (
p
textgreater 0.05) and TM diet had a significantly lower (
p
textless 0.05) specific growth rate (SGR), higher (
p
textless 0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR) and decreased fillet lipid content (
p
textless 0.05). In liver and foregut of fish fed TM diet the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (L‐LDH) significant increased (
p
textless 0.05), indicating higher glycolytic potential, whereas the decrease in Hsp70, Hsp90, AMPK, and p38 MAPK may indicate reduced stress response. Fish midgut microbiome included beneficial taxa for the host. The results suggested that the mixture of algae, insect, and TM could replace all FM and FO in gilthead sea bream diets without affecting the fish growth performance.
Christou, Epaminondas D; Dailianis, Thanos; Chatzinikolaou, Evangelia; Karachle, Paraskevi K; Damalas, Dimitrios; Tsagarakis, Konstantinos; Strogyloudi, Evangelia; Karris, Georgios; Zervoudaki, Soultana; Giannakourou, Antonia; Salomidi, Maria; Reizopoulou, Sofia
Climate change in the “vulnerable” Eastern Mediterranean and adjacent areas: A literature review of ecological impacts and threats Journal Article
In: Marine Environmental Research, vol. 211, pp. 107390, 2025, ISSN: 01411136.
@article{christou_climate_2025,
title = {Climate change in the “vulnerable” Eastern Mediterranean and adjacent areas: A literature review of ecological impacts and threats},
author = {Epaminondas D Christou and Thanos Dailianis and Evangelia Chatzinikolaou and Paraskevi K Karachle and Dimitrios Damalas and Konstantinos Tsagarakis and Evangelia Strogyloudi and Georgios Karris and Soultana Zervoudaki and Antonia Giannakourou and Maria Salomidi and Sofia Reizopoulou},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0141113625004477
/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Christou-MarEnvRes-47.pdf},
doi = {10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107390},
issn = {01411136},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-09-08},
urldate = {2025-09-09},
journal = {Marine Environmental Research},
volume = {211},
pages = {107390},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Holm, Johanna B; Paragkamian, Savvas; Humphreys, Mike; Chatterjee, Apaala; Yarwood, Stephanie; Gaimaro, Josh; Stavroulaki, Melanthia; Tsaparis, Dimitris; Plaitis, Manolis; Kasapidis, Panagiotis; Darivianakis, Stelios; Kotoulas, Georgios; Magoulas, Antonios; Oulas, Anastasis; Kyrpiotakis, Zacharias; Pavlidis, Pavlos; Hoopen, Petra Ten; Cochrane, Guy; Kooistra, Wiebe H C F; Schriml, Jason R; Schriml, Bronwen E; Lagkouvardos, Ilias; Gkorezis, Panos; Davies, Neil; Laney, Christine; Stanish, Lee; Sutton, Granger; Tighe, Scott; Mizrachi, Ilene Karsch; Parks, Donovan; Yilmaz, Pelin; Carey, Chelsea; Buttigieg, Pier; Goldstein, Philip; Pafilis, Evangelos; Schriml, Lynn M
First island-wide, single-day soil collection study on Crete reveals environmental drivers of microbial diversity Journal Article
In: Environmental Microbiome, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 94, 2025, ISSN: 2524-6372.
@article{holm_first_2025,
title = {First island-wide, single-day soil collection study on Crete reveals environmental drivers of microbial diversity},
author = {Johanna B Holm and Savvas Paragkamian and Mike Humphreys and Apaala Chatterjee and Stephanie Yarwood and Josh Gaimaro and Melanthia Stavroulaki and Dimitris Tsaparis and Manolis Plaitis and Panagiotis Kasapidis and Stelios Darivianakis and Georgios Kotoulas and Antonios Magoulas and Anastasis Oulas and Zacharias Kyrpiotakis and Pavlos Pavlidis and Petra Ten Hoopen and Guy Cochrane and Wiebe H C F Kooistra and Jason R Schriml and Bronwen E Schriml and Ilias Lagkouvardos and Panos Gkorezis and Neil Davies and Christine Laney and Lee Stanish and Granger Sutton and Scott Tighe and Ilene Karsch Mizrachi and Donovan Parks and Pelin Yilmaz and Chelsea Carey and Pier Buttigieg and Philip Goldstein and Evangelos Pafilis and Lynn M Schriml},
url = {https://environmentalmicrobiome.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40793-025-00752-z
/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Holm-Paragkamian-EnvMicro-46.pdf},
doi = {10.1186/s40793-025-00752-z},
issn = {2524-6372},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-09-04},
urldate = {2025-09-08},
journal = {Environmental Microbiome},
volume = {20},
number = {1},
pages = {94},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Rotter, Ana; Rinkevich, Baruch; Deniz, Irem; Reddy, Maggie M; Girão, Mariana; Carvalho, Maria F; Gunde-Cimerman, Nina; Gostinčar, Cene; Cueto, Mercedes; Díaz-Marrero, Ana R; Komarysta, Viktoriia; Akgul, Fusun; Bilela, Lada Lukić; Grigalionyte-Bembič, Ernesta; Mandalakis, Manolis
Innovative solutions for valorization of desalination brine Journal Article
In: Water Research X, vol. 28, pp. 100372, 2025, ISSN: 25899147.
@article{rotter_innovative_2025,
title = {Innovative solutions for valorization of desalination brine},
author = {Ana Rotter and Baruch Rinkevich and Irem Deniz and Maggie M Reddy and Mariana Girão and Maria F Carvalho and Nina Gunde-Cimerman and Cene Gostinčar and Mercedes Cueto and Ana R Díaz-Marrero and Viktoriia Komarysta and Fusun Akgul and Lada Lukić Bilela and Ernesta Grigalionyte-Bembič and Manolis Mandalakis},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2589914725000714
/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Rotter-WaterRX-45.pdf},
doi = {10.1016/j.wroa.2025.100372},
issn = {25899147},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-09-01},
urldate = {2025-09-05},
journal = {Water Research X},
volume = {28},
pages = {100372},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Stavrakidis-Zachou, Orestis; Eding, Ep H; Papandroulakis, Nikos; Lika, Konstadia
A Nutritional Bioenergetic Model for Farmed Fish: Effects of Food Composition on Growth, Oxygen Consumption and Waste Production Journal Article
In: Aquaculture Nutrition, vol. 2025, no. 1, pp. 9010939, 2025, ISSN: 1353-5773, 1365-2095.
@article{stavrakidis-zachou_nutritional_2025,
title = {A Nutritional Bioenergetic Model for Farmed Fish: Effects of Food Composition on Growth, Oxygen Consumption and Waste Production},
author = {Orestis Stavrakidis-Zachou and Ep H Eding and Nikos Papandroulakis and Konstadia Lika},
editor = {Liqiao Chen},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/anu/9010939
/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Stavrakidis-Zachou-AquaNutr-44.pdf},
doi = {10.1155/anu/9010939},
issn = {1353-5773, 1365-2095},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-08-29},
urldate = {2025-09-04},
journal = {Aquaculture Nutrition},
volume = {2025},
number = {1},
pages = {9010939},
abstract = {The study of flow and transformation of energy and nutrients via mathematical modelling provides an in silico tool approach for designing scientific experiments, improving precision in aquaculture production and reducing the need for experimental animals. The proposed nutritional bioenergetics model is based on the dynamic energy budget (DEB) theory, a mechanistic framework to study individual metabolism. The model is an extension of the typical DEB models in that it includes a digestion module where the protein and non‐protein food components contribute to assimilation via the concept of a synthesising unit (SU). The model allows predictions for measurable quantities of interest for aquaculture, including feeding rate, oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide, ammonia and solid waste production, under various temperatures and feeding conditions, both in terms of quantity and macronutrient composition. The feeding schedule’s effects, such as the diurnal variation in waste production in response to feeding frequency, are also captured. The model quantifies the effects of the dietary protein‐to‐energy ratio on food intake and assimilation; energy‐rich diets or those with excessive or poor amounts of protein show reduced intake. The model has been parametrised and validated for rainbow trout (
Oncorhynchus mykiss
) to demonstrate its capabilities. Testing the model with diverse datasets has shown that it predicts weight gain well, and to a lesser extent, oxygen consumption and total ammonia production. The proposed model could be a useful in silico tool for fish researchers, technicians and farm operators.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The study of flow and transformation of energy and nutrients via mathematical modelling provides an in silico tool approach for designing scientific experiments, improving precision in aquaculture production and reducing the need for experimental animals. The proposed nutritional bioenergetics model is based on the dynamic energy budget (DEB) theory, a mechanistic framework to study individual metabolism. The model is an extension of the typical DEB models in that it includes a digestion module where the protein and non‐protein food components contribute to assimilation via the concept of a synthesising unit (SU). The model allows predictions for measurable quantities of interest for aquaculture, including feeding rate, oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide, ammonia and solid waste production, under various temperatures and feeding conditions, both in terms of quantity and macronutrient composition. The feeding schedule’s effects, such as the diurnal variation in waste production in response to feeding frequency, are also captured. The model quantifies the effects of the dietary protein‐to‐energy ratio on food intake and assimilation; energy‐rich diets or those with excessive or poor amounts of protein show reduced intake. The model has been parametrised and validated for rainbow trout (
Oncorhynchus mykiss
) to demonstrate its capabilities. Testing the model with diverse datasets has shown that it predicts weight gain well, and to a lesser extent, oxygen consumption and total ammonia production. The proposed model could be a useful in silico tool for fish researchers, technicians and farm operators.
Oncorhynchus mykiss
) to demonstrate its capabilities. Testing the model with diverse datasets has shown that it predicts weight gain well, and to a lesser extent, oxygen consumption and total ammonia production. The proposed model could be a useful in silico tool for fish researchers, technicians and farm operators.
Conides, Alexis; Cotou, Efthimia; Klaoudatos, Dimitris; Glamuzina, Branko
An Innovative Metal–Synthetic Hybrid Thread for the Construction of Aquaculture Nets Journal Article
In: Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, vol. 13, no. 8, pp. 1384, 2025, ISSN: 2077-1312.
@article{conides_innovative_2025,
title = {An Innovative Metal–Synthetic Hybrid Thread for the Construction of Aquaculture Nets},
author = {Alexis Conides and Efthimia Cotou and Dimitris Klaoudatos and Branko Glamuzina},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13/8/1384
/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-Conides-MSciEng-43.pdf},
doi = {10.3390/jmse13081384},
issn = {2077-1312},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-08-27},
urldate = {2025-09-03},
journal = {Journal of Marine Science and Engineering},
volume = {13},
number = {8},
pages = {1384},
abstract = {Based on the experience gained worldwide from potential solutions to the fouling problem of fisheries and aquaculture infrastructure, we attempted to design, construct and test the antifouling efficiency of a new hybrid filament created from non-laminated copper wire braided with synthetic fibers made of Dyneema. The design involved the creation of a hybrid twine substituting a percentage of the synthetic fibers with 0.1–0.15 mm diameter copper wire at 5%, 10%, 20% and 40% levels. There is limited information in the international literature for comparison with our results, since there has never been any attempt to create such a hybrid net. The results showed that for the 6 mm mesh, the maximum openness obtained after the 8-month experimental period was 8.72%, with Cu wire substitution at 35%. For the 12 mm mesh, these values were 27.07% at 26%, and for the 20 mm mesh, they were 33.68% at 28%. A conservative average independent from mesh size to achieve optimum openness in the long term is 30 ± 4.73% Cu wire substitution. In addition, we found that both the mesh size (mm) and the copper substitution percentage affected the fouling process during the experimental period, which lasted 8 months.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Based on the experience gained worldwide from potential solutions to the fouling problem of fisheries and aquaculture infrastructure, we attempted to design, construct and test the antifouling efficiency of a new hybrid filament created from non-laminated copper wire braided with synthetic fibers made of Dyneema. The design involved the creation of a hybrid twine substituting a percentage of the synthetic fibers with 0.1–0.15 mm diameter copper wire at 5%, 10%, 20% and 40% levels. There is limited information in the international literature for comparison with our results, since there has never been any attempt to create such a hybrid net. The results showed that for the 6 mm mesh, the maximum openness obtained after the 8-month experimental period was 8.72%, with Cu wire substitution at 35%. For the 12 mm mesh, these values were 27.07% at 26%, and for the 20 mm mesh, they were 33.68% at 28%. A conservative average independent from mesh size to achieve optimum openness in the long term is 30 ± 4.73% Cu wire substitution. In addition, we found that both the mesh size (mm) and the copper substitution percentage affected the fouling process during the experimental period, which lasted 8 months.