Maria Maidanou

@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}

}

@article{pavloudi_first_2025,

title = {First release of the European marine omics biodiversity observation network (EMO BON) shotgun metagenomics data from water and sediment samples},

author = {Christina Pavloudi and Ioulia Santi and Iñigo Azua and Zuriñe Baña and Mauro Bastianini and Caroline Belser and Jone Bilbao and Julie Bitz-Thorsen 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 Claire Daguin and Oihane Díaz De Cerio and Katrina Exter and Cécile Fauvelot and Miguel Frada and Pierre Galand and Laurence Garczarek and Jose González Fernández and Laure Guillou and Pascal Hablützel and Hanneloor Heynderickx and Céline Houbin and Anne Kervella and Apostolos Krystallas and Rune Lagaisse and Arnaud Laroquette and Lyvia Lescure and Eva Lopes and Melina Loulakaki and Bruno Louro and Catarina Magalhaes and Maria Maidanou and Francesca Margiotta and Marina Montresor and Fabrice Not and Estefanía Paredes and Isabella Percopo and Erwan Péru and Julie Poulain and Kim Præbel and Fabienne Rigaut-Jalabert and Sarah Romac and Melanthia Stavroulaki and Jesús Souza Troncoso and Eric Thiébaut and Wilfried Thomas and Andrzej Tkacz and Anna Chiara Trano and Patrick Wincker and Nicolas Pade},

url = {https://bdj.pensoft.net/article/143585/

/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2025-Pavloudi-BDJ-17.pdf},

doi = {10.3897/BDJ.13.e143585},

issn = {1314-2828, 1314-2836},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-01-01},

urldate = {2025-04-03},

journal = {Biodiversity Data Journal},

volume = {13},

pages = {e143585},

abstract = {The European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON) is an initiative of the European Marine Biological Resource Centre (EMBRC) to establish a persistent genomic observatory amongst designated European coastal marine sites, sharing the same protocols for sampling and data curation. Environmental samples are collected from the water column and, at some sites, soft sediments and hard substrates (Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures - ARMS), together with a set of mandatory and discretionary metadata (including Essential Ocean Variables - EOVs). Samples are collected following standardised protocols at regular and specified intervals and sequenced in large six-monthly batches at a centralised sequencing facility. The use of standard operating procedures (SOPs) during data collection, library preparation and sequencing aims to provide uniformity amongst the data collected from the sites. Coupled with strict adherence to open and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles, this ensures maximum comparability amongst samples and enhances reusability and interoperability of the data with other data sources. The observatory network was launched in June 2021, when the first sampling campaign took place.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{maidanou_trophic_2021,

title = {Trophic Diversity of a Fish Community Associated with a Caulerpa prolifera (Forsskål) Meadow in a Shallow Semi-Enclosed Embayment},

author = {Maria Maidanou and Panayota Koulouri and Paraskevi K Karachle and Christos Arvanitidis and Drosos Koutsoubas and Costas Dounas},

url = {https://imbbc.hcmr.gr/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021-Maidanou-JMSE-12.pdf

https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/9/2/165},

doi = {10.3390/jmse9020165},

issn = {2077-1312},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-01-01},

urldate = {2021-02-24},

journal = {JMSE},

volume = {9},

number = {2},

pages = {165},

abstract = {This study investigates the trophic diversity of fishes living in a meadow of Caulerpa prolifera on a bimonthly basis between May 2006 and April 2007 in a semi-enclosed coastal marine ecosystem of the Mediterranean Sea (Elounda Bay, Crete Island). The study area is shallow and protected from waves, and it is covered by a C. prolifera bed, characterized by high organic input and a highly diverse macrobenthic community. Feeding patterns of the fish, investigated on the basis of stomach content analyses, were described in terms of numerical abundance and frequency of occurrence of prey taxa. A total of 1642 fish individuals, belonging to 17 species, were examined. In total, 45,674 prey individuals were identified belonging to 110 prey taxa, most of which were Malacostraca including their larvae and Copepoda (41,175 individuals identified to 71 taxa). Four different trophic groups were identified: herbivorous, pelagic, benthic (hyperbenthic) and piscivorous. Trophic diversity patterns of the fish species studied were also compared to the relative availability of macrobenthic and zooplanktonic taxa during the same period in the study area. The coexistence of many different, mostly benthic but also pelagic, fishes and their juveniles implies their high trophic flexibility, which is probably important for their survival in this particular habitat. Results of the present study provide basic knowledge on trophic diversity and interactions in the marine ecosystem and, therefore, some evidence as to the protection value of this particular habitat, which is essential for the implementation of a multispecies approach to decision-makers and managers of fisheries sources of the region.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{keklikoglou_simple_2018,

title = {'Simple' can be good, too: Testing three hard bottom sampling methods on macrobenthic and meiobenthic assemblages},

author = {K Keklikoglou and G Chatzigeorgiou and S Faulwetter and V Kalogeropoulou and W Plaiti and M Maidanou and C Dounas and N Lampadariou and C Arvanitidis},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85055515853&doi=10.1017%2fS0025315418000863&partnerID=40&md5=3cb71874d9e2fbcb00720d2b0f17d0a1},

doi = {10.1017/S0025315418000863},

issn = {00253154},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-01-01},

journal = {Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom},

abstract = {Subtidal hard bottoms are of particular scientific and economic value as they are highly productive systems. They are less well studied compared with soft bottoms, as they often require manual sample collection via scuba diving. Although a multitude of sampling devices is available for soft bottoms, only a few are suitable for hard substrates, and their performance is largely unstudied. In the present study, three hard bottom sampling methods were compared, regarding their sampling efficiency and the damage they may cause to macrobenthic and meiobenthic organisms. Two of the sampling methods examined are typically employed for the study of hard bottom substrates (manual collection, airlift device), while the third involves a newly constructed sampler (MANOSS - Manual Operated Suction Sampler). All three sampling methods were tested at 12 m depth on a hard bottom substrate with algal coverage dominated by Cystoseira spp. No overall significant differences were observed between the sampling efficiency and the damage caused by the three sampling methods regarding the macrofaunal assemblages, with the exception of the MANOSS method which collected more species than the manual method. In addition, significant differences were observed in the collecting performance for the meiobenthic assemblages, presenting significantly higher densities of meiofauna sampled by the MANOSS compared with the manual collection method, while the airlift device presented an intermediate efficiency. However, taking into account other factors such as cost, ease of use and the scope of each study, none of the methods clearly outperforms the others. Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2018.},

note = {Publisher: Cambridge University Press},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{maidanou_macrobenthic_2017,

title = {Macrobenthic assemblage structure associated with a Caulerpa prolifera meadow in the eastern Mediterranean Sea (Elounda Bay, Crete Island)},

author = {M Maidanou and P Koulouri and C Arvanitidis and D Koutsoubas and C Dounas},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85018339510&doi=10.1016%2fj.rsma.2017.04.004&partnerID=40&md5=5537690cc92ad9e5af4b198854bb8110},

doi = {10.1016/j.rsma.2017.04.004},

issn = {23524855},

year  = {2017},

date = {2017-01-01},

journal = {Regional Studies in Marine Science},

volume = {14},

pages = {1--14},

abstract = {The present study investigates the structure and intra-annual variation of the benthic macrofaunal community associated with a monospecific C. prolifera meadow in a shallow semi-enclosed coastal marine ecosystem of the eastern Mediterranean Sea (Elounda Bay, Crete Island). The samples were collected on five occasions (May, September and November 2006, February and April 2007) by using an epibenthic sledge (0.5 mm mesh size). The analysis of the macrofauna revealed 319 taxa with densities ranging from 71 to 410 individuals m−2. The most diversified animal groups were polychaetes, gastropods and amphipods. Crustaceans were by far the most abundant group with densities exceeding 50% of the total macrofauna during the study period. The dominant species were the amphipods Caprella acanthifera acanthifera, C. rapax and Microdeutopus stationis, the gastropod Pusillina lineolata, the tanaid Leptochelia sp. and the bivalve Abra alba. The results of the present study revealed a relatively high diversified and abundant benthic macrofauna, which is supported by the presence of the dense and continuous canopy of C. prolifera in this shallow wave-sheltered area characterized by high organic matter input. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.},

note = {Publisher: Elsevier B.V.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{koulouri_fish_2016,

title = {Fish and cephalopod assemblage structure of green alga Caulerpa prolifera (Chlorophyta) meadow in the eastern Mediterranean Sea (Elounda Bay, Crete Island)},

author = {P Koulouri and S Kalogirou and M Maidanou and D Koutsoubas and C Dounas},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84951094365&doi=10.1016%2fj.rsma.2015.12.002&partnerID=40&md5=327c2b4b5171a102b8d4cda066a5ad22},

doi = {10.1016/j.rsma.2015.12.002},

issn = {23524855},

year  = {2016},

date = {2016-01-01},

journal = {Regional Studies in Marine Science},

volume = {3},

pages = {33--41},

abstract = {The present study investigated for the first time in the eastern Mediterranean Sea species composition, density, wet biomass and body size of fish and cephalopod species associated with a Caulerpa prolifera meadow in a shallow semi-enclosed coastal marine ecosystem (Elounda Bay, Crete Island). Quantitative sampling with a local boat seine, revealed 34 fish species belonging to 22 families and three cephalopod taxa. The number and density of species peaked during the summer sampling period due to high numbers of juveniles, while the highest wet biomass was observed during the autumn sampling period. The fish species Boops boops, Spicara smaris, Mullus barbatus and the non-indigenous Siganus luridus were dominant, making up a high proportion of the total fish fauna of the studied area. The cephalopod Sepia officinalis was the most important species, in terms of wet biomass. The results of the study indicated that the semi-enclosed coastal marine ecosystem of Elounda Bay, characterized by a dense monospecific C. prolifera bed as well as specific abiotic and biotic features could be regarded as an important habitat for the development of fish and cephalopod species, thus contributing to the conservation and maintenance of marine biological resources of the area. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.},

note = {Publisher: Elsevier},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{chatzigeorgiou_macrobenthic_2011,

title = {Macrobenthic community changes due to dystrophic events and freshwater inflow: Changes in space and time in a Mediterranean lagoon (Gialova lagoon, SW Greece)},

author = {G Chatzigeorgiou and S Reizopoulou and M Maidanou and M Naletaki and E Orneraki and E Apostolaki and C Arvanitidis},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79960576402&doi=10.1016%2fj.ecss.2011.06.001&partnerID=40&md5=ddb48bc65096f3c8b2c5ea1b7e19081a},

doi = {10.1016/j.ecss.2011.06.001},

issn = {02727714},

year  = {2011},

date = {2011-01-01},

journal = {Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science},

volume = {94},

number = {1},

pages = {111--121},

abstract = {This paper considers the hypothesis that changes in community structure through the control of the larvae maintenance and of the biological traits of the species mostly contribute to the spatio-temporal community pattern. This is supported by the results of the study, the changes to the macrobenthic community pattern deriving from two sampling periods in Gialova lagoon (SW Greece), carried out on a seasonal basis for two yearly periods: 1994-95 and 1998-99. Cognetti's hypothesis that populations of the tolerant species occupying coastal marine habitats may belong to different species is another alternative hypothesis still to be tested. The importance of alternative management plans aiming at the amelioration of the hydrodynamic conditions of the lagoons and supported by continuous scientific monitoring is highlighted. Two canals bringing fresh water were opened at the beginning of the second sampling period, an intervention among others, suggested by the management plan proposed after the end of the first sampling period. The results show considerable variations in the values of the key environmental variables, for instance long periods with negative Redox potential values, decreased salinity and increased concentrations of the particulate organic matter and of the nutrients. The variables were correlated with the spatio-temporal community pattern, characterized during the second sampling period by: (i) greater dissimilarities among stations/seasons; (ii) disruption of the periodic trend observed on the seasonal scale; (iii) larger relative dissimilarities among the patterns stemming from the macrobenthos and the most abundant groups (polychaetes, molluscs, crustaceans); (iv) significant decrease in abundance or even the disappearance of several marine origin species, along with increased abundance in a few brackish-water species. All of the above changes in the community pattern are considered as early warning signals leading towards degradation, which has not yet been registered in the phylogenetic/taxonomic structure of the macrobenthic community. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{evagelopoulos_spatial_2008,

title = {Spatial and seasonal variability of the macrobenthic fauna in Mediterranean solar saltworks ecosystems},

author = {A Evagelopoulos and D Koutsoubas and A Basset and M Pinna and C Dimitriadis and F Sangiorgio and E Barbone and M Maidanou and P Koulouri and C Dounas},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-51649085059&doi=10.1002%2faqc.948&partnerID=40&md5=2d6b0577f768f6285a7baa5eb59d9b55},

doi = {10.1002/aqc.948},

issn = {10527613},

year  = {2008},

date = {2008-01-01},

journal = {Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems},

volume = {18},

number = {SUPPL. 1},

pages = {S118--S134},

abstract = {1. Solar saltworks are man-made systems for the production of salt and are characterized by high habitat heterogeneity owing to the existence of a strong salinity/confinement gradient. Although solar saltworks are considered to be artificial systems, they are also coastal aquatic ecosystems sharing common characteristics with natural transitional waters ecosystems, which are of special interest to the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). 2. Spatial and seasonal distribution of macrobenthic invertebrates in relation to the abiotic environment of two Mediterranean solar saltworks ecosystems were assessed in this study. The spatial distribution investigated in this study ranged from the regional scale (Kalloni Saltworks, NE Aegean and Margherita di Savoia Saltworks, S. Adriatic) down to a local scale of 100s of metres in each ecosystem. 3. The macrobenthic community was variable at most spatial and seasonal scales examined in this study: spatial variability at the regional level was greater than seasonal variability within ecosystems and spatial variability among the salinity/confinement gradient levels was greater than within-level variability. 4. The abiotic environment, in both its spatial and seasonal aspects, was found to be crucial in determining the macrobenthic community structure. Biotic factors such as the life cycle of key species, the inter-specific competition as well as dispersion/colonization/extinction processes were also found to play an important role in structuring the macrobenthic fauna both in space and time. 5. A strong similarity of the macroinvertebrate faunal composition and community structure of the lower salinity ponds of solar saltworks with that of natural transitional waters ecosystems was observed. Therefore, solar saltworks ecosystems can be considered as important sites of study for the purposes of the Water Framework Directive. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{karakassis_interaction_1997,

title = {Interaction of Aquaculture and the Marine Environment. Methodology and preliminary results},

author = {Ioannis Karakassis and E Tsapakis and E Xatziyanni and M Maidanou and K -N Papadopoulou and P Pita and C Smith},

year  = {1997},

date = {1997-01-01},

journal = {Fisheries News},

volume = {192},

pages = {40--45},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{tsapakis_effects_1997,

title = {Effects of aquaculture in three coastal areas},

author = {E Tsapakis and Ioannis Karakassis and E Xatziyanni and M Maidanou},

year  = {1997},

date = {1997-01-01},

journal = {Fisheries News},

volume = {199},

pages = {90--95},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{karakassis_aquaculture_1996,

title = {Aquaculture & Environment: a research project of the 2nd Operational Program of Greece, General Secretariat of Research & Technology},

author = {Ioannis Karakassis and C Smith and K -N Papadopoulou and E Tsapakis and E Xatziyanni and M Maidanou and A Frentzos and P White and S Kourakis and S Katranidis},

year  = {1996},

date = {1996-01-01},

journal = {Fisheries News},

volume = {178},

pages = {36--41},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}