2024 |
Skaraki, Katerina; Pavloudi, Christina; Dailianis, Thanos; Lagnel, Jacques; Pantazidou, Adriani; Magoulas, Antonios; Kotoulas, Georgios Microbial diversity in four Mediterranean irciniid sponges Journal Article Biodiversity Data Journal, 12 , pp. e114809, 2024, ISSN: 1314-2828, 1314-2836. @article{skaraki_microbial_2024, title = {Microbial diversity in four Mediterranean irciniid sponges}, author = {Katerina Skaraki and Christina Pavloudi and Thanos Dailianis and Jacques Lagnel and Adriani Pantazidou and Antonios Magoulas and Georgios Kotoulas}, url = {https://imbbc.hcmr.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2024-Skaraki-BioDDJ-6.pdf https://bdj.pensoft.net/article/114809/}, doi = {10.3897/BDJ.12.e114809}, issn = {1314-2828, 1314-2836}, year = {2024}, date = {2024-02-01}, urldate = {2024-02-05}, journal = {Biodiversity Data Journal}, volume = {12}, pages = {e114809}, abstract = {This paper describes a dataset of microbial communities from four different sponge species: Ircinia oros (Schmidt, 1864), Ircinia variabilis (Schmidt, 1862), Sarcotragus spinosulus Schmidt, 1862 and Sarcotragus fasciculatus (Pallas, 1766). The examined sponges all belong to Demospongiae (Class); Keratosa (Subclass); Dictyoceratida (Order); Irciniidae (Family). Samples were collected by scuba diving at depths between 6-14 m from two sampling sites of rocky formations at the northern coast of Crete (Cretan Sea, eastern Mediterranean) and were subjected to metabarcoding for the V5-V6 region of the 16S rRNA gene.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } This paper describes a dataset of microbial communities from four different sponge species: Ircinia oros (Schmidt, 1864), Ircinia variabilis (Schmidt, 1862), Sarcotragus spinosulus Schmidt, 1862 and Sarcotragus fasciculatus (Pallas, 1766). The examined sponges all belong to Demospongiae (Class); Keratosa (Subclass); Dictyoceratida (Order); Irciniidae (Family). Samples were collected by scuba diving at depths between 6-14 m from two sampling sites of rocky formations at the northern coast of Crete (Cretan Sea, eastern Mediterranean) and were subjected to metabarcoding for the V5-V6 region of the 16S rRNA gene. |
2023 |
Varamogianni-Mamatsi, Despoina; Nunes, Maria João; Marques, Vanda; Anastasiou, Thekla I; Kagiampaki, Eirini; Vernadou, Emmanouela; Dailianis, Thanos; Kalogerakis, Nicolas; Branco, Luís C; Rodrigues, Cecília M P; Sobral, Rita G; Gaudêncio, Susana P; Mandalakis, Manolis Marine Drugs, 21 (12), pp. 612, 2023, ISSN: 1660-3397. @article{varamogianni-mamatsi_comparative_2023, title = {Comparative Chemical Profiling and Antimicrobial/Anticancer Evaluation of Extracts from Farmed versus Wild Agelas oroides and Sarcotragus foetidus Sponges}, author = {Despoina Varamogianni-Mamatsi and Maria João Nunes 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 Susana P Gaudêncio and Manolis Mandalakis}, url = {https://imbbc.hcmr.gr/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2023-Varamogianni-Mamatsi-marinedrugs-62.pdf https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/21/12/612}, doi = {10.3390/md21120612}, issn = {1660-3397}, year = {2023}, date = {2023-12-04}, urldate = {2023-12-05}, journal = {Marine Drugs}, volume = {21}, number = {12}, pages = {612}, abstract = {Marine sponges are highly efficient in removing organic pollutants and their cultivation, adjacent to fish farms, is increasingly considered as a strategy for improving seawater quality. Moreover, these invertebrates produce a plethora of bioactive metabolites, which could translate into an extra profit for the aquaculture sector. Here, we investigated the chemical profile and bioactivity of two Mediterranean species (i.e., Agelas oroides and Sarcotragus foetidus) and we assessed whether cultivated sponges differed substantially from their wild counterparts. Metabolomic analysis of crude sponge extracts revealed species-specific chemical patterns, with A. oroides and S. foetidus dominated by alkaloids and lipids, respectively. More importantly, farmed and wild explants of each species demonstrated similar chemical fingerprints, with the majority of the metabolites showing modest differences on a sponge mass-normalized basis. Furthermore, farmed sponge extracts presented similar or slightly lower antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, compared to the extracts resulting from wild sponges. Anticancer assays against human colorectal carcinoma cells (HCT-116) revealed marginally active extracts from both wild and farmed S. foetidus populations. Our study highlights that, besides mitigating organic pollution in fish aquaculture, sponge farming can serve as a valuable resource of biomolecules, with promising potential in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Marine sponges are highly efficient in removing organic pollutants and their cultivation, adjacent to fish farms, is increasingly considered as a strategy for improving seawater quality. Moreover, these invertebrates produce a plethora of bioactive metabolites, which could translate into an extra profit for the aquaculture sector. Here, we investigated the chemical profile and bioactivity of two Mediterranean species (i.e., Agelas oroides and Sarcotragus foetidus) and we assessed whether cultivated sponges differed substantially from their wild counterparts. Metabolomic analysis of crude sponge extracts revealed species-specific chemical patterns, with A. oroides and S. foetidus dominated by alkaloids and lipids, respectively. More importantly, farmed and wild explants of each species demonstrated similar chemical fingerprints, with the majority of the metabolites showing modest differences on a sponge mass-normalized basis. Furthermore, farmed sponge extracts presented similar or slightly lower antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, compared to the extracts resulting from wild sponges. Anticancer assays against human colorectal carcinoma cells (HCT-116) revealed marginally active extracts from both wild and farmed S. foetidus populations. Our study highlights that, besides mitigating organic pollution in fish aquaculture, sponge farming can serve as a valuable resource of biomolecules, with promising potential in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. |
Varamogianni-Mamatsi, Despoina; Anastasiou, Thekla I; Vernadou, Emmanouela; Kouvarakis, Nikos; Kagiampaki, Eirini; Kalogerakis, Nicolas; Dailianis, Thanos; Mandalakis, Manolis Uptake of aquaculture-related dissolved organic pollutants by marine sponges: Kinetics and mechanistic insights from a laboratory study Journal Article Science of The Total Environment, 899 , pp. 165601, 2023, ISSN: 00489697. @article{varamogianni-mamatsi_uptake_2023, title = {Uptake of aquaculture-related dissolved organic pollutants by marine sponges: Kinetics and mechanistic insights from a laboratory study}, author = {Despoina Varamogianni-Mamatsi and Thekla I Anastasiou and Emmanouela Vernadou and Nikos Kouvarakis and Eirini Kagiampaki and Nicolas Kalogerakis and Thanos Dailianis and Manolis Mandalakis}, url = {https://imbbc.hcmr.gr/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-Varamogianni-Mamatsi-STEnv-40-preprint.pdf https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0048969723042249}, doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165601}, issn = {00489697}, year = {2023}, date = {2023-08-01}, urldate = {2023-08-14}, journal = {Science of The Total Environment}, volume = {899}, pages = {165601}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } |
Savin, Andrei; Sini, Maria; Xynogala, Ioanna; Lioupa, Vasiliki; Vougioukalou, Konstantina; Stamatis, Konstantinos; Noè, Simona; Ragkousis, Michail; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Dailianis, Thanos; Katsanevakis, Stelios Assessment of macroalgal communities on shallow rocky reefs in the Aegean Sea indicates an impoverished ecological status Journal Article Mediterranean Marine Science, 24 (2), pp. 241–258, 2023, ISSN: 1791-6763. @article{savin_assessment_2023, title = {Assessment of macroalgal communities on shallow rocky reefs in the Aegean Sea indicates an impoverished ecological status}, author = {Andrei Savin and Maria Sini and Ioanna Xynogala and Vasiliki Lioupa and Konstantina Vougioukalou and Konstantinos Stamatis and Simona Noè and Michail Ragkousis and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Thanos Dailianis and Stelios Katsanevakis}, url = {https://imbbc.hcmr.gr/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-Savin-MMS-30.pdf https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/hcmr-med-mar-sc/article/view/31034}, doi = {10.12681/mms.31034}, issn = {1791-6763}, year = {2023}, date = {2023-06-12}, urldate = {2023-06-14}, journal = {Mediterranean Marine Science}, volume = {24}, number = {2}, pages = {241--258}, abstract = {Mediterranean rocky reefs are undergoing regime shifts, from a structurally complex and diverse state dominated by canopy- forming macroalgae to a degraded one characterised by low-lying turf or encrusting macroalgal species, due to increased anthropogenic pressure and climate change. Using data gathered from 89 sites across the entire Aegean Sea, this study aims to provide the most comprehensive health status assessment of shallow rocky reefs in the area, based on macroalgal community structure. Overall, 2520 benthic images were collected through photoquadrat sampling at 0, 5 and, 15 m depth. Five macroalgal and seven invertebrate morphofunctional groups, along with four substrate categories, were considered for community structure description. Health status was assessed using the reef-EBQI and EEI-c indices. Results indicate turf as the most widespread macroalgal group (36.8% average area cover), followed by encrusting calcareous (16.6%), shrubby (12.7%), articulated calcareous (8.9%), and canopy-forming algae (3.7%). Bare rock also occupied a substantial surface area (9.0%) with highest cover (13.8%) at 5 m. The area cover of canopy-forming algae was particularly low, ranging from 10% at 0 m to 0.1% at 15 m depth, on average. All depths pooled, according to the reef-EBQI index, the ecological status of the Aegean Sea was estimated to be ‘Bad’, mainly due to the bad ecological status of the 5 and 15 m stations. At 0 m depth, the status of the Aegean Sea was ranked ‘Moderate’ according to the reef-EBQI index and ‘Good’ according to the EEI-c index. The results underline the importance of considering a wide depth range when assessing the health status of rocky reef communities.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Mediterranean rocky reefs are undergoing regime shifts, from a structurally complex and diverse state dominated by canopy- forming macroalgae to a degraded one characterised by low-lying turf or encrusting macroalgal species, due to increased anthropogenic pressure and climate change. Using data gathered from 89 sites across the entire Aegean Sea, this study aims to provide the most comprehensive health status assessment of shallow rocky reefs in the area, based on macroalgal community structure. Overall, 2520 benthic images were collected through photoquadrat sampling at 0, 5 and, 15 m depth. Five macroalgal and seven invertebrate morphofunctional groups, along with four substrate categories, were considered for community structure description. Health status was assessed using the reef-EBQI and EEI-c indices. Results indicate turf as the most widespread macroalgal group (36.8% average area cover), followed by encrusting calcareous (16.6%), shrubby (12.7%), articulated calcareous (8.9%), and canopy-forming algae (3.7%). Bare rock also occupied a substantial surface area (9.0%) with highest cover (13.8%) at 5 m. The area cover of canopy-forming algae was particularly low, ranging from 10% at 0 m to 0.1% at 15 m depth, on average. All depths pooled, according to the reef-EBQI index, the ecological status of the Aegean Sea was estimated to be ‘Bad’, mainly due to the bad ecological status of the 5 and 15 m stations. At 0 m depth, the status of the Aegean Sea was ranked ‘Moderate’ according to the reef-EBQI index and ‘Good’ according to the EEI-c index. The results underline the importance of considering a wide depth range when assessing the health status of rocky reef communities. |
2022 |
Mancinelli, Giorgio; Dailianis, Thanos; Dounas, Costas; Kasapidis, Panagiotis; Koulouri, Panayota; Skouradakis, Grigorios; Bardelli, Roberta; Muri, Cristina Di; Guerra, Maria Teresa; Vizzini, Salvatrice Sustainability, 14 (22), pp. 15202, 2022, ISSN: 2071-1050. @article{mancinelli_isotopic_2022, title = {Isotopic Niche and Trophic Position of the Invasive Portunid Portunus segnis Forskål, (1775) in Elounda Bay (Crete Island, Eastern Mediterranean)}, author = {Giorgio Mancinelli and Thanos Dailianis and Costas Dounas and Panagiotis Kasapidis and Panayota Koulouri and Grigorios Skouradakis and Roberta Bardelli and Cristina Di Muri and Maria Teresa Guerra and Salvatrice Vizzini}, url = {https://imbbc.hcmr.gr/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-Mancinelli-Sustain-77.pdf https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/22/15202}, doi = {10.3390/su142215202}, issn = {2071-1050}, year = {2022}, date = {2022-11-21}, urldate = {2022-11-21}, journal = {Sustainability}, volume = {14}, number = {22}, pages = {15202}, abstract = {There is a growing recognition that an advanced understanding of the trophic characteristics of an invasive consumer can provide important information on its ecological impact. In recent years, the blue swimming crab Portunus segnis, one of the earliest Lessepsian invaders, has considerably expanded its distribution range in the Mediterranean Sea, yet, its trophic habits in invaded areas remain scarcely investigated. In this study, we used carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes analysis (SIA) to determine the trophic position and isotopic niche of the crab compared with other representatives of the flora and fauna occurring in Elounda Bay (Crete). P. segnis showed a trophic position of 3.9, higher than the values determined by SIA or conventional gut content analysis in other areas of the Mediterranean Sea or in the native range. Crab specimens showed a high inter-individual variability in both δ13C and δ15N values; further analysis indicated negligible differences in the isotopic niche of adult males and females. Conversely, δ15N values were significantly related to the size of the specimens, ultimately suggesting an ontogenetic dietary shift. This study represents the first attempt to characterize the trophic habits of the blue swimming crab in the context of an invaded food web and may contribute to the implementation of long-term management strategies of control and mitigation of its ecological impact.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } There is a growing recognition that an advanced understanding of the trophic characteristics of an invasive consumer can provide important information on its ecological impact. In recent years, the blue swimming crab Portunus segnis, one of the earliest Lessepsian invaders, has considerably expanded its distribution range in the Mediterranean Sea, yet, its trophic habits in invaded areas remain scarcely investigated. In this study, we used carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes analysis (SIA) to determine the trophic position and isotopic niche of the crab compared with other representatives of the flora and fauna occurring in Elounda Bay (Crete). P. segnis showed a trophic position of 3.9, higher than the values determined by SIA or conventional gut content analysis in other areas of the Mediterranean Sea or in the native range. Crab specimens showed a high inter-individual variability in both δ13C and δ15N values; further analysis indicated negligible differences in the isotopic niche of adult males and females. Conversely, δ15N values were significantly related to the size of the specimens, ultimately suggesting an ontogenetic dietary shift. This study represents the first attempt to characterize the trophic habits of the blue swimming crab in the context of an invaded food web and may contribute to the implementation of long-term management strategies of control and mitigation of its ecological impact. |
Magneville, Camille; Bricquir, Marie‐Lou Leréec Le; Dailianis, Thanos; Skouradakis, Grigorios; Claverie, Thomas; Villéger, Sébastien Long‐duration remote underwater videos reveal that grazing by fishes is highly variable through time and dominated by non‐indigenous species Journal Article Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, pp. rse2.311, 2022, ISSN: 2056-3485, 2056-3485. @article{magneville_longduration_2022, title = {Long‐duration remote underwater videos reveal that grazing by fishes is highly variable through time and dominated by non‐indigenous species}, author = {Camille Magneville and Marie‐Lou Leréec Le Bricquir and Thanos Dailianis and Grigorios Skouradakis and Thomas Claverie and Sébastien Villéger}, editor = {Kylie Scales and Jacquomo Monk}, url = {https://imbbc.hcmr.gr/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-Magneville-Remote-Sens-Ecol-Conserv-73.pdf https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rse2.311}, doi = {10.1002/rse2.311}, issn = {2056-3485, 2056-3485}, year = {2022}, date = {2022-11-04}, urldate = {2022-11-04}, journal = {Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation}, pages = {rse2.311}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } |
Rallis, Ioannis; Chatzigeorgiou, Giorgos; Florido, Marta; Sedano, Francisco; Procopiou, Avgi; Chertz-Bynichaki, Melina; Vernadou, Emmanouela; Plaiti, Wanda; Koulouri, Panayota; Dounas, Costas; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Dailianis, Thanos Early Succession Patterns of Benthic Assemblages on Artificial Reefs in the Oligotrophic Eastern Mediterranean Basin Journal Article Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 10 (5), pp. 620, 2022, ISSN: 2077-1312. @article{rallis_early_2022, title = {Early Succession Patterns of Benthic Assemblages on Artificial Reefs in the Oligotrophic Eastern Mediterranean Basin}, author = {Ioannis Rallis and Giorgos Chatzigeorgiou and Marta Florido and Francisco Sedano and Avgi Procopiou and Melina Chertz-Bynichaki and Emmanouela Vernadou and Wanda Plaiti and Panayota Koulouri and Costas Dounas and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Thanos Dailianis}, url = {https://imbbc.hcmr.gr/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-Rallis-jmse-35.pdf https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/5/620}, doi = {10.3390/jmse10050620}, issn = {2077-1312}, year = {2022}, date = {2022-05-01}, urldate = {2022-05-09}, journal = {Journal of Marine Science and Engineering}, volume = {10}, number = {5}, pages = {620}, abstract = {The colonization of artificial structures by benthic organisms in the marine realm is known to be affected by the general trophic patterns of the biogeographical zone and the prevailing environmental traits at the local scale. The present work aims to present quantitative data on the early settlement progress of macrofaunal benthic assemblages developing on artificial reefs (ARs) deployed at the Underwater Biotechnological Park of Crete (UBPC) in the oligotrophic Eastern Mediterranean. Visual census and subsequent image analysis combined with scraped quadrats were used to describe the establishment of the communities and their development over three consecutive campaigns, spanning 5 years post-deployment. Macroalgae consistently dominated in terms of coverage, while sessile invertebrates displayed different patterns over the years. Polychaeta and Bryozoa were gradually replaced by Cnidaria, while Porifera and Mollusca displayed an increasing trend over the years. Motile benthos was mainly represented by Mollusca, while the abundance of Polychaeta increased in contrast to that of Crustacea. For both sessile and motile assemblages, significant differences were observed among the years. The results of this study indicate that ecological succession is still ongoing, and further improvement in the monitoring methodology can assist towards a more accurate assessment of the community composition in complex AR structures.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The colonization of artificial structures by benthic organisms in the marine realm is known to be affected by the general trophic patterns of the biogeographical zone and the prevailing environmental traits at the local scale. The present work aims to present quantitative data on the early settlement progress of macrofaunal benthic assemblages developing on artificial reefs (ARs) deployed at the Underwater Biotechnological Park of Crete (UBPC) in the oligotrophic Eastern Mediterranean. Visual census and subsequent image analysis combined with scraped quadrats were used to describe the establishment of the communities and their development over three consecutive campaigns, spanning 5 years post-deployment. Macroalgae consistently dominated in terms of coverage, while sessile invertebrates displayed different patterns over the years. Polychaeta and Bryozoa were gradually replaced by Cnidaria, while Porifera and Mollusca displayed an increasing trend over the years. Motile benthos was mainly represented by Mollusca, while the abundance of Polychaeta increased in contrast to that of Crustacea. For both sessile and motile assemblages, significant differences were observed among the years. The results of this study indicate that ecological succession is still ongoing, and further improvement in the monitoring methodology can assist towards a more accurate assessment of the community composition in complex AR structures. |
Digenis, Markos; Arvanitidis, Christos; Dailianis, Thanos; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis Comparative Study of Marine Cave Communities in a Protected Area of the South-Eastern Aegean Sea, Greece Journal Article Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 10 (5), pp. 660, 2022, ISSN: 2077-1312. @article{digenis_comparative_2022, title = {Comparative Study of Marine Cave Communities in a Protected Area of the South-Eastern Aegean Sea, Greece}, author = {Markos Digenis and Christos Arvanitidis and Thanos Dailianis and Vasilis Gerovasileiou}, url = {https://imbbc.hcmr.gr/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2022-Digenis-jmse-40.pdf https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/5/660}, doi = {10.3390/jmse10050660}, issn = {2077-1312}, year = {2022}, date = {2022-05-01}, urldate = {2022-07-29}, journal = {Journal of Marine Science and Engineering}, volume = {10}, number = {5}, pages = {660}, abstract = {Although more than 600 marine caves have been recorded so far along the Greek coasts of the Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean), only a few have been systematically studied for their biodiversity. In this study, the benthic communities of six marine caves within a Protected Area of South-Eastern Aegean were studied for the first time, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The association of different geomorphological and topographical factors of the caves with the benthic community structure was investigated. A total of 120 photographic quadrats covering the entrance and semi-dark cave zones were analysed, with regard to coverage and taxon abundance, while motile taxa were qualitatively recorded by visual census. The ecological quality status of the caves was also assessed under an ecosystem-based approach. In total, 81 sessile and 45 motile taxa were recorded, including 12 protected and 10 non-indigenous species. Multivariate community analysis demonstrated that the geomorphological and topographical variables of the caves are significantly associated with the observed biotic patterns. The ecological quality of the caves was assessed as poor or moderate according to the CavEBQI index, highlighting the necessity for systematic monitoring. This study paves the way for similar studies in marine cave habitats aiming at the development of management and conservation actions.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Although more than 600 marine caves have been recorded so far along the Greek coasts of the Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean), only a few have been systematically studied for their biodiversity. In this study, the benthic communities of six marine caves within a Protected Area of South-Eastern Aegean were studied for the first time, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The association of different geomorphological and topographical factors of the caves with the benthic community structure was investigated. A total of 120 photographic quadrats covering the entrance and semi-dark cave zones were analysed, with regard to coverage and taxon abundance, while motile taxa were qualitatively recorded by visual census. The ecological quality status of the caves was also assessed under an ecosystem-based approach. In total, 81 sessile and 45 motile taxa were recorded, including 12 protected and 10 non-indigenous species. Multivariate community analysis demonstrated that the geomorphological and topographical variables of the caves are significantly associated with the observed biotic patterns. The ecological quality of the caves was assessed as poor or moderate according to the CavEBQI index, highlighting the necessity for systematic monitoring. This study paves the way for similar studies in marine cave habitats aiming at the development of management and conservation actions. |
Bolgan, Marta; Iorio, Lucia Di; Dailianis, Thanos; Catalan, Ignacio A; Lejeune, Pierre; Picciulin, Marta; Parmentier, Eric Fish acoustic community structure in Neptune seagrass meadows across the Mediterranean basin Journal Article Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 32 (2), pp. 329–347, 2022, ISSN: 1052-7613, 1099-0755. @article{bolgan_fish_2022, title = {Fish acoustic community structure in Neptune seagrass meadows across the Mediterranean basin}, author = {Marta Bolgan and Lucia Di Iorio and Thanos Dailianis and Ignacio A Catalan and Pierre Lejeune and Marta Picciulin and Eric Parmentier}, url = {https://imbbc.hcmr.gr/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2022-Bolgan-AqCon-15-pre-print.pdf https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aqc.3764}, doi = {10.1002/aqc.3764}, issn = {1052-7613, 1099-0755}, year = {2022}, date = {2022-02-01}, urldate = {2022-03-11}, journal = {Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems}, volume = {32}, number = {2}, pages = {329--347}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } |
Varamogianni-Mamatsi, Despoina; Anastasiou, Thekla I; Vernadou, Emmanouela; Papandroulakis, Nikos; Kalogerakis, Nicolas; Dailianis, Thanos; Mandalakis, Manolis A Multi-Species Investigation of Sponges’ Filtering Activity towards Marine Microalgae Journal Article Marine Drugs, 20 (1), pp. 24, 2022, ISSN: 1660-3397. @article{varamogianni-mamatsi_multi-species_2022, title = {A Multi-Species Investigation of Sponges’ Filtering Activity towards Marine Microalgae}, author = {Despoina Varamogianni-Mamatsi and Thekla I Anastasiou and Emmanouela Vernadou and Nikos Papandroulakis and Nicolas Kalogerakis and Thanos Dailianis and Manolis Mandalakis}, url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/20/1/24}, doi = {10.3390/md20010024}, issn = {1660-3397}, year = {2022}, date = {2022-01-01}, urldate = {2022-02-28}, journal = {Marine Drugs}, volume = {20}, number = {1}, pages = {24}, abstract = {Chronic discharge of surplus organic matter is a typical side effect of fish aquaculture, occasionally leading to coastal eutrophication and excessive phytoplankton growth. Owing to their innate filter-feeding capacity, marine sponges could mitigate environmental impact under integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) scenarios. Herein, we investigated the clearance capacity of four ubiquitous Mediterranean sponges (Agelas oroides, Axinella cannabina, Chondrosia reniformis and Sarcotragus foetidus) against three microalgal substrates with different size/motility characteristics: the nanophytoplankton Nannochloropsis sp. (textasciitilde3.2 μm, nonmotile) and Isochrysis sp. (textasciitilde3.8 μm, motile), as well as the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum (textasciitilde21.7 μm, nonmotile). In vitro cleaning experiments were conducted using sponge explants in 1 L of natural seawater and applying different microalgal cell concentrations under light/dark conditions. The investigated sponges exhibited a wide range of retention efficiencies for the different phytoplankton cells, with the lowest average values found for A. cannabina (37%) and the highest for A. oroides (70%). The latter could filter up to 14.1 mL seawater per hour and gram of sponge wet weight, by retaining 100% of Isochrysis at a density of 105 cells mL−1, under darkness. Our results highlight differences in filtering capacity among sponge species and preferences for microalgal substrates with distinct size and motility traits.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Chronic discharge of surplus organic matter is a typical side effect of fish aquaculture, occasionally leading to coastal eutrophication and excessive phytoplankton growth. Owing to their innate filter-feeding capacity, marine sponges could mitigate environmental impact under integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) scenarios. Herein, we investigated the clearance capacity of four ubiquitous Mediterranean sponges (Agelas oroides, Axinella cannabina, Chondrosia reniformis and Sarcotragus foetidus) against three microalgal substrates with different size/motility characteristics: the nanophytoplankton Nannochloropsis sp. (textasciitilde3.2 μm, nonmotile) and Isochrysis sp. (textasciitilde3.8 μm, motile), as well as the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum (textasciitilde21.7 μm, nonmotile). In vitro cleaning experiments were conducted using sponge explants in 1 L of natural seawater and applying different microalgal cell concentrations under light/dark conditions. The investigated sponges exhibited a wide range of retention efficiencies for the different phytoplankton cells, with the lowest average values found for A. cannabina (37%) and the highest for A. oroides (70%). The latter could filter up to 14.1 mL seawater per hour and gram of sponge wet weight, by retaining 100% of Isochrysis at a density of 105 cells mL−1, under darkness. Our results highlight differences in filtering capacity among sponge species and preferences for microalgal substrates with distinct size and motility traits. |
Escalas, Arthur; Auguet, Jean-Christophe; Avouac, Amandine; Belmaker, Jonathan; Dailianis, Thanos; Kiflawi, Moshe; Pickholtz, Renanel; Skouradakis, Grigorios; Villéger, Sébastien Shift and homogenization of gut microbiome during invasion in marine fishes Journal Article Animal Microbiome, 4 (1), pp. 37, 2022, ISSN: 2524-4671. @article{escalas_shift_2022, title = {Shift and homogenization of gut microbiome during invasion in marine fishes}, author = {Arthur Escalas and Jean-Christophe Auguet and Amandine Avouac and Jonathan Belmaker and Thanos Dailianis and Moshe Kiflawi and Renanel Pickholtz and Grigorios Skouradakis and Sébastien Villéger}, url = {https://imbbc.hcmr.gr/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2022-Escalas-AniMicro-48.pdf https://animalmicrobiome.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42523-022-00181-0}, doi = {10.1186/s42523-022-00181-0}, issn = {2524-4671}, year = {2022}, date = {2022-01-01}, urldate = {2022-07-29}, journal = {Animal Microbiome}, volume = {4}, number = {1}, pages = {37}, abstract = {Abstract Biological invasion is one of the main components of global changes in aquatic ecosystems. Unraveling how establishment in novel environments affects key biological features of animals is a key step towards understanding invasion. Gut microbiome of herbivorous animals is important for host health but has been scarcely assessed in invasive species. Here, we characterized the gut microbiome of two invasive marine herbivorous fishes ( Siganus rivulatus and Siganus luridus ) in their native (Red Sea) and invaded (Mediterranean Sea) ranges. The taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of the microbiome increased as the fishes move away from the native range and its structure became increasingly different from the native microbiome. These shifts resulted in homogenization of the microbiome in the invaded range, within and between the two species. The shift in microbial diversity was associated with changes in its functions related with the metabolism of short-chain fatty acids. Altogether, our results suggest that the environmental conditions encountered by Siganidae during their expansion in Mediterranean ecosystems strongly modifies the composition of their gut microbiome along with its putative functions. Further studies should pursue to identify the precise determinants of these modifications (e.g. changes in host diet or behavior, genetic differentiation) and whether they participate in the ecological success of these species.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Abstract Biological invasion is one of the main components of global changes in aquatic ecosystems. Unraveling how establishment in novel environments affects key biological features of animals is a key step towards understanding invasion. Gut microbiome of herbivorous animals is important for host health but has been scarcely assessed in invasive species. Here, we characterized the gut microbiome of two invasive marine herbivorous fishes ( Siganus rivulatus and Siganus luridus ) in their native (Red Sea) and invaded (Mediterranean Sea) ranges. The taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of the microbiome increased as the fishes move away from the native range and its structure became increasingly different from the native microbiome. These shifts resulted in homogenization of the microbiome in the invaded range, within and between the two species. The shift in microbial diversity was associated with changes in its functions related with the metabolism of short-chain fatty acids. Altogether, our results suggest that the environmental conditions encountered by Siganidae during their expansion in Mediterranean ecosystems strongly modifies the composition of their gut microbiome along with its putative functions. Further studies should pursue to identify the precise determinants of these modifications (e.g. changes in host diet or behavior, genetic differentiation) and whether they participate in the ecological success of these species. |
2021 |
Fraschetti, Simonetta; McOwen, Chris; Papa, Loredana; Papadopoulou, Nadia; Bilan, Meri; Boström, Christoffer; Capdevila, Pol; Carreiro-Silva, Marina; Carugati, Laura; Cebrian, Emma; Coll, Marta; Dailianis, Thanos; Danovaro, Roberto; Leo, Francesco De; Fiorentino, Dario; Gagnon, Karine; Gambi, Cristina; Garrabou, Joaquim; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Hereu, Bernat; Kipson, Silvija; Kotta, Jonne; Ledoux, Jean-Baptiste; Linares, Cristina; Martin, Juliette; Medrano, Alba; Montero-Serra, I; Morato, Telmo; Pusceddu, Antonio; Sevastou, Katerina; Smith, Christopher J; Verdura, Jana; Guarnieri, Giuseppe Where Is More Important Than How in Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Restoration Journal Article Frontiers in Marine Science, 8 , pp. 626843, 2021, ISSN: 2296-7745. @article{fraschetti_where_2021, title = {Where Is More Important Than How in Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Restoration}, author = {Simonetta Fraschetti and Chris McOwen and Loredana Papa and Nadia Papadopoulou and Meri Bilan and Christoffer Boström and Pol Capdevila and Marina Carreiro-Silva and Laura Carugati and Emma Cebrian and Marta Coll and Thanos Dailianis and Roberto Danovaro and Francesco De Leo and Dario Fiorentino and Karine Gagnon and Cristina Gambi and Joaquim Garrabou and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Bernat Hereu and Silvija Kipson and Jonne Kotta and Jean-Baptiste Ledoux and Cristina Linares and Juliette Martin and Alba Medrano and I Montero-Serra and Telmo Morato and Antonio Pusceddu and Katerina Sevastou and Christopher J Smith and Jana Verdura and Giuseppe Guarnieri}, url = {https://imbbc.hcmr.gr/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-Fraschetti-fmars-75.pdf https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.626843/full}, doi = {10.3389/fmars.2021.626843}, issn = {2296-7745}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-10-01}, urldate = {2021-12-01}, journal = {Frontiers in Marine Science}, volume = {8}, pages = {626843}, abstract = {Restoration is considered an effective strategy to accelerate the recovery of biological communities at local scale. However, the effects of restoration actions in the marine ecosystems are still unpredictable. We performed a global analysis of published literature to identify the factors increasing the probability of restoration success in coastal and marine systems. Our results confirm that the majority of active restoration initiatives are still concentrated in the northern hemisphere and that most of information gathered from restoration efforts derives from a relatively small subset of species. The analysis also indicates that many studies are still experimental in nature, covering small spatial and temporal scales. Despite the limits of assessing restoration effectiveness in absence of a standardized definition of success, the context (degree of human impact, ecosystem type, habitat) of where the restoration activity is undertaken is of greater relevance to a successful outcome than how (method) the restoration is carried out. Contrary to expectations, we found that restoration is not necessarily more successful closer to protected areas (PA) and in areas of moderate human impact. This result can be motivated by the limits in assessing the success of interventions and by the tendency of selecting areas in more obvious need of restoration, where the potential of actively restoring a degraded site is more evident. Restoration sites prioritization considering human uses and conservation status present in the region is of vital importance to obtain the intended outcomes and galvanize further actions.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Restoration is considered an effective strategy to accelerate the recovery of biological communities at local scale. However, the effects of restoration actions in the marine ecosystems are still unpredictable. We performed a global analysis of published literature to identify the factors increasing the probability of restoration success in coastal and marine systems. Our results confirm that the majority of active restoration initiatives are still concentrated in the northern hemisphere and that most of information gathered from restoration efforts derives from a relatively small subset of species. The analysis also indicates that many studies are still experimental in nature, covering small spatial and temporal scales. Despite the limits of assessing restoration effectiveness in absence of a standardized definition of success, the context (degree of human impact, ecosystem type, habitat) of where the restoration activity is undertaken is of greater relevance to a successful outcome than how (method) the restoration is carried out. Contrary to expectations, we found that restoration is not necessarily more successful closer to protected areas (PA) and in areas of moderate human impact. This result can be motivated by the limits in assessing the success of interventions and by the tendency of selecting areas in more obvious need of restoration, where the potential of actively restoring a degraded site is more evident. Restoration sites prioritization considering human uses and conservation status present in the region is of vital importance to obtain the intended outcomes and galvanize further actions. |
Rotter, Ana; Barbier, Michéle; Bertoni, Francesco; Bones, Atle M; Cancela, Leonor M; Carlsson, Jens; Carvalho, Maria F; Cegłowska, Marta; Chirivella-Martorell, Jerónimo; Dalay, Meltem Conk; Cueto, Mercedes; Dailianis, Thanos; Deniz, Irem; Díaz-Marrero, Ana R; Drakulovic, Dragana; Dubnika, Arita; Edwards, Christine; Einarsson, Hjörleifur; Erdoǧan, Ayşegül; Eroldoǧan, Orhan Tufan; Ezra, David; Fazi, Stefano; FitzGerald, Richard J; Gargan, Laura M; Gaudêncio, Susana P; Udovič, Marija Gligora; DeNardis, Nadica Ivošević; Jónsdóttir, Rósa; Kataržytė, Marija; Klun, Katja; Kotta, Jonne; Ktari, Leila; Ljubešić, Zrinka; Bilela, Lada Lukić; Mandalakis, Manolis; Massa-Gallucci, Alexia; Matijošytė, Inga; Mazur-Marzec, Hanna; Mehiri, Mohamed; Nielsen, Søren Laurentius; Novoveská, Lucie; Overlingė, Donata; Perale, Giuseppe; Ramasamy, Praveen; Rebours, Céline; Reinsch, Thorsten; Reyes, Fernando; Rinkevich, Baruch; Robbens, Johan; Röttinger, Eric; Rudovica, Vita; Sabotič, Jerica; Safarik, Ivo; Talve, Siret; Tasdemir, Deniz; Schneider, Xenia Theodotou; Thomas, Olivier P; Toruńska-Sitarz, Anna; Varese, Giovanna Cristina; Vasquez, Marlen I The Essentials of Marine Biotechnology Journal Article Front. Mar. Sci., 8 , pp. 629629, 2021, ISSN: 2296-7745. @article{rotter_essentials_2021, title = {The Essentials of Marine Biotechnology}, author = {Ana Rotter and Michéle Barbier and Francesco Bertoni and Atle M Bones and Leonor M Cancela and Jens Carlsson and Maria F Carvalho and Marta Cegłowska and Jerónimo Chirivella-Martorell and Meltem Conk Dalay and Mercedes Cueto and Thanos Dailianis and Irem Deniz and Ana R Díaz-Marrero and Dragana Drakulovic and Arita Dubnika and Christine Edwards and Hjörleifur Einarsson and Ayşegül Erdoǧan and Orhan Tufan Eroldoǧan and David Ezra and Stefano Fazi and Richard J FitzGerald and Laura M Gargan and Susana P Gaudêncio and Marija Gligora Udovič and Nadica Ivošević DeNardis and Rósa Jónsdóttir and Marija Kataržytė and Katja Klun and Jonne Kotta and Leila Ktari and Zrinka Ljubešić and Lada Lukić Bilela and Manolis Mandalakis and Alexia Massa-Gallucci and Inga Matijošytė and Hanna Mazur-Marzec and Mohamed Mehiri and Søren Laurentius Nielsen and Lucie Novoveská and Donata Overlingė and Giuseppe Perale and Praveen Ramasamy and Céline Rebours and Thorsten Reinsch and Fernando Reyes and Baruch Rinkevich and Johan Robbens and Eric Röttinger and Vita Rudovica and Jerica Sabotič and Ivo Safarik and Siret Talve and Deniz Tasdemir and Xenia Theodotou Schneider and Olivier P Thomas and Anna Toruńska-Sitarz and Giovanna Cristina Varese and Marlen I Vasquez}, url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.629629/full https://imbbc.hcmr.gr/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2021-Rotter-Frontiers-MS-26.pdf }, doi = {10.3389/fmars.2021.629629}, issn = {2296-7745}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-03-01}, urldate = {2021-03-17}, journal = {Front. Mar. Sci.}, volume = {8}, pages = {629629}, abstract = {Coastal countries have traditionally relied on the existing marine resources (e.g., fishing, food, transport, recreation, and tourism) as well as tried to support new economic endeavors (ocean energy, desalination for water supply, and seabed mining). Modern societies and lifestyle resulted in an increased demand for dietary diversity, better health and well-being, new biomedicines, natural cosmeceuticals, environmental conservation, and sustainable energy sources. These societal needs stimulated the interest of researchers on the diverse and underexplored marine environments as promising and sustainable sources of biomolecules and biomass, and they are addressed by the emerging field of marine (blue) biotechnology. Blue biotechnology provides opportunities for a wide range of initiatives of commercial interest for the pharmaceutical, biomedical, cosmetic, nutraceutical, food, feed, agricultural, and related industries. This article synthesizes the essence, opportunities, responsibilities, and challenges encountered in marine biotechnology and outlines the attainment and valorization of directly derived or bio-inspired products from marine organisms. First, the concept of bioeconomy is introduced. Then, the diversity of marine bioresources including an overview of the most prominent marine organisms and their potential for biotechnological uses are described. This is followed by introducing methodologies for exploration of these resources and the main use case scenarios in energy, food and feed, agronomy, bioremediation and climate change, cosmeceuticals, bio-inspired materials, healthcare, and well-being sectors. The key aspects in the fields of legislation and funding are provided, with the emphasis on the importance of communication and stakeholder engagement at all levels of biotechnology development. Finally, vital overarching concepts, such as the quadruple helix and Responsible Research and Innovation principle are highlighted as important to follow within the marine biotechnology field. The authors of this review are collaborating under the European Commission-funded Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action Ocean4Biotech – European transdisciplinary networking platform for marine biotechnology and focus the study on the European state of affairs.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Coastal countries have traditionally relied on the existing marine resources (e.g., fishing, food, transport, recreation, and tourism) as well as tried to support new economic endeavors (ocean energy, desalination for water supply, and seabed mining). Modern societies and lifestyle resulted in an increased demand for dietary diversity, better health and well-being, new biomedicines, natural cosmeceuticals, environmental conservation, and sustainable energy sources. These societal needs stimulated the interest of researchers on the diverse and underexplored marine environments as promising and sustainable sources of biomolecules and biomass, and they are addressed by the emerging field of marine (blue) biotechnology. Blue biotechnology provides opportunities for a wide range of initiatives of commercial interest for the pharmaceutical, biomedical, cosmetic, nutraceutical, food, feed, agricultural, and related industries. This article synthesizes the essence, opportunities, responsibilities, and challenges encountered in marine biotechnology and outlines the attainment and valorization of directly derived or bio-inspired products from marine organisms. First, the concept of bioeconomy is introduced. Then, the diversity of marine bioresources including an overview of the most prominent marine organisms and their potential for biotechnological uses are described. This is followed by introducing methodologies for exploration of these resources and the main use case scenarios in energy, food and feed, agronomy, bioremediation and climate change, cosmeceuticals, bio-inspired materials, healthcare, and well-being sectors. The key aspects in the fields of legislation and funding are provided, with the emphasis on the importance of communication and stakeholder engagement at all levels of biotechnology development. Finally, vital overarching concepts, such as the quadruple helix and Responsible Research and Innovation principle are highlighted as important to follow within the marine biotechnology field. The authors of this review are collaborating under the European Commission-funded Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action Ocean4Biotech – European transdisciplinary networking platform for marine biotechnology and focus the study on the European state of affairs. |
Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Koulouri, Panayota; Koutsikopoulos, C; Dailianis, Thanos; Dounas, Costas; Salomidi, Maria; Trygonis, Vasilis; Karris, G; Raitsos, Dionysios E; Dimitriadis, Charalampos; Sini, Maria; Poursanidis, Dimitris; Sourbes, Laurent; Koutsoubas, Drosos Chapter 23. Marine Biodiversity in Greek Seas Incollection Marine Biology, Broken Hill Publishers Ltd., 2021. @incollection{gerovasileiou_chapter_2021, title = {Chapter 23. Marine Biodiversity in Greek Seas}, author = {Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Panayota Koulouri and C Koutsikopoulos and Thanos Dailianis and Costas Dounas and Maria Salomidi and Vasilis Trygonis and G Karris and Dionysios E Raitsos and Charalampos Dimitriadis and Maria Sini and Dimitris Poursanidis and Laurent Sourbes and Drosos Koutsoubas}, year = {2021}, date = {2021-01-01}, booktitle = {Marine Biology}, publisher = {Broken Hill Publishers Ltd.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {incollection} } |
2020 |
Obst, Matthias; Exter, Katrina; Allcock, Louise A; Arvanitidis, Christos; Axberg, Alizz; Bustamante, Maria; Cancio, Ibon; Carreira-Flores, Diego; Chatzinikolaou, Eva; Chatzigeorgiou, Giorgos; Chrismas, Nathan; Clark, Melody S; Comtet, Thierry; Dailianis, Thanos; Davies, Neil; Deneudt, Klaas; de Cerio, Oihane Diaz; Fortič, Ana; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Hablützel, Pascal I; Keklikoglou, Kleoniki; Kotoulas, Georgios; Lasota, Rafal; Leite, Barbara R; Loisel, Stéphane; Lévêque, Laurent; Levy, Liraz; Malachowicz, Magdalena; Mavrič, Borut; Meyer, Christopher; Mortelmans, Jonas; Norkko, Joanna; Pade, Nicolas; Power, Anne Marie; Ramšak, Andreja; Reiss, Henning; Solbakken, Jostein; Staehr, Peter A; Sundberg, Per; Thyrring, Jakob; Troncoso, Jesus S; Viard, Frédérique; Wenne, Roman; Yperifanou, Eleni Ioanna; Zbawicka, Malgorzata; Pavloudi, Christina A Marine Biodiversity Observation Network for Genetic Monitoring of Hard-Bottom Communities (ARMS-MBON) Journal Article Frontiers in Marine Science, 7 , pp. 572680, 2020, ISSN: 2296-7745. @article{obst_marine_2020, title = {A Marine Biodiversity Observation Network for Genetic Monitoring of Hard-Bottom Communities (ARMS-MBON)}, author = {Matthias Obst and Katrina Exter and Louise A Allcock and Christos Arvanitidis and Alizz Axberg and Maria Bustamante and Ibon Cancio and Diego Carreira-Flores and Eva Chatzinikolaou and Giorgos Chatzigeorgiou and Nathan Chrismas and Melody S Clark and Thierry Comtet and Thanos Dailianis and Neil Davies and Klaas Deneudt and Oihane Diaz de Cerio and Ana Fortič and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Pascal I Hablützel and Kleoniki Keklikoglou and Georgios Kotoulas and Rafal Lasota and Barbara R Leite and Stéphane Loisel and Laurent Lévêque and Liraz Levy and Magdalena Malachowicz and Borut Mavrič and Christopher Meyer and Jonas Mortelmans and Joanna Norkko and Nicolas Pade and Anne Marie Power and Andreja Ramšak and Henning Reiss and Jostein Solbakken and Peter A Staehr and Per Sundberg and Jakob Thyrring and Jesus S Troncoso and Frédérique Viard and Roman Wenne and Eleni Ioanna Yperifanou and Malgorzata Zbawicka and Christina Pavloudi}, url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.572680/full}, doi = {10.3389/fmars.2020.572680}, issn = {2296-7745}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-11-01}, urldate = {2020-12-08}, journal = {Frontiers in Marine Science}, volume = {7}, pages = {572680}, abstract = {Marine hard-bottom communities are undergoing severe change under the influence of multiple drivers, notably climate change, extraction of natural resources, pollution and eutrophication, habitat degradation, and invasive species. Monitoring marine biodiversity in such habitats is, however, challenging as it typically involves expensive, non-standardized, and often destructive sampling methods that limit its scalability. Differences in monitoring approaches furthermore hinders inter-comparison among monitoring programs. Here, we announce a Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) consisting of Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) with the aim to assess the status and changes in benthic fauna with genomic-based methods, notably DNA metabarcoding, in combination with image-based identifications. This article presents the results of a 30-month pilot phase in which we established an operational and geographically expansive ARMS-MBON. The network currently consists of 20 observatories distributed across European coastal waters and the polar regions, in which 134 ARMS have been deployed to date. Sampling takes place annually, either as short-term deployments during the summer or as long-term deployments starting in spring. The pilot phase was used to establish a common set of standards for field sampling, genetic analysis, data management, and legal compliance, which are presented here. We also tested the potential of ARMS for combining genetic and image-based identification methods in comparative studies of benthic diversity, as well as for detecting non-indigenous species. Results show that ARMS are suitable for monitoring hard-bottom environments as they provide genetic data that can be continuously enriched, re-analyzed, and integrated with conventional data to document benthic community composition and detect non-indigenous species. Finally, we provide guidelines to expand the network and present a sustainability plan as part of the European Marine Biological Resource Centre ( www.embrc.eu ).}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Marine hard-bottom communities are undergoing severe change under the influence of multiple drivers, notably climate change, extraction of natural resources, pollution and eutrophication, habitat degradation, and invasive species. Monitoring marine biodiversity in such habitats is, however, challenging as it typically involves expensive, non-standardized, and often destructive sampling methods that limit its scalability. Differences in monitoring approaches furthermore hinders inter-comparison among monitoring programs. Here, we announce a Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) consisting of Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) with the aim to assess the status and changes in benthic fauna with genomic-based methods, notably DNA metabarcoding, in combination with image-based identifications. This article presents the results of a 30-month pilot phase in which we established an operational and geographically expansive ARMS-MBON. The network currently consists of 20 observatories distributed across European coastal waters and the polar regions, in which 134 ARMS have been deployed to date. Sampling takes place annually, either as short-term deployments during the summer or as long-term deployments starting in spring. The pilot phase was used to establish a common set of standards for field sampling, genetic analysis, data management, and legal compliance, which are presented here. We also tested the potential of ARMS for combining genetic and image-based identification methods in comparative studies of benthic diversity, as well as for detecting non-indigenous species. Results show that ARMS are suitable for monitoring hard-bottom environments as they provide genetic data that can be continuously enriched, re-analyzed, and integrated with conventional data to document benthic community composition and detect non-indigenous species. Finally, we provide guidelines to expand the network and present a sustainability plan as part of the European Marine Biological Resource Centre ( www.embrc.eu ). |
Zotou, Maria; Gkrantounis, Pavlos; Karadimou, Elpida; Tsirintanis, Konstantinos; Sini, Maria; Poursanidis, Dimitris; Azzolin, Marta; Dailianis, Thanos; Kytinou, Eleni; Issaris, Yiannis; Gerakaris, Vasilis; Salomidi, Maria; Lardi, Poly; Ramfos, Alexis; Akrivos, Vasilis; Spinos, Efthimios; Dimitriadis, Charalampos; Papageorgiou, Dimitris; Lattos, Athanasios; Giantsis, Ioannis A; Michaelidis, Basile; Vassilopoulou, Vasiliki; Miliou, Anastasia; Katsanevakis, Stelios Pinna nobilis in the Greek seas (NE Mediterranean): on the brink of extinction? Journal Article Mediterranean Marine Science, 2020, ISSN: 1791-6763, 1108-393X. @article{zotou_pinna_2020, title = {Pinna nobilis in the Greek seas (NE Mediterranean): on the brink of extinction?}, author = {Maria Zotou and Pavlos Gkrantounis and Elpida Karadimou and Konstantinos Tsirintanis and Maria Sini and Dimitris Poursanidis and Marta Azzolin and Thanos Dailianis and Eleni Kytinou and Yiannis Issaris and Vasilis Gerakaris and Maria Salomidi and Poly Lardi and Alexis Ramfos and Vasilis Akrivos and Efthimios Spinos and Charalampos Dimitriadis and Dimitris Papageorgiou and Athanasios Lattos and Ioannis A Giantsis and Basile Michaelidis and Vasiliki Vassilopoulou and Anastasia Miliou and Stelios Katsanevakis}, url = {https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/hcmr-med-mar-sc/article/view/23777}, doi = {10.12681/mms.23777}, issn = {1791-6763, 1108-393X}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-07-01}, urldate = {2020-10-05}, journal = {Mediterranean Marine Science}, abstract = {The Mediterranean endemic fan mussel Pinna nobilis is suffering an ongoing basin-scale mass mortality event (MME) since 2016. As most Mediterranean populations have collapsed, the species has been declared as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List of threatened species. In an effort to track the progress of the MME and provide updated information on the status of the species in the Greek seas, we compiled data collected through dedicated surveys and opportunistic assessments during 2019 and 2020. A total of 14589 fan mussel individuals, of which 81.1% dead, were recorded in 258 site surveys. Of the remaining 2762 live individuals, 256 were juveniles. Two marine areas which still sustain living populations were identified, namely Kalloni Gulf (Lesvos Island), and Laganas Bay (Zakynthos Island). The inner part of Kalloni Gulf appears to maintain the largest surviving population of the species in the eastern Mediterranean, with an abundance estimate of 684000 individuals (95% confidence interval: 322000-1453000). Solitary, potentially resistant, scattered individuals were recorded in several sites. Other previously abundant populations that had been assessed in the past, specifically those of Lake Vouliagmeni (Korinthiakos Gulf), Souda Bay (Crete) and Gera Gulf (Lesvos Island), and which collectively summed up to textasciitilde350,000 individuals, have now been wiped out. Our results document the collapse of most P. nobilis populations throughout the Greek seas. The MME has substantially progressed between early 2019 and mid-2020, as indicated by the increase of mortality at sites consecutively monitored multiple times. This work highlights the urgent need for continuous monitoring of surviving populations and calls for the immediate implementation of an effective protection and management strategy that will ensure the persistence of surviving individuals and the production of resistant offspring.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The Mediterranean endemic fan mussel Pinna nobilis is suffering an ongoing basin-scale mass mortality event (MME) since 2016. As most Mediterranean populations have collapsed, the species has been declared as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List of threatened species. In an effort to track the progress of the MME and provide updated information on the status of the species in the Greek seas, we compiled data collected through dedicated surveys and opportunistic assessments during 2019 and 2020. A total of 14589 fan mussel individuals, of which 81.1% dead, were recorded in 258 site surveys. Of the remaining 2762 live individuals, 256 were juveniles. Two marine areas which still sustain living populations were identified, namely Kalloni Gulf (Lesvos Island), and Laganas Bay (Zakynthos Island). The inner part of Kalloni Gulf appears to maintain the largest surviving population of the species in the eastern Mediterranean, with an abundance estimate of 684000 individuals (95% confidence interval: 322000-1453000). Solitary, potentially resistant, scattered individuals were recorded in several sites. Other previously abundant populations that had been assessed in the past, specifically those of Lake Vouliagmeni (Korinthiakos Gulf), Souda Bay (Crete) and Gera Gulf (Lesvos Island), and which collectively summed up to textasciitilde350,000 individuals, have now been wiped out. Our results document the collapse of most P. nobilis populations throughout the Greek seas. The MME has substantially progressed between early 2019 and mid-2020, as indicated by the increase of mortality at sites consecutively monitored multiple times. This work highlights the urgent need for continuous monitoring of surviving populations and calls for the immediate implementation of an effective protection and management strategy that will ensure the persistence of surviving individuals and the production of resistant offspring. |
Çinar, Melih Ertan; Féral, Jean‐Pierre; Arvanitidis, Christos; David, Romain; Taşkin, Ergün; Sini, Maria; Dailianis, Thanos; Doğan, Alper; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Evcen, Alper; Chenuil, Anne; Dağli, Ertan; Aysel, Veysel; Issaris, Yannis; Bakir, Kerem; Nalmpantı, Melina; Sartoretto, Stephane; Salomidi, Maria; Sapouna, Anastasia; Açik, Sermin; Dimitriadis, Charalampos; Koutsoubas, Drosos; Katağan, Tuncer; Öztürk, Bilal; Koçak, Ferah; Erdogan‐Dereli, Deniz; Önen, Senem; Özgen, Özge; Türkçü, Neslihan; Kirkim, Fevzi; Önen, Mesut Coralligenous assemblages along their geographical distribution: Testing of concepts and implications for management Journal Article Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 30 , pp. 1578–1594, 2020, ISSN: 1052-7613, 1099-0755. @article{cinar_coralligenous_2020, title = {Coralligenous assemblages along their geographical distribution: Testing of concepts and implications for management}, author = {Melih Ertan Çinar and Jean‐Pierre Féral and Christos Arvanitidis and Romain David and Ergün Taşkin and Maria Sini and Thanos Dailianis and Alper Doğan and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Alper Evcen and Anne Chenuil and Ertan Dağli and Veysel Aysel and Yannis Issaris and Kerem Bakir and Melina Nalmpantı and Stephane Sartoretto and Maria Salomidi and Anastasia Sapouna and Sermin Açik and Charalampos Dimitriadis and Drosos Koutsoubas and Tuncer Katağan and Bilal Öztürk and Ferah Koçak and Deniz Erdogan‐Dereli and Senem Önen and Özge Özgen and Neslihan Türkçü and Fevzi Kirkim and Mesut Önen}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aqc.3365}, doi = {10.1002/aqc.3365}, issn = {1052-7613, 1099-0755}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-06-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems}, volume = {30}, pages = {1578--1594}, abstract = {1. The coralligenous habitat was studied at the large Mediterranean scale, by applying a standardized, non‐destructive photo‐sampling protocol, developed in the framework of the CIGESMED project. 2. The results provided evidence to support the following statements: (a) the assemblage pattern is not homogeneously distributed across the four Mediterranean ecoregions studied (biotic gradients hypothesis); and (b) the assemblage pattern does not change significantly when the information is aggregated to higher taxonomic levels (taxonomic sufficiency hypothesis). 3. Surrogate taxonomic categories higher than species, such as genus and family, can be used to reveal the multivariate pattern of the coralligenous assemblages. 4. Although preliminary at the pan‐Mediterranean scale, these outcomes set the scene for future comparisons as more data sets become available but also for comparisons between taxonomic and functional patterns.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } 1. The coralligenous habitat was studied at the large Mediterranean scale, by applying a standardized, non‐destructive photo‐sampling protocol, developed in the framework of the CIGESMED project. 2. The results provided evidence to support the following statements: (a) the assemblage pattern is not homogeneously distributed across the four Mediterranean ecoregions studied (biotic gradients hypothesis); and (b) the assemblage pattern does not change significantly when the information is aggregated to higher taxonomic levels (taxonomic sufficiency hypothesis). 3. Surrogate taxonomic categories higher than species, such as genus and family, can be used to reveal the multivariate pattern of the coralligenous assemblages. 4. Although preliminary at the pan‐Mediterranean scale, these outcomes set the scene for future comparisons as more data sets become available but also for comparisons between taxonomic and functional patterns. |
Katsanevakis, Stelios; Poursanidis, Dimitris; Hoffman, Razy; Rizgalla, Jamila; Rothman, Shevy Bat-Sheva; Levitt-Barmats, Ya’arit; Hadjioannou, Louis; Trkov, Domen; Garmendia, Joxe Mikel; Rizzo, Miraine; Bartolo, Angela G; Bariche, Michel; Tomas, Fiona; Kleitou, Periklis; Schembri, Patrick J; Kletou, Demetris; Tiralongo, Francesco; Pergent, Christine; Pergent, Gérard; Azzurro, Ernesto; Bilecenoglu, Murat; Lodola, Alice; Ballesteros, Enric; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Verlaque, Marc; Occhipinti-Ambrogi, Anna; Kytinou, Eleni; Dailianis, Thanos; Ferrario, Jasmine; Crocetta, Fabio; Jimenez, Carlos; Evans, Julian; Ragkousis, Michail; Lipej, Lovrenc; Borg, Joseph A; Dimitriadis, Charalampos; Chatzigeorgiou, Giorgos; Albano, Paolo G; Kalogirou, Stefanos; Bazairi, Hocein; Espinosa, Free; Souissi, Jamila Ben; Tsiamis, Konstantinos; Badalamenti, Fabio; Langeneck, Joachim; Noel, Pierre; Deidun, Alan; Marchini, Agnese; Skouradakis, Grigorios; Royo, Laura; Sini, Maria; Bianchi, Carlo Nike; Sghaier, Yassine-Ramzi; Ghanem, Raouia; Doumpas, Nikos; Zaouali, Jeanne; Tsirintanis, Konstantinos; Papadakis, Orestis; Morri, Carla; Çinar, Melih Ertan; Terrados, Jorge; Insacco, Gianni; Zava, Bruno; Soufi-Kechaou, Emna; Piazzi, Luigi; Amor, Khadija Ounifi Ben; Andriotis, Emmanouil; Gambi, Maria Cristina; Amor, Mohamed Mourad Ben; Garrabou, Joaquim; Linares, Cristina; Fortič, Ana; Digenis, Markos; Cebrian, Emma; Fourt, Maïa; Zotou, Maria; Castriota, Luca; Martino, Vincenzo Di; Rosso, Antonietta; Pipitone, Carlo; Falautano, Manuela; García, María; Zakhama-Sraieb, Rym; Khamassi, Faten; Mannino, Anna Maria; Ktari, Mohamed Hédi; Kosma, Ioanna; Rifi, Mouna; Karachle, Paraskevi K; Yapıcı, Sercan; Bos, Arthur R; Balistreri, Paolo; Ramos-Esplá, Alfonso A; Tempesti, Jonathan; Inglese, Omar; Giovos, Ioannis; Damalas, Dimitrios; Benhissoune, Said; Huseyinoglu, Mehmet Fatih; Rjiba-Bahri, Wafa; Santamaría, Jorge; Orlando-Bonaca, Martina; Muñoz, Andrés Izquierdo; Stamouli, Caterina; Montefalcone, Monica; Cerim, Hasan; Golo, Raül; Tsioli, Soultana; Orfanidis, Sotiris; Michailidis, Nikolas; Gaglioti, Martina; Taşkın, Ergün; Mancuso, Emilio; Žunec, Ante; Cvitković, Ivan; Filiz, Halit; Sanfilippo, Rossana; Siapatis, Apostolos; Mavrič, Borut; Karaa, Sami; Türker, Ali; Monniot, Françoise; Verdura, Jana; Ouamari, Najib El; Selfati, Mohamed; Zenetos, Argyro Unpublished Mediterranean records of marine alien and cryptogenic species Journal Article BioInvasions Records, 9 (2), pp. 165–182, 2020. @article{katsanevakis_unpublished_2020, title = {Unpublished Mediterranean records of marine alien and cryptogenic species}, author = {Stelios Katsanevakis and Dimitris Poursanidis and Razy Hoffman and Jamila Rizgalla and Shevy Bat-Sheva Rothman and Ya’arit Levitt-Barmats and Louis Hadjioannou and Domen Trkov and Joxe Mikel Garmendia and Miraine Rizzo and Angela G Bartolo and Michel Bariche and Fiona Tomas and Periklis Kleitou and Patrick J Schembri and Demetris Kletou and Francesco Tiralongo and Christine Pergent and Gérard Pergent and Ernesto Azzurro and Murat Bilecenoglu and Alice Lodola and Enric Ballesteros and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Marc Verlaque and Anna Occhipinti-Ambrogi and Eleni Kytinou and Thanos Dailianis and Jasmine Ferrario and Fabio Crocetta and Carlos Jimenez and Julian Evans and Michail Ragkousis and Lovrenc Lipej and Joseph A Borg and Charalampos Dimitriadis and Giorgos Chatzigeorgiou and Paolo G Albano and Stefanos Kalogirou and Hocein Bazairi and Free Espinosa and Jamila Ben Souissi and Konstantinos Tsiamis and Fabio Badalamenti and Joachim Langeneck and Pierre Noel and Alan Deidun and Agnese Marchini and Grigorios Skouradakis and Laura Royo and Maria Sini and Carlo Nike Bianchi and Yassine-Ramzi Sghaier and Raouia Ghanem and Nikos Doumpas and Jeanne Zaouali and Konstantinos Tsirintanis and Orestis Papadakis and Carla Morri and Melih Ertan Çinar and Jorge Terrados and Gianni Insacco and Bruno Zava and Emna Soufi-Kechaou and Luigi Piazzi and Khadija Ounifi Ben Amor and Emmanouil Andriotis and Maria Cristina Gambi and Mohamed Mourad Ben Amor and Joaquim Garrabou and Cristina Linares and Ana Fortič and Markos Digenis and Emma Cebrian and Maïa Fourt and Maria Zotou and Luca Castriota and Vincenzo Di Martino and Antonietta Rosso and Carlo Pipitone and Manuela Falautano and María García and Rym Zakhama-Sraieb and Faten Khamassi and Anna Maria Mannino and Mohamed Hédi Ktari and Ioanna Kosma and Mouna Rifi and Paraskevi K Karachle and Sercan Yapıcı and Arthur R Bos and Paolo Balistreri and Alfonso A Ramos-Esplá and Jonathan Tempesti and Omar Inglese and Ioannis Giovos and Dimitrios Damalas and Said Benhissoune and Mehmet Fatih Huseyinoglu and Wafa Rjiba-Bahri and Jorge Santamaría and Martina Orlando-Bonaca and Andrés Izquierdo Muñoz and Caterina Stamouli and Monica Montefalcone and Hasan Cerim and Raül Golo and Soultana Tsioli and Sotiris Orfanidis and Nikolas Michailidis and Martina Gaglioti and Ergün Taşkın and Emilio Mancuso and Ante Žunec and Ivan Cvitković and Halit Filiz and Rossana Sanfilippo and Apostolos Siapatis and Borut Mavrič and Sami Karaa and Ali Türker and Françoise Monniot and Jana Verdura and Najib El Ouamari and Mohamed Selfati and Argyro Zenetos}, url = {https://www.reabic.net/journals/bir/2020/2/BIR_2020_Katsanevakis_etal.pdf}, doi = {10.3391/bir.2020.9.2.01}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-04-01}, journal = {BioInvasions Records}, volume = {9}, number = {2}, pages = {165--182}, abstract = {Good datasets of geo-referenced records of alien species are a prerequisite for assessing the spatio-temporal dynamics of biological invasions, their invasive potential, and the magnitude of their impacts. However, with the exception of first records on a country level or wider regions, observations of species presence tend to remain unpublished, buried in scattered repositories or in the personal databases of experts. Through an initiative to collect, harmonize and make such unpublished data for marine alien and cryptogenic species in the Mediterranean Sea available, a large dataset comprising 5376 records was created. It includes records of 239 alien or cryptogenic taxa (192 Animalia, 24 Plantae, 23 Chromista) from 19 countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. In terms of records, the most reported Phyla in descending order were Chordata, Mollusca, Chlorophyta, Arthropoda, and Rhodophyta. The most recorded species was Caulerpa cylindracea, followed by Siganus luridus, Magallana sp. (cf. gigas or angulata) and Pterois miles. The dataset includes records from 1972 to 2020, with the highest number of records observed in 2018. Among the records of the dataset, Dictyota acutiloba is a first record for the Mediterranean Sea. Nine first country records are also included: the alga Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla, the cube boxfish Ostracion cubicus, and the cleaner shrimp Urocaridella pulchella from Israel; the sponge Paraleucilla magna from Libya and Slovenia; the lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus from Cyprus; the bryozoan Celleporaria vermiformis and the polychaetes Prionospio depauperata and Notomastus aberans from Malta.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Good datasets of geo-referenced records of alien species are a prerequisite for assessing the spatio-temporal dynamics of biological invasions, their invasive potential, and the magnitude of their impacts. However, with the exception of first records on a country level or wider regions, observations of species presence tend to remain unpublished, buried in scattered repositories or in the personal databases of experts. Through an initiative to collect, harmonize and make such unpublished data for marine alien and cryptogenic species in the Mediterranean Sea available, a large dataset comprising 5376 records was created. It includes records of 239 alien or cryptogenic taxa (192 Animalia, 24 Plantae, 23 Chromista) from 19 countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. In terms of records, the most reported Phyla in descending order were Chordata, Mollusca, Chlorophyta, Arthropoda, and Rhodophyta. The most recorded species was Caulerpa cylindracea, followed by Siganus luridus, Magallana sp. (cf. gigas or angulata) and Pterois miles. The dataset includes records from 1972 to 2020, with the highest number of records observed in 2018. Among the records of the dataset, Dictyota acutiloba is a first record for the Mediterranean Sea. Nine first country records are also included: the alga Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla, the cube boxfish Ostracion cubicus, and the cleaner shrimp Urocaridella pulchella from Israel; the sponge Paraleucilla magna from Libya and Slovenia; the lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus from Cyprus; the bryozoan Celleporaria vermiformis and the polychaetes Prionospio depauperata and Notomastus aberans from Malta. |
Fourt, Maïa; Faget, Daniel; Dailianis, Thanos; Koutsoubas, Drosos; Pérez, Thierry Past and present of a Mediterranean small-scale fishery: the Greek sponge fishery—its resilience and sustainability Journal Article Regional Environmental Change, 20 (1), pp. 1, 2020, ISSN: 1436-3798, 1436-378X. @article{fourt_past_2020, title = {Past and present of a Mediterranean small-scale fishery: the Greek sponge fishery—its resilience and sustainability}, author = {Maïa Fourt and Daniel Faget and Thanos Dailianis and Drosos Koutsoubas and Thierry Pérez}, url = {http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10113-020-01581-1}, doi = {10.1007/s10113-020-01581-1}, issn = {1436-3798, 1436-378X}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-03-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {Regional Environmental Change}, volume = {20}, number = {1}, pages = {1}, abstract = {Global change impacts Mediterranean fisheries and the dependent human populations. Overfishing and epizootic diseases related to extreme climatic events are currently accepted as the main threats to the production of commercial bath sponges. Believing that other factors could have impacted this insular fishery, we assembled a 150-year-long series of sponge fishing data for Greece that was analyzed in relation with variations of the pressure and of the socio-economic contexts. Sponge fishing experienced huge variations, with notably two distant short periods when the production collapsed (late nineteenth century and between 1985 and 1991). Before the 1970s, these variations are mainly attributed to socio-economic and political changes. The monitoring of the catches per unit effort indicates a clear overfishing impact only after 1977. However, after the last collapse of the overall production which followed the severe disease outbreak of the late 1980s, the catch per unit effort showed a positive trend, which tends to indicate that the stocks available bear the present fishing pressure. Fishermen have adapted towards sustainable practices, by reducing their crew and also diversifying their targets, which nevertheless calls to a more accurate monitoring of such a small-scale fishery.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Global change impacts Mediterranean fisheries and the dependent human populations. Overfishing and epizootic diseases related to extreme climatic events are currently accepted as the main threats to the production of commercial bath sponges. Believing that other factors could have impacted this insular fishery, we assembled a 150-year-long series of sponge fishing data for Greece that was analyzed in relation with variations of the pressure and of the socio-economic contexts. Sponge fishing experienced huge variations, with notably two distant short periods when the production collapsed (late nineteenth century and between 1985 and 1991). Before the 1970s, these variations are mainly attributed to socio-economic and political changes. The monitoring of the catches per unit effort indicates a clear overfishing impact only after 1977. However, after the last collapse of the overall production which followed the severe disease outbreak of the late 1980s, the catch per unit effort showed a positive trend, which tends to indicate that the stocks available bear the present fishing pressure. Fishermen have adapted towards sustainable practices, by reducing their crew and also diversifying their targets, which nevertheless calls to a more accurate monitoring of such a small-scale fishery. |
Rotter, Ana; Bacu, Ariola; Barbier, Michèle; Bertoni, Francesco; Bones, Atle M; Cancela, Leonor M; Carlsson, Jens; Carvalho, Maria F; Cegłowska, Marta; Dalay, Meltem Conk; Dailianis, Thanos; Deniz, Irem; Drakulovic, Dragana; Dubnika, Arita; Einarsson, Hjörleifur; Erdoğan, Ayşegül; Eroldoğan, Orhan Tufan; Ezra, David; Fazi, Stefano; FitzGerald, Richard J; Gargan, Laura M; Gaudêncio, Susana P; DeNardis, Nadica Ivošević; Joksimovic, Danijela; Kataržytė, Marija; Kotta, Jonne; Mandalakis, Manolis; Matijošytė, Inga; Mazur-Marzec, Hanna; Massa-Gallucci, Alexia; Mehiri, Mohamed; Nielsen, Søren Laurentius; Novoveská, Lucie; Overlingė, Donata; Portman, Michelle E; Pyrc, Krzysztof; Rebours, Céline; Reinsch, Thorsten; Reyes, Fernando; Rinkevich, Baruch; Robbens, Johan; Rudovica, Vita; Sabotič, Jerica; Safarik, Ivo; Talve, Siret; Tasdemir, Deniz; Schneider, Xenia Theodotou; Thomas, Olivier P; Toruńska-Sitarz, Anna; Varese, Giovanna Cristina; Vasquez, Marlen I A New Network for the Advancement of Marine Biotechnology in Europe and Beyond Journal Article Frontiers in Marine Science, 7 , pp. 278, 2020, ISSN: 2296-7745. @article{rotter_new_2020, title = {A New Network for the Advancement of Marine Biotechnology in Europe and Beyond}, author = {Ana Rotter and Ariola Bacu and Michèle Barbier and Francesco Bertoni and Atle M Bones and Leonor M Cancela and Jens Carlsson and Maria F Carvalho and Marta Cegłowska and Meltem Conk Dalay and Thanos Dailianis and Irem Deniz and Dragana Drakulovic and Arita Dubnika and Hjörleifur Einarsson and Ayşegül Erdoğan and Orhan Tufan Eroldoğan and David Ezra and Stefano Fazi and Richard J FitzGerald and Laura M Gargan and Susana P Gaudêncio and Nadica Ivošević DeNardis and Danijela Joksimovic and Marija Kataržytė and Jonne Kotta and Manolis Mandalakis and Inga Matijošytė and Hanna Mazur-Marzec and Alexia Massa-Gallucci and Mohamed Mehiri and Søren Laurentius Nielsen and Lucie Novoveská and Donata Overlingė and Michelle E Portman and Krzysztof Pyrc and Céline Rebours and Thorsten Reinsch and Fernando Reyes and Baruch Rinkevich and Johan Robbens and Vita Rudovica and Jerica Sabotič and Ivo Safarik and Siret Talve and Deniz Tasdemir and Xenia Theodotou Schneider and Olivier P Thomas and Anna Toruńska-Sitarz and Giovanna Cristina Varese and Marlen I Vasquez}, url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.00278}, doi = {10.3389/fmars.2020.00278}, issn = {2296-7745}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-01-01}, journal = {Frontiers in Marine Science}, volume = {7}, pages = {278}, abstract = {Marine organisms produce a vast diversity of metabolites with biological activities useful for humans, e.g., cytotoxic, antioxidant, anti-microbial, insecticidal, herbicidal, anticancer, pro-osteogenic and pro-regenerative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulant, cholesterol-lowering, nutritional, photoprotective, horticultural or other beneficial properties. These metabolites could help satisfy the increasing demand for alternative sources of nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, cosmeceuticals, food, feed, and novel bio-based products. In addition, marine biomass itself can serve as the source material for the production of various bulk commodities (e.g., biofuels, bioplastics, biomaterials). The sustainable exploitation of marine bio-resources and the development of biomolecules and polymers are also known as the growing field of marine biotechnology. Up to now, over 35,000 natural products have been characterized from marine organisms, but many more are yet to be uncovered, as the vast diversity of biota in the marine systems remains largely unexplored. Since marine biotechnology is still in its infancy, there is a need to create effective, operational, inclusive, sustainable, transnational and transdisciplinary networks with a serious and ambitious commitment for knowledge transfer, training provision, dissemination of best practices and identification of the emerging technological trends through science communication activities. A collaborative (net)work is today compelling to provide innovative solutions and products that can be commercialized to contribute to the circular bioeconomy. This perspective article highlights the importance of establishing such collaborative frameworks using the example of Ocean4Biotech, an Action within the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) that connects all and any stakeholders with an interest in marine biotechnology in Europe and beyond.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Marine organisms produce a vast diversity of metabolites with biological activities useful for humans, e.g., cytotoxic, antioxidant, anti-microbial, insecticidal, herbicidal, anticancer, pro-osteogenic and pro-regenerative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulant, cholesterol-lowering, nutritional, photoprotective, horticultural or other beneficial properties. These metabolites could help satisfy the increasing demand for alternative sources of nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, cosmeceuticals, food, feed, and novel bio-based products. In addition, marine biomass itself can serve as the source material for the production of various bulk commodities (e.g., biofuels, bioplastics, biomaterials). The sustainable exploitation of marine bio-resources and the development of biomolecules and polymers are also known as the growing field of marine biotechnology. Up to now, over 35,000 natural products have been characterized from marine organisms, but many more are yet to be uncovered, as the vast diversity of biota in the marine systems remains largely unexplored. Since marine biotechnology is still in its infancy, there is a need to create effective, operational, inclusive, sustainable, transnational and transdisciplinary networks with a serious and ambitious commitment for knowledge transfer, training provision, dissemination of best practices and identification of the emerging technological trends through science communication activities. A collaborative (net)work is today compelling to provide innovative solutions and products that can be commercialized to contribute to the circular bioeconomy. This perspective article highlights the importance of establishing such collaborative frameworks using the example of Ocean4Biotech, an Action within the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) that connects all and any stakeholders with an interest in marine biotechnology in Europe and beyond. |
Koutsouveli, Vasiliki; Manousaki, Tereza; Riesgo, Ana; Lagnel, Jacques; Kollias, Spyros; Tsigenopoulos, Costas S; Arvanitidis, Christos; Dounas, Costas; Magoulas, Antonios; Dailianis, Thanos Frontiers in Marine Science, 6 , pp. 786, 2020, ISSN: 2296-7745. @article{koutsouveli_gearing_2020, title = {Gearing Up for Warmer Times: Transcriptomic Response of Spongia officinalis to Elevated Temperatures Reveals Recruited Mechanisms and Potential for Resilience}, author = {Vasiliki Koutsouveli and Tereza Manousaki and Ana Riesgo and Jacques Lagnel and Spyros Kollias and Costas S Tsigenopoulos and Christos Arvanitidis and Costas Dounas and Antonios Magoulas and Thanos Dailianis}, url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2019.00786/full}, doi = {10.3389/fmars.2019.00786}, issn = {2296-7745}, year = {2020}, date = {2020-01-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {Frontiers in Marine Science}, volume = {6}, pages = {786}, abstract = {The emblematic sponge Spongia officinalis is currently threatened by recurrent mortality incidents in its native habitats. Elevated temperature has been indicated as a major triggering factor, but the molecular mechanisms recruited for the organism’s response to thermal shifts are yet unknown. Here, we experimentally tested the effect of exposure to temperatures of varying intensity and span on its gene expression profile, replicating gradients encountered in the species’ native habitat. Analysis revealed major shifts in the organism’s transcriptomic profile induced by temperatures corresponding to the standard seasonal maximum, triggering processes related to signal transduction, inflammation, and apoptotic pathway. Further elevation of temperature corresponding to local extremes activated further the immune response of the sponge along with protein ubiquitination. Following prolonged exposure, activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress related to accumulation of misfolded proteins and signs of resilience were observed. In the latter condition, categories such as cellular response to stress, wound repair, and diminution of pathological inflammation as also genes related to cell regeneration and cell growth were upregulated. Our results highlight the acknowledged sensitivity of S. officinalis to environmental shifts, providing an insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in the process. Furthermore, they suggest innate capacity for resilience at the current thermal extremes, implying a combination of factors and not temperature per se as the lethal agent. This sheds light on the mechanisms of pressure induced by the ongoing ocean warming trend to coastal sessile invertebrates.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The emblematic sponge Spongia officinalis is currently threatened by recurrent mortality incidents in its native habitats. Elevated temperature has been indicated as a major triggering factor, but the molecular mechanisms recruited for the organism’s response to thermal shifts are yet unknown. Here, we experimentally tested the effect of exposure to temperatures of varying intensity and span on its gene expression profile, replicating gradients encountered in the species’ native habitat. Analysis revealed major shifts in the organism’s transcriptomic profile induced by temperatures corresponding to the standard seasonal maximum, triggering processes related to signal transduction, inflammation, and apoptotic pathway. Further elevation of temperature corresponding to local extremes activated further the immune response of the sponge along with protein ubiquitination. Following prolonged exposure, activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress related to accumulation of misfolded proteins and signs of resilience were observed. In the latter condition, categories such as cellular response to stress, wound repair, and diminution of pathological inflammation as also genes related to cell regeneration and cell growth were upregulated. Our results highlight the acknowledged sensitivity of S. officinalis to environmental shifts, providing an insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in the process. Furthermore, they suggest innate capacity for resilience at the current thermal extremes, implying a combination of factors and not temperature per se as the lethal agent. This sheds light on the mechanisms of pressure induced by the ongoing ocean warming trend to coastal sessile invertebrates. |
2019 |
Manousaki, Tereza; Koutsouveli, Vasiliki; Lagnel, Jacques; Kollias, Spyridon; Tsigenopoulos, Costas S; Arvanitidis, Christos; Magoulas, Antonios; Dounas, Costas; Dailianis, Thanos A de novo transcriptome assembly for the bath sponge Spongia officinalis, adjusting for microsymbionts Journal Article BMC Research Notes, 12 (1), pp. 813, 2019, ISSN: 1756-0500. @article{manousaki_novo_2019, title = {A de novo transcriptome assembly for the bath sponge Spongia officinalis, adjusting for microsymbionts}, author = {Tereza Manousaki and Vasiliki Koutsouveli and Jacques Lagnel and Spyridon Kollias and Costas S Tsigenopoulos and Christos Arvanitidis and Antonios Magoulas and Costas Dounas and Thanos Dailianis}, url = {https://bmcresnotes.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13104-019-4843-6}, doi = {10.1186/s13104-019-4843-6}, issn = {1756-0500}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-12-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {BMC Research Notes}, volume = {12}, number = {1}, pages = {813}, abstract = {Objectives We report a transcriptome acquisition for the bath sponge Spongia officinalis, a non-model marine organism that hosts rich symbiotic microbial communities. To this end, a pipeline was developed to efficiently separate between bacterial expressed genes from those of eukaryotic origin. The transcriptome was produced to support the assessment of gene expression and, thus, the response of the sponge, to elevated temperatures, replicating conditions currently occurring in its native habitat. Data description We describe the assembled transcriptome along with the bioinformatic pipeline used to discriminate between signals of metazoan and prokaryotic origin. The pipeline involves standard read pre-processing steps and incorporates extra analyses to identify and filter prokaryotic reads out of the analysis. The proposed pipeline can be followed to overcome the technical RNASeq problems characteristic for symbiont-rich metazoan organisms with low or non-existent tissue differentiation, such as sponges and cnidarians. At the same time, it can be valuable towards the development of approaches for parallel transcriptomic studies of symbiotic communities and the host.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Objectives We report a transcriptome acquisition for the bath sponge Spongia officinalis, a non-model marine organism that hosts rich symbiotic microbial communities. To this end, a pipeline was developed to efficiently separate between bacterial expressed genes from those of eukaryotic origin. The transcriptome was produced to support the assessment of gene expression and, thus, the response of the sponge, to elevated temperatures, replicating conditions currently occurring in its native habitat. Data description We describe the assembled transcriptome along with the bioinformatic pipeline used to discriminate between signals of metazoan and prokaryotic origin. The pipeline involves standard read pre-processing steps and incorporates extra analyses to identify and filter prokaryotic reads out of the analysis. The proposed pipeline can be followed to overcome the technical RNASeq problems characteristic for symbiont-rich metazoan organisms with low or non-existent tissue differentiation, such as sponges and cnidarians. At the same time, it can be valuable towards the development of approaches for parallel transcriptomic studies of symbiotic communities and the host. |
Anastasiou, Thekla I; Mandalakis, Manolis; Krigas, Nikos; Vézignol, Thomas; Lazari, Diamanto; Katharios, Pantelis; Dailianis, Thanos; Antonopoulou, Efthimia Molecules, 25 (1), pp. 148, 2019, ISSN: 1420-3049. @article{anastasiou_comparative_2019, title = {Comparative Evaluation of Essential Oils from Medicinal-Aromatic Plants of Greece: Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Capacity and Antimicrobial Activity against Bacterial Fish Pathogens}, author = {Thekla I Anastasiou and Manolis Mandalakis and Nikos Krigas and Thomas Vézignol and Diamanto Lazari and Pantelis Katharios and Thanos Dailianis and Efthimia Antonopoulou}, url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/25/1/148}, doi = {10.3390/molecules25010148}, issn = {1420-3049}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-12-01}, urldate = {2020-08-09}, journal = {Molecules}, volume = {25}, number = {1}, pages = {148}, abstract = {The administration of antibiotics in aquaculture has raised concern about the impact of their overuse in marine ecosystems, seafood safety and consumers’ health. This “green consumerism” has forced researchers to find new alternatives against fish pathogens. The present study focused on 12 Mediterranean medicinal-aromatic plants as potential antimicrobials and antioxidant agents that could be used in fish aquaculture. In vitro assays showed that the essential oils (EOs) from all studied plants had anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties, with their efficacy being dependent on their chemical composition. More specifically, EOs rich in carvacrol, p-cymene and γ-terpinene exhibited not only the strongest inhibitory activity against the growth of bacterial pathogens (inhibitory concentration: 26–88 μg mL−1), but also the greatest total antioxidant capacity (ABTS: 2591–5879 μmole mL−1; CUPRAC: 931–2733 μmole mL−1). These compounds were mainly found in the EOs from Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum), Spanish oregano (Thymbra capitata) and savoury (Satureja thymbra) collected from cultivations in Greece. The specific EOs stand out as promising candidates for the treatment of bacterial diseases and oxidative stress in farmed fish. Further in vivo experiments are needed to fully understand the effects of EO dietary supplementation on fish farming processes.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The administration of antibiotics in aquaculture has raised concern about the impact of their overuse in marine ecosystems, seafood safety and consumers’ health. This “green consumerism” has forced researchers to find new alternatives against fish pathogens. The present study focused on 12 Mediterranean medicinal-aromatic plants as potential antimicrobials and antioxidant agents that could be used in fish aquaculture. In vitro assays showed that the essential oils (EOs) from all studied plants had anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties, with their efficacy being dependent on their chemical composition. More specifically, EOs rich in carvacrol, p-cymene and γ-terpinene exhibited not only the strongest inhibitory activity against the growth of bacterial pathogens (inhibitory concentration: 26–88 μg mL−1), but also the greatest total antioxidant capacity (ABTS: 2591–5879 μmole mL−1; CUPRAC: 931–2733 μmole mL−1). These compounds were mainly found in the EOs from Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum), Spanish oregano (Thymbra capitata) and savoury (Satureja thymbra) collected from cultivations in Greece. The specific EOs stand out as promising candidates for the treatment of bacterial diseases and oxidative stress in farmed fish. Further in vivo experiments are needed to fully understand the effects of EO dietary supplementation on fish farming processes. |
Bojko, Barbara; Onat, Bora; Boyaci, Ezel; Psillakis, Eleftheria; Dailianis, Thanos; Pawliszyn, Janusz Application of in situ Solid-Phase Microextraction on Mediterranean Sponges for Untargeted Exometabolome Screening and Environmental Monitoring Journal Article Frontiers in Marine Science, 6 , pp. 632, 2019, ISSN: 2296-7745. @article{bojko_application_2019, title = {Application of in situ Solid-Phase Microextraction on Mediterranean Sponges for Untargeted Exometabolome Screening and Environmental Monitoring}, author = {Barbara Bojko and Bora Onat and Ezel Boyaci and Eleftheria Psillakis and Thanos Dailianis and Janusz Pawliszyn}, url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2019.00632/full}, doi = {10.3389/fmars.2019.00632}, issn = {2296-7745}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-10-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {Frontiers in Marine Science}, volume = {6}, pages = {632}, abstract = {In marine ecosystems, sponges are ubiquitous sessile organisms that contain a wide range of specialized metabolites. These metabolites point to a diverse range of biochemical pathways. Some of these compounds are biomarkers that indicate the presence of bacteria that form symbiotic relationships with a host sponge (microsymbionts). Sponges hold considerable promise as bioindicators for seawater quality monitoring, as they are exposed to, and accumulate, significant levels of anthropogenic contamination in coastal areas. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is a low-invasive and non-exhaustive technique that combines sampling and extraction into a single step and offers the added benefit of biocompatible extraction phases. We used different types of SPME devices to extract exometabolites from sponges (genus: Sarcotragus) in situ. Following extraction, the samples were analyzed via GC- and LC-MS in order to verify the presence of compounds associated with quorum sensing, as well as to examine the metabolism of organic pollutants, such as monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, and other bioactive compounds in an untargeted format. As the results demonstrate, when the extracted metabolites are compared with the background controls, SPME offers a non-exhaustive approach that can be used in the field to discover novel metabolites deriving from complex holobionts such as marine sponges.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } In marine ecosystems, sponges are ubiquitous sessile organisms that contain a wide range of specialized metabolites. These metabolites point to a diverse range of biochemical pathways. Some of these compounds are biomarkers that indicate the presence of bacteria that form symbiotic relationships with a host sponge (microsymbionts). Sponges hold considerable promise as bioindicators for seawater quality monitoring, as they are exposed to, and accumulate, significant levels of anthropogenic contamination in coastal areas. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is a low-invasive and non-exhaustive technique that combines sampling and extraction into a single step and offers the added benefit of biocompatible extraction phases. We used different types of SPME devices to extract exometabolites from sponges (genus: Sarcotragus) in situ. Following extraction, the samples were analyzed via GC- and LC-MS in order to verify the presence of compounds associated with quorum sensing, as well as to examine the metabolism of organic pollutants, such as monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, and other bioactive compounds in an untargeted format. As the results demonstrate, when the extracted metabolites are compared with the background controls, SPME offers a non-exhaustive approach that can be used in the field to discover novel metabolites deriving from complex holobionts such as marine sponges. |
Massi, Luca; Maselli, Fabio; Rossano, Claudia; Gambineri, Simone; Chatzinikolaou, Evangelia; Dailianis, Thanos; Arvanitidis, Christos; Nuccio, Caterina; Scapini, Felicita; Lazzara, Luigi Reflectance spectra classification for the rapid assessment of water ecological quality in Mediterranean ports Journal Article Oceanologia, 61 (4), pp. 445–459, 2019, ISSN: 00783234. @article{massi_reflectance_2019, title = {Reflectance spectra classification for the rapid assessment of water ecological quality in Mediterranean ports}, author = {Luca Massi and Fabio Maselli and Claudia Rossano and Simone Gambineri and Evangelia Chatzinikolaou and Thanos Dailianis and Christos Arvanitidis and Caterina Nuccio and Felicita Scapini and Luigi Lazzara}, url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0078323419300284}, doi = {10.1016/j.oceano.2019.04.001}, issn = {00783234}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-10-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {Oceanologia}, volume = {61}, number = {4}, pages = {445--459}, abstract = {Ports are open systems with direct connection to the sea, therefore any potential impact on port waters may have implications for the health of adjacent marine ecosystems. European WFD addressed ports in the category of Heavily Modified Water Bodies (HMWBs) and promoted implementation of protocols to monitor and improve their ecological status. TRIX index, which incorporates the main variables involved in the trophism of marine ecosystems (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Chlorophyll a, Dissolved Oxygen), is widely utilized in European coastal areas to evaluate trophic status. The relationships between the variables involved in TRIX computation, particularly Chlorophyll a concentration, and water spectral reflectance provides an alternative method to evaluate the quality and ecological status of the port water. Hyperspectral (380–710 nm) water reflectance data were recorded by a portable radiometric system in five ports from the Western and Eastern Mediterranean Basin. The spectral distance between samples was measured by two metrics using both the original and reduced spectra and was implemented within a hierarchical clustering algorithm. The four spectral classes that emerged from this operation were statistically analysed versus standard water quality descriptors and phytoplankton community features to evaluate the ecological significance of the information obtained. The results indicated a substantial coherence of different indicators with more than 60% of the total TRIX variability is accounted for by the proposed classification of reflectance spectra. This classification is therefore proposed as a promising Rapid Assessment Technique of ports water ecological quality, which can serve as an effective monitoring tool for sustainable management of ports.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Ports are open systems with direct connection to the sea, therefore any potential impact on port waters may have implications for the health of adjacent marine ecosystems. European WFD addressed ports in the category of Heavily Modified Water Bodies (HMWBs) and promoted implementation of protocols to monitor and improve their ecological status. TRIX index, which incorporates the main variables involved in the trophism of marine ecosystems (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Chlorophyll a, Dissolved Oxygen), is widely utilized in European coastal areas to evaluate trophic status. The relationships between the variables involved in TRIX computation, particularly Chlorophyll a concentration, and water spectral reflectance provides an alternative method to evaluate the quality and ecological status of the port water. Hyperspectral (380–710 nm) water reflectance data were recorded by a portable radiometric system in five ports from the Western and Eastern Mediterranean Basin. The spectral distance between samples was measured by two metrics using both the original and reduced spectra and was implemented within a hierarchical clustering algorithm. The four spectral classes that emerged from this operation were statistically analysed versus standard water quality descriptors and phytoplankton community features to evaluate the ecological significance of the information obtained. The results indicated a substantial coherence of different indicators with more than 60% of the total TRIX variability is accounted for by the proposed classification of reflectance spectra. This classification is therefore proposed as a promising Rapid Assessment Technique of ports water ecological quality, which can serve as an effective monitoring tool for sustainable management of ports. |
Vitali, Francesco; Mandalakis, Manolis; Chatzinikolaou, Eva; Dailianis, Thanos; Senatore, Giuliana; Casalone, Enrico; Mastromei, Giorgio; Sergi, Simona; Lussu, Raffaela; Arvanitidis, Christos; Tamburini, Elena Frontiers in Marine Science, 6 , pp. 590, 2019, ISSN: 2296-7745. @article{vitali_benthic_2019, title = {Benthic Prokaryotic Community Response to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Chronic Exposure: Importance of Emission Sources in Mediterranean Ports}, author = {Francesco Vitali and Manolis Mandalakis and Eva Chatzinikolaou and Thanos Dailianis and Giuliana Senatore and Enrico Casalone and Giorgio Mastromei and Simona Sergi and Raffaela Lussu and Christos Arvanitidis and Elena Tamburini}, url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2019.00590/full}, doi = {10.3389/fmars.2019.00590}, issn = {2296-7745}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-09-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {Frontiers in Marine Science}, volume = {6}, pages = {590}, abstract = {The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) produced by multiple emission sources on prokaryotic communities in sediments chronically affected by anthropogenic pressures. In this context, surface sediments were investigated in three Mediterranean touristic ports over three sampling periods and in different port sectors. The levels of 16 priority PAHs varied over three orders of magnitude (25–49,000 ng g–1) covering the range of concentrations previously reported for Mediterranean harbors. Pyrogenic processes were found to be the dominant emission source of PAHs, with considerable differences among ports. The prokaryotic communities were identified by using the terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism, targeting the 16S rRNA gene for Bacteria and Archaea as well as the dsrAB gene for sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB). The structure of the three benthic prokaryotic communities varied consistently among the ports. The structure of Bacteria and Archaea exhibited strong spatiotemporal variations that did not allow us to specifically link the observed differences in community structures with PAH sources. On the contrary, our study provided, for the first time, evidence that the PAH emission sources play a role in structuring benthic communities of SRB. Our findings indicate that the SRB community can be used as a valuable candidate biotic descriptor for bioremediation monitoring in heavily impacted port sediments.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) produced by multiple emission sources on prokaryotic communities in sediments chronically affected by anthropogenic pressures. In this context, surface sediments were investigated in three Mediterranean touristic ports over three sampling periods and in different port sectors. The levels of 16 priority PAHs varied over three orders of magnitude (25–49,000 ng g–1) covering the range of concentrations previously reported for Mediterranean harbors. Pyrogenic processes were found to be the dominant emission source of PAHs, with considerable differences among ports. The prokaryotic communities were identified by using the terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism, targeting the 16S rRNA gene for Bacteria and Archaea as well as the dsrAB gene for sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB). The structure of the three benthic prokaryotic communities varied consistently among the ports. The structure of Bacteria and Archaea exhibited strong spatiotemporal variations that did not allow us to specifically link the observed differences in community structures with PAH sources. On the contrary, our study provided, for the first time, evidence that the PAH emission sources play a role in structuring benthic communities of SRB. Our findings indicate that the SRB community can be used as a valuable candidate biotic descriptor for bioremediation monitoring in heavily impacted port sediments. |
Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Smith, Christopher J; Sevastou, Katerina; Papadopoulou, Nadia; Dailianis, Thanos; Bekkby, Trine; Fiorentino, Dario; McOwen, Chris J; Amaro, Teresa; Bengil, Elizabeth Grace Tunka; Bilan, Meri; Boström, Christoffer; Carreiro-Silva, Marina; Cebrian, Emma; Cerrano, Carlo; Danovaro, Roberto; Fraschetti, Simonetta; Gagnon, Karine; Gambi, Cristina; Grehan, Anthony; Hereu, Bernat; Kipson, Silvija; Kotta, Jonne; Linares, Cristina; Morato, Telmo; Ojaveer, Henn; Orav-Kotta, Helen; Sarà, Antonio; Scrimgeour, Rachael Habitat mapping in the European Seas - is it fit for purpose in the marine restoration agenda? Journal Article Marine Policy, 106 , pp. 103521, 2019, ISSN: 0308597X. @article{gerovasileiou_habitat_2019, title = {Habitat mapping in the European Seas - is it fit for purpose in the marine restoration agenda?}, author = {Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Christopher J Smith and Katerina Sevastou and Nadia Papadopoulou and Thanos Dailianis and Trine Bekkby and Dario Fiorentino and Chris J McOwen and Teresa Amaro and Elizabeth Grace Tunka Bengil and Meri Bilan and Christoffer Boström and Marina Carreiro-Silva and Emma Cebrian and Carlo Cerrano and Roberto Danovaro and Simonetta Fraschetti and Karine Gagnon and Cristina Gambi and Anthony Grehan and Bernat Hereu and Silvija Kipson and Jonne Kotta and Cristina Linares and Telmo Morato and Henn Ojaveer and Helen Orav-Kotta and Antonio Sarà and Rachael Scrimgeour}, url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0308597X18307061}, doi = {10.1016/j.marpol.2019.103521}, issn = {0308597X}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-08-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {Marine Policy}, volume = {106}, pages = {103521}, abstract = {As habitat mapping is crucially important for developing effective management and restoration plans, the aim of this work was to produce a census of available map resources at the European scale focusing on: a) key marine habitats; b) degraded habitats; c) human activities and pressures acting on degraded habitats, and d) the restoration potential of degraded habitats. Almost half of the 580 map records were derived from grey literature and web resources but contained no georeferenced files for download, thus limiting further use of the data. Biogeographical heterogeneity was observed and varied between the type and quality of information provided. This variability was mainly related to differences in research efforts and stakeholder focus. Habitat degradation was assessed in only 28% of the map records and was mostly carried out in a qualitative manner. Less than half of the map records included assessments on the recovery/restoration potential of the degraded habitats, with passive restoration by removal of human activities being the most commonly recommended measure. The current work has identified several gaps and challenges both in the thematic and geographic coverage of the available map resources, as well as in the approaches implemented for the harmonized assessment of habitat degradation. These should guide future mapping initiatives in order to more comprehensively support and advise the marine habitat restoration agenda for better meeting the objectives set in relevant policy documents and legislative acts in Europe.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } As habitat mapping is crucially important for developing effective management and restoration plans, the aim of this work was to produce a census of available map resources at the European scale focusing on: a) key marine habitats; b) degraded habitats; c) human activities and pressures acting on degraded habitats, and d) the restoration potential of degraded habitats. Almost half of the 580 map records were derived from grey literature and web resources but contained no georeferenced files for download, thus limiting further use of the data. Biogeographical heterogeneity was observed and varied between the type and quality of information provided. This variability was mainly related to differences in research efforts and stakeholder focus. Habitat degradation was assessed in only 28% of the map records and was mostly carried out in a qualitative manner. Less than half of the map records included assessments on the recovery/restoration potential of the degraded habitats, with passive restoration by removal of human activities being the most commonly recommended measure. The current work has identified several gaps and challenges both in the thematic and geographic coverage of the available map resources, as well as in the approaches implemented for the harmonized assessment of habitat degradation. These should guide future mapping initiatives in order to more comprehensively support and advise the marine habitat restoration agenda for better meeting the objectives set in relevant policy documents and legislative acts in Europe. |
Fraschetti, S; Guarnieri, G; Mcowen, C; Papa, L; Papadopoulou, N; Bilan, M; Boström, C; Capdevila, P; Carugati, L; Cebrian, E; Dailianis, T; Danovaro, R; De, Leo; Fiorentino, D; Gagnon, K; Gambi, C; Garrabou, J; Gerovasileiou, V; Hereu, B; Kipson, S; Kotta, J; Ledoux, JB; Linares, C; Marti, Active restoration across marine coastal habitats: a focus on the Mediterranean Sea Inproceedings Langar, Habib; Ouerghi, Atef (Ed.): Proceedings of the 3rd Mediterranean Symposium on the Conservation of Coralligenous and other Bioconcretions, pp. 57–62, SPA/RAC, Tunis, 2019. @inproceedings{fraschetti_active_2019, title = {Active restoration across marine coastal habitats: a focus on the Mediterranean Sea}, author = {S Fraschetti and G Guarnieri and C Mcowen and L Papa and N Papadopoulou and M Bilan and C Boström and P Capdevila and L Carugati and E Cebrian and T Dailianis and R Danovaro and Leo De and D Fiorentino and K Gagnon and C Gambi and J Garrabou and V Gerovasileiou and B Hereu and S Kipson and J Kotta and JB Ledoux and C Linares and Marti}, editor = {Habib Langar and Atef Ouerghi}, url = {http://rac-spa.org/sites/default/files/symposium/proceedings_mscc_2019_final.pdf}, year = {2019}, date = {2019-01-01}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 3rd Mediterranean Symposium on the Conservation of Coralligenous and other Bioconcretions}, pages = {57--62}, publisher = {SPA/RAC}, address = {Tunis}, abstract = {Active restoration is considered a profitable strategy to return ecosystems to their pre-disturbance state, in a reasonable time frame. However, ecological restoration of marine ecosystems is still in its infancy if compared to the terrestrial context. A review of 498 studies published in the last 25 years was carried out within the MERCES H2020 EU project to understand the effects of marine restoration actions across coastal habitats at global scale. Here, an overview focused on the Mediterranean Sea was carried out to identify both contextual and methodological determinants of restoration success in the basin. Results show that restoration efforts across habitats are increasing, especially in seagrasses and saltmarshes, but never approached at ecosystem level. Targets, methods, response variables and standards are still very heterogeneous. Short project duration (one-two years), small restoration areas (textbackslashtextless 1 ha), lack of controls and knowledge of baselines are still a limit for deriving generalities. Finally, restorations rarely consider future challenges linked to global change, thus impairing long-term success stories. Marine restoration is a promising approach to counteract habitat loss in coastal areas. However, restoration science needs more robust approaches leading to the development of best practices (e.g. protocols, monitoring of the effects, reasons for failure) to be applied at spatial and temporal scales so as to answer to present and future disturbance regimes.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {inproceedings} } Active restoration is considered a profitable strategy to return ecosystems to their pre-disturbance state, in a reasonable time frame. However, ecological restoration of marine ecosystems is still in its infancy if compared to the terrestrial context. A review of 498 studies published in the last 25 years was carried out within the MERCES H2020 EU project to understand the effects of marine restoration actions across coastal habitats at global scale. Here, an overview focused on the Mediterranean Sea was carried out to identify both contextual and methodological determinants of restoration success in the basin. Results show that restoration efforts across habitats are increasing, especially in seagrasses and saltmarshes, but never approached at ecosystem level. Targets, methods, response variables and standards are still very heterogeneous. Short project duration (one-two years), small restoration areas (textbackslashtextless 1 ha), lack of controls and knowledge of baselines are still a limit for deriving generalities. Finally, restorations rarely consider future challenges linked to global change, thus impairing long-term success stories. Marine restoration is a promising approach to counteract habitat loss in coastal areas. However, restoration science needs more robust approaches leading to the development of best practices (e.g. protocols, monitoring of the effects, reasons for failure) to be applied at spatial and temporal scales so as to answer to present and future disturbance regimes. |
2018 |
Dailianis, Thanos; Smith, Christopher J; Papadopoulou, Nadia; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Sevastou, Katerina; Bekkby, Trine; Bilan, Meri; Billett, David; Boström, Christoffer; Carreiro-Silva, Marina; Danovaro, Roberto; Fraschetti, Simonetta; Gagnon, Karine; Gambi, Cristina; Grehan, Anthony; Kipson, Silvija; Kotta, Jonne; McOwen, Chris J; Morato, Telmo; Ojaveer, Henn; Pham, Christopher K; Scrimgeour, Rachael Human activities and resultant pressures on key European marine habitats: An analysis of mapped resources Journal Article Marine Policy, 98 , pp. 1–10, 2018, ISSN: 0308597X. @article{dailianis_human_2018, title = {Human activities and resultant pressures on key European marine habitats: An analysis of mapped resources}, author = {Thanos Dailianis and Christopher J Smith and Nadia Papadopoulou and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Katerina Sevastou and Trine Bekkby and Meri Bilan and David Billett and Christoffer Boström and Marina Carreiro-Silva and Roberto Danovaro and Simonetta Fraschetti and Karine Gagnon and Cristina Gambi and Anthony Grehan and Silvija Kipson and Jonne Kotta and Chris J McOwen and Telmo Morato and Henn Ojaveer and Christopher K Pham and Rachael Scrimgeour}, url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0308597X18302884}, doi = {10.1016/j.marpol.2018.08.038}, issn = {0308597X}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-12-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {Marine Policy}, volume = {98}, pages = {1--10}, abstract = {Human activities exert a wide range of pressures on marine ecosystems, often resulting in the loss of species and degradation of habitats. If effective policies and management practices to restore past damage and reduce future impacts to the marine environment are to be developed, knowledge of the extent, duration and severity of activities and pressures is essential, yet often lacking. As part of the EU H2020 project “Marine Ecosystem Restoration in Changing European Seas”, this study uses an exhaustive review of published records, web resources, and grey literature to comprehensively assess the degree to which human activities and pressures are mapped within European seas. The results highlight a number of limitations and gaps, including: (a) limited geographic coverage at both the regional and sub-regional level; (b) insufficient spatial resolution and accuracy in recorded data for the planning of conservation and restoration actions; (c) a lack of access to the background data and metadata upon which maps are based, thus limiting the potential for synthesis of multiple data sources. Based on the findings, several recommendations for future marine research initiatives arise, most importantly the need for coordinated, geographically extended baseline assessments of the distribution and intensity of human activities and pressures, complying with high-level standardization regarding methodological approaches and the treatment of produced data.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Human activities exert a wide range of pressures on marine ecosystems, often resulting in the loss of species and degradation of habitats. If effective policies and management practices to restore past damage and reduce future impacts to the marine environment are to be developed, knowledge of the extent, duration and severity of activities and pressures is essential, yet often lacking. As part of the EU H2020 project “Marine Ecosystem Restoration in Changing European Seas”, this study uses an exhaustive review of published records, web resources, and grey literature to comprehensively assess the degree to which human activities and pressures are mapped within European seas. The results highlight a number of limitations and gaps, including: (a) limited geographic coverage at both the regional and sub-regional level; (b) insufficient spatial resolution and accuracy in recorded data for the planning of conservation and restoration actions; (c) a lack of access to the background data and metadata upon which maps are based, thus limiting the potential for synthesis of multiple data sources. Based on the findings, several recommendations for future marine research initiatives arise, most importantly the need for coordinated, geographically extended baseline assessments of the distribution and intensity of human activities and pressures, complying with high-level standardization regarding methodological approaches and the treatment of produced data. |
Polymenakou, Paraskevi; Mandalakis, Manolis; Dailianis, Thanos; Dimitriadis, Charalampos; Medvecky, Matej; Magoulas, Antonios; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis Preliminary assessment of methanogenic microbial communities in marine caves of Zakynthos Island (Ionian Sea, Greece) Journal Article Mediterranean Marine Science, pp. 284, 2018, ISSN: 1791-6763, 1108-393X. @article{polymenakou_preliminary_2018, title = {Preliminary assessment of methanogenic microbial communities in marine caves of Zakynthos Island (Ionian Sea, Greece)}, author = {Paraskevi Polymenakou and Manolis Mandalakis and Thanos Dailianis and Charalampos Dimitriadis and Matej Medvecky and Antonios Magoulas and Vasilis Gerovasileiou}, url = {https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/hcmr-med-mar-sc/article/view/14374}, doi = {10.12681/mms.14374}, issn = {1791-6763, 1108-393X}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-06-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {Mediterranean Marine Science}, pages = {284}, abstract = {Mediterranean marine caves remain largely unexplored, while particularly limited information is available about the microbial life existing in these unique environments. The present study is a preliminary assessment of the composition of the active anaerobic microbial community colonizing the walls of newly explored systems of underwater caves and small cavities in Zakynthos Island. The interior of these caves is densely coated with egg-shaped, foam-shaped and filamentous biological structures that are characterised by a strong odor of hydrogen sulfide gas. A total of twelve structures scrapped from cave rocks were subjected to anaerobic cultivation for up to 208 days. Strong to moderate methanogenesis was observed in two different types of egg-shaped structures and one foam-like structure. Interestingly, this was observed in experiments that were performed at room temperature (i.e. 25oC) which is substantially lower than those typically considered optimum for methane production (e.g. 35oC). Analysis of the 16S rRNA genes revealed a clear dominance of archaea and bacteria closely related to known methane producers and sulfate reducers, including members of the families Methanomicrobiaceae, Desulfobulbaceae, Desulfobacteraceae, Desulfuromonaceae, Campylobacteraceae, Marinifilaceae, Clostridiaceae, Incertae Sedis – Family I & II. These results show that Mediterranean marine caves can host members of archaea and bacteria with potential biotechnological interest that deserve further investigation.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Mediterranean marine caves remain largely unexplored, while particularly limited information is available about the microbial life existing in these unique environments. The present study is a preliminary assessment of the composition of the active anaerobic microbial community colonizing the walls of newly explored systems of underwater caves and small cavities in Zakynthos Island. The interior of these caves is densely coated with egg-shaped, foam-shaped and filamentous biological structures that are characterised by a strong odor of hydrogen sulfide gas. A total of twelve structures scrapped from cave rocks were subjected to anaerobic cultivation for up to 208 days. Strong to moderate methanogenesis was observed in two different types of egg-shaped structures and one foam-like structure. Interestingly, this was observed in experiments that were performed at room temperature (i.e. 25oC) which is substantially lower than those typically considered optimum for methane production (e.g. 35oC). Analysis of the 16S rRNA genes revealed a clear dominance of archaea and bacteria closely related to known methane producers and sulfate reducers, including members of the families Methanomicrobiaceae, Desulfobulbaceae, Desulfobacteraceae, Desulfuromonaceae, Campylobacteraceae, Marinifilaceae, Clostridiaceae, Incertae Sedis – Family I & II. These results show that Mediterranean marine caves can host members of archaea and bacteria with potential biotechnological interest that deserve further investigation. |
Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Dailianis, Thanos; Sini, Maria; Otero, MARIA Del MAR; Numa, Catherine; Katsanevakis, Stelios; Voultsiadou, Eleni Assessing the regional conservation status of sponges (Porifera): the case of the Aegean ecoregion Journal Article Mediterranean Marine Science, 2018, ISSN: 1791-6763, 1108-393X. @article{gerovasileiou_assessing_2018, title = {Assessing the regional conservation status of sponges (Porifera): the case of the Aegean ecoregion}, author = {Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Thanos Dailianis and Maria Sini and MARIA Del MAR Otero and Catherine Numa and Stelios Katsanevakis and Eleni Voultsiadou}, url = {https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/hcmr-med-mar-sc/article/view/14461}, doi = {10.12681/mms.14461}, issn = {1791-6763, 1108-393X}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-04-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {Mediterranean Marine Science}, abstract = {Sponges are among the less-studied benthic invertebrates as regards their extinction risk and conservation status. Herein, we evaluate the regional conservation status of sponges in the Aegean ecoregion (Eastern Mediterranean Sea), using the IUCN Red List criteria. We examined 20 sponge taxa falling into three categories: i) threatened species listed in Annex II of the Barcelona Convention, ii) bath sponge species (Annex III of the Barcelona Convention), and iii) Aegean endemics. The regional geographic range of the examined taxa was depicted on detailed distribution maps, based mostly on recent observations by the authors and literature data. When possible, population trends were estimated based on historical data, and threats were identified. The suggested regional conservation status of the examined sponge species is as follows: i) nine species were characterised as ‘Data Deficient (DD)’ due to limited available information; ii) seven species were assigned to the ‘Least Concern (LC)’ category; iii) the four harvested bath sponge species were assigned to the Endangered (EN) category, based on their population decline in the Aegean region during the past decades. The present evaluation, besides providing scientific data for the regional protection and management of sponge populations, can form a basis for wider assessment and consequent conservation of Porifera.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Sponges are among the less-studied benthic invertebrates as regards their extinction risk and conservation status. Herein, we evaluate the regional conservation status of sponges in the Aegean ecoregion (Eastern Mediterranean Sea), using the IUCN Red List criteria. We examined 20 sponge taxa falling into three categories: i) threatened species listed in Annex II of the Barcelona Convention, ii) bath sponge species (Annex III of the Barcelona Convention), and iii) Aegean endemics. The regional geographic range of the examined taxa was depicted on detailed distribution maps, based mostly on recent observations by the authors and literature data. When possible, population trends were estimated based on historical data, and threats were identified. The suggested regional conservation status of the examined sponge species is as follows: i) nine species were characterised as ‘Data Deficient (DD)’ due to limited available information; ii) seven species were assigned to the ‘Least Concern (LC)’ category; iii) the four harvested bath sponge species were assigned to the Endangered (EN) category, based on their population decline in the Aegean region during the past decades. The present evaluation, besides providing scientific data for the regional protection and management of sponge populations, can form a basis for wider assessment and consequent conservation of Porifera. |
Chatzinikolaou, E; Mandalakis, M; Damianidis, P; Dailianis, T; Gambineri, S; Rossano, C; Scapini, F; Carucci, A; Arvanitidis, C Spatio-temporal benthic biodiversity patterns and pollution pressure in three Mediterranean touristic ports Journal Article Science of the Total Environment, 624 , pp. 648–660, 2018, ISSN: 00489697, (Publisher: Elsevier B.V.). @article{chatzinikolaou_spatio-temporal_2018, title = {Spatio-temporal benthic biodiversity patterns and pollution pressure in three Mediterranean touristic ports}, author = {E Chatzinikolaou and M Mandalakis and P Damianidis and T Dailianis and S Gambineri and C Rossano and F Scapini and A Carucci and C Arvanitidis}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85038809023&doi=10.1016%2fj.scitotenv.2017.12.111&partnerID=40&md5=e7ce64fb16c0df8f7d6cc0aea715e447}, doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.111}, issn = {00489697}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-01-01}, journal = {Science of the Total Environment}, volume = {624}, pages = {648--660}, abstract = {The Mediterranean Sea is one of the busiest areas worldwide in terms of maritime activity, facing considerable anthropogenic disturbance, such as pollution by hydrocarbons and heavy metals. The present study has evaluated the environmental and benthic biodiversity characteristics of three touristic ports, Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy), Heraklion (Crete, Greece) and El Kantaoui (Tunisia), based on the combined assessment of physical parameters, chemical variables (i.e. nutrients, pigments), sediment pollution and macrobenthic biodiversity. Different port sectors (leisure, fishing, passenger, cargo, shipyard) and different seasons (winter, before touristic period, after touristic period) were compared. Salinity and sediment concentration of copper and antimony were the three environmental parameters most highly correlated with benthic species composition and diversity. Both the environmental variables and the benthic biodiversity patterns were significantly different between the three ports (i.e. different geographical locations). Heraklion port was heavily polluted by AHs in surface and anoxic sediments and had the highest percentage of opportunistic species, while Cagliari had the highest levels of PAHs and UCM and low species richness. El Kantaoui port was less polluted and characterised by a richer biodiversity. The shipyard sector in Heraklion port was significantly different from all other sectors in terms of abiotic and biotic parameters. Physico-chemical and pollution variables recorded during the period after tourism (late summer) were significantly different from the ones recorded in winter. Seasonal differences were not significant between benthic species diversity patterns, but were revealed when the patterns derived from the aggregation of higher taxonomic levels were compared. The present study indicates that a regular-basis monitoring plan including evaluation of environmental health based on benthic biodiversity, can provide a basis for perceiving changes and reveal the degree of anthropogenic disturbance in port environments. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.}, note = {Publisher: Elsevier B.V.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The Mediterranean Sea is one of the busiest areas worldwide in terms of maritime activity, facing considerable anthropogenic disturbance, such as pollution by hydrocarbons and heavy metals. The present study has evaluated the environmental and benthic biodiversity characteristics of three touristic ports, Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy), Heraklion (Crete, Greece) and El Kantaoui (Tunisia), based on the combined assessment of physical parameters, chemical variables (i.e. nutrients, pigments), sediment pollution and macrobenthic biodiversity. Different port sectors (leisure, fishing, passenger, cargo, shipyard) and different seasons (winter, before touristic period, after touristic period) were compared. Salinity and sediment concentration of copper and antimony were the three environmental parameters most highly correlated with benthic species composition and diversity. Both the environmental variables and the benthic biodiversity patterns were significantly different between the three ports (i.e. different geographical locations). Heraklion port was heavily polluted by AHs in surface and anoxic sediments and had the highest percentage of opportunistic species, while Cagliari had the highest levels of PAHs and UCM and low species richness. El Kantaoui port was less polluted and characterised by a richer biodiversity. The shipyard sector in Heraklion port was significantly different from all other sectors in terms of abiotic and biotic parameters. Physico-chemical and pollution variables recorded during the period after tourism (late summer) were significantly different from the ones recorded in winter. Seasonal differences were not significant between benthic species diversity patterns, but were revealed when the patterns derived from the aggregation of higher taxonomic levels were compared. The present study indicates that a regular-basis monitoring plan including evaluation of environmental health based on benthic biodiversity, can provide a basis for perceiving changes and reveal the degree of anthropogenic disturbance in port environments. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. |
2017 |
Sini, Maria; Katsanevakis, Stelios; Koukourouvli, Nikoleta; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Dailianis, Thanos; Buhl-Mortensen, Lene; Damalas, Dimitris; Dendrinos, Panagiotis; Dimas, Xenophon; Frantzis, Alexandros; Gerakaris, Vasilis; Giakoumi, Sylvaine; Gonzalez-Mirelis, Genoveva; Hasiotis, Thomas; Issaris, Yiannis; Kavadas, Stefanos G; Koutsogiannopoulos, David D; Koutsoubas, Drosos; Manoutsoglou, Evangelia; Markantonatou, Vessa; Mazaris, Antonios D; Poursanidis, Dimitris; Papatheodorou, George; Salomidi, Maria; Topouzelis, Konstantinos; Trygonis, Vasilis; Vassilopoulou, Vassiliki; Zotou, Maria Assembling Ecological Pieces to Reconstruct the Conservation Puzzle of the Aegean Sea Journal Article Frontiers in Marine Science, 4 , pp. 347, 2017, ISSN: 2296-7745. @article{sini_assembling_2017, title = {Assembling Ecological Pieces to Reconstruct the Conservation Puzzle of the Aegean Sea}, author = {Maria Sini and Stelios Katsanevakis and Nikoleta Koukourouvli and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Thanos Dailianis and Lene Buhl-Mortensen and Dimitris Damalas and Panagiotis Dendrinos and Xenophon Dimas and Alexandros Frantzis and Vasilis Gerakaris and Sylvaine Giakoumi and Genoveva Gonzalez-Mirelis and Thomas Hasiotis and Yiannis Issaris and Stefanos G Kavadas and David D Koutsogiannopoulos and Drosos Koutsoubas and Evangelia Manoutsoglou and Vessa Markantonatou and Antonios D Mazaris and Dimitris Poursanidis and George Papatheodorou and Maria Salomidi and Konstantinos Topouzelis and Vasilis Trygonis and Vassiliki Vassilopoulou and Maria Zotou}, url = {http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2017.00347/full}, doi = {10.3389/fmars.2017.00347}, issn = {2296-7745}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-11-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {Frontiers in Marine Science}, volume = {4}, pages = {347}, abstract = {The effective conservation of marine biodiversity through an integrated ecosystem-based management approach requires a sound knowledge of the spatial distribution of habitats and species. Although costly in terms of time and resources, acquiring such information is essential for the development of rigorous management plans and the meaningful prioritization of conservation actions. Located in the northeastern part of the Mediterranean, the Aegean Sea represents a stronghold for marine biodiversity. However, conservation efforts are hampered by the apparent lack of spatial information regarding marine habitats and species. This work is the first to address this knowledge gap by assembling, updating, and mapping information on the distribution of key ecological components. A range of data sources and methodological approaches was utilized to compile and complement the available data on 68 ecological features of conservation interest (58 animal species, six habitat categories, and four other vulnerable ecological features). A standardized data evaluation procedure was applied, based on five semi-quantitative data quality indicators in the form of a pedigree matrix. This approach assessed the sufficiency of the datasets and allowed the identification of the main sources of uncertainty, highlighting aspects that require further investigation. The overall dataset was found to be sufficient in terms of reliability and spatiotemporal relevance. However, it lacked in completeness, showing that there are still large areas of the Aegean that remain understudied, while further research is needed to elucidate the distribution patterns and conservation status of several ecological features; especially the less charismatic ones and those found in waters deeper than 40 m. Moreover, existing conservation measures appear to be inadequate to safeguard biodiversity. Only 2.3% of the study area corresponds to designated areas for conservation, while 41 of the ecological features are underrepresented in these areas. Considering the high geomorphological complexity and transnational character of the Aegean Sea, this study does not offer a complete account of the multifaceted diversity of this ecoregion. Instead, it represents a significant starting point and a solid basis for the development of systematic conservation plans that will allow the effective protection of biodiversity within an adaptive management framework.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The effective conservation of marine biodiversity through an integrated ecosystem-based management approach requires a sound knowledge of the spatial distribution of habitats and species. Although costly in terms of time and resources, acquiring such information is essential for the development of rigorous management plans and the meaningful prioritization of conservation actions. Located in the northeastern part of the Mediterranean, the Aegean Sea represents a stronghold for marine biodiversity. However, conservation efforts are hampered by the apparent lack of spatial information regarding marine habitats and species. This work is the first to address this knowledge gap by assembling, updating, and mapping information on the distribution of key ecological components. A range of data sources and methodological approaches was utilized to compile and complement the available data on 68 ecological features of conservation interest (58 animal species, six habitat categories, and four other vulnerable ecological features). A standardized data evaluation procedure was applied, based on five semi-quantitative data quality indicators in the form of a pedigree matrix. This approach assessed the sufficiency of the datasets and allowed the identification of the main sources of uncertainty, highlighting aspects that require further investigation. The overall dataset was found to be sufficient in terms of reliability and spatiotemporal relevance. However, it lacked in completeness, showing that there are still large areas of the Aegean that remain understudied, while further research is needed to elucidate the distribution patterns and conservation status of several ecological features; especially the less charismatic ones and those found in waters deeper than 40 m. Moreover, existing conservation measures appear to be inadequate to safeguard biodiversity. Only 2.3% of the study area corresponds to designated areas for conservation, while 41 of the ecological features are underrepresented in these areas. Considering the high geomorphological complexity and transnational character of the Aegean Sea, this study does not offer a complete account of the multifaceted diversity of this ecoregion. Instead, it represents a significant starting point and a solid basis for the development of systematic conservation plans that will allow the effective protection of biodiversity within an adaptive management framework. |
Moitinho-Silva, Lucas; Nielsen, Shaun; Amir, Amnon; Gonzalez, Antonio; Ackermann, Gail L; Cerrano, Carlo; Astudillo-Garcia, Carmen; Easson, Cole; Sipkema, Detmer; Liu, Fang; Steinert, Georg; Kotoulas, Giorgos; McCormack, Grace P; Feng, Guofang; Bell, James J; Vicente, Jan; Björk, Johannes R; Montoya, Jose M; Olson, Julie B; Reveillaud, Julie; Steindler, Laura; Pineda, Mari-Carmen; Marra, Maria V; Ilan, Micha; Taylor, Michael W; Polymenakou, Paraskevi; Erwin, Patrick M; Schupp, Peter J; Simister, Rachel L; Knight, Rob; Thacker, Robert W; Costa, Rodrigo; Hill, Russell T; Lopez-Legentil, Susanna; Dailianis, Thanos; Ravasi, Timothy; Hentschel, Ute; Li, Zhiyong; Webster, Nicole S; Thomas, Torsten The sponge microbiome project Journal Article GigaScience, 6 (10), pp. gix077, 2017, ISSN: 2047-217X. @article{moitinho-silva_sponge_2017, title = {The sponge microbiome project}, author = {Lucas Moitinho-Silva and Shaun Nielsen and Amnon Amir and Antonio Gonzalez and Gail L Ackermann and Carlo Cerrano and Carmen Astudillo-Garcia and Cole Easson and Detmer Sipkema and Fang Liu and Georg Steinert and Giorgos Kotoulas and Grace P McCormack and Guofang Feng and James J Bell and Jan Vicente and Johannes R Björk and Jose M Montoya and Julie B Olson and Julie Reveillaud and Laura Steindler and Mari-Carmen Pineda and Maria V Marra and Micha Ilan and Michael W Taylor and Paraskevi Polymenakou and Patrick M Erwin and Peter J Schupp and Rachel L Simister and Rob Knight and Robert W Thacker and Rodrigo Costa and Russell T Hill and Susanna Lopez-Legentil and Thanos Dailianis and Timothy Ravasi and Ute Hentschel and Zhiyong Li and Nicole S Webster and Torsten Thomas}, url = {https://academic.oup.com/gigascience/article/doi/10.1093/gigascience/gix077/4082886}, doi = {10.1093/gigascience/gix077}, issn = {2047-217X}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-10-01}, urldate = {2020-08-09}, journal = {GigaScience}, volume = {6}, number = {10}, pages = {gix077}, abstract = {Marine sponges (phylum Porifera) are a diverse, phylogenetically deep-branching clade known for forming intimate partnerships with complex communities of microorganisms. To date, 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies have largely utilised different extraction and amplification methodologies to target the microbial communities of a limited number of sponge species, severely limiting comparative analyses of sponge microbial diversity and structure. Here, we provide an extensive and standardised dataset that will facilitate sponge microbiome comparisons across large spatial, temporal and environmental scales. Samples from marine sponges (n = 3569 specimens), seawater (n = 370), marine sediments (n = 65) and other environments (n = 29) were collected from different locations across the globe. This dataset incorporates at least 269 different sponge species, including several yet unidentified taxa. The V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced from extracted DNA using standardised procedures. Raw sequences (total of 1.1 billion sequences) were processed and clustered with a) a standard protocol using QIIME closed-reference picking resulting in 39,543 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTU) at 97% sequence identity, b) a de novo protocol using Mothur resulting in 518,246 OTUs, and c) a new high-resolution Deblur protocol resulting in 83,908 unique bacterial sequences. Abundance tables, representative sequences, taxonomic classifications and metadata are provided. This dataset represents a comprehensive resource of sponge-associated microbial communities based on 16S rRNA gene sequences that can be used to address overarching hypotheses regarding host-associated prokaryotes, including host-specificity, convergent evolution, environmental drivers of microbiome structure and the sponge-associated rare biosphere.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Marine sponges (phylum Porifera) are a diverse, phylogenetically deep-branching clade known for forming intimate partnerships with complex communities of microorganisms. To date, 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies have largely utilised different extraction and amplification methodologies to target the microbial communities of a limited number of sponge species, severely limiting comparative analyses of sponge microbial diversity and structure. Here, we provide an extensive and standardised dataset that will facilitate sponge microbiome comparisons across large spatial, temporal and environmental scales. Samples from marine sponges (n = 3569 specimens), seawater (n = 370), marine sediments (n = 65) and other environments (n = 29) were collected from different locations across the globe. This dataset incorporates at least 269 different sponge species, including several yet unidentified taxa. The V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced from extracted DNA using standardised procedures. Raw sequences (total of 1.1 billion sequences) were processed and clustered with a) a standard protocol using QIIME closed-reference picking resulting in 39,543 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTU) at 97% sequence identity, b) a de novo protocol using Mothur resulting in 518,246 OTUs, and c) a new high-resolution Deblur protocol resulting in 83,908 unique bacterial sequences. Abundance tables, representative sequences, taxonomic classifications and metadata are provided. This dataset represents a comprehensive resource of sponge-associated microbial communities based on 16S rRNA gene sequences that can be used to address overarching hypotheses regarding host-associated prokaryotes, including host-specificity, convergent evolution, environmental drivers of microbiome structure and the sponge-associated rare biosphere. |
Katsanevakis, S; Sini, M; Dailianis, T; Gerovasileiou, V; Koukourouvli, N; Topouzelis, K; Ragkousis, M Identifying where vulnerable species occur in a data-poor context: combining satellite imaging and underwater occupancy surveys Journal Article Marine Ecology Progress Series, 577 , pp. 17–32, 2017, ISSN: 0171-8630, 1616-1599. @article{katsanevakis_identifying_2017, title = {Identifying where vulnerable species occur in a data-poor context: combining satellite imaging and underwater occupancy surveys}, author = {S Katsanevakis and M Sini and T Dailianis and V Gerovasileiou and N Koukourouvli and K Topouzelis and M Ragkousis}, url = {https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v577/p17-32/}, doi = {10.3354/meps12232}, issn = {0171-8630, 1616-1599}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-08-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {Marine Ecology Progress Series}, volume = {577}, pages = {17--32}, abstract = {For the effective conservation of vulnerable marine populations, knowledge of their distributions and spatially explicit management actions are essential. The use of physical features or coarse habitat types as surrogates of species distribution often does not provide an accurate enough (and hence useful) mapping of where species occur. This is further exacerbated in data-poor regions, where habitat maps in the marine environment are often patchy. A combination of satellite imaging analysis (for a rough classification of the main habitat types in shallow waters) and occupancy modelling based on data collected through dedicated underwater surveys is proposed as a relatively inexpensive and timely way to identify priority areas for the conservation of selected benthic species. The occupancy surveys provide estimates of the probability of presence, which can be used as weights of the importance of the available suitable habitat types in a potential habitat index (PHI). This approach was applied in the Aegean Sea (eastern Mediterranean) for 6 benthic hard-bottom species of conservation importance. Repetitive SCUBA diving surveys were conducted at six 5 m depth zones between 0 and 30 m at 47 locations in the Aegean Sea to detect the presence of the target species. Occupancy was modelled using several environmental spatial covariates. The applied method explicitly incorporated imperfect detectability in the modelling process. Predictive distributional maps of PHI were produced for each species, identifying areas that could be prioritized for conservation measures. Despite some limitations, this approach can provide a baseline for the protection of vulnerable species, in the framework of adaptive management for marine conservation planning.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } For the effective conservation of vulnerable marine populations, knowledge of their distributions and spatially explicit management actions are essential. The use of physical features or coarse habitat types as surrogates of species distribution often does not provide an accurate enough (and hence useful) mapping of where species occur. This is further exacerbated in data-poor regions, where habitat maps in the marine environment are often patchy. A combination of satellite imaging analysis (for a rough classification of the main habitat types in shallow waters) and occupancy modelling based on data collected through dedicated underwater surveys is proposed as a relatively inexpensive and timely way to identify priority areas for the conservation of selected benthic species. The occupancy surveys provide estimates of the probability of presence, which can be used as weights of the importance of the available suitable habitat types in a potential habitat index (PHI). This approach was applied in the Aegean Sea (eastern Mediterranean) for 6 benthic hard-bottom species of conservation importance. Repetitive SCUBA diving surveys were conducted at six 5 m depth zones between 0 and 30 m at 47 locations in the Aegean Sea to detect the presence of the target species. Occupancy was modelled using several environmental spatial covariates. The applied method explicitly incorporated imperfect detectability in the modelling process. Predictive distributional maps of PHI were produced for each species, identifying areas that could be prioritized for conservation measures. Despite some limitations, this approach can provide a baseline for the protection of vulnerable species, in the framework of adaptive management for marine conservation planning. |
Dailianis, Thanos; N, Papadopoulou; V, Gerovasileiou; K, Sevastou; J, Smith C; T, Bekkby; M, Bilan; C, Boström; C, Cerrano; R, Danovaro; D, Fiorentino; K, Gagnon; C, Gambi; A, Grehan; S, Kipson; C, Linares; T, Morato; H, Ojaveer; H, Orav-Kotta; A, Sarà; R, Scrimgeour Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology (CEST2017), pp. CEST2017_00979, 2017. @inproceedings{dailianis_thanos_human_2017, title = {Human activities and pressures for key European marine habitats; a catalogue of map resources for the restoration project MERCES}, author = {Thanos Dailianis and Papadopoulou N and Gerovasileiou V and Sevastou K and Smith C J and Bekkby T and Bilan M and Boström C and Cerrano C and Danovaro R and Fiorentino D and Gagnon K and Gambi C and Grehan A and Kipson S and Linares C and Morato T and Ojaveer H and Orav-Kotta H and Sarà A and Scrimgeour R}, url = {https://cest2017.gnest.org/group/2261/proceedings.html}, year = {2017}, date = {2017-01-01}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology (CEST2017)}, pages = {CEST2017_00979}, abstract = {Human activities crisscross the urban and coastal fabric, and expand into the off shore and deep sea, deriving numerous associated pressures often impacting marine habitats. A main goal of the ongoing MERCES project (http://www.merces-project.eu/) is to produce a catalogue of available maps for existing activities and pressures in the European Seas. To this end, we compiled a catalogue with mapping sources for maritime activities, as well as endogenous and exogenous pressures that could potentially drive key-habitat changes. It currently includes more than 250 entries covering several key coastal and deep sea habitats, comprising published records, web resources, and grey literature. Fisheries, coastal marine infrastructure and transport are the most featured activities at the broad scale maps. Aquaculture and tourism rank high at the sublittoral habitats maps and research/conservation at the deep-sea records. Chemical pressures and biological invasions rank high at the broad scale followed by litter, abrasion and extraction of species. These last 3 pressures seem to be the most mapped pressures in deep-sea records. Mapping the location and intensity of marine activities has been steadily increasing, and could be valuable when overlaid on key habitats, aiding spatial planning and conservation by linking pressures to mitigation and restoration efforts.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {inproceedings} } Human activities crisscross the urban and coastal fabric, and expand into the off shore and deep sea, deriving numerous associated pressures often impacting marine habitats. A main goal of the ongoing MERCES project (http://www.merces-project.eu/) is to produce a catalogue of available maps for existing activities and pressures in the European Seas. To this end, we compiled a catalogue with mapping sources for maritime activities, as well as endogenous and exogenous pressures that could potentially drive key-habitat changes. It currently includes more than 250 entries covering several key coastal and deep sea habitats, comprising published records, web resources, and grey literature. Fisheries, coastal marine infrastructure and transport are the most featured activities at the broad scale maps. Aquaculture and tourism rank high at the sublittoral habitats maps and research/conservation at the deep-sea records. Chemical pressures and biological invasions rank high at the broad scale followed by litter, abrasion and extraction of species. These last 3 pressures seem to be the most mapped pressures in deep-sea records. Mapping the location and intensity of marine activities has been steadily increasing, and could be valuable when overlaid on key habitats, aiding spatial planning and conservation by linking pressures to mitigation and restoration efforts. |
2016 |
Dailianis, T; Akyol, O; Babali, N; Bariche, M; Crocetta, F; Gerovasileiou, V; Chanem, R; Gökoğlu, M; Hasiotis, T; Izquierdo-Muñoz, A; Julian, D; Katsanevakis, S; Lipez, L; Mancini, E; Mytilineou, Ch.; Amor, Ounifi Ben K; Özgül, A; Ragkousis, M; Rubio-Portillo, E; Servello, G; Sini, K; Stamouli, C; Sterioti, A; Teker, S; Tiralongo, F; Trkov, D New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (July 2016) Journal Article Mediterranean Marine Science, 17 (2), pp. 608, 2016, ISSN: 1791-6763, 1108-393X. @article{dailianis_new_2016, title = {New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (July 2016)}, author = {T Dailianis and O Akyol and N Babali and M Bariche and F Crocetta and V Gerovasileiou and R Chanem and M Gökoğlu and T Hasiotis and A Izquierdo-Muñoz and D Julian and S Katsanevakis and L Lipez and E Mancini and Ch. Mytilineou and K Ounifi Ben Amor and A Özgül and M Ragkousis and E Rubio-Portillo and G Servello and K Sini and C Stamouli and A Sterioti and S Teker and F Tiralongo and D Trkov}, url = {https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/hcmr-med-mar-sc/article/view/13484}, doi = {10.12681/mms.1734}, issn = {1791-6763, 1108-393X}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-07-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {Mediterranean Marine Science}, volume = {17}, number = {2}, pages = {608}, abstract = {This contribution forms part of a series of collective articles published regularly in Mediterranean Marine Science that report on new biodiversity records from the Mediterranean basin. The current article presents 51 geographically distinct records for 21 taxa belonging to 6 Phyla, extending from the western Mediterranean to the Levantine. The new records, per country, are as follows: Spain: the cryptogenic calcareous sponge Paraleucilla magna is reported from a new location in the Alicante region. Algeria: the rare Atlanto-Mediterranean bivalve Cardium indicum is reported from Annaba. Tunisia: new distribution records for the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois miles from Zembra Island and Cape Bon. Italy: the ark clam Anadara transversa is reported from mussel cultures in the Gulf of Naples, while the amphipod Caprella scaura and the isopods Paracerceis sculpta and Paranthura japonica are reported as associated to the –also allochthonous–bryozoan Amathia verticillata in the Adriatic Sea; in the latter region, the cosmopolitan Atlantic tripletail Lobotes surinamensisis also reported, a rare finding for the Mediterranean. Slovenia: a new record of the non-indigenous nudibranch Polycera hedgpethi in the Adriatic. Greece: several new reports of the introduced scleractinian Oculina patagonica, the fangtooth moray Enchelycore anatina, the blunthead puffer Sphoeroides pachygaster (all Atlantic), and the lionfish Pterois miles (Indo-Pacific) suggest their ongoing establishment in the Aegean Sea; the deepest bathymetric record of the invasive alga Caulerpa cylindracea in the Mediterranean Sea is also registered in the Kyklades, at depths exceeding 70 m. Turkey: new distribution records for two non indigenous crustaceans, the blue crab Callinectes sapidus (Atlantic origin) and the moon crab Matuta victor (Indo-Pacific origin) from the Bay of Izmir and Antalya, respectively; in the latter region, the Red Sea goatfish Parupeneus forsskali, is also reported. Lebanon: an array of records of 5 alien and one native Mediterranean species is reported by citizen-scientists; the Pacific jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata and the Indo-Pacific teleosteans Tylerius spinosissimus, Ostracion cubicus, and Lutjanus argentimaculatus are reported from the Lebanese coast, the latter notably being the second record for the species in the Mediterranean Sea since 1977; the native sand snake-eel Ophisurus serpens, rare in the eastern Mediterranean, is reported for the first time from Lebanon, this being its easternmost distribution range; finally, a substantial number of sightings of the lionfish Pterois miles further confirm the current establishment of this lessepsian species in the Levantine.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } This contribution forms part of a series of collective articles published regularly in Mediterranean Marine Science that report on new biodiversity records from the Mediterranean basin. The current article presents 51 geographically distinct records for 21 taxa belonging to 6 Phyla, extending from the western Mediterranean to the Levantine. The new records, per country, are as follows: Spain: the cryptogenic calcareous sponge Paraleucilla magna is reported from a new location in the Alicante region. Algeria: the rare Atlanto-Mediterranean bivalve Cardium indicum is reported from Annaba. Tunisia: new distribution records for the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois miles from Zembra Island and Cape Bon. Italy: the ark clam Anadara transversa is reported from mussel cultures in the Gulf of Naples, while the amphipod Caprella scaura and the isopods Paracerceis sculpta and Paranthura japonica are reported as associated to the –also allochthonous–bryozoan Amathia verticillata in the Adriatic Sea; in the latter region, the cosmopolitan Atlantic tripletail Lobotes surinamensisis also reported, a rare finding for the Mediterranean. Slovenia: a new record of the non-indigenous nudibranch Polycera hedgpethi in the Adriatic. Greece: several new reports of the introduced scleractinian Oculina patagonica, the fangtooth moray Enchelycore anatina, the blunthead puffer Sphoeroides pachygaster (all Atlantic), and the lionfish Pterois miles (Indo-Pacific) suggest their ongoing establishment in the Aegean Sea; the deepest bathymetric record of the invasive alga Caulerpa cylindracea in the Mediterranean Sea is also registered in the Kyklades, at depths exceeding 70 m. Turkey: new distribution records for two non indigenous crustaceans, the blue crab Callinectes sapidus (Atlantic origin) and the moon crab Matuta victor (Indo-Pacific origin) from the Bay of Izmir and Antalya, respectively; in the latter region, the Red Sea goatfish Parupeneus forsskali, is also reported. Lebanon: an array of records of 5 alien and one native Mediterranean species is reported by citizen-scientists; the Pacific jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata and the Indo-Pacific teleosteans Tylerius spinosissimus, Ostracion cubicus, and Lutjanus argentimaculatus are reported from the Lebanese coast, the latter notably being the second record for the species in the Mediterranean Sea since 1977; the native sand snake-eel Ophisurus serpens, rare in the eastern Mediterranean, is reported for the first time from Lebanon, this being its easternmost distribution range; finally, a substantial number of sightings of the lionfish Pterois miles further confirm the current establishment of this lessepsian species in the Levantine. |
Gerovasileiou, V; Dailianis, T; Panteri, E; Michalakis, N; Gatti, G; Sini, M; Dimitriadis, C; Issaris, Y; Salomidi, M; Filiopoulou, I; Doğan, A; d'Avray, L T V; David, R; Çinar, M E; Koutsoubas, D; Féral, J -P; Arvanitidis, C Biodiversity Data Journal, 4 (1), 2016, ISSN: 13142828, (Publisher: Pensoft Publishers). @article{gerovasileiou_cigesmed_2016, title = {CIGESMED for divers: Establishing a citizen science initiative for the mapping and monitoring of coralligenous assemblages in the Mediterranean Sea}, author = {V Gerovasileiou and T Dailianis and E Panteri and N Michalakis and G Gatti and M Sini and C Dimitriadis and Y Issaris and M Salomidi and I Filiopoulou and A Doğan and L T V d'Avray and R David and M E Çinar and D Koutsoubas and J -P Féral and C Arvanitidis}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85018641504&doi=10.3897%2fBDJ.4.e8692&partnerID=40&md5=44c645ca189b05f7ffb7e1d895a0db95}, doi = {10.3897/BDJ.4.e8692}, issn = {13142828}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {Biodiversity Data Journal}, volume = {4}, number = {1}, abstract = {Background Over the last decade, inventorying and monitoring of marine biodiversity has significantly benefited from the active engagement of volunteers. Although several Citizen Science projects concern tropical reef ecosystems worldwide, none of the existing initiatives has yet specifically focused on their Mediterranean equivalents. Mediterranean coralline reefs, known as "coralligenous", are bioherms primarily built by calcifying rhodophytes on hard substrates under dim-light conditions; they are considered hotspots of biodiversity and are extremely popular among divers due to their complex structure, conspicuous biological wealth and high aesthetic value. Nevertheless, data on their distribution, structure and conservation status is lacking for several Mediterranean areas while they are vulnerable to an increasing number of threats. New information In the framework of CIGESMED SeasEra (ERAnet) project a specialized Citizen Science project was launched, aiming to engage enthusiast divers in the study and monitoring of Mediterranean coralligenous assemblages through the gathering of basic information regarding their spatial occurrence, assemblage structure and associated pressures or threats. For its active implementation, a data collection protocol and a multilingual website were developed, comprising an educational module and a data submission platform. Georeferenced data reporting focuses on: (a) basic topographic and abiotic features for the preliminary description of each site, and the creation of data series for sites receiving multiple visits; (b) presence and relative abundance of typical conspicuous species, as well as (c) existence of pressures and imminent threats, for the characterization and assessment of coralligenous assemblages. A variety of tools is provided to facilitate end users, while divers have the choice to report additional information and are encouraged to upload their photographs. The long-term goal is the development of an active community of amateur observers providing widespread and ecologically significant data on coralligenous assemblages. © Gerovasileiou V et al.}, note = {Publisher: Pensoft Publishers}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Background Over the last decade, inventorying and monitoring of marine biodiversity has significantly benefited from the active engagement of volunteers. Although several Citizen Science projects concern tropical reef ecosystems worldwide, none of the existing initiatives has yet specifically focused on their Mediterranean equivalents. Mediterranean coralline reefs, known as "coralligenous", are bioherms primarily built by calcifying rhodophytes on hard substrates under dim-light conditions; they are considered hotspots of biodiversity and are extremely popular among divers due to their complex structure, conspicuous biological wealth and high aesthetic value. Nevertheless, data on their distribution, structure and conservation status is lacking for several Mediterranean areas while they are vulnerable to an increasing number of threats. New information In the framework of CIGESMED SeasEra (ERAnet) project a specialized Citizen Science project was launched, aiming to engage enthusiast divers in the study and monitoring of Mediterranean coralligenous assemblages through the gathering of basic information regarding their spatial occurrence, assemblage structure and associated pressures or threats. For its active implementation, a data collection protocol and a multilingual website were developed, comprising an educational module and a data submission platform. Georeferenced data reporting focuses on: (a) basic topographic and abiotic features for the preliminary description of each site, and the creation of data series for sites receiving multiple visits; (b) presence and relative abundance of typical conspicuous species, as well as (c) existence of pressures and imminent threats, for the characterization and assessment of coralligenous assemblages. A variety of tools is provided to facilitate end users, while divers have the choice to report additional information and are encouraged to upload their photographs. The long-term goal is the development of an active community of amateur observers providing widespread and ecologically significant data on coralligenous assemblages. © Gerovasileiou V et al. |
Chatzigeorgiou, G; Faulwetter, S; Dailianis, T; Smith, V S; Koulouri, P; Dounas, C; Arvanitidis, C Testing the robustness of Citizen Science projects: Evaluating the results of pilot project COMBER Journal Article Biodiversity Data Journal, 4 (1), 2016, ISSN: 13142828, (Publisher: Pensoft Publishers). @article{chatzigeorgiou_testing_2016, title = {Testing the robustness of Citizen Science projects: Evaluating the results of pilot project COMBER}, author = {G Chatzigeorgiou and S Faulwetter and T Dailianis and V S Smith and P Koulouri and C Dounas and C Arvanitidis}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85018623784&doi=10.3897%2fBDJ.4.e10859&partnerID=40&md5=5e1065f8df7260a055f72bdac84bccf2}, doi = {10.3897/BDJ.4.e10859}, issn = {13142828}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, journal = {Biodiversity Data Journal}, volume = {4}, number = {1}, abstract = {Background Citizen Science (CS) as a term implies a great deal of approaches and scopes involving many different fields of science. The number of the relevant projects globally has been increased significantly in the recent years. Large scale ecological questions can be answered only through extended observation networks and CS projects can support this effort. Although the need of such projects is apparent, an important part of scientific community cast doubt on the reliability of CS data sets. New information The pilot CS project COMBER has been created in order to provide evidence to answer the aforementioned question in the coastal marine biodiversity monitoring. The results of the current analysis show that a carefully designed CS project with clear hypotheses, wide participation and data sets validation, can be a valuable tool for the large scale and long term changes in marine biodiversity pattern change and therefore for relevant management and conservation issues. © Chatzigeorgiou G et al.}, note = {Publisher: Pensoft Publishers}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Background Citizen Science (CS) as a term implies a great deal of approaches and scopes involving many different fields of science. The number of the relevant projects globally has been increased significantly in the recent years. Large scale ecological questions can be answered only through extended observation networks and CS projects can support this effort. Although the need of such projects is apparent, an important part of scientific community cast doubt on the reliability of CS data sets. New information The pilot CS project COMBER has been created in order to provide evidence to answer the aforementioned question in the coastal marine biodiversity monitoring. The results of the current analysis show that a carefully designed CS project with clear hypotheses, wide participation and data sets validation, can be a valuable tool for the large scale and long term changes in marine biodiversity pattern change and therefore for relevant management and conservation issues. © Chatzigeorgiou G et al. |
Dounas, C; Androulakis, D; Dailianis, T; Koulouri, P Recreational diving oasis with artificial habitats Inproceedings Rapp. Com. int. Mer Médit., pp. 476, 2016. @inproceedings{dounas_recreational_2016, title = {Recreational diving oasis with artificial habitats}, author = {C Dounas and D Androulakis and T Dailianis and P Koulouri}, year = {2016}, date = {2016-01-01}, booktitle = {Rapp. Com. int. Mer Médit.}, volume = {41}, pages = {476}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {inproceedings} } |
2015 |
Gerovasileiou, V; Chintiroglou, C; Vafidis, D; Koutsoubas, D; Sini, M; Dailianis, T; Issaris, Y; Akritopoulou, E; Dimarchopoulou, D; Voutsiadou, E Census of biodiversity in marine caves of the eastern Mediterranean Sea Journal Article Mediterranean Marine Science, 16 (1), pp. 245, 2015, ISSN: 1791-6763, 1108-393X. @article{gerovasileiou_census_2015, title = {Census of biodiversity in marine caves of the eastern Mediterranean Sea}, author = {V Gerovasileiou and C Chintiroglou and D Vafidis and D Koutsoubas and M Sini and T Dailianis and Y Issaris and E Akritopoulou and D Dimarchopoulou and E Voutsiadou}, url = {https://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/hcmr-med-mar-sc/article/view/12866}, doi = {10.12681/mms.1069}, issn = {1791-6763, 1108-393X}, year = {2015}, date = {2015-03-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {Mediterranean Marine Science}, volume = {16}, number = {1}, pages = {245}, abstract = {Scientific information on the biodiversity of marine caves in the eastern Mediterranean is limited, especially when considering the extensively studied caves of the north-western and central Mediterranean. Aiming to enhance current knowledge regarding cave communities, this study represents a first assessment of the marine cave biota of the eastern Mediterranean, as this has been defined by the European Union’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Information retrieved from an extensive overview of relevant scientific documents was combined with original data recorded from 23 marine caves of the north-eastern Mediterranean. Our results report a total of 520 taxa recorded in eastern Mediterranean marine caves to date, the majority of which are sponges, polychaetes, rhodophytes, bivalves, fishes, and gastropods. These include several protected, endemic, and alien species. However, not all taxonomic groups have been equally studied among different areas and future studies are expected to raise the number of endemic and alien species. The overall observed trend is that the reported species number is generally related to sampling effort and scientific expertise. The most well-studied marine cave communities of the eastern Mediterranean are those of the Aegean Sea (especially its northern sector), which presented the highest number of species, followed by those of the Levantine. Furthermore, our research in Aegean caves revealed numerous new records for the marine cave fauna of the eastern basin, while several species are reported for the first time in the marine cave habitat. The critical need for further scientific research, monitoring, and conservation of this unique ecosystem was highlighted by (i) the presence of certain species endemic to the eastern Mediterranean coupled with a high proportion of alien species, especially in the Levantine, and (ii) the marine cave habitat availability in isolated insular areas of the eastern Mediterranean.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Scientific information on the biodiversity of marine caves in the eastern Mediterranean is limited, especially when considering the extensively studied caves of the north-western and central Mediterranean. Aiming to enhance current knowledge regarding cave communities, this study represents a first assessment of the marine cave biota of the eastern Mediterranean, as this has been defined by the European Union’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Information retrieved from an extensive overview of relevant scientific documents was combined with original data recorded from 23 marine caves of the north-eastern Mediterranean. Our results report a total of 520 taxa recorded in eastern Mediterranean marine caves to date, the majority of which are sponges, polychaetes, rhodophytes, bivalves, fishes, and gastropods. These include several protected, endemic, and alien species. However, not all taxonomic groups have been equally studied among different areas and future studies are expected to raise the number of endemic and alien species. The overall observed trend is that the reported species number is generally related to sampling effort and scientific expertise. The most well-studied marine cave communities of the eastern Mediterranean are those of the Aegean Sea (especially its northern sector), which presented the highest number of species, followed by those of the Levantine. Furthermore, our research in Aegean caves revealed numerous new records for the marine cave fauna of the eastern basin, while several species are reported for the first time in the marine cave habitat. The critical need for further scientific research, monitoring, and conservation of this unique ecosystem was highlighted by (i) the presence of certain species endemic to the eastern Mediterranean coupled with a high proportion of alien species, especially in the Levantine, and (ii) the marine cave habitat availability in isolated insular areas of the eastern Mediterranean. |
Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Ganias, Konstantinos; Dailianis, Thanos; Voultsiadou, Eleni Occurrence of some rarely reported fish species in eastern Mediterranean marine caves Journal Article Cahiers De Biologie Marine, 56 (4), pp. 381–387, 2015. @article{gerovasileiou_occurrence_2015, title = {Occurrence of some rarely reported fish species in eastern Mediterranean marine caves}, author = {Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Konstantinos Ganias and Thanos Dailianis and Eleni Voultsiadou}, year = {2015}, date = {2015-01-01}, journal = {Cahiers De Biologie Marine}, volume = {56}, number = {4}, pages = {381--387}, abstract = {This study reports the occurrence of three rarely reported fish species of conservation interest, in marine caves of the Aegean Sea, updating the limited knowledge on their distribution and ecology. One of them, Grammonus ater, observed in the dark sector of a marine cave in the island of Crete (southern Aegean), is reported for the first time from the eastern Mediterranean. The other two are gobiid species found in a marine cave of Lesvos Island (northern Aegean): Corcyrogobius liechtensteini in cavities of the sponge Agelas oroides at the entrance of the cave and Thorogobius ephippiatus on the muddy bottom of the semidark and dark cave sectors.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } This study reports the occurrence of three rarely reported fish species of conservation interest, in marine caves of the Aegean Sea, updating the limited knowledge on their distribution and ecology. One of them, Grammonus ater, observed in the dark sector of a marine cave in the island of Crete (southern Aegean), is reported for the first time from the eastern Mediterranean. The other two are gobiid species found in a marine cave of Lesvos Island (northern Aegean): Corcyrogobius liechtensteini in cavities of the sponge Agelas oroides at the entrance of the cave and Thorogobius ephippiatus on the muddy bottom of the semidark and dark cave sectors. |
Ruggeri, C; Mandalakis, M; Sergi, S; Bullita, E; Frigau, N; Tamburini, E; Chatzinikolaou, E; Dailianis, T; Arvanitidis, C Characterisation of pollution status and hydrocarbon degraders in seawater of Mediterranean tourist ports Inproceedings 6th European Bioremediation Conference, pp. 596–600, Chania, Crete, Greece, 2015. @inproceedings{ruggeri_characterisation_2015, title = {Characterisation of pollution status and hydrocarbon degraders in seawater of Mediterranean tourist ports}, author = {C Ruggeri and M Mandalakis and S Sergi and E Bullita and N Frigau and E Tamburini and E Chatzinikolaou and T Dailianis and C Arvanitidis}, year = {2015}, date = {2015-01-01}, booktitle = {6th European Bioremediation Conference}, pages = {596--600}, address = {Chania, Crete, Greece}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {inproceedings} } |
Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Dailianis, Thanos; Dimitriadis, Charalampos; Sourbès, Laurent; Koutsoubas, Drosos; Poursanidis, Dimitris Underwater trails in the National Marine Park of Zakynthos Book Management Body of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos, 2015, ISBN: 978-618-82532-0-9. @book{gerovasileiou_underwater_2015, title = {Underwater trails in the National Marine Park of Zakynthos}, author = {Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Thanos Dailianis and Charalampos Dimitriadis and Laurent Sourbès and Drosos Koutsoubas and Dimitris Poursanidis}, url = {www.nmp-zak.org}, isbn = {978-618-82532-0-9}, year = {2015}, date = {2015-01-01}, publisher = {Management Body of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {book} } |
2014 |
Faulwetter, Sarah; Dailianis, Thanos; Vasileiadou, Katerina; Kouratoras, Michail; Arvanitidis, Christos Can micro-CT become an essential tool for the 21st century taxonomist? – an evaluation using marine polychaetes Journal Article Microscopy and Analysis, 28 , pp. 10–13, 2014. @article{faulwetter_can_2014, title = {Can micro-CT become an essential tool for the 21st century taxonomist? – an evaluation using marine polychaetes}, author = {Sarah Faulwetter and Thanos Dailianis and Katerina Vasileiadou and Michail Kouratoras and Christos Arvanitidis}, year = {2014}, date = {2014-02-01}, journal = {Microscopy and Analysis}, volume = {28}, pages = {10--13}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } |
Faulwetter, S; Markantonatou, V; Pavloudi, C; Papageorgiou, N; Keklikoglou, K; Chatzinikolaou, E; Pafilis, E; Chatzigeorgiou, G; Vasileiadou, K; Dailianis, T; Fanini, L; Koulouri, P; Arvanitidis, C Polytraits: A database on biological traits of marine polychaetes Journal Article Biodiversity Data Journal, 2 (1), 2014, ISSN: 13142828, (Publisher: Pensoft Publishers). @article{faulwetter_polytraits_2014, title = {Polytraits: A database on biological traits of marine polychaetes}, author = {S Faulwetter and V Markantonatou and C Pavloudi and N Papageorgiou and K Keklikoglou and E Chatzinikolaou and E Pafilis and G Chatzigeorgiou and K Vasileiadou and T Dailianis and L Fanini and P Koulouri and C Arvanitidis}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85018193846&doi=10.3897%2fBDJ.2.e1024&partnerID=40&md5=621b076567d09921bf9b5146a7f8844e}, doi = {10.3897/BDJ.2.e1024}, issn = {13142828}, year = {2014}, date = {2014-01-01}, journal = {Biodiversity Data Journal}, volume = {2}, number = {1}, abstract = {The study of ecosystem functioning - the role which organisms play in an ecosystem - is becoming increasingly important in marine ecological research. The functional structure of a community can be represented by a set of functional traits assigned to behavioural, reproductive and morphological characteristics. The collection of these traits from the literature is however a laborious and time-consuming process, and gaps of knowledge and restricted availability of literature are a common problem. Trait data are not yet readily being shared by research communities, and even if they are, a lack of trait data repositories and standards for data formats leads to the publication of trait information in forms which cannot be processed by computers. This paper describes Polytraits (http:// polytraits.lifewatchgreece.eu), a database on biological traits of marine polychaetes (bristle worms, Polychaeta: Annelida). At present, the database contains almost 20,000 records on morphological, behavioural and reproductive characteristics of more than 1,000 marine polychaete species, all referenced by literature sources. All data can be freely accessed through the project website in different ways and formats, both human-readable and machine-readable, and have been submitted to the Encyclopedia of Life for archival and integration with trait information from other sources. © Faulwetter S et al.}, note = {Publisher: Pensoft Publishers}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The study of ecosystem functioning - the role which organisms play in an ecosystem - is becoming increasingly important in marine ecological research. The functional structure of a community can be represented by a set of functional traits assigned to behavioural, reproductive and morphological characteristics. The collection of these traits from the literature is however a laborious and time-consuming process, and gaps of knowledge and restricted availability of literature are a common problem. Trait data are not yet readily being shared by research communities, and even if they are, a lack of trait data repositories and standards for data formats leads to the publication of trait information in forms which cannot be processed by computers. This paper describes Polytraits (http:// polytraits.lifewatchgreece.eu), a database on biological traits of marine polychaetes (bristle worms, Polychaeta: Annelida). At present, the database contains almost 20,000 records on morphological, behavioural and reproductive characteristics of more than 1,000 marine polychaete species, all referenced by literature sources. All data can be freely accessed through the project website in different ways and formats, both human-readable and machine-readable, and have been submitted to the Encyclopedia of Life for archival and integration with trait information from other sources. © Faulwetter S et al. |
2013 |
Faulwetter, Sarah; Dailianis, Thanos; Vasileiadou, Aikaterini; Arvanitidis, Christos Contrast enhancing techniques for the application of micro-CT in marine biodiversity studies Journal Article Microscopy and Analysis, 27 (2), pp. S4–S7, 2013. @article{faulwetter_contrast_2013, title = {Contrast enhancing techniques for the application of micro-CT in marine biodiversity studies}, author = {Sarah Faulwetter and Thanos Dailianis and Aikaterini Vasileiadou and Christos Arvanitidis}, url = {http://www.microscopy-analysis.com/sites/default/files/2013_March_Faulwetter.pdf}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-02-01}, journal = {Microscopy and Analysis}, volume = {27}, number = {2}, pages = {S4--S7}, abstract = {X-ray micro-computed tomography holds large potential for zoology and taxonomy in particular. The scanning of soft-bodied invertebrates requires however some form of contrast enhancement to produce useful results. Here, we apply three different methods (tissue staining with iodine and with phosphotungstic acid and drying with hexamethyldisilazane) to three different invertebrates and compare their effects. The effects of each method on different organisms and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } X-ray micro-computed tomography holds large potential for zoology and taxonomy in particular. The scanning of soft-bodied invertebrates requires however some form of contrast enhancement to produce useful results. Here, we apply three different methods (tissue staining with iodine and with phosphotungstic acid and drying with hexamethyldisilazane) to three different invertebrates and compare their effects. The effects of each method on different organisms and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. |
Voultsiadou, Eleni; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Dailianis, Thanos Extinction trends of marine species and populations in the Aegean Sea and adjacent ecoregions Incollection Briand, F (Ed.): Marine extinctions - patterns and processes, pp. 59–74, CIESM Publisher, Monaco, 2013. @incollection{voultsiadou_extinction_2013, title = {Extinction trends of marine species and populations in the Aegean Sea and adjacent ecoregions}, author = {Eleni Voultsiadou and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Thanos Dailianis}, editor = {F Briand}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-01-01}, booktitle = {Marine extinctions - patterns and processes}, pages = {59--74}, publisher = {CIESM Publisher}, address = {Monaco}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {incollection} } |
Faulwetter, S; Vasileiadou, A; Kouratoras, M; Dailianis, T; Arvanitidis, C Micro-computed tomography: Introducing new dimensions to taxonomy Journal Article ZooKeys, 263 , pp. 1–45, 2013, ISSN: 13132989. @article{faulwetter_micro-computed_2013, title = {Micro-computed tomography: Introducing new dimensions to taxonomy}, author = {S Faulwetter and A Vasileiadou and M Kouratoras and T Dailianis and C Arvanitidis}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84873465745&doi=10.3897%2fzookeys.263.4261&partnerID=40&md5=79eb83ef960d142fc3d30b24f193ab45}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.263.4261}, issn = {13132989}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-01-01}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {263}, pages = {1--45}, abstract = {Continuous improvements in the resolution of three-dimensional imaging have led to an increased application of these techniques in conventional taxonomic research in recent years. Coupled with an ever increasing research effort in cybertaxonomy, three-dimensional imaging could give a boost to the development of virtual specimen collections, allowing rapid and simultaneous access to accurate virtual representations of type material. This paper explores the potential of micro-computed tomography (X-ray micro-tomography), a non-destructive three-dimensional imaging technique based on mapping X-ray attenuation in the scanned object, for supporting research in systematics and taxonomy. The subsequent use of these data as virtual type material, so-called "cybertypes", and the creation of virtual collections lie at the core of this potential. Sample preparation, image acquisition, data processing and presentation of results are demonstrated using polychaetes (bristle worms), a representative taxon of macro-invertebrates, as a study object. Effects of the technique on the morphological, anatomical and molecular identity of the specimens are investigated. The paper evaluates the results and discusses the potential and the limitations of the technique for creating cybertypes. It also discusses the challenges that the community might face to establish virtual collections. Potential future applications of three-dimensional information in taxonomic research are outlined, including an outlook to new ways of producing, disseminating and publishing taxonomic information. © 2013 Sarah Faulwetter.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Continuous improvements in the resolution of three-dimensional imaging have led to an increased application of these techniques in conventional taxonomic research in recent years. Coupled with an ever increasing research effort in cybertaxonomy, three-dimensional imaging could give a boost to the development of virtual specimen collections, allowing rapid and simultaneous access to accurate virtual representations of type material. This paper explores the potential of micro-computed tomography (X-ray micro-tomography), a non-destructive three-dimensional imaging technique based on mapping X-ray attenuation in the scanned object, for supporting research in systematics and taxonomy. The subsequent use of these data as virtual type material, so-called "cybertypes", and the creation of virtual collections lie at the core of this potential. Sample preparation, image acquisition, data processing and presentation of results are demonstrated using polychaetes (bristle worms), a representative taxon of macro-invertebrates, as a study object. Effects of the technique on the morphological, anatomical and molecular identity of the specimens are investigated. The paper evaluates the results and discusses the potential and the limitations of the technique for creating cybertypes. It also discusses the challenges that the community might face to establish virtual collections. Potential future applications of three-dimensional information in taxonomic research are outlined, including an outlook to new ways of producing, disseminating and publishing taxonomic information. © 2013 Sarah Faulwetter. |
Polymenakou, P N; Nomikou, P; Mandalakis, M; Kilias, S P; Christakis, C; Kyrpides, N; Ivanova, N; Oulas, A; Dailianis, Thanos; Carey, S; Kotoulas, G; Magoulas, A; Papanikolaou, D Microbiological exploration of a unique CO2-rich shallow submarine hydrothermal vent field (Kolumbo, Santorini island, Aegean Sea) Inproceedings Heraklion Crete, Greece, 2013, (Publication Title: Mediterranean Marine Biodiversity Conference Type: Oral Presentation). @inproceedings{polymenakou_microbiological_2013, title = {Microbiological exploration of a unique CO2-rich shallow submarine hydrothermal vent field (Kolumbo, Santorini island, Aegean Sea)}, author = {P N Polymenakou and P Nomikou and M Mandalakis and S P Kilias and C Christakis and N Kyrpides and N Ivanova and A Oulas and Thanos Dailianis and S Carey and G Kotoulas and A Magoulas and D Papanikolaou}, year = {2013}, date = {2013-01-01}, address = {Heraklion Crete, Greece}, note = {Publication Title: Mediterranean Marine Biodiversity Conference Type: Oral Presentation}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {inproceedings} } |
2012 |
Vogiatzi, E; Hanel, R; Dailianis, Thanos; Lagnel, J; Hassan, M; Magoulas, A; Tsigenopoulos, C S Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 44 , pp. 279 – 285, 2012. @article{vogiatzi_description_2012, title = {Description of microsatellite markers in four mullids based on the development and cross-species amplification of 18 new markers in red mullet (Mullus barbatus)}, author = {E Vogiatzi and R Hanel and Thanos Dailianis and J Lagnel and M Hassan and A Magoulas and C S Tsigenopoulos}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305197812001184}, doi = {10.1016/j.bse.2012.06.006}, year = {2012}, date = {2012-01-01}, journal = {Biochemical Systematics and Ecology}, volume = {44}, pages = {279 -- 285}, abstract = {We investigated the transferability and characterized the genetic diversity of 18 microsatellite markers newly developed for the red mullet (Mullus barbatus) in populations of four different species of the Mullidae family: the striped red mullet (Mullus surmuletus), the golden-banded goatfish (Upeneus moluccensis), the West African goatfish (Pseudupeneus prayensis) and the yellow goatfish (Mulloidichthys martinicus). Results indicate that the loci are polymorphic to different extent in M. surmuletus (94%), U. moluccensis (83%), P. prayensis (78%), and M. martinicus (67%). The high rates of successful cross-amplification of microsatellite loci among Mullidae species will offer excellent opportunities to investigate the genetic structure of wild populations, to explore their conservation genetics and fisheries management and to study any future interaction and introgression between them. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } We investigated the transferability and characterized the genetic diversity of 18 microsatellite markers newly developed for the red mullet (Mullus barbatus) in populations of four different species of the Mullidae family: the striped red mullet (Mullus surmuletus), the golden-banded goatfish (Upeneus moluccensis), the West African goatfish (Pseudupeneus prayensis) and the yellow goatfish (Mulloidichthys martinicus). Results indicate that the loci are polymorphic to different extent in M. surmuletus (94%), U. moluccensis (83%), P. prayensis (78%), and M. martinicus (67%). The high rates of successful cross-amplification of microsatellite loci among Mullidae species will offer excellent opportunities to investigate the genetic structure of wild populations, to explore their conservation genetics and fisheries management and to study any future interaction and introgression between them. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. |
2011 |
Arvanitidis, C; Faulwetter, S; Chatzigeorgiou, G; Penev, L; Bánki, O; Dailianis, T; Pafilis, E; Kouratoras, M; Chatzinikolaou, E; Fanini, L; Vasileiadou, A; Pavloudi, C; Vavilis, P; Koulouri, P; Dounas, C Engaging the broader community in biodiversity research: The concept of the COMBER pilot project for divers in vibrant Journal Article ZooKeys, 150 , pp. 211–229, 2011, ISSN: 13132989. @article{arvanitidis_engaging_2011, title = {Engaging the broader community in biodiversity research: The concept of the COMBER pilot project for divers in vibrant}, author = {C Arvanitidis and S Faulwetter and G Chatzigeorgiou and L Penev and O Bánki and T Dailianis and E Pafilis and M Kouratoras and E Chatzinikolaou and L Fanini and A Vasileiadou and C Pavloudi and P Vavilis and P Koulouri and C Dounas}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84856457337&doi=10.3897%2fzookeys.150.2149&partnerID=40&md5=48d27ff65c2def3588c3e0f3a8b72a92}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.150.2149}, issn = {13132989}, year = {2011}, date = {2011-01-01}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {150}, pages = {211--229}, abstract = {This paper discusses the design and implementation of a citizen science pilot project, COMBER (Citizens' Network for the Observation of Marine Biodiv ERsity, http://www.comber.hcmr.gr, which has been initiated under the Vi BRANT EU e-infrastructure. It is designed and implemented for divers and snorkelers who are interested in participating in marine biodiversity citizen science projects. It shows the necessity of engaging the broader community in the marine biodiversity monitoring and research projects, networks and initiatives. It analyses the stakeholders, the industry and the relevant markets involved in diving activities and their potential to sustain these activities. The principles, including data policy and rewards for the participating divers through their own data, upon which this project is based are thoroughly discussed. The results of the users analysis and lessons learned so far are presented. Future plans include promotion, links with citizen science web developments, data publishing tools, and development of new scientific hypotheses to be tested by the data collected so far.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } This paper discusses the design and implementation of a citizen science pilot project, COMBER (Citizens' Network for the Observation of Marine Biodiv ERsity, http://www.comber.hcmr.gr, which has been initiated under the Vi BRANT EU e-infrastructure. It is designed and implemented for divers and snorkelers who are interested in participating in marine biodiversity citizen science projects. It shows the necessity of engaging the broader community in the marine biodiversity monitoring and research projects, networks and initiatives. It analyses the stakeholders, the industry and the relevant markets involved in diving activities and their potential to sustain these activities. The principles, including data policy and rewards for the participating divers through their own data, upon which this project is based are thoroughly discussed. The results of the users analysis and lessons learned so far are presented. Future plans include promotion, links with citizen science web developments, data publishing tools, and development of new scientific hypotheses to be tested by the data collected so far. |
Dailianis, T; Tsigenopoulos, C S; Dounas, C; Voultsiadou, E Molecular Ecology, 20 (18), pp. 3757–3772, 2011, ISSN: 09621083. @article{dailianis_genetic_2011, title = {Genetic diversity of the imperilled bath sponge Spongia officinalis Linnaeus, 1759 across the Mediterranean Sea: Patterns of population differentiation and implications for taxonomy and conservation}, author = {T Dailianis and C S Tsigenopoulos and C Dounas and E Voultsiadou}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84860390594&doi=10.1111%2fj.1365-294X.2011.05222.x&partnerID=40&md5=69d2c113d95d39f51f769ef7d0b5b93e}, doi = {10.1111/j.1365-294X.2011.05222.x}, issn = {09621083}, year = {2011}, date = {2011-01-01}, journal = {Molecular Ecology}, volume = {20}, number = {18}, pages = {3757--3772}, abstract = {The Mediterranean bath sponge Spongia officinalis is an iconic species with high socio-economic value and precarious future owing to unregulated harvesting, mortality incidents and lack of established knowledge regarding its ecology. This study aims to assess genetic diversity and population structure of the species at different geographical scales throughout its distribution. For this purpose, 11 locations in the Eastern Mediterranean (Aegean Sea), Western Mediterranean (Provence coast) and the Strait of Gibraltar were sampled; specimens were analysed using partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences, along with a set of eight microsatellite loci. According to our results (i) no genetic differentiation exists among the acknowledged Mediterranean morphotypes, and hence, S. officinalis can be viewed as a single, morphologically variable species; (ii) a notable divergence was recorded in the Gibraltar region, indicating the possible existence of a cryptic species; (iii) restriction to gene flow was evidenced between the Aegean Sea and Provence giving two well-defined regional clusters, thus suggesting the existence of a phylogeographic break between the two systems; (iv) low levels of genetic structure, not correlated to geographical distance, were observed inside geographical sectors, implying mechanisms (natural or anthropogenic) that enhance dispersal and gene flow have promoted population connectivity; (v) the genetic diversity of S. officinalis is maintained high in most studied locations despite pressure from harvesting and the influence of devastating epidemics. These findings provide a basis towards the effective conservation and management of the species. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The Mediterranean bath sponge Spongia officinalis is an iconic species with high socio-economic value and precarious future owing to unregulated harvesting, mortality incidents and lack of established knowledge regarding its ecology. This study aims to assess genetic diversity and population structure of the species at different geographical scales throughout its distribution. For this purpose, 11 locations in the Eastern Mediterranean (Aegean Sea), Western Mediterranean (Provence coast) and the Strait of Gibraltar were sampled; specimens were analysed using partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences, along with a set of eight microsatellite loci. According to our results (i) no genetic differentiation exists among the acknowledged Mediterranean morphotypes, and hence, S. officinalis can be viewed as a single, morphologically variable species; (ii) a notable divergence was recorded in the Gibraltar region, indicating the possible existence of a cryptic species; (iii) restriction to gene flow was evidenced between the Aegean Sea and Provence giving two well-defined regional clusters, thus suggesting the existence of a phylogeographic break between the two systems; (iv) low levels of genetic structure, not correlated to geographical distance, were observed inside geographical sectors, implying mechanisms (natural or anthropogenic) that enhance dispersal and gene flow have promoted population connectivity; (v) the genetic diversity of S. officinalis is maintained high in most studied locations despite pressure from harvesting and the influence of devastating epidemics. These findings provide a basis towards the effective conservation and management of the species. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. |
Dailianis, Thanos Mediterranean Sponges: a fascinating yet unknown world Journal Article Aiginaia, 20 , pp. 13–23, 2011. @article{dailianis_mediterranean_2011, title = {Mediterranean Sponges: a fascinating yet unknown world}, author = {Thanos Dailianis}, year = {2011}, date = {2011-01-01}, journal = {Aiginaia}, volume = {20}, pages = {13--23}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } |
Voultsiadou, Eleni; Dailianis, Thanos; Antoniadou, Chryssanthi; Vafidis, Dimitris; Dounas, Costas; Chintiroglou, Chariton Charles Aegean Bath Sponges: Historical Data and Current Status Journal Article Reviews in Fisheries science, 19 (1), pp. 34–51, 2011. @article{voultsiadou_aegean_2011, title = {Aegean Bath Sponges: Historical Data and Current Status}, author = {Eleni Voultsiadou and Thanos Dailianis and Chryssanthi Antoniadou and Dimitris Vafidis and Costas Dounas and Chariton Charles Chintiroglou}, url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10641262.2010.531794}, doi = {10.1080/10641262.2010.531794}, year = {2011}, date = {2011-01-01}, journal = {Reviews in Fisheries science}, volume = {19}, number = {1}, pages = {34--51}, abstract = {This study attempts to evaluate the status of the populations of bath sponges (species of the genera Spongia and Hippospongia) in the Aegean, combining historical sources dated before a series of disease outbreaks that occurred from 1986 on, unpublished data obtained during the recovery phase after the first incident, as well as a current survey of the main spongiferous beds in the area. The latter was implemented through an extensive sampling trip assisted by professional sponge fishermen, including 55 stations distributed in 17 Aegean islands. Our analysis of population and morphometric data exhibits regeneration potential for bath sponge stocks, yet highlights the contrast between their present status and that of historical times. Uniformity is not evident, as several populations retain high abundances, while simultaneously areas purportedly rich in bath sponges appear deprived. Small-scale environmental regimes in the Aegean are proposed as the shaping factors of this situation; however, the importance of additional elaborate studies and the implementation of an effective regulation scheme regarding their fisheries are stressed.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } This study attempts to evaluate the status of the populations of bath sponges (species of the genera Spongia and Hippospongia) in the Aegean, combining historical sources dated before a series of disease outbreaks that occurred from 1986 on, unpublished data obtained during the recovery phase after the first incident, as well as a current survey of the main spongiferous beds in the area. The latter was implemented through an extensive sampling trip assisted by professional sponge fishermen, including 55 stations distributed in 17 Aegean islands. Our analysis of population and morphometric data exhibits regeneration potential for bath sponge stocks, yet highlights the contrast between their present status and that of historical times. Uniformity is not evident, as several populations retain high abundances, while simultaneously areas purportedly rich in bath sponges appear deprived. Small-scale environmental regimes in the Aegean are proposed as the shaping factors of this situation; however, the importance of additional elaborate studies and the implementation of an effective regulation scheme regarding their fisheries are stressed. |
2010 |
Coll, Marta; Piroddi, Chiara; Steenbeek, Jeroen; Kaschner, Kristin; Lasram, Frida Ben Rais; Aguzzi, Jacopo; Ballesteros, Enric; Bianchi, Carlo Nike; Corbera, Jordi; Dailianis, Thanos; Danovaro, Roberto; Estrada, Marta; Froglia, Carlo; Galil, Bella S; Gasol, Josep M; Gertwagen, Ruthy; Gil, João; Guilhaumon, François; Kesner-Reyes, Kathleen; Kitsos, Miltiadis-Spyridon; Koukouras, Athanasios; Lampadariou, Nikolaos; Laxamana, Elijah; de la Cuadra, Carlos López-Fé M; Lotze, Heike K; Martin, Daniel; Mouillot, David; Oro, Daniel; Raicevich, Saša; Rius-Barile, Josephine; Saiz-Salinas, Jose Ignacio; Vicente, Carles San; Somot, Samuel; Templado, José; Turon, Xavier; Vafidis, Dimitris; Villanueva, Roger; Voultsiadou, Eleni The Biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea: Estimates, Patterns, and Threats Journal Article PLoS ONE, 5 (8), pp. e11842, 2010, ISSN: 1932-6203. @article{coll_biodiversity_2010, title = {The Biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea: Estimates, Patterns, and Threats}, author = {Marta Coll and Chiara Piroddi and Jeroen Steenbeek and Kristin Kaschner and Frida Ben Rais Lasram and Jacopo Aguzzi and Enric Ballesteros and Carlo Nike Bianchi and Jordi Corbera and Thanos Dailianis and Roberto Danovaro and Marta Estrada and Carlo Froglia and Bella S Galil and Josep M Gasol and Ruthy Gertwagen and João Gil and François Guilhaumon and Kathleen Kesner-Reyes and Miltiadis-Spyridon Kitsos and Athanasios Koukouras and Nikolaos Lampadariou and Elijah Laxamana and Carlos M López-Fé de la Cuadra and Heike K Lotze and Daniel Martin and David Mouillot and Daniel Oro and Saša Raicevich and Josephine Rius-Barile and Jose Ignacio Saiz-Salinas and Carles San Vicente and Samuel Somot and José Templado and Xavier Turon and Dimitris Vafidis and Roger Villanueva and Eleni Voultsiadou}, editor = {Steven J Bograd}, url = {https://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011842}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0011842}, issn = {1932-6203}, year = {2010}, date = {2010-08-01}, urldate = {2020-08-09}, journal = {PLoS ONE}, volume = {5}, number = {8}, pages = {e11842}, abstract = {The Mediterranean Sea is a marine biodiversity hot spot. Here we combined an extensive literature analysis with expert opinions to update publicly available estimates of major taxa in this marine ecosystem and to revise and update several species lists. We also assessed overall spatial and temporal patterns of species diversity and identified major changes and threats. Our results listed approximately 17,000 marine species occurring in the Mediterranean Sea. However, our estimates of marine diversity are still incomplete as yet—undescribed species will be added in the future. Diversity for microbes is substantially underestimated, and the deep-sea areas and portions of the southern and eastern region are still poorly known. In addition, the invasion of alien species is a crucial factor that will continue to change the biodiversity of the Mediterranean, mainly in its eastern basin that can spread rapidly northwards and westwards due to the warming of the Mediterranean Sea. Spatial patterns showed a general decrease in biodiversity from northwestern to southeastern regions following a gradient of production, with some exceptions and caution due to gaps in our knowledge of the biota along the southern and eastern rims. Biodiversity was also generally higher in coastal areas and continental shelves, and decreases with depth. Temporal trends indicated that overexploitation and habitat loss have been the main human drivers of historical changes in biodiversity. At present, habitat loss and degradation, followed by fishing impacts, pollution, climate change, eutrophication, and the establishment of alien species are the most important threats and affect the greatest number of taxonomic groups. All these impacts are expected to grow in importance in the future, especially climate change and habitat degradation. The spatial identification of hot spots highlighted the ecological importance of most of the western Mediterranean shelves (and in particular, the Strait of Gibraltar and the adjacent Alboran Sea), western African coast, the Adriatic, and the Aegean Sea, which show high concentrations of endangered, threatened, or vulnerable species. The Levantine Basin, severely impacted by the invasion of species, is endangered as well.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The Mediterranean Sea is a marine biodiversity hot spot. Here we combined an extensive literature analysis with expert opinions to update publicly available estimates of major taxa in this marine ecosystem and to revise and update several species lists. We also assessed overall spatial and temporal patterns of species diversity and identified major changes and threats. Our results listed approximately 17,000 marine species occurring in the Mediterranean Sea. However, our estimates of marine diversity are still incomplete as yet—undescribed species will be added in the future. Diversity for microbes is substantially underestimated, and the deep-sea areas and portions of the southern and eastern region are still poorly known. In addition, the invasion of alien species is a crucial factor that will continue to change the biodiversity of the Mediterranean, mainly in its eastern basin that can spread rapidly northwards and westwards due to the warming of the Mediterranean Sea. Spatial patterns showed a general decrease in biodiversity from northwestern to southeastern regions following a gradient of production, with some exceptions and caution due to gaps in our knowledge of the biota along the southern and eastern rims. Biodiversity was also generally higher in coastal areas and continental shelves, and decreases with depth. Temporal trends indicated that overexploitation and habitat loss have been the main human drivers of historical changes in biodiversity. At present, habitat loss and degradation, followed by fishing impacts, pollution, climate change, eutrophication, and the establishment of alien species are the most important threats and affect the greatest number of taxonomic groups. All these impacts are expected to grow in importance in the future, especially climate change and habitat degradation. The spatial identification of hot spots highlighted the ecological importance of most of the western Mediterranean shelves (and in particular, the Strait of Gibraltar and the adjacent Alboran Sea), western African coast, the Adriatic, and the Aegean Sea, which show high concentrations of endangered, threatened, or vulnerable species. The Levantine Basin, severely impacted by the invasion of species, is endangered as well. |
Dailianis, Thanos; Tsigenopoulos, C S Characterization of polymorphic microsatellite markers for the endangered Mediterranean bath sponge Spongia officinalis L Journal Article Conservation Genetics, 11 (3), pp. 1155–1158, 2010. @article{dailianis_characterization_2010, title = {Characterization of polymorphic microsatellite markers for the endangered Mediterranean bath sponge Spongia officinalis L}, author = {Thanos Dailianis and C S Tsigenopoulos}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10592-009-9906-0}, doi = {10.1007/s10592-009-9906-0}, year = {2010}, date = {2010-01-01}, journal = {Conservation Genetics}, volume = {11}, number = {3}, pages = {1155--1158}, abstract = {Ten polymorphic microsatellite markers are described for the Mediterranean bath sponge Spongia officinalis. Loci were isolated from a genomic library enriched for AC repeats. Microsatellite markers were evaluated on a Cretan population of 28 individuals; the allelic richness ranged from 5 to 34 with an average of 17, while expected and observed heterozygosities varied from 0.505 to 0.964 and 0.444 to 0.963, respectively. In a species whose populations in the eastern Mediterranean basin have been substantially declined due to recurring mass mortality incidents and intensive harvesting, these markers are expected to assist studies of genetic structure and differentiation between populations.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Ten polymorphic microsatellite markers are described for the Mediterranean bath sponge Spongia officinalis. Loci were isolated from a genomic library enriched for AC repeats. Microsatellite markers were evaluated on a Cretan population of 28 individuals; the allelic richness ranged from 5 to 34 with an average of 17, while expected and observed heterozygosities varied from 0.505 to 0.964 and 0.444 to 0.963, respectively. In a species whose populations in the eastern Mediterranean basin have been substantially declined due to recurring mass mortality incidents and intensive harvesting, these markers are expected to assist studies of genetic structure and differentiation between populations. |
2008 |
Vafidis, Dimitris; Leontarakis, Panos K; Dailianis, Thanos; Kallianiotis, Argyris Population characteristics of four deep‐water pandalid shrimps (Decapoda: Caridea) in the northern Aegean Sea (NE Mediterranean) Journal Article Journal of Natural History, 42 (31-32), pp. 2079–2093, 2008, ISSN: 0022-2933, 1464-5262. @article{vafidis_population_2008, title = {Population characteristics of four deep‐water pandalid shrimps (Decapoda: Caridea) in the northern Aegean Sea (NE Mediterranean)}, author = {Dimitris Vafidis and Panos K Leontarakis and Thanos Dailianis and Argyris Kallianiotis}, url = {http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00222930802254672}, doi = {10.1080/00222930802254672}, issn = {0022-2933, 1464-5262}, year = {2008}, date = {2008-08-01}, urldate = {2020-08-06}, journal = {Journal of Natural History}, volume = {42}, number = {31-32}, pages = {2079--2093}, abstract = {The population characteristics of four deep‐water pandalid shrimps (Decapoda: Caridea) were studied in the northern Aegean Sea in samples collected annually (1997–2000) in summer, through experimental trawl, at depths down to 600 m. Females were larger than males in Plesionika martia and Plesionika heterocarpus; no significant differences in size of males and females were found in Chlorotocus crassicornis and Plesionika antigai. A trend of increasing size with depth was observed, as well as a linear increase in the proportion of females with increasing size. Sex ratio was skewed towards females at all depths in P. antigai, while in P. heterocarpus and C. crassicornis males dominated the intermediate depths. Negative allometries were apparent in the carapace length–weight relationships in males of all species. Isometric relationships were found in females apart from in P. heterocarpus. The population patterns conform to relevant Mediterranean reports. However, some population differences exist that may reflect the distinct environmental conditions prevailing in the study area.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } The population characteristics of four deep‐water pandalid shrimps (Decapoda: Caridea) were studied in the northern Aegean Sea in samples collected annually (1997–2000) in summer, through experimental trawl, at depths down to 600 m. Females were larger than males in Plesionika martia and Plesionika heterocarpus; no significant differences in size of males and females were found in Chlorotocus crassicornis and Plesionika antigai. A trend of increasing size with depth was observed, as well as a linear increase in the proportion of females with increasing size. Sex ratio was skewed towards females at all depths in P. antigai, while in P. heterocarpus and C. crassicornis males dominated the intermediate depths. Negative allometries were apparent in the carapace length–weight relationships in males of all species. Isometric relationships were found in females apart from in P. heterocarpus. The population patterns conform to relevant Mediterranean reports. However, some population differences exist that may reflect the distinct environmental conditions prevailing in the study area. |
Dailianis, Thanos; Limborg, M; Hanel, R; Bekkevold, D; Lagnel, J; A, Magoulas; Tsigenopoulos, C S Characterization of nine polymorphic microsatellite markers in sprat (Sprattus sprattus L.) Journal Article Molecular Ecology Resources, 8 (4), pp. 861–863, 2008, (ISBN: 1755-0998). @article{dailianis_characterization_2008, title = {Characterization of nine polymorphic microsatellite markers in sprat (Sprattus sprattus L.)}, author = {Thanos Dailianis and M Limborg and R Hanel and D Bekkevold and J Lagnel and Magoulas A and C S Tsigenopoulos}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1755-0998.2008.02091.x}, doi = {10.1111/j.1755-0998.2008.02091.x}, year = {2008}, date = {2008-01-01}, journal = {Molecular Ecology Resources}, volume = {8}, number = {4}, pages = {861--863}, abstract = {Nine polymorphic microsatellites were isolated from sprat (Sprattus sprattus) using a microsatellite enrichment protocol and selective hybridization with a biotinylated (AC)12 probe. The loci showed different variation patterns in a Baltic Sea population (44 individuals) with mean number of alleles at 12.7 and mean observed heterozygosity at 0.78. These microsatellite loci are expected to be used for taxonomic considerations in sprat, stock differentiation and population genetic analysis.}, note = {ISBN: 1755-0998}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } Nine polymorphic microsatellites were isolated from sprat (Sprattus sprattus) using a microsatellite enrichment protocol and selective hybridization with a biotinylated (AC)12 probe. The loci showed different variation patterns in a Baltic Sea population (44 individuals) with mean number of alleles at 12.7 and mean observed heterozygosity at 0.78. These microsatellite loci are expected to be used for taxonomic considerations in sprat, stock differentiation and population genetic analysis. |
Vacelet, Jean; Bitar, Ghazi; Dailianis, Thanos; Zibrowius, Helmut; Pérez, Thierry A large encrusting clionaid sponge in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea Journal Article Marine Ecology, 29 (2), pp. 237–246, 2008. @article{vacelet_large_2008, title = {A large encrusting clionaid sponge in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea}, author = {Jean Vacelet and Ghazi Bitar and Thanos Dailianis and Helmut Zibrowius and Thierry Pérez}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1439-0485.2007.00218.x}, doi = {10.1111/j.1439-0485.2007.00218.x}, year = {2008}, date = {2008-01-01}, journal = {Marine Ecology}, volume = {29}, number = {2}, pages = {237--246}, abstract = {An excavating sponge, which covers extensive areas of limestone rock, has been found at several locations of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. This zooxanthellate clionaid, brown with yellow oscula, may have an extension of several square meters under the β‐form, similar to what has been described in coral reef areas. It has been observed at 3–30 m depth, generally in clear water in the Ionian Sea, Crete, Cyprus and Lebanon. The gross morphology and the spicule characters are described from all the collected specimens. The spicule complement, with variable tylostyles and rare, sometimes absent, thin spirasters, is compared with that of Cliona parenzaniCorriero & Scalera‐Liaci 1997 from the Apulian coast (Ionian Sea, Mediterranean Sea), and of several Caribbean and Indo‐Pacific clionaid species, which display the same morphology and rather similar spicule characters. The sponge is tentatively identified as C. parenzani, although there are some differences with the type specimens in the highly variable spiculation, suggesting that it may represent a species complex similar to what is known for other species in the Caribbean and Indo‐Pacific areas. Although the sponge appears to be closely related to large brown spreading clionaids from tropical areas and was previously practically overlooked in the Eastern Mediterranean, it does not appear to be a recent introduction. It is suggested that it could be a survivor in the warmer area of the Mediterranean of an ancient thermophilous fauna, which did not survive in the colder Western Basin during glacial episodes of the Pleistocene.}, keywords = {}, pubstate = {published}, tppubtype = {article} } An excavating sponge, which covers extensive areas of limestone rock, has been found at several locations of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. This zooxanthellate clionaid, brown with yellow oscula, may have an extension of several square meters under the β‐form, similar to what has been described in coral reef areas. It has been observed at 3–30 m depth, generally in clear water in the Ionian Sea, Crete, Cyprus and Lebanon. The gross morphology and the spicule characters are described from all the collected specimens. The spicule complement, with variable tylostyles and rare, sometimes absent, thin spirasters, is compared with that of Cliona parenzaniCorriero & Scalera‐Liaci 1997 from the Apulian coast (Ionian Sea, Mediterranean Sea), and of several Caribbean and Indo‐Pacific clionaid species, which display the same morphology and rather similar spicule characters. The sponge is tentatively identified as C. parenzani, although there are some differences with the type specimens in the highly variable spiculation, suggesting that it may represent a species complex similar to what is known for other species in the Caribbean and Indo‐Pacific areas. Although the sponge appears to be closely related to large brown spreading clionaids from tropical areas and was previously practically overlooked in the Eastern Mediterranean, it does not appear to be a recent introduction. It is suggested that it could be a survivor in the warmer area of the Mediterranean of an ancient thermophilous fauna, which did not survive in the colder Western Basin during glacial episodes of the Pleistocene. |