Article
Environmental Studies
Ginevra Capurso, Brendan Carroll, Kathryn A. Stewart
Summary: The creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is essential for marine environment protection in the European Union. However, current monitoring of MPAs is insufficient. The use of environmental DNA (eDNA) methods in MPA monitoring is relatively unexplored. This study examines the potential of eDNA to enhance monitoring in Mediterranean MPAs, addressing monitoring challenges and evaluating its suitability using a literature review and questionnaire.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gabriel Enrique De-la-Torre, Diana Carolina Dioses-Salinas, Carlos Ivan Pizarro-Ortega, Ana D. Forero Lopez, Melisa D. Fernandez Severini, Guido Noe Rimondino, Fabio Ernesto Malanca, Sina Dobaradaran, Tadele Assefa Aragaw, Bilal Mghili, Felix Ayala
Summary: This study investigated the abundance, distribution, and chemical characteristics of microplastics, mesoplastics, and paint particles in marine protected areas in Peru. The particles showed similar characteristics across different environmental compartments, with blue fibers being the dominant type. Some particles were composite materials consisting of alkyd resins, which are indicators of marine coatings. The study shed light on the contamination of anthropogenic debris in marine protected areas and provided insights into the properties of paint particles in marine environments.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ori Frid, Shahar Malamud, Antonio Di Franco, Paolo Guidetti, Ernesto Azzurro, Joachim Claudet, Fiorenza Micheli, Ruth Yahel, Enric Sala, Jonathan Belmaker
Summary: The positive effect of fully protected marine protected areas (MPAs) on marine biodiversity, and specifically on fishes, has been widely documented. The potential of MPAs to mitigate the impact of adverse climatic conditions has seldom been investigated. This study assessed the effectiveness of MPAs in increasing fish biomass across the Mediterranean Sea and found that while MPAs did increase fish biomass, higher seawater temperatures were associated with decreased fish biomass. Importantly, the rate of decrease in fish biomass with temperature was similar between protected and fished sites.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Thamiris C. Karlovic, Renata R. Gomes, Paulo C. Paiva, Elizabeth A. Babcock, June F. Dias
Summary: The efficacy of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Brazil, particularly for elasmobranch species, is at risk due to anthropogenic pressures and a lack of ecological research. Efforts to address these issues are underway, but the effectiveness of MPAs in the region needs to be carefully monitored and enhanced to ensure the conservation of marine species.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Andrea Barco, Bjoern Kullmann, Thomas Knebelsberger, Victoria Sarrazin, Vanessa Kuhs, Axel Kreutle, Christian Pusch, Ralf Thiel
Summary: This report describes the first application of environmental DNA-metabarcoding approach for assessing fish species diversity in two marine protected areas of the North Sea. The results show that the environmental DNA-metabarcoding approach can detect fish species that are not documented in bottom-trawl surveys, which is important for ecological monitoring and conservation in the protected areas.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lucian Himes, Florybeth Flores La Valle
Summary: This study used flight initiation distance (FID) to evaluate the health of fish populations within and outside of marine protected areas (MPAs) in Southern California. The results showed that fish sampled in MPAs had lower FID values, indicating bolder behavioral traits. This suggests that MPAs in Southern California are promoting healthier fish communities.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yannis Hatzonikolakis, Sylvaine Giakoumi, Dionysios E. Raitsos, Kostas Tsiaras, Sofia Kalaroni, George Triantaphyllidis, George Triantafyllou
Summary: Micro- and macro-plastics pollution poses a growing threat to marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, particularly in designated marine protected areas. A numerical model was used to analyze the dispersion and accumulation of plastic litter, showing that the size of plastic litters plays a crucial role in their distribution and accumulation. Transboundary collaboration is crucial for effectively managing plastic pollution in marine protected areas.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lise Klunder, Judith D. L. van Bleijswijk, Loran Kleine Schaars, Henk W. van Der Veer, Pieternella C. Luttikhuizen, Allert I. Bijleveld
Summary: DNA metabarcoding methods have been used to quantify marine benthic biodiversity, but the relationship between DNA sequences of a species and its biomass/abundance is still complicated. This study compared traditional morphological approaches with molecular approaches to estimate abundance and biomass of benthic intertidal mudflat samples, finding a relationship between biomass and read abundance for some annelid taxa. The quantification of abundance and biomass using molecular approaches is hindered by DNA ecology and the compositional nature of sequencing data.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zachary Gold, Joshua Sprague, David J. Kushner, Erick Zerecero Marin, Paul H. Barber
Summary: This study compared fish communities inside and outside a marine protected area using eDNA metabarcoding and underwater visual census surveys. The results demonstrated the sensitivity and feasibility of eDNA for monitoring marine ecosystems, highlighting its potential as a complementary tool to visual methods.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Amalia Kyprioti, Vasiliki Almpanidou, Anastasia Chatzimentor, Stelios Katsanevakis, Antonios D. Mazaris
Summary: Rising ocean temperatures impact ecosystems and biodiversity redistribution. A study in the Mediterranean Sea found that protected marine areas are highly vulnerable to climate change, with low climate and community stability in the majority of protected waters. Only a small percentage of protected surfaces exhibited high stability based on climate and community indices.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Simonetta Fraschetti, Erika Fabbrizzi, Laura Tamburello, Maria C. Uyarra, Fiorenza Micheli, Enric Sala, Carlo Pipitone, Fabio Badalamenti, Stanislao Bevilacqua, Jordi Boada, Emma Cebrian, Giulia Ceccherelli, Mariachiara Chiantore, Giovanni D'Anna, Antonio Di Franco, Simone Farina, Sylvaine Giakoumi, Elena Gissi, Ivan Guala, Paolo Guidetti, Stelios Katsanevakis, Elisabetta Manea, Monica Montefalcone, Maria Sini, Valentina Asnaghi, Antonio Calo, Manfredi Di Lorenzo, Joaquim Garrabou, Luigi Musco, Alice Oprandi, Gil Rilov, Angel Borja
Summary: The study aimed to assess the environmental status of Mediterranean ecosystems, especially the impact of Marine Protected Areas on achieving Good Environmental Status. Results showed that most MPAs in the Western Mediterranean are in good/high status, but the overall environmental status is moderate, with macroalgal forests in poor condition.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katherine D. Millage, Juan Carlos Villasenor-Derbez, Darcy Bradley, Matthew G. Burgess, Hunter S. Lenihan, Christopher Costello
Summary: Marine protected areas are important for conservation, but the increase in fish biomass within MPAs creates incentives for poaching. Fishing activities persist in most MPAs worldwide, raising concerns about monitoring and enforcement. A proposal for a Conservation Finance Area (CFA) utilizes leased fishing zones within MPAs to finance monitoring and enforcement, leading to greater conservation success.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tatiana Begun, Adrian Teaca, Mihaela Muresan, Pedro A. Quijon, Selma Menabit, Victor Surugiu
Summary: This study describes the characteristics and diversity of benthic habitats and their associated communities in two marine protected areas in the southern Romanian Black Sea. The ecological status of these habitats was evaluated using various indicators. The majority of the sampling stations showed good ecological status, while a minority showed concerns for the coastal system. Further research and conservation efforts are needed.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Tamsyn Noble-James, Ross Bullimore, Fionnuala Mcbreen, Joey O'Connor, James Highfield, Chris Mccabe, Simeon Archer-Rand, Anna-Leena Downie, Jon Hawes, Peter Mitchell
Summary: This study reviews the lessons learned and challenges encountered in the English MPA monitoring program, and proposes solutions and future directions. It emphasizes the need to consider monitoring methods at each individual MPA scale and identifies several prioritized development challenges.
Article
Fisheries
Josep Lloret, Paul Wawrzynkowski, Carlos Dominguez-Carrio, Rafael Sarda, Climent Molins, Josep Maria Gili, Ana Sabates, Josep Vila-Subiros, Laura Garcia, Jordi Sole, Elisa Berdalet, Antonio Turiel, Alberto Olivares
Summary: As offshore wind energy expands in Europe, it is important to consider the potential impacts on marine protected areas (MPAs). This article critically reviews the initial development of offshore wind energy in the Mediterranean region, particularly focusing on Natura 2000 sites. The overlaps between offshore wind farms (OWFs) and MPAs are assessed, and recommendations are proposed to protect these important protected areas.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Madeline Steinberg, Jean-Baptiste Juhel, Virginie Marques, Clara Peron, Regis Hocde, Andrea Polanco Fernandez, Loic Pellissier, Sebastien Villeger, David Mouillot, Tom B. Letessier
Summary: This study explores the relationship between pelagic fish species diversity and functional diversity in two oceanic island systems. The results show that although there are differences in species composition, the communities in both locations share a similar functional structure and resilience potential.
Article
Ecology
N. Bech, D. Nivelle, S. Caron, J. M. Ballouard, V Arnal, D. Arsovski, A. Golubovic, X. Bonnet, C. Montgelard
Summary: The Western subspecies of Hermann's tortoise is under threat from various factors including habitat loss, wildfires, and illegal harvesting. Furthermore, there is a risk of hybridization with an introduced subspecies from Eastern Europe. Genetic analysis revealed that around 18% of tortoises in the Var district of France are hybrids between the two subspecies. While hybridization can increase genetic diversity, it also poses a threat to the integrity of the Western subspecies. Conservation efforts should focus on communication and education to limit further hybridization, and accurate genetic identification is crucial for translocation programs. The impact of hybridization on populations facing rapid global changes and depressed genetic diversity needs further investigation.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biology
Laetitia Mathon, Virginie Marques, David Mouillot, Camille Albouy, Marco Andrello, Florian Baletaud, Giomar H. Borrero-Perez, Tony Dejean, Graham J. Edgar, Jonathan Grondin, Pierre-Edouard Guerin, Regis Hocde, Jean-Baptiste Juhel, Eva Kadarusman, Eva Maire, Gael Mariani, Matthew McLean, Andrea Polanco F., Laurent D. Pouyaud, Rick Stuart-Smith, Hagi Yulia Sugeha, Alice Valentini, Laurent B. Vigliola, Indra Vimono, Loic Pellissier
Summary: Using environmental DNA metabarcoding, researchers have found that coral reefs have higher fish biodiversity than previously thought. This method also revealed hidden patterns and provided a fresh perspective on the assembly rules of fish communities on reefs.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jean-Baptiste Juhel, Virginie Marques, Rizkie Satriya Utama, Indra Bayu Vimono, Hagi Yulia Sugeha, Kadarusman Kadarusman, Christophe Cochet, Tony Dejean, Andrew Hoey, David Mouillot, Regis Hocde, Laurent Pouyaud
Summary: Species inventories are crucial for assessing biodiversity patterns and human impact. However, traditional visual-based inventories are often incomplete, which can be addressed by using environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding. In this study, a new framework combining eDNA surveys and sampling-theory methods was proposed to estimate species richness in under-sampled and hyper-diverse regions. The framework was applied to coastal fish diversity in the coral triangle, where eDNA metabarcoding recorded numerous species that were not detected by visual surveys. The findings highlight the potential of eDNA to expand regional inventories and guide conservation strategies.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Loic Sanchez, Emilie Boulanger, Veronique Arnal, Pierre Boissery, Alicia Dalongeville, Tony Dejean, Julie Deter, Nacim Guellati, Florian Holon, Jean-Baptiste Juhel, Philippe Lenfant, Fabien Leprieur, Alice Valentini, Stephanie Manel, David Mouillot
Summary: In the context of marine biodiversity erosion, this study proposes a combination of metabarcoding and quantitative polymerase chain reaction to measure the quantity of eDNA molecules per species and develop a new ecological indicator. The study demonstrates that the proposed indicator, known as DeBRa, can reliably reflect human pressure on fish species and is not affected by habitat or environmental variations.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Andrea Polanco F, Conor Waldock, Thomas Keggin, Virginie Marques, Romane Rozanski, Alice Valentini, Tony Dejean, Stephanie Manel, Mark Vermeij, Camille Albouy, Loic Pellissier
Summary: Human activities can have negative impacts on the quality of coral reefs, resulting in a decline in fish species richness and functional diversity, as well as erosion of ecosystem services. Environmental DNA metabarcoding is a rapid method for assessing marine biodiversity, which can meet the demand for ecosystem health indices in management. By combining taxonomic information from sequenced eDNA with functional traits and phylogenetic positions, various ecological indices describing ecosystem functioning can be generated. Through studying two contrasting coastal areas in Curaçao, we found that despite no marked difference in species richness, the area near the city had higher phylogenetic diversity, while the more isolated reef had higher functional diversity.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Agnes Duhamet, Camille Albouy, Virginie Marques, Stephanie Manel, David Mouillot
Summary: The study examines the genetic coverage and distribution of deep-sea fish species using environmental DNA metabarcoding. The results show that there is a need for more data collection on deep-endemic species. This method shows promise for better understanding and conserving marine biodiversity in the deep-sea.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Nina Joffard, Bruno Buatois, Veronique Arnal, Errol Vela, Claudine Montgelard, Bertrand Schatz
Summary: Accurate species delimitation is crucial for biodiversity conservation. This study utilized an integrative taxonomic approach to investigate species boundaries within a group of Pseudophrys taxa from France, using genetic, morphometric, and chemical data. The integration of genetic and phenotypic data significantly improved the accuracy of species delimitation, highlighting the potential of this approach for taxonomic revisions in other orchid groups.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nadia Faure, Stephanie Manel, Bastien Mace, Veronique Arnal, Nacim Guellati, Florian Holon, Adele Barroil, Franck Pichot, Jean-Jacques Riutort, Gianni Insacco, Bruno Zava, David Mouillot, Julie Deter
Summary: The three sympatric angel shark species in the Mediterranean are all listed as Critically Endangered. This study introduces an eDNA assay that can detect and distinguish these species. The presence of Squatina squatina in north-western Corsica was confirmed using this assay. The results can help with angel shark conservation and future population identification, but further validation is needed for the other two species.
AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Laetitia Mathon, Virginie Marques, Stephanie Manel, Camille Albouy, Marco Andrello, Emilie Boulanger, Julie Deter, Regis Hocde, Fabien Leprieur, Tom B. Letessier, Nicolas Loiseau, Eva Maire, Alice Valentini, Laurent Vigliola, Florian Baletaud, Sandra Bessudo, Tony Dejean, Nadia Faure, Pierre-Edouard Guerin, Meret Jucker, Jean-Baptiste Juhel, Kadarusman, Andrea F. Polanco, Laurent Pouyaud, Dario Schworer, Kirsten F. Thompson, Marc Troussellier, Hagi Yulia Sugeha, Laure Velez, Xiaowei Zhang, Wenjun Zhong, Loic Pellissier, David Mouillot
Summary: In this study, environmental DNA analysis was used to investigate the relationship between fish biodiversity and environmental as well as socio-economic factors. The results showed a strong correlation between coastal fish biodiversity and environmental factors worldwide, while also revealing a negative correlation with human dependence on marine ecosystems. Additionally, the study found that a diversity index based on DNA sequences could reliably assess phylogenetic and functional diversity.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
M. Joerg, C. Lietz, M. Kristen, F. Pichot, N. Kreim, N. Ruffini, S. Gerber, Y. Motorin, M. Helm, K. Friedland
NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERGS ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
