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Water
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Anthropogenic Impacts on Benthic Marine Ecosystems
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Anthropogenic Impacts on Benthic Marine Ecosystems

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Biodiversity and Functionality of Aquatic Ecosystems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 8001

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Federica Ferrigno

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Science and Technology, University of Naples “Parthenope”, Centro Direzionale, Is. C4, 80143 Naples, Italy
Interests: marine biology; marine ecology; biodiversity; benthos; fan corals; ROV; scientific diving; image analysis; anthropogenic impacts; climate change; marine protected areas; ecological indicators
Dr. Edoardo Casoli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: marine ecology; benthic community structure; benthic community dynamics; habitat distribution; biogenic reefs; seagrasses; restoration ecology; climate change impacts; underwater sampling methods

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the Anthropocene, the human impact on marine ecosystems is equally as important as that of natural processes. Anthropogenic pressures extensively act on benthic communities, especially in coastal environments, such that almost a total absence of pristine areas has been hypothesized for some seas. These threats may lead to degradation and a reduction in the assemblages’ heterogeneity. For example, trawl fishing can reduce primary production, increase water turbidity and sedimentation rates, and cause mechanical damage to erect organisms, affecting their life cycle and altering the community composition. Moreover, marine litter, in addition to the plastics entangling or being ingested by marine organisms, may introduce xenobiotic compounds into food webs, causing several ecotoxicological effects with potentially harmful implications for human health. Human-mediated climate change represents another source of pressure that marine environments must now contend with.

The scientific literature covers some aspects related to the effects of anthropogenic activities on benthic ecosystems. However, our knowledge is far from comprehensive, and many patterns remain poorly understood, for example, how local human impacts and climate change stressors may interact to jeopardize marine ecosystems and reduce the provision of goods and services.

The aim of this Special Issue is to evaluate the state of benthic assemblages with a characterization of less explored habitats, assessing the type, intensity, and impacts of anthropogenic stressors and thus providing valuable information for the implementation of management plans for more sensitive communities.

Dr. Federica Ferrigno
Dr. Edoardo Casoli
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • benthic communities
  • sensitive species
  • human impacts
  • anthropogenic pressures
  • fishing
  • marine litter
  • climate change
  • ecological status
  • ecosystem health
  • bioindicators

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 9498 KiB  
Article
The Diversity, Structure, and Development of the Epibiont Community of Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1826) (Cnidaria, Anthozoa)
by Martina Canessa, Ilaria Amedeo, Giorgio Bavestrello, Pier Panzalis and Egidio Trainito
Water 2023, 15(14), 2664; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15142664 - 23 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1839
Abstract
Mass mortality events and anthropogenic impacts affecting Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1826) have been increasingly documented during the last decades. These impacts have enhanced the settling of epibiont organisms on injured colonies. This epibiosis was studied using photographic sampling carried out on the granitic [...] Read more.
Mass mortality events and anthropogenic impacts affecting Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1826) have been increasingly documented during the last decades. These impacts have enhanced the settling of epibiont organisms on injured colonies. This epibiosis was studied using photographic sampling carried out on the granitic outcrops of the Tavolara Channel within the Tavolara–Punta Coda Cavallo marine-protected area (NE Sardinia) between 2017 and 2023 at 35–55 m. The number of colonies and percentage of surface involved in the epibiosis, the specific richness of the epibiont community, and the temporal evolution of the phenomenon were studied. Almost all the investigated gorgonians (93%) showed parts involved in epibiosis, with high percentages of surface covering (one-third of the surface). Out of the 37 epibiont species recorded, the most recurrent ones demonstrated an ecological succession dominated by Hydrozoa, Porifera, Bryozoa, Serpulidae, and the parasitic soft coral Alcyomiun coralloides. Nevertheless, single colonies studied over time revealed the unpredictability of the colonization process. The peculiar habitat of the granitic outcrops hosting the P. clavata forests is of a high naturalistic value and demonstrates a widespread condition of suffering, supported by both environmental and anthropogenic sources of stress. Such considerations make it necessary to review the current zonation of the area, where the actual vulnerability and usability evaluations are based on incomplete information. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anthropogenic Impacts on Benthic Marine Ecosystems)
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19 pages, 13191 KiB  
Article
An Assessment of Potential Beam Trawling Impact on North-Western Black Sea Benthic Habitats Aiming at a Sustainable Fisheries Management
by Magda Nenciu, Victor Niță, Adrian Teacă, Adrian Popa and Tatiana Begun
Water 2023, 15(12), 2241; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15122241 - 14 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1798
Abstract
The North-Western Black Sea shelf is extremely vulnerable to disturbances of its habitats and ecosystems. In the past 10 years, this area has become targeted by beam trawl fisheries for the invasive gastropod Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846), with a potentially destructive impact on [...] Read more.
The North-Western Black Sea shelf is extremely vulnerable to disturbances of its habitats and ecosystems. In the past 10 years, this area has become targeted by beam trawl fisheries for the invasive gastropod Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846), with a potentially destructive impact on the area’s soft bottoms. Not many studies have been performed in the region, and most investigations have focused on gear selectivity and by-catch rates. In this context, our novel research aimed, on the one hand, to assess and quantify the actual impact of beam trawling and, on the other hand, to propose effective spatial/temporal management measures for a sustainable zonation of the North-Western Black Sea shelf (marine zone of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve). The methodology used integrated beam trawl catch dynamics information, VMS data, geophysical investigations, and macrozoobenthos sampling. Our findings show that beam trawling activities can cause changes in the benthic habitat structure (lower number of taxa, lower values of ecological indicators, and an overall non-GES status). Further in-depth investigations are needed to underpin the ecosystem-based management of this marine protected area (MPA), aiming to allow the recovery of the affected benthic habitats, by alternating defined areas undergoing fishing with biological recovery polygons. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anthropogenic Impacts on Benthic Marine Ecosystems)
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19 pages, 4024 KiB  
Article
Benthic Fish Communities Associated with Posidonia oceanica Beds May Reveal the Fishing Impact and Effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas: Two Case Studies in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea
by Luca Appolloni, Alberto Pagliarani, Adele Cocozza di Montanara, Francesco Rendina, Luigia Donnarumma, Domenico Ciorciaro, Federica Ferrigno, Floriana Di Stefano, Roberto Sandulli and Giovanni Fulvio Russo
Water 2023, 15(10), 1967; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15101967 - 22 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1639
Abstract
The effectiveness of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) is strongly related to its zoning design, management, and surveillance, and fish communities are considered indicators of conservation effects. Posidonia oceanica beds and fish assemblages were studied here to evaluate the fishing impacts and the [...] Read more.
The effectiveness of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) is strongly related to its zoning design, management, and surveillance, and fish communities are considered indicators of conservation effects. Posidonia oceanica beds and fish assemblages were studied here to evaluate the fishing impacts and the effectiveness of the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) of Santa Maria di Castellabate (SMC) and Costa degli Infreschi e della Masseta (CIM) in the South Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy. P. oceanica characteristics were estimated counting and collecting shoots, while fish communities were investigated by visual census. Multivariate analyses were performed to detect differences in fish assemblages among the MPA protection levels and seagrass characteristics. Significant differences in fish communities were observed between the depth and protection levels. The latter are probably due to the zoning design at SMC, which does not allow a spillover effect, and to fishing activities, as showed by the ABC curve results. Trophic analyses suggested the use of longlines at SMC, due to the dominance of planktivorous fish species, and of trammel nets at CIM, due to the great heterogeneity of the fish trophic groups. Shoot density and leaf length were significantly correlated with fish communities. CCA analyses showed omnivorous species, mostly belonging to the Sparidae family, correlated with the highest shoot densities, with their feeding habits mostly directed to crustaceans, while macro- and microinvertivores, mainly belonging to the Serranidae and Labridae families, correlated with the highest leaf lengths, where they sough shelter and feed. In conclusion, the data suggest that a zoning redesign at SMC and an increase in the surveillance of fishing activities at CIM might enhance the effectiveness of these MPAs, highlighting the role of fish community studies in identifying MPA efficiency issues and providing trustful guidelines for their management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anthropogenic Impacts on Benthic Marine Ecosystems)
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18 pages, 3768 KiB  
Article
Troubles Never Come Alone: Outcome of Multiple Pressures on a Temperate Rocky Reef
by Annalisa Azzola, Virginia Picchio, Valentina Asnaghi, Carlo Nike Bianchi, Carla Morri, Alice Oprandi and Monica Montefalcone
Water 2023, 15(4), 825; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15040825 - 20 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2120
Abstract
Climate change is affecting rocky reef ecosystems in a multitude of ways at global scale. During summer 2018, the rocky reef communities of Portofino Marine Protected Area (MPA) (NW Mediterranean) were affected by thermal anomalies, a mucilaginous event, and the seasonal expansion of [...] Read more.
Climate change is affecting rocky reef ecosystems in a multitude of ways at global scale. During summer 2018, the rocky reef communities of Portofino Marine Protected Area (MPA) (NW Mediterranean) were affected by thermal anomalies, a mucilaginous event, and the seasonal expansion of Caulerpa cylindracea. Moreover, a severe storm occurred on 29 October. The effects of these pressures on the rocky reef communities were analysed at different depths (10 m, 20 m, 30 m, and 40 m) and at three times (June, October, December) to evaluate change at short temporal scale. Portofino MPA’s communities have significantly changed: thermal anomalies mostly affected the biota living above the summer thermocline (ca 20 m depth); mucilaginoius aggregates first impacted the communities in shallow waters and only later those in deep waters, where they typically fall in late summer; the greatest impact by Caulerpa cylindracea was detected at 20 m depth; the storm directly impacted communities in shallow and intermediate waters by uprooting algal species, while it had indirect effects at greater depths through sediment redistribution. Disentangling the effects of multiple pressures on coastal ecosystems is one of the most pressing goals in marine ecology and biodiversity conservation. This study represents an attempt in this direction as applied to the short-term dynamics of rocky reef communities under a climate change scenario. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anthropogenic Impacts on Benthic Marine Ecosystems)
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