A5042436563- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Marine Sponges and Natural Products
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies
- Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
- Maritime and Coastal Archaeology
- Synthetic Organic Chemistry Methods
- Marine and fisheries research
- Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History
- Aquaculture Nutrition and Growth
- Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
- Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Crustacean biology and ecology
- Phytochemical compounds biological activities
- Seaweed-derived Bioactive Compounds
- Coastal and Marine Dynamics
- earthquake and tectonic studies
- Coastal Management and Development
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Geological and Geophysical Studies Worldwide
University of Bari Aldo Moro
2015-2025
CoNISMa
2016-2025
University of Naples Federico II
2024
Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale
2024
University of Palermo
2016
This study investigates the effects on hard-bottom macro-zoobenthic communities of converting a mariculture plant into an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) system. was conducted from 2018 to 2021 in semi-enclosed Mar Grande basin Taranto (northern Ionian Sea), facility located 600 m off coastline, with production capacity 100 tons per year seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and seabream (Sparus aurata). The results seasonal sampling performed treatment site, where bioremediators...
Abstract Spread of alien species (AS) is a serious threat to marine habitats and analysis principal descriptors their occurrence pivotal set reliable conservation strategies. In order assess the susceptibility biological invasions, dataset was gathered 3899 from 29 phyla, taken 93 sites located along Italian coast in period 2000–2012. total, 61 AS belonging 11 phyla have been recorded. Invertebrates were most represented (63%). Alien found all examined (EUNIS, level 2), although they showed...
This is the first description of a Mediterranean mesophotic coral reef. The bioconstruction extended for 2.5 km along Italian Adriatic coast in bathymetric range -30/-55 m. It appeared as framework blocks mostly built by two scleractinians, Phyllangia americana mouchezii (Lacaze-Duthiers, 1897) and Polycyathus muellerae (Abel, 1959), which were able to edify secondary substrate with high structural complexity. Scleractinian corallites cemented calcified polychaete tubes organized into an...
The precious red coral Corallium rubrum (Linnaeus, 1758) is a charismatic species living in the Mediterranean Sea and its Atlantic surroundings, known for slow growth long lifespan. development of reliable method assessing colony age has enabled comparison average annual rates, minimising age-related variability. This study aimed to investigate potential effect depth on by analysing set morphometric parameters - basal diameter, height, weight, total branch length (TBL), number apexes...
This study presents the first comprehensive data on a vermetid formation along Apulian coast of Adriatic Sea, representing one northernmost records in Mediterranean. Surveys Brindisi coastline employed visual inspection to map bioconstruction’s distribution and extension. Detailed bioconstruction inner outer edge length, thickness, width, slope topographic complexity were collected at three selected sites. Moreover, photographic replicates used assess shell aperture density diameters...
Sponges are benthic filter-feeder invertebrates capable to produce a variety of high value bioactive compounds. Nevertheless, exploitation sponges as bio-factories requires scalable and sustainable strategies supply sponge biomass without threatening wild natural populations minimize the consumption toxic organic solvents in metabolites extraction purification procedures. farming integrated facilities nearby fish mariculture cages represents highly efficient strategy combining production...
Abstract The present paper provides a multidisciplinary fine-scale description of Mediterranean mesophotic new habitat dominated by the bivalve Neopycnodonte cochlear (Poli, 1795), building large and thick pinnacles on vertical cliffs at two study areas along southern Italian coast. pinnacles, constituted multilayered aggregation living dead specimens N. , were interconnected with each other to form framework high structural complexity, never observed before for this species....
Abstract Aim Coralligenous reefs are the main marine bioconstructions in terms of spatial distribution within Mediterranean basin. Two distinct reef morphologies can be distinguished based on surface and topographical features seafloor: cliffs developing vertical slopes banks found gently steep or horizontal bottoms. Despite their importance for monitoring conservation efforts, observations regarding variability biogeographical patterns scarce. Here, we aimed to assess differences...
The analysis of 879 ROV dives carried out along the Italian coasts on hard substrata at mesophotic and upper bathyal depths (40-775 m) allowed us to evaluate current basin-scale presence, relative abundance, bathymetric limits, habitat preferences one most charismatic Mediterranean habitat-former anthozoan species, Corallium rubrum (Linnaeus, 1758). species is widespread, its occurrence ranged from 13% explored sites in Ionian Calabria a hotspot approximately 80% Sardinia. Population...
The expansion of aquaculture practices in coastal areas can alter the balance microbial communities nearby marine ecosystems with negative impacts on both farmed and natural species, as well human health through their consumption. Among filter-feeder invertebrates, poriferans are known effective bioremediators, even though they currently still underutilized association fish mariculture plants. In this study, we investigate bioremediation capability demosponge Hymeniacidon perlevis an...
The spatial distribution and temporal changes of demosponges bryozoans in the northern basin Venice Lagoon were studied from samples collected wooden piles artificial rocks June October 2001. Twenty species 18 recorded. Sponges found at 10 out 11 sampling stations, while all stations. taxocoenoses showed a high percentage cover lagoon hard bottoms. Eleven 20 detected sponges reported previous study on this taxocoenosis carried material 1954–1955. Moreover, most abundant also recorded during...
Sponges are an important constituent of filter-feeder benthic communities, characterized by high ecological plasticity and abundance. Free bacteria constitute quota their diet, making them excellent candidates in aquaculture microbial bioremediation, where can be a serious problem. Although there studies on this topic, certain promising species still under investigation. Here we report applied microbiological research the filtering activity Sarcotragus spinosulus two different concentrations...
Abstract The hard bottom fauna of the marine protected area Porto Cesareo (Salento Peninsula) was examined considering two representative benthic groups, Porifera and Polychaeta. Sampling performed by SCUBA divers from surface to a depth 25 m in variety environments. Sponge polychaete assemblages were rich diversified, with total 160 taxa collected (66 94, respectively), representing first large contribution knowledge groups area. This particularly true for polychaetes, 80% which had not...
Abstract The aim of this study was to provide further knowledge the ecological, spatial, and temporal distribution life‐cycle traits sympatric seahorse species Hippocampus hippocampus guttulatus . From 2011 2014, data were collected from 20 sites along Apulian coast (Southern Italy) in order cover a wide range coastal marine, open water, lagoon sites, surface depth 48 metres. Seahorses found at seven investigated. Both displayed persistence, patchy distribution, high spatial demographic...
The present work focused on the taxonomic composition, spatial distributions, and temporal distributions of sponge fauna from main lagoon systems southern Italy: Lesina, Varano, Taranto, Alimini, Faro, Ganzirri, Tindari Marsala. Overall, 62 species were recorded, belonging to classes Demospongiae (52 species), Calcarea (8) Homoscleromorpha (2). All studied hosted sponges, even if with marked differences. Species richness varied one (Lesina) 45 (Marsala). A large number recorded during this...
A widespread and diversified mesophotic system of carbonate bioconstructions along the Southern Adriatic Ionian Italian coasts is described, providing new data on distribution, structure associated megabenthic assemblages Mediterranean bioconstructions. The were detected at six different sites off Apulia, in presence marked morphological escarpments, developing a basal substrate consisting meso-Cenozoic rocks. Two biogenic types observed, one mainly built by nonsymbiotic scleractinians...