Marinebioconstructions arebiodiversity-rich, three-dimensional biogenic structures, regulatingkeyecological functionsofbenthicecosystemsworldwide. Tropical coral reefsareoutstandingfor theirbeauty,diversityandcomplexity,butanalogous types ofbioconstructionsarealsopresent intemperateseas. Themainbioconstructions in theMediterraneanSea are representedby coralligenous formations, vermetid reefs, deep-seacold-watercorals, Lithophyllumbyssoides trottoirs, coralbanks formedbythe shallow-water corals Cladocora caespitosaor Astroides calycularis, and sabellariidor serpulidwormreefs.Bioconstructionschangethemorphologicalandchemicophysical featuresofprimarysubstratesandcreatenewhabitatsforalargevarietyoforganisms, playingpivotalrolesinecosystemfunctioning.Inspiteoftheirimportance,Mediterranean bioconstructionshavenotreceivedthesameattentionthattropicalcoralreefshave,and theknowledgeoftheirbiology,ecologyanddistributionisstill fragmentary.Allexisting data about the spatial distributionof Italianbioconstructions havebeen collected, togetherwith informationabout their growthpatterns, dynamics andconnectivity. Thedegradationofthesehabitatsasaconsequenceofanthropogenicpressures(pollution,organicenrichment, fishery, coastaldevelopment,directphysicaldisturbance), climatechangeandthespreadof invasivespecieswasalsoinvestigated. The studyof bioconstructions requires aholisticapproach leading toabetter understandingof theirecologyandtheapplicationofmore insightfulmanagement andconservationmeasuresatbasinscale,withinecologicallycoherentunitsbased onconnectivity: thecellsofecosystemfunctioning.
Mediterranean Bioconstructions Along the Italian Coast.
Gianmarco IngrossoPrimo
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
;Marco Abbiati;Giorgio Bavestrello;Genuario BelmonteWriting – Original Draft Preparation
;Lisandro Benedetti-CecchiWriting – Original Draft Preparation
;Stanislao BevilacquaWriting – Original Draft Preparation
;Francesco De LeoWriting – Original Draft Preparation
;Simonetta FraschettiWriting – Original Draft Preparation
;Adriana GiangrandeWriting – Original Draft Preparation
;Giuseppe GuarnieriWriting – Original Draft Preparation
;Luigi MuscoWriting – Original Draft Preparation
;Stefano PirainoWriting – Original Draft Preparation
;Roberto SandulliWriting – Original Draft Preparation
;Ferdinando Boero
Writing – Review & Editing
2018-01-01
Abstract
Marinebioconstructions arebiodiversity-rich, three-dimensional biogenic structures, regulatingkeyecological functionsofbenthicecosystemsworldwide. Tropical coral reefsareoutstandingfor theirbeauty,diversityandcomplexity,butanalogous types ofbioconstructionsarealsopresent intemperateseas. Themainbioconstructions in theMediterraneanSea are representedby coralligenous formations, vermetid reefs, deep-seacold-watercorals, Lithophyllumbyssoides trottoirs, coralbanks formedbythe shallow-water corals Cladocora caespitosaor Astroides calycularis, and sabellariidor serpulidwormreefs.Bioconstructionschangethemorphologicalandchemicophysical featuresofprimarysubstratesandcreatenewhabitatsforalargevarietyoforganisms, playingpivotalrolesinecosystemfunctioning.Inspiteoftheirimportance,Mediterranean bioconstructionshavenotreceivedthesameattentionthattropicalcoralreefshave,and theknowledgeoftheirbiology,ecologyanddistributionisstill fragmentary.Allexisting data about the spatial distributionof Italianbioconstructions havebeen collected, togetherwith informationabout their growthpatterns, dynamics andconnectivity. Thedegradationofthesehabitatsasaconsequenceofanthropogenicpressures(pollution,organicenrichment, fishery, coastaldevelopment,directphysicaldisturbance), climatechangeandthespreadof invasivespecieswasalsoinvestigated. The studyof bioconstructions requires aholisticapproach leading toabetter understandingof theirecologyandtheapplicationofmore insightfulmanagement andconservationmeasuresatbasinscale,withinecologicallycoherentunitsbased onconnectivity: thecellsofecosystemfunctioning.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
