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Monitoring marine biodiversity in hard-bottom habitats is challenging as it typically involves resource-intensive, non-standardized, and often destructive sampling methods that limit its scalability. Differences in monitoring approaches furthermore hinder inter-comparison among monitoring programs. Standardised collectors such as Artificial Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) can be used to monitor status and changes of hard substrate communities in coastal environments. In addition, ARMS constitute an early-warning system for marine biological invasions by identifying newly introduced Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) and track the migration patterns of already known NIS in European continental waters. In the framework of ASSEMBLE+ project and as part of the European ARMS programme (ARMS-MBON) (Obst et al. 2020), ARMS were deployed in two locations in Greece and, more specifically, in the marina of the Old Venetian Harbour of Heraklion (1HERP) and in the Underwater Biotechnological Park of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (2UBPC). The ARMS deployment and retrieval dates are shown in Table 1; deployment and retrieval were done according to the standards and protocols established by the Smithsonian Institution. Upon retrieval, the plates from the ARMS were disassembled, photographed (Fig. 1a) and samples of both the motile and sessile communities were collected for molecular analysis. Each sampling event produced three fractions (sessile, motile 90–500 μm and motile 500 μm−2 mm) as well as a stack of plate and specimen images. DNA was extracted from the sampled fractions and amplified by PCR, targeting different molecular markers (18S rRNA, COI and ITS). Resulting amplicons were sequenced using Illumina MiSeq Reagent Kit v3 (2 × 300 bp) and analyzed using PEMA (Zafeiropoulos et al. 2020). All raw sequence files of this study were submitted to the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) (Harrison et al. 2021) with the study accession number PRJEB33796. Images were analyzed using photoQuad image processing software (Trygonis and Sini 2012), which is specialised for the analysis of sessile biodiversity on photoquadrats. Cover of sessile taxa was measured by superimposing on every image 100 randomly distributed points. Each point was manually assigned to the corresponding taxon or morpho-functional category based on external morphological characters. Repeatable workflow procedures for integrated processing of image and sequence data are currently under development as part of the LifeWatch-ERIC Internal Joint Initiative on NIS. In addition, all ARMS-related data are stored in the ASSEMBLE Plus data collection of the Marine Data Archive (MDA) using a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A) format, including the linkages to the images and sequences (Exter et al. 2020). Comparison of traditional biodiversity assessment methods, such as image-based identifications, complemented by the eDNA metabarcoding results, will shed light on the investigation of marine biodiversity patterns in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (Fig. 1b). Furthermore, the results will provide crucial information on the importance of ARMS for biodiversity assessment and as an efficient tool to monitor community shifts and invasion events in marine ecosystems undegoing fast change.
Christina Pavloudi; Eleni Yperifanou; Jon Kristoffersen; Thanos Dailianis; Vasilis Gerovasileiou. Artificial Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) providing insights on hard substrate biodiversity and community structure of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. ARPHA Conference Abstracts 2021, 4, e64760 .
AMA StyleChristina Pavloudi, Eleni Yperifanou, Jon Kristoffersen, Thanos Dailianis, Vasilis Gerovasileiou. Artificial Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) providing insights on hard substrate biodiversity and community structure of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. ARPHA Conference Abstracts. 2021; 4 ():e64760.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristina Pavloudi; Eleni Yperifanou; Jon Kristoffersen; Thanos Dailianis; Vasilis Gerovasileiou. 2021. "Artificial Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) providing insights on hard substrate biodiversity and community structure of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea." ARPHA Conference Abstracts 4, no. : e64760.
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).
Matthias Obst; Katrina Exter; A. Louise Allcock; Christos Arvanitidis; Alizz Axberg; Maria Bustamante; Ibon Cancio; Diego Carreira-Flores; Eva Chatzinikolaou; Giorgos Chatzigeorgiou; Nathan Chrismas; Melody S. Clark; Thierry Comtet; Thanos Dailianis; Neil Davies; Klaas Deneudt; Oihane Diaz De Cerio; Ana Fortič; Vasilis Gerovasileiou; Pascal I. Hablützel; Kleoniki Keklikoglou; Georgios Kotoulas; Rafal Lasota; Barbara R. Leite; Stéphane Loisel; Laurent Lévêque; Liraz Levy; Magdalena Malachowicz; Borut Mavrič; Christopher Meyer; Jonas Mortelmans; Joanna Norkko; Nicolas Pade; Anne Marie Power; Andreja Ramšak; Henning Reiss; Jostein Solbakken; Peter A. Staehr; Per Sundberg; Jakob Thyrring; Jesus S. Troncoso; Frédérique Viard; Roman Wenne; Eleni Ioanna Yperifanou; Malgorzata Zbawicka; Christina Pavloudi. A Marine Biodiversity Observation Network for Genetic Monitoring of Hard-Bottom Communities (ARMS-MBON). Frontiers in Marine Science 2020, 7, 1 .
AMA StyleMatthias Obst, Katrina Exter, A. Louise Allcock, Christos Arvanitidis, Alizz Axberg, Maria Bustamante, Ibon Cancio, Diego Carreira-Flores, Eva Chatzinikolaou, Giorgos Chatzigeorgiou, Nathan Chrismas, Melody S. Clark, Thierry Comtet, Thanos Dailianis, Neil Davies, Klaas Deneudt, Oihane Diaz De Cerio, Ana Fortič, Vasilis Gerovasileiou, Pascal I. Hablützel, Kleoniki Keklikoglou, Georgios Kotoulas, Rafal Lasota, Barbara R. Leite, Stéphane Loisel, Laurent Lévêque, Liraz Levy, Magdalena Malachowicz, Borut Mavrič, Christopher Meyer, Jonas Mortelmans, Joanna Norkko, Nicolas Pade, Anne Marie Power, Andreja Ramšak, Henning Reiss, Jostein Solbakken, Peter A. Staehr, Per Sundberg, Jakob Thyrring, Jesus S. Troncoso, Frédérique Viard, Roman Wenne, Eleni Ioanna Yperifanou, Malgorzata Zbawicka, Christina Pavloudi. A Marine Biodiversity Observation Network for Genetic Monitoring of Hard-Bottom Communities (ARMS-MBON). Frontiers in Marine Science. 2020; 7 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMatthias Obst; Katrina Exter; A. Louise Allcock; Christos Arvanitidis; Alizz Axberg; Maria Bustamante; Ibon Cancio; Diego Carreira-Flores; Eva Chatzinikolaou; Giorgos Chatzigeorgiou; Nathan Chrismas; Melody S. Clark; Thierry Comtet; Thanos Dailianis; Neil Davies; Klaas Deneudt; Oihane Diaz De Cerio; Ana Fortič; Vasilis Gerovasileiou; Pascal I. Hablützel; Kleoniki Keklikoglou; Georgios Kotoulas; Rafal Lasota; Barbara R. Leite; Stéphane Loisel; Laurent Lévêque; Liraz Levy; Magdalena Malachowicz; Borut Mavrič; Christopher Meyer; Jonas Mortelmans; Joanna Norkko; Nicolas Pade; Anne Marie Power; Andreja Ramšak; Henning Reiss; Jostein Solbakken; Peter A. Staehr; Per Sundberg; Jakob Thyrring; Jesus S. Troncoso; Frédérique Viard; Roman Wenne; Eleni Ioanna Yperifanou; Malgorzata Zbawicka; Christina Pavloudi. 2020. "A Marine Biodiversity Observation Network for Genetic Monitoring of Hard-Bottom Communities (ARMS-MBON)." Frontiers in Marine Science 7, no. : 1.
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 ~350,000 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.
Maria Zotou; Pavlos Gkrantounis; Elpida Karadimou; Konstantinos Tsirintanis; Maria Sini; Dimitris Poursanidis; Marta Azzolin; Thanos Dailianis; Eleni Kytinou; Yiannis Issaris; Vasilis Gerakaris; Maria Salomidi; Poly Lardi; Alexis Ramfos; Vasilis Akrivos; Efthimios Spinos; Charalampos Dimitriadis; Dimitris Papageorgiou; Athanasios Lattos; Ioannis A. Giantsis; Basile Michaelidis; Vasiliki Vassilopoulou; Anastasia Miliou; Stelios Katsanevakis. Pinna nobilis in the Greek seas (NE Mediterranean): on the brink of extinction? Mediterranean Marine Science 2020, 1 .
AMA StyleMaria Zotou, Pavlos Gkrantounis, Elpida Karadimou, Konstantinos Tsirintanis, Maria Sini, Dimitris Poursanidis, Marta Azzolin, Thanos Dailianis, Eleni Kytinou, Yiannis Issaris, Vasilis Gerakaris, Maria Salomidi, Poly Lardi, Alexis Ramfos, Vasilis Akrivos, Efthimios Spinos, Charalampos Dimitriadis, Dimitris Papageorgiou, Athanasios Lattos, Ioannis A. Giantsis, Basile Michaelidis, Vasiliki Vassilopoulou, Anastasia Miliou, Stelios Katsanevakis. Pinna nobilis in the Greek seas (NE Mediterranean): on the brink of extinction? Mediterranean Marine Science. 2020; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria Zotou; Pavlos Gkrantounis; Elpida Karadimou; Konstantinos Tsirintanis; Maria Sini; Dimitris Poursanidis; Marta Azzolin; Thanos Dailianis; Eleni Kytinou; Yiannis Issaris; Vasilis Gerakaris; Maria Salomidi; Poly Lardi; Alexis Ramfos; Vasilis Akrivos; Efthimios Spinos; Charalampos Dimitriadis; Dimitris Papageorgiou; Athanasios Lattos; Ioannis A. Giantsis; Basile Michaelidis; Vasiliki Vassilopoulou; Anastasia Miliou; Stelios Katsanevakis. 2020. "Pinna nobilis in the Greek seas (NE Mediterranean): on the brink of extinction?" Mediterranean Marine Science , no. : 1.
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.
Melih Ertan Çinar; Jean‐Pierre Féral; Christos Arvanitidis; Romain David; Ergün TAŞKIN; Maria Sini; Thanos Dailianis; Alper Doğan; Vasilis Gerovasileiou; Alper Evcen; Anne Chenuil; Ertan Dağli; Veysel Aysel; Yannis Issaris; Kerem Bakir; Melina Nalmpantı; Stephane Sartoretto; Maria Salomidi; Anastasia Sapouna; Sermin Açik; Charalampos Dimitriadis; Drosos Koutsoubas; Tuncer Katağan; Bilal Öztürk; Ferah Koçak; Deniz Erdogan‐Dereli; Senem Önen; Özge Özgen; Neslihan Türkçü; Fevzi Kirkim; Mesut Önen. Coralligenous assemblages along their geographical distribution: Testing of concepts and implications for management. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 2020, 30, 1578 -1594.
AMA StyleMelih Ertan Çinar, Jean‐Pierre Féral, Christos Arvanitidis, Romain David, Ergün TAŞKIN, Maria Sini, Thanos Dailianis, Alper Doğan, Vasilis Gerovasileiou, Alper Evcen, Anne Chenuil, Ertan Dağli, Veysel Aysel, Yannis Issaris, Kerem Bakir, Melina Nalmpantı, Stephane Sartoretto, Maria Salomidi, Anastasia Sapouna, Sermin Açik, Charalampos Dimitriadis, Drosos Koutsoubas, Tuncer Katağan, Bilal Öztürk, Ferah Koçak, Deniz Erdogan‐Dereli, Senem Önen, Özge Özgen, Neslihan Türkçü, Fevzi Kirkim, Mesut Önen. Coralligenous assemblages along their geographical distribution: Testing of concepts and implications for management. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. 2020; 30 (8):1578-1594.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMelih Ertan Çinar; Jean‐Pierre Féral; Christos Arvanitidis; Romain David; Ergün TAŞKIN; Maria Sini; Thanos Dailianis; Alper Doğan; Vasilis Gerovasileiou; Alper Evcen; Anne Chenuil; Ertan Dağli; Veysel Aysel; Yannis Issaris; Kerem Bakir; Melina Nalmpantı; Stephane Sartoretto; Maria Salomidi; Anastasia Sapouna; Sermin Açik; Charalampos Dimitriadis; Drosos Koutsoubas; Tuncer Katağan; Bilal Öztürk; Ferah Koçak; Deniz Erdogan‐Dereli; Senem Önen; Özge Özgen; Neslihan Türkçü; Fevzi Kirkim; Mesut Önen. 2020. "Coralligenous assemblages along their geographical distribution: Testing of concepts and implications for management." Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 30, no. 8: 1578-1594.
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.
Ana Rotter; Ariola Bacu; Michèle Barbier; Francesco Bertoni; Atle M. Bones; M. Leonor Cancela; Jens Carlsson; M. Fátima Carvalho; Marta Cegłowska; Meltem Conk Dalay; Thanos Dailianis; Irem Deniz; Dragana Drakulovic; Arita Dubnika; Hjörleifur Einarsson; Ayşegül Erdoğan; Orhan Tufan Eroldoğan; David Ezra; Stefano Fazi; Richard J. FitzGerald; Laura M. Gargan; Susana P. Gaudêncio; Nadica Ivošević DeNardis; Danijela Joksimovic; Marija Kataržytė; Jonne Kotta; Manolis Mandalakis; Inga Matijošytė; Hanna Mazur-Marzec; Alexia Massa-Gallucci; Mohamed Mehiri; Søren Laurentius Nielsen; Lucie Novoveská; Donata Overlingė; Michelle E. Portman; Krzysztof Pyrc; Céline Rebours; Thorsten Reinsch; Fernando Reyes; Baruch Rinkevich; Johan Robbens; Vita Rudovica; Jerica Sabotič; Ivo Safarik; Siret Talve; Deniz Tasdemir; Xenia Theodotou Schneider; Olivier P. Thomas; Anna Toruńska-Sitarz; Giovanna Cristina Varese; Marlen I. Vasquez. A New Network for the Advancement of Marine Biotechnology in Europe and Beyond. Frontiers in Marine Science 2020, 7, 1 .
AMA StyleAna Rotter, Ariola Bacu, Michèle Barbier, Francesco Bertoni, Atle M. Bones, M. Leonor Cancela, Jens Carlsson, M. Fátima Carvalho, Marta Cegłowska, Meltem Conk Dalay, Thanos Dailianis, Irem Deniz, Dragana Drakulovic, Arita Dubnika, Hjörleifur Einarsson, Ayşegül Erdoğan, Orhan Tufan Eroldoğan, David Ezra, Stefano Fazi, Richard J. FitzGerald, Laura M. Gargan, Susana P. Gaudêncio, Nadica Ivošević DeNardis, Danijela Joksimovic, Marija Kataržytė, Jonne Kotta, Manolis Mandalakis, Inga Matijošytė, Hanna Mazur-Marzec, Alexia Massa-Gallucci, Mohamed Mehiri, Søren Laurentius Nielsen, Lucie Novoveská, Donata Overlingė, Michelle E. Portman, Krzysztof Pyrc, Céline Rebours, Thorsten Reinsch, Fernando Reyes, Baruch Rinkevich, Johan Robbens, Vita Rudovica, Jerica Sabotič, Ivo Safarik, Siret Talve, Deniz Tasdemir, Xenia Theodotou Schneider, Olivier P. Thomas, Anna Toruńska-Sitarz, Giovanna Cristina Varese, Marlen I. Vasquez. A New Network for the Advancement of Marine Biotechnology in Europe and Beyond. Frontiers in Marine Science. 2020; 7 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAna Rotter; Ariola Bacu; Michèle Barbier; Francesco Bertoni; Atle M. Bones; M. Leonor Cancela; Jens Carlsson; M. Fátima Carvalho; Marta Cegłowska; Meltem Conk Dalay; Thanos Dailianis; Irem Deniz; Dragana Drakulovic; Arita Dubnika; Hjörleifur Einarsson; Ayşegül Erdoğan; Orhan Tufan Eroldoğan; David Ezra; Stefano Fazi; Richard J. FitzGerald; Laura M. Gargan; Susana P. Gaudêncio; Nadica Ivošević DeNardis; Danijela Joksimovic; Marija Kataržytė; Jonne Kotta; Manolis Mandalakis; Inga Matijošytė; Hanna Mazur-Marzec; Alexia Massa-Gallucci; Mohamed Mehiri; Søren Laurentius Nielsen; Lucie Novoveská; Donata Overlingė; Michelle E. Portman; Krzysztof Pyrc; Céline Rebours; Thorsten Reinsch; Fernando Reyes; Baruch Rinkevich; Johan Robbens; Vita Rudovica; Jerica Sabotič; Ivo Safarik; Siret Talve; Deniz Tasdemir; Xenia Theodotou Schneider; Olivier P. Thomas; Anna Toruńska-Sitarz; Giovanna Cristina Varese; Marlen I. Vasquez. 2020. "A New Network for the Advancement of Marine Biotechnology in Europe and Beyond." Frontiers in Marine Science 7, no. : 1.
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.
Maïa Fourt; Daniel Faget; Thanos Dailianis; Drosos Koutsoubas; Thierry Pérez. Past and present of a Mediterranean small-scale fishery: the Greek sponge fishery—its resilience and sustainability. Regional Environmental Change 2020, 20, 1 -9.
AMA StyleMaïa Fourt, Daniel Faget, Thanos Dailianis, Drosos Koutsoubas, Thierry Pérez. Past and present of a Mediterranean small-scale fishery: the Greek sponge fishery—its resilience and sustainability. Regional Environmental Change. 2020; 20 (1):1-9.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaïa Fourt; Daniel Faget; Thanos Dailianis; Drosos Koutsoubas; Thierry Pérez. 2020. "Past and present of a Mediterranean small-scale fishery: the Greek sponge fishery—its resilience and sustainability." Regional Environmental Change 20, no. 1: 1-9.
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.
Vasiliki Koutsouveli; Tereza Manousaki; Ana Riesgo; Jacques Lagnel; Spyros Kollias; Costas Tsigenopoulos; Christos Arvanitidis; Costas Dounas; Antonios Magoulas; Thanos Dailianis. Gearing Up for Warmer Times: Transcriptomic Response of Spongia officinalis to Elevated Temperatures Reveals Recruited Mechanisms and Potential for Resilience. Frontiers in Marine Science 2020, 6, 1 .
AMA StyleVasiliki Koutsouveli, Tereza Manousaki, Ana Riesgo, Jacques Lagnel, Spyros Kollias, Costas Tsigenopoulos, Christos Arvanitidis, Costas Dounas, Antonios Magoulas, Thanos Dailianis. Gearing Up for Warmer Times: Transcriptomic Response of Spongia officinalis to Elevated Temperatures Reveals Recruited Mechanisms and Potential for Resilience. Frontiers in Marine Science. 2020; 6 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVasiliki Koutsouveli; Tereza Manousaki; Ana Riesgo; Jacques Lagnel; Spyros Kollias; Costas Tsigenopoulos; Christos Arvanitidis; Costas Dounas; Antonios Magoulas; Thanos Dailianis. 2020. "Gearing Up for Warmer Times: Transcriptomic Response of Spongia officinalis to Elevated Temperatures Reveals Recruited Mechanisms and Potential for Resilience." Frontiers in Marine Science 6, no. : 1.
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.
Thekla I. Anastasiou; Manolis Mandalakis; Nikos Krigas; Thomas Vézignol; Diamanto Lazari; Pantelis Katharios; Thanos Dailianis; Efthimia Antonopoulou. Comparative Evaluation of Essential Oils from Medicinal-Aromatic Plants of Greece: Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Capacity and Antimicrobial Activity against Bacterial Fish Pathogens. Molecules 2019, 25, 148 .
AMA StyleThekla I. Anastasiou, Manolis Mandalakis, Nikos Krigas, Thomas Vézignol, Diamanto Lazari, Pantelis Katharios, Thanos Dailianis, Efthimia Antonopoulou. Comparative Evaluation of Essential Oils from Medicinal-Aromatic Plants of Greece: Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Capacity and Antimicrobial Activity against Bacterial Fish Pathogens. Molecules. 2019; 25 (1):148.
Chicago/Turabian StyleThekla I. Anastasiou; Manolis Mandalakis; Nikos Krigas; Thomas Vézignol; Diamanto Lazari; Pantelis Katharios; Thanos Dailianis; Efthimia Antonopoulou. 2019. "Comparative Evaluation of Essential Oils from Medicinal-Aromatic Plants of Greece: Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Capacity and Antimicrobial Activity against Bacterial Fish Pathogens." Molecules 25, no. 1: 148.
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.
Tereza Manousaki; Vasiliki Koutsouveli; Jacques Lagnel; Spyridon Kollias; Costas S. Tsigenopoulos; Christos Arvanitidis; Antonios Magoulas; Costas Dounas; Thanos Dailianis. A de novo transcriptome assembly for the bath sponge Spongia officinalis, adjusting for microsymbionts. BMC Research Notes 2019, 12, 1 -3.
AMA StyleTereza Manousaki, Vasiliki Koutsouveli, Jacques Lagnel, Spyridon Kollias, Costas S. Tsigenopoulos, Christos Arvanitidis, Antonios Magoulas, Costas Dounas, Thanos Dailianis. A de novo transcriptome assembly for the bath sponge Spongia officinalis, adjusting for microsymbionts. BMC Research Notes. 2019; 12 (1):1-3.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTereza Manousaki; Vasiliki Koutsouveli; Jacques Lagnel; Spyridon Kollias; Costas S. Tsigenopoulos; Christos Arvanitidis; Antonios Magoulas; Costas Dounas; Thanos Dailianis. 2019. "A de novo transcriptome assembly for the bath sponge Spongia officinalis, adjusting for microsymbionts." BMC Research Notes 12, no. 1: 1-3.
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.
Barbara Bojko; Bora Onat; Ezel Boyaci; Elefteria Psillakis; Thanos Dailianis; Janusz Pawliszyn. Application of in situ Solid-Phase Microextraction on Mediterranean Sponges for Untargeted Exometabolome Screening and Environmental Monitoring. Frontiers in Marine Science 2019, 6, 1 .
AMA StyleBarbara Bojko, Bora Onat, Ezel Boyaci, Elefteria Psillakis, Thanos Dailianis, Janusz Pawliszyn. Application of in situ Solid-Phase Microextraction on Mediterranean Sponges for Untargeted Exometabolome Screening and Environmental Monitoring. Frontiers in Marine Science. 2019; 6 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBarbara Bojko; Bora Onat; Ezel Boyaci; Elefteria Psillakis; Thanos Dailianis; Janusz Pawliszyn. 2019. "Application of in situ Solid-Phase Microextraction on Mediterranean Sponges for Untargeted Exometabolome Screening and Environmental Monitoring." Frontiers in Marine Science 6, no. : 1.
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.
Francesco Vitali; Manolis Mandalakis; Eva Chatzinikolaou; Thanos Dailianis; Giuliana Senatore; Enrico Casalone; Giorgio Mastromei; Simona Sergi; Raffaela Lussu; Christos Arvanitidis; Elena Tamburini. Benthic Prokaryotic Community Response to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Chronic Exposure: Importance of Emission Sources in Mediterranean Ports. Frontiers in Marine Science 2019, 6, 1 .
AMA StyleFrancesco Vitali, Manolis Mandalakis, Eva Chatzinikolaou, Thanos Dailianis, Giuliana Senatore, Enrico Casalone, Giorgio Mastromei, Simona Sergi, Raffaela Lussu, Christos Arvanitidis, Elena Tamburini. Benthic Prokaryotic Community Response to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Chronic Exposure: Importance of Emission Sources in Mediterranean Ports. Frontiers in Marine Science. 2019; 6 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancesco Vitali; Manolis Mandalakis; Eva Chatzinikolaou; Thanos Dailianis; Giuliana Senatore; Enrico Casalone; Giorgio Mastromei; Simona Sergi; Raffaela Lussu; Christos Arvanitidis; Elena Tamburini. 2019. "Benthic Prokaryotic Community Response to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Chronic Exposure: Importance of Emission Sources in Mediterranean Ports." Frontiers in Marine Science 6, no. : 1.
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.
Vasilis Gerovasileiou; Christopher J. Smith; Katerina Sevastou; Nadia Papadopoulou; Thanos Dailianis; Trine Bekkby; Dario Fiorentino; Chris J. McOwen; Teresa Amaro; Elizabeth Grace Tunka Bengil; Meri Bilan; Christoffer Boström; Marina Carreiro-Silva; Emma Cebrian; Carlo Cerrano; Roberto Danovaro; Simonetta Fraschetti; Karine Gagnon; Cristina Gambi; Anthony Grehan; Bernat Hereu; Silvija Kipson; Jonne Kotta; Cristina Linares; Telmo Morato; Henn Ojaveer; Helen Orav-Kotta; Antonio Sarà; Rachael Scrimgeour. Habitat mapping in the European Seas - is it fit for purpose in the marine restoration agenda? Marine Policy 2019, 106, 103521 .
AMA StyleVasilis Gerovasileiou, Christopher J. Smith, Katerina Sevastou, Nadia Papadopoulou, Thanos Dailianis, Trine Bekkby, Dario Fiorentino, Chris J. McOwen, Teresa Amaro, Elizabeth Grace Tunka Bengil, Meri Bilan, Christoffer Boström, Marina Carreiro-Silva, Emma Cebrian, Carlo Cerrano, Roberto Danovaro, Simonetta Fraschetti, Karine Gagnon, Cristina Gambi, Anthony Grehan, Bernat Hereu, Silvija Kipson, Jonne Kotta, Cristina Linares, Telmo Morato, Henn Ojaveer, Helen Orav-Kotta, Antonio Sarà, Rachael Scrimgeour. Habitat mapping in the European Seas - is it fit for purpose in the marine restoration agenda? Marine Policy. 2019; 106 ():103521.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVasilis Gerovasileiou; Christopher J. Smith; Katerina Sevastou; Nadia Papadopoulou; Thanos Dailianis; Trine Bekkby; Dario Fiorentino; Chris J. McOwen; Teresa Amaro; Elizabeth Grace Tunka Bengil; Meri Bilan; Christoffer Boström; Marina Carreiro-Silva; Emma Cebrian; Carlo Cerrano; Roberto Danovaro; Simonetta Fraschetti; Karine Gagnon; Cristina Gambi; Anthony Grehan; Bernat Hereu; Silvija Kipson; Jonne Kotta; Cristina Linares; Telmo Morato; Henn Ojaveer; Helen Orav-Kotta; Antonio Sarà; Rachael Scrimgeour. 2019. "Habitat mapping in the European Seas - is it fit for purpose in the marine restoration agenda?" Marine Policy 106, no. : 103521.
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.
Luca Massi; Fabio Maselli; Claudia Rossano; Simone Gambineri; Evangelia Chatzinikolaou; Thanos Dailianis; Christos Arvanitidis; Caterina Nuccio; Felicita Scapini; Luigi Lazzara. Reflectance spectra classification for the rapid assessment of water ecological quality in Mediterranean ports. Oceanologia 2019, 61, 445 -459.
AMA StyleLuca Massi, Fabio Maselli, Claudia Rossano, Simone Gambineri, Evangelia Chatzinikolaou, Thanos Dailianis, Christos Arvanitidis, Caterina Nuccio, Felicita Scapini, Luigi Lazzara. Reflectance spectra classification for the rapid assessment of water ecological quality in Mediterranean ports. Oceanologia. 2019; 61 (4):445-459.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLuca Massi; Fabio Maselli; Claudia Rossano; Simone Gambineri; Evangelia Chatzinikolaou; Thanos Dailianis; Christos Arvanitidis; Caterina Nuccio; Felicita Scapini; Luigi Lazzara. 2019. "Reflectance spectra classification for the rapid assessment of water ecological quality in Mediterranean ports." Oceanologia 61, no. 4: 445-459.
“The sponge microbiome project” Lucas Moitinho-Silva et al. GigaScience, 6, 2017; doi: 10.1093/gigascience/gix077.
Lucas Moitinho-Silva; Shaun Nielsen; Amnon Amir; Antonio Gonzalez; Gail L Ackermann; Carlo Cerrano; Carmen Astudillo-Garcia; Cole Easson; Detmer Sipkema; Fang Liu; Georg Steinert; Giorgos Kotoulas; Grace P McCormack; Guofang Feng; James J Bell; Jan Vicente; Johannes R Björk; Jose M Montoya; Julie B Olson; Julie Reveillaud; Laura Steindler; Mari-Carmen Pineda; Maria V Marra; Micha Ilan; Michael W Taylor; Paraskevi Polymenakou; Patrick M Erwin; Peter J Schupp; Rachel L Simister; Rob Knight; Robert W Thacker; Rodrigo Costa; Russell T Hill; Susanna Lopez-Legentil; Thanos Dailianis; Timothy Ravasi; Ute Hentschel; Zhiyong Li; Nicole S Webster; Torsten Thomas. Erratum to: The sponge microbiome project. GigaScience 2018, 7, 1 .
AMA StyleLucas Moitinho-Silva, Shaun Nielsen, Amnon Amir, Antonio Gonzalez, Gail L Ackermann, Carlo Cerrano, Carmen Astudillo-Garcia, Cole Easson, Detmer Sipkema, Fang Liu, Georg Steinert, Giorgos Kotoulas, Grace P McCormack, Guofang Feng, James J Bell, Jan Vicente, Johannes R Björk, Jose M Montoya, Julie B Olson, Julie Reveillaud, Laura Steindler, Mari-Carmen Pineda, Maria V Marra, Micha Ilan, Michael W Taylor, Paraskevi Polymenakou, Patrick M Erwin, Peter J Schupp, Rachel L Simister, Rob Knight, Robert W Thacker, Rodrigo Costa, Russell T Hill, Susanna Lopez-Legentil, Thanos Dailianis, Timothy Ravasi, Ute Hentschel, Zhiyong Li, Nicole S Webster, Torsten Thomas. Erratum to: The sponge microbiome project. GigaScience. 2018; 7 (12):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLucas Moitinho-Silva; Shaun Nielsen; Amnon Amir; Antonio Gonzalez; Gail L Ackermann; Carlo Cerrano; Carmen Astudillo-Garcia; Cole Easson; Detmer Sipkema; Fang Liu; Georg Steinert; Giorgos Kotoulas; Grace P McCormack; Guofang Feng; James J Bell; Jan Vicente; Johannes R Björk; Jose M Montoya; Julie B Olson; Julie Reveillaud; Laura Steindler; Mari-Carmen Pineda; Maria V Marra; Micha Ilan; Michael W Taylor; Paraskevi Polymenakou; Patrick M Erwin; Peter J Schupp; Rachel L Simister; Rob Knight; Robert W Thacker; Rodrigo Costa; Russell T Hill; Susanna Lopez-Legentil; Thanos Dailianis; Timothy Ravasi; Ute Hentschel; Zhiyong Li; Nicole S Webster; Torsten Thomas. 2018. "Erratum to: The sponge microbiome project." GigaScience 7, no. 12: 1.
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.
Thanos Dailianis; Christopher J. Smith; Nadia Papadopoulou; Vasilis Gerovasileiou; Katerina Sevastou; Trine Bekkby; Meri Bilan; David Billett; Christoffer Boström; Marina Carreiro-Silva; Roberto Danovaro; Simonetta Fraschetti; Karine Gagnon; Cristina Gambi; Anthony Grehan; Silvija Kipson; Jonne Kotta; Chris J. McOwen; Telmo Morato; Henn Ojaveer; Christopher Pham; Rachael Scrimgeour. Human activities and resultant pressures on key European marine habitats: An analysis of mapped resources. Marine Policy 2018, 98, 1 -10.
AMA StyleThanos Dailianis, Christopher J. Smith, Nadia Papadopoulou, Vasilis Gerovasileiou, Katerina Sevastou, Trine Bekkby, Meri Bilan, David Billett, Christoffer Boström, Marina Carreiro-Silva, Roberto Danovaro, Simonetta Fraschetti, Karine Gagnon, Cristina Gambi, Anthony Grehan, Silvija Kipson, Jonne Kotta, Chris J. McOwen, Telmo Morato, Henn Ojaveer, Christopher Pham, Rachael Scrimgeour. Human activities and resultant pressures on key European marine habitats: An analysis of mapped resources. Marine Policy. 2018; 98 ():1-10.
Chicago/Turabian StyleThanos Dailianis; Christopher J. Smith; Nadia Papadopoulou; Vasilis Gerovasileiou; Katerina Sevastou; Trine Bekkby; Meri Bilan; David Billett; Christoffer Boström; Marina Carreiro-Silva; Roberto Danovaro; Simonetta Fraschetti; Karine Gagnon; Cristina Gambi; Anthony Grehan; Silvija Kipson; Jonne Kotta; Chris J. McOwen; Telmo Morato; Henn Ojaveer; Christopher Pham; Rachael Scrimgeour. 2018. "Human activities and resultant pressures on key European marine habitats: An analysis of mapped resources." Marine Policy 98, no. : 1-10.
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.
Paraskevi Polymenakou; Manolis Mandalakis; Thanos Dailianis; Charalampos Dimitriadis; Matej Medvecky; Antonios Magoulas; Vasilis Gerovasileiou. Preliminary assessment of methanogenic microbial communities in marine caves of Zakynthos Island (Ionian Sea, Greece). Mediterranean Marine Science 2018, 284 -289.
AMA StyleParaskevi Polymenakou, Manolis Mandalakis, Thanos Dailianis, Charalampos Dimitriadis, Matej Medvecky, Antonios Magoulas, Vasilis Gerovasileiou. Preliminary assessment of methanogenic microbial communities in marine caves of Zakynthos Island (Ionian Sea, Greece). Mediterranean Marine Science. 2018; ():284-289.
Chicago/Turabian StyleParaskevi Polymenakou; Manolis Mandalakis; Thanos Dailianis; Charalampos Dimitriadis; Matej Medvecky; Antonios Magoulas; Vasilis Gerovasileiou. 2018. "Preliminary assessment of methanogenic microbial communities in marine caves of Zakynthos Island (Ionian Sea, Greece)." Mediterranean Marine Science , no. : 284-289.
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.
Eva Chatzinikolaou; Manolis Mandalakis; Panagiotis Damianidis; Thanos Dailianis; Simone Gambineri; Claudia Rossano; Felicita Scapini; Alessandra Carucci; Christos Arvanitidis. Spatio-temporal benthic biodiversity patterns and pollution pressure in three Mediterranean touristic ports. Science of The Total Environment 2018, 624, 648 -660.
AMA StyleEva Chatzinikolaou, Manolis Mandalakis, Panagiotis Damianidis, Thanos Dailianis, Simone Gambineri, Claudia Rossano, Felicita Scapini, Alessandra Carucci, Christos Arvanitidis. Spatio-temporal benthic biodiversity patterns and pollution pressure in three Mediterranean touristic ports. Science of The Total Environment. 2018; 624 ():648-660.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEva Chatzinikolaou; Manolis Mandalakis; Panagiotis Damianidis; Thanos Dailianis; Simone Gambineri; Claudia Rossano; Felicita Scapini; Alessandra Carucci; Christos Arvanitidis. 2018. "Spatio-temporal benthic biodiversity patterns and pollution pressure in three Mediterranean touristic ports." Science of The Total Environment 624, no. : 648-660.
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.
Vasilis Gerovasileiou; Thanos Dailianis; Maria Sini; Maria Del Mar Otero; Catherine Numa; Stelios Katsanevakis; Eleni Voultsiadou. Assessing the regional conservation status of sponges (Porifera): the case of the Aegean ecoregion. Mediterranean Marine Science 2018, 1 .
AMA StyleVasilis Gerovasileiou, Thanos Dailianis, Maria Sini, Maria Del Mar Otero, Catherine Numa, Stelios Katsanevakis, Eleni Voultsiadou. Assessing the regional conservation status of sponges (Porifera): the case of the Aegean ecoregion. Mediterranean Marine Science. 2018; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVasilis Gerovasileiou; Thanos Dailianis; Maria Sini; Maria Del Mar Otero; Catherine Numa; Stelios Katsanevakis; Eleni Voultsiadou. 2018. "Assessing the regional conservation status of sponges (Porifera): the case of the Aegean ecoregion." Mediterranean Marine Science , no. : 1.
A review of 573 studies on active restoration actions in the marine environment, published in the last 25 years, was carried out at global scale. We assessed how, where, at which spatial and temporal scales and under which socio-ecological settings restoration studies have been carried out, from very shallow to deep sea habitats. Results show that restoration efforts across habitats are increasing, especially in seagrasses and coral reefs, but never approached at ecosystem level. Targets, methods, response variables and standards are still very heterogeneous. Of the factors considered in the review, habitat, human impact intensity, realm and methods of restoration were found to be good determinant of restoration success. Short project duration (one-two years), small restoration areas (< 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 this impairing long-term success stories. 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.
Simonetta Fraschetti; Giuseppe Guarnieri; Loredana Papa; Chris McOwen; Nadia Papadopoulou; Meri Bilan; Christoffer Boström; Pol Capdevila; Laura Carugati; Emma Cebrián; Thanos Dailianis; Francesco De Leo; Dario Fiorentino; Karine Gagnon; Cristina Gambi; Joaquim Garrabou; Vasilis Gerovasileiou; Bernat Hereu; Silvija Kipson; Jonne Kotta; Jean-Baptiste LeDoux; Cristina Linares; Juliette Martin; Alba Medrano; Ignasi Montero-Serra; Telmo Morato; Antonio Pusceddu; Katerina Sevastou; Chris Smith; Jana Verdura; Roberto Danovaro. Restoration actions in marine ecosystems: a global analysis. 2018, 1 .
AMA StyleSimonetta Fraschetti, Giuseppe Guarnieri, Loredana Papa, Chris McOwen, Nadia Papadopoulou, Meri Bilan, Christoffer Boström, Pol Capdevila, Laura Carugati, Emma Cebrián, Thanos Dailianis, Francesco De Leo, Dario Fiorentino, Karine Gagnon, Cristina Gambi, Joaquim Garrabou, Vasilis Gerovasileiou, Bernat Hereu, Silvija Kipson, Jonne Kotta, Jean-Baptiste LeDoux, Cristina Linares, Juliette Martin, Alba Medrano, Ignasi Montero-Serra, Telmo Morato, Antonio Pusceddu, Katerina Sevastou, Chris Smith, Jana Verdura, Roberto Danovaro. Restoration actions in marine ecosystems: a global analysis. . 2018; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSimonetta Fraschetti; Giuseppe Guarnieri; Loredana Papa; Chris McOwen; Nadia Papadopoulou; Meri Bilan; Christoffer Boström; Pol Capdevila; Laura Carugati; Emma Cebrián; Thanos Dailianis; Francesco De Leo; Dario Fiorentino; Karine Gagnon; Cristina Gambi; Joaquim Garrabou; Vasilis Gerovasileiou; Bernat Hereu; Silvija Kipson; Jonne Kotta; Jean-Baptiste LeDoux; Cristina Linares; Juliette Martin; Alba Medrano; Ignasi Montero-Serra; Telmo Morato; Antonio Pusceddu; Katerina Sevastou; Chris Smith; Jana Verdura; Roberto Danovaro. 2018. "Restoration actions in marine ecosystems: a global analysis." , no. : 1.
A review of 573 studies on active restoration actions in the marine environment, published in the last 25 years, was carried out at global scale. We assessed how, where, at which spatial and temporal scales and under which socio-ecological settings restoration studies have been carried out, from very shallow to deep sea habitats. Results show that restoration efforts across habitats are increasing, especially in seagrasses and coral reefs, but never approached at ecosystem level. Targets, methods, response variables and standards are still very heterogeneous. Of the factors considered in the review, habitat, human impact intensity, realm and methods of restoration were found to be good determinant of restoration success. Short project duration (one-two years), small restoration areas (< 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 this impairing long-term success stories. 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.
Simonetta Fraschetti; Giuseppe Guarnieri; Loredana Papa; Chris McOwen; Nadia Papadopoulou; Meri Bilan; Christoffer Boström; Pol Capdevila; Laura Carugati; Emma Cebrián; Thanos Dailianis; Francesco De Leo; Dario Fiorentino; Karine Gagnon; Cristina Gambi; Joaquim Garrabou; Vasilis Gerovasileiou; Bernat Hereu; Silvija Kipson; Jonne Kotta; Jean-Baptiste LeDoux; Cristina Linares; Juliette Martin; Alba Medrano; Ignasi Montero-Serra; Telmo Morato; Antonio Pusceddu; Katerina Sevastou; Chris Smith; Jana Verdura; Roberto Danovaro. Restoration actions in marine ecosystems: a global analysis. 2018, 1 .
AMA StyleSimonetta Fraschetti, Giuseppe Guarnieri, Loredana Papa, Chris McOwen, Nadia Papadopoulou, Meri Bilan, Christoffer Boström, Pol Capdevila, Laura Carugati, Emma Cebrián, Thanos Dailianis, Francesco De Leo, Dario Fiorentino, Karine Gagnon, Cristina Gambi, Joaquim Garrabou, Vasilis Gerovasileiou, Bernat Hereu, Silvija Kipson, Jonne Kotta, Jean-Baptiste LeDoux, Cristina Linares, Juliette Martin, Alba Medrano, Ignasi Montero-Serra, Telmo Morato, Antonio Pusceddu, Katerina Sevastou, Chris Smith, Jana Verdura, Roberto Danovaro. Restoration actions in marine ecosystems: a global analysis. . 2018; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSimonetta Fraschetti; Giuseppe Guarnieri; Loredana Papa; Chris McOwen; Nadia Papadopoulou; Meri Bilan; Christoffer Boström; Pol Capdevila; Laura Carugati; Emma Cebrián; Thanos Dailianis; Francesco De Leo; Dario Fiorentino; Karine Gagnon; Cristina Gambi; Joaquim Garrabou; Vasilis Gerovasileiou; Bernat Hereu; Silvija Kipson; Jonne Kotta; Jean-Baptiste LeDoux; Cristina Linares; Juliette Martin; Alba Medrano; Ignasi Montero-Serra; Telmo Morato; Antonio Pusceddu; Katerina Sevastou; Chris Smith; Jana Verdura; Roberto Danovaro. 2018. "Restoration actions in marine ecosystems: a global analysis." , no. : 1.