Search results for "Climate"

The unnoticed northward expansion of Najas marina subsp. armata (Hydrocharitaceae) in the Mediterranean area: an effect of climate change?

2022

Recent reports of Najas marina L. (Hydrocharitaceae) from Sicily have been interpreted as a confirmation of its presence on the island, where it was earlier mentioned in the 1800s. However the recent finds do not represent “N. marina” (currently N. major All.) but N. marina subsp. armata Horn (= N. delilei Rouy), a different taxon, previously not recorded from Sicily. According to those reports and several new finds presented here, it appears to be invading reservoirs and lakes in southern Sicily and seems to be naturally expanding its range. Climate change is suggested as possible cause of this shift. The same trend appears to be taking place across the whole N Mediterranean area, from Por…

Plant morphology: outdated or advanced discipline in modern plant sciences?

2019

In the last decades, with the increase of molecular studies, the study of plant forms has gone through a steady decline in interest, and researches on this topic are often neglected and underestimated. Notwithstanding, comparative morphology as integrative discipline still assumes a pivotal role in modern sciences, remaining fundamentally relevant to nearly all fields of plant biology, such as systematics, evolutionary biology, ecology, physiology, genetics, molecular biology, not to mention also agriculture, bioengineering, and forensic botany. Contrary to common belief, plant morphology is not a conservative finished science, but, like other sciences, it is open to constant innovations in…

Microclimate and microbial monitoring, a case study: the Oratorio dei Falegnami in Palermo

2016

The following study has been carried out during the restoration work of the polymateric sculpture “Immacolata Concezione” located inside the chapel of the Oratorio dei Falegnami in Palermo. The manufact, a typical example of Trapanese (Sicily) craftsmanship (18th century) made by pieces of fabric, soaked in animal glue, applied to an inner structure, finished with plaster and painted. The main damages were paint losses and flaking all over the surface on textile backing, due to the indoor microclimatic conditions. After the conservative restoration, in order to prevent such damages, the microclimate monitoring was performed in two steps. First, the presence of temporal and spatial gradients…

Range expansion and climate warming: state-of-art and perspectives of the case-study Brachidontes pharaonis (Mollusca: Mytilidae).

2009

The duality of ocean acidification as a resource and a stressor

2018

Ecologically dominant species often define ecosystem states, but as human disturbances intensify, their subordinate counterparts increasingly displace them. We consider the duality of disturbance by examining how environmental drivers can simultaneously act as a stressor to dominant species and as a resource to subordinates. Using a model ecosystem, we demonstrate that CO2-driven interactions between species can account for such reversals in dominance; i.e., the displacement of dominants (kelp forests) by subordinates (turf algae). We established that CO2 enrichment had a direct positive effect on productivity of turfs, but a negligible effect on kelp. CO2 enrichment further suppressed the …

The Status of Coastal Benthic Ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea: Evidence From Ecological Indicators

2020

The Mediterranean Sea is subject to multiple human pressures increasingly threatening its unique biodiversity. Spatially explicit information on the ecological status of marine ecosystems is therefore key to an effective maritime spatial planning and management, and to help the achievement of environmental targets. Here, we summarized scientific data on the ecological status of a selection of marine ecosystems based on a set of ecological indicators in more than 700 sites of the Mediterranean Sea. For Posidonia oceanica seagrass beds, rocky intertidal fringe, and coastal soft bottoms, more than 70% of investigated sites exhibited good to high ecological conditions. In contrast, about two-th…

Altered epiphyte community and sea urchin diet in Posidonia oceanica meadows in the vicinity of volcanic CO2 vents

2017

Ocean acidification (OA) predicted for 2100 is expected to shift seagrass epiphyte communities towards the dominance of more tolerant non-calcifying taxa. However, little is known about the indirect effects of such changes on food provision to key seagrass consumers. We found that epiphyte communities of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica in two naturally acidified sites (i.e. north and south sides of a volcanic CO2 vent) and in a control site away from the vent at the Ischia Island (NW Mediterranean Sea) significantly differed in composition and abundance. Such differences involved a higher abundance of non-calcareous crustose brown algae and a decline of calcifying polychaetes in both acidif…

Bright spots as climate‐smart marine spatial planning tools for conservation and blue growth

2021

Marine spatial planning that addresses ocean climate-driven change (‘climate-smart MSP’) is a global aspiration to support economic growth, food security and ecosystem sustainability. Ocean climate change (‘CC’) modelling may become a key decision-support tool for MSP, but traditional modelling analysis and communication challenges prevent their broad uptake. We employed MSP-specific ocean climate modelling analyses to inform a real-life MSP process; addressing how nature conservation and fisheries could be adapted to CC. We found that the currently planned distribution of these activities may become unsustainable during the policy's implementation due to CC, leading to a shortfall in its s…

Integrating functional traits into correlative species distribution models to investigate the vulnerability of marine human activities to climate cha…

2021

Climate change and particularly warming are significantly impacting marine ecosystems and the services they provided. Temperature, as the main factor driving all biological processes, may influence ectotherms metabolism, thermal tolerance limits and distribution species patterns. The joining action of climate change and local stressors (including the increasing human marine use) may facilitate the spread of non-indigenous and native outbreak forming species, leading to associated economic consequences for marine coastal economies. Marine aquaculture is one among the most economic anthropogenic activities threatened by multiple stressors and in turn, by increasing hard artificial substrates …

Multiple stressors facilitate the spread of a non-indigenous bivalve in the Mediterranean Sea

2018

Aim The introduction of non‐indigenous species (NIS) via man‐made corridors connecting previously disparate oceanic regions is increasing globally. However, the environmental and anthropogenic factors facilitating invasion dynamics and their interactions are still largely unknown. This study compiles and inputs available data for the NIS bivalve Brachidontes pharaonis across the invaded biogeographic range in the Mediterranean basin into a species distribution model to predict future spread under a range of marine scenarios. Location Mediterranean Sea. Methods A systematic review produced the largest presence database ever assembled to inform the selection of biological, chemical and physic…