Browsing by Author "Rilov, Gil"
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- Genetic affinities and biogeography of putative Levantine-endemic seaweed Treptacantha rayssiae (Ramon) M.Mulas, J.Neiva & A.Israel, comb. nov. (Phaeophyceae)Publication . Mulas, Martina; Neiva, J.; Sadogurska, Sofia S.; Ballesteros, Enric; Serrao, Ester; Rilov, Gil; Israel, AlvaroCystoseira sensu lato (Ochrophyta) forests are important habitat formers in the Mediterranean Sea, but they have mostly been studied in the western basin where many species are under decline. In the eastern basin, where fewer species occur, Cystoseira rayssiae Ramon was described in the year 2000 as an endemic species based on morphological characteristics from herbaria samples collected on the Israeli coast. No further investigations have been conducted on this peculiar species since, but recently it has been recorded in contiguous Lebanon and outside the Mediterranean. Our work was aimed at confirming the taxonomic validity and endemic nature of this species, including its position among the recently split Cystoseira sensu stricto, Carpodesmia Greville and Treptacantha Kutzing genera, by sequencing the mitochondrial COI gene and by examining morphological characteristics in samples from three different sites in northern Israel. Notwithstanding considerable morphological plasticity, molecular analyses revealed a single unique COI sequence. Phylogenetic analyses show that Cystoseira rayssiae belongs to the resurrected genus Treptacantha and hence, the new combination Treptacantha rayssiae (Ramon) M.Mulas, J.Neiva & A.Israel, comb. nov., is proposed. Unique sequences and a restricted range support its Levantine-endemic status. Intriguing extra-Mediterranean reports from the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf are probably misidentifications rather than reflecting a disjunct distribution or recent invasion.
- The tropical seagrass halophila stipulacea: reviewing what we know from its native and invasive habitats, alongside identifying knowledge gapsPublication . Winters, Gidon; Beer, Sven; Willette, Demian A.; Viana, Inés G.; Chiquillo, Kelcie L.; Beca-Carretero, Pedro; Villamayor, Betty; Azcárate-García, Tomás; Shem-Tov, Rachamim; Mwabvu, Bridget; Migliore, Luciana; Rotini, Alice; Oscar, Michelle A.; Belmaker, Jonathan; Gamliel, Inbal; Alexandre, Ana; Engelen, Aschwin; Procaccini, Gabriele; Rilov, GilHalophila stipulacea is a small tropical seagrass, native to the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean. It invaded the Mediterranean Sea 150 years ago as a Lessepsian migrant, but so far has remained in insulated, small populations across this basin. Surprisingly, in 2002 it was reported in the Caribbean Sea, where within less than two decades it spread to most of the Caribbean Island nations and reaching the South American continent. Unlike its invasion of Mediterranean, in the Caribbean H. stipulacea creates large, continuous populations in many areas. Reports from the Caribbean demonstrated the invasiveness of H. stipulacea by showing that it displaces local Caribbean seagrass species. The motivation for this review comes from the necessity to unify the existing knowledge on several aspects of this species in its native and invasive habitats, identify knowledge gaps and develop a critical strategy to understand its invasive capacity and implement an effective monitoring and conservation plan to mitigate its potential spread outside its native ranges. We systematically reviewed 164 studies related to H. stipulacea to create the "Halophila stipulacea database." This allowed us to evaluate the current biological, ecological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular knowledge of H. stipulacea in its native and invasive ranges. Here we (i) discuss the possible environmental conditions and plant mechanisms involved in its invasiveness, (ii) assess the impact of H. stipulacea on native seagrasses and ecosystem functions in the invaded regions, (iii) predict the ability of this species to invade European and transoceanic coastal waters, (iv) identify knowledge gaps that should be addressed to better understand the biology and ecology of this species both in its native and non-native habitats, which would improve our ability to predict H. stipulacea's potential to expand into new areas in the future. Considering the predicted climate change scenarios and exponential human pressures on coastal areas, we stress the need for coordinated global monitoring and mapping efforts that will record changes in H. stipulacea and its associated communities over time, across its native, invasive and prospective distributional ranges. This will require the involvement of biologists, ecologists, economists, modelers, managers, and local stakeholders.