A carregar...
Publicação
The lush Fucales underwater forests off the Cilento Coast: An overlooked mediterranean biodiversity hotspot
| Nome: | Descrição: | Tamanho: | Formato: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.27 MB | Adobe PDF |
Orientador(es)
Resumo(s)
Fucales (Phaeophyceae) are ecosystem engineers and forest-forming macroalgae whose populations are declining dramatically. In the Mediterranean Sea, Cystoseira sensu lato (s.l.)—encompassing
the genera Cystoseira sensu stricto, Ericaria, and Gongolaria—is the most diverse group, and many
species have been shown to be locally extinct in many areas, resulting in a shift toward structurally
less complex habitats with the consequent loss of ecosystem functions and services. In this study,
we report on the extensive occurrence of healthy and dense marine forests formed by Fucales in the
Santa Maria di Castellabate Marine Protected Area in Cilento, Italy (Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean).
On a total area of 129.45 ha, 10 Cystoseira s.l. taxa were detected using a combined morphological and
molecular approach, with an average cover of more than 70%. One of these taxa has been sequenced
for the first time. These findings underline the high ecological value of this area as a hotspot of
benthic biodiversity and highlight the importance of marine protected area management and regional
monitoring programs to ensure the conservation of these valuable yet fragile coastal ecosystems.
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Cystoseira sensu lato Fucales Seaweed Brown algae MPA Tyrrhenian Sea
Contexto Educativo
Citação
Plants 12 (7): 1497 (2023)
Editora
MDPI