The Natura 2000 network of protected areas aims to assure the long‐term survival of Europe's most valuable and threatened species and habitats. Yet, evidence shows that the present network fails to represent effectively the biodiversity of the region. Priority areas for conservation of coastal and offshore biodiversity features in the Greek Ionian Sea were identified, based on the principles of systematic conservation planning (SCP). SCP is a transparent method for the design of MPA networks and is considered more efficient and successful in representing the biodiversity of a region. The prioritization software Marxan was used and three scenarios with different sets of targets for 17 (high and low priority) conservation features were produced. These scenarios explicitly took into account socio‐economic factors expressed as a single cost metric, weighting different economic sectors in proportion to their contribution to the GDP of the region. Then results were compared with the existing Natura 2000 sites in terms of goal achievement, area requirements, and cost. The solutions produced by the systematic approach demanded less area and lower cost to achieve the goals set, when the selection of all Natura 2000 sites was not forced. Existing Natura 2000 sites alone failed to achieve conservation goals for some EU priority and other important coastal and offshore habitats and species of the Mediterranean Sea. It is suggested that the use of systematic conservation planning and related computational tools could benefit the selection of European marine priority areas, especially in the context of ecosystem‐based marine spatial management. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mapping of ecosystem components (natural and socioeconomic) is a prerequisite for ecosystem-based marine spatial management (EB-MSM). To initiate the process of EB-MSM in the Greek Ionian Sea and the adjacent gulfs, the main relevant ecosystem components were mapped based on existing spatial information and expert judgment. The natural components mapped included habitat types and species targeted for conservation, according to national and European legislation and international agreements. Main human activities/pressures related to fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, and industry were also mapped. In order to assess the quality of data used to map ecosystem components and therefore take into consideration the inherent uncertainty, an assessment of 5 semi-quantitative data indicators based on a pedigree matrix was conducted. Through this qualitative approach we gained information related to the sources, acquisition and verification procedures, statistical properties, and temporal & geographical correlation, along with the collection process quality of the ecosystem components under study. A substantial overlapping between ecological features and human activities was identified, confirming the need for a well-planned approach to marine space management, in order to mitigate conflicts for marine resources and conserve marine ecosystems and their associated goods and services.
In ancient times, the distribution range of the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) extended all over the coasts of the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and parts of the north‐eastern Atlantic coast. Nowadays, the species is classified as Endangered and the current total world population is stated to consist of ~700 animals, though numbers mostly express best estimates. Distribution patterns in documents of international authorities from the last 15 years indicate the species' extinction in a number of Mediterranean countries, whereas in some of them only a few individuals are thought to survive and in others the status is unknown. This study analyses recent monk seal sightings over the period from 2000 to 2014 in the Mediterranean Basin. The locations of the sightings cover most of the study area and indicate a spreading of individual seals or a more stable presence in regions where the species was considered extinct. The investigation pointed out that efforts for the protection of monk seals, the most endangered marine mammal in Europe, should encompass all areas where monk seal sightings have been recorded, including the protection and conservation of potential suitable habitats in countries where the species apparently no longer exists. Appropriate conservation measures, such as the establishment of marine protected areas and sustainable management of fisheries, will aid natural recolonization and enhance gene flow between distant regions throughout the Mediterranean Basin, allowing the reconnection of distant populations or individual animals.
Although the invasive alga Caulerpa racemosa has exhibited an excessive rate of proliferation and has invaded the entire Mediterranean Sea basin within the last 18 yr, its spatial distribution patterns remain largely unknown. A 2-component modelling approach based on generalized additive models was applied to model the density of C. racemosa fronds in relation to spatial and environmental variables. A bimodal distribution of presence probability in relation to depth was observed, with higher probabilities of occurrence at very shallow bottoms (< 4 m) and at depths between ~15 and 30 m. Presence probability steadily decreased at greater depths. Frond density was markedly higher in rocky habitats than in Posidonia oceanica beds or on sandy/muddy bottoms. The highest frond densities were observed in the southeastern part of the Saronikos Gulf, which is considered to be the area of initial establishment of the species in the Gulf; this indicates that time favours the steady expansion and further dominance of this species.KEY WORDS: Caulerpa racemosa · Generalized additive models · Greece · Invasive macrophytes · Spatial distribution patterns Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher
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