No abstract

The intense shipping traffic characterising the Adriatic Sea favours the spread of marine organisms. Yet, a study of 12 Adriatic ports (4 on the western side and 8 on the eastern side of the basin) found that non-indigenous species (NIS) accounted for only 4% of the benthic communities settled on hard substrates. The cirripeds Amphibalanus amphitrite and Balanus trigonus, found in 8 harbours, were the most common invaders followed by Amphibalanus eburneus, the ascidian Styela plicata, and the bivalve Magallana gigas. The highest percentage of NIS was recorded in Venice and Ploče, the harbours with the least rich native communities; the lowest percentage was retrieved in Trieste, Koper, Pula, and Rijeka, the harbours hosting the highest species diversity. In contrast, the ports of Bari and Ancona showed both high NIS percentages and highly diversified communities.

The present paper presents a collection and synthesis of d~ta found in numerous publications on Adriatic Sea nematofauna, as well as unpublished data mentioned in annotations. For this purpose, a chronological order ol investigations and a general survey of the species that occurred in the Adriatic Sea are given. In all, 281 free-living nematode species comprised in 133 genera and 34 families were discerned and listed in a taxonomic review, according to their spatial distribution. In special cases, descriptions at habitat features were noted. The position of species characterized by high population densities, their importance, and contribution to the faunistic composition of certain parts of the Adriatic were also discussed. The summary of the results of prevailing research on free-living marine nematodes serw.~s ds a tool for making distinctions concerning the research level and state of nemdtofaun~ knowledge in different parts of the Adriatic Sea. Northern Adriatic nemato{auna has been consi(terably more intensively inw.~stigated than that of the Central and South Adriatic.

Port baseline surveys (PBS) provide species inventories in and around ports, with a focus on non-indigenous species that may have been introduced by vessels, primarily via ballast water. PBS are an essential tool to support effective management strategies for non-indigenous as well as native harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens (HAOP). This paper describes the methodology of PBS that were conducted in 12 Adriatic ports. The PBS employed existing protocols that were adapted to meet the characteristics of the Adriatic sites. Their results are reported in several papers included in this special issue, each of which is devoted to a specific community. An overview of existing surveys protocols-which provide valuable support to decision-making and to design effective monitoring of non-indigenous species-is also supplied.

Non-indigenous species (NIS) in the Mediterranean Sea. It presents a report on the softbottom macrobenthos from the five Adriatic ports: Bari, Ancona (Italy), Koper (Slovenia), Pula, Rijeka (Croatia), with a focus on the presence and contribution of NIS to native assemblages. Out of 451 species identified, only four were common to all ports. A total of eight NIS were recorded, five in surveyed ports and three in the lagoon connected to the Port of Koper. The highest number of NIS was recorded in Bari, and the highest abundance in Ancona and Bari. Generally, the number, abundance and contribution of NIS seems too low to cause a substantial impact on native communities in surveyed ports. The suitability of methods adopted for PBS for soft-bottom NIS was discussed and suggestion for methodological improvement is provided.