First report of live deep-water cnidarian assemblages from the Malta Escarpment

Angeletti, Lorenzo; Mechó, Ariadna; Doya, C.; Micallef, Aaron; Huvenne, Veerle A.I.; Georgiopoulou, Aggeliki; Taviani, Marco

doi:10.1080/11250003.2015.1026416

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Gardens of L. glaberrima presented a wider vertical distribution, between 214 and 355 m depth. This is consistent with previous observations commonly reporting the species at depths exceeding 600 m in the Mediterranean Sea (Carlier et al, 2009;Angeletti et al, 2014;Bo et al, 2014;Mytilineou et al, 2014;Angeletti et al, 2015;Bo et al, 2015;Ingrassia et al, 2016). In the Cassidaigne canyon, gardens of L. glaberrima were seen in the vicinity of M. oculata habitats and also in the vicinity of dense forests of gorgonians V. flagellum, something that was also described in Maltese waters (Deidun et al, 2015).…”

Section: Spatial and Vertical Distributionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Evaluating the ecological status of cold-water coral habitats using non-invasive methods: An example from Cassidaigne canyon, northwestern Mediterranean Sea

Fabri

Vinha

Allais

et al. 2019

Progress in Oceanography

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Cold-water coral ecosystems have been identified as vulnerable, but quantitative data on their conservation status is very limited. The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) is the tool implemented by the European Union's Integrated Maritime Policy to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) of marine waters by 2020. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the Ecological Status of benthic habitats in Cassidaigne canyon, focusing in particular on cold-water coral habitats dominated by Madrepora oculata. Data were collected during the Videocor1 cruise (2017). Videos and photos collected during eight dives of the H-ROV Ariane were used to reconstruct, in 3-dimensions, the areas where cnidarians have settled in the canyon. A total of 33 3D models were built, which allowed measuring the spatial and vertical distribution, surface, density and size structure of cnidarian populations at four different sites. When 3D reconstructions were not possible, GIS tools were used. The seven cnidarian species considered were the scleractinian M. oculata; three antipatharians: Leiopathes glaberrima, Antipathella subpinnata, Antipathes dichotoma; and three aclyonaceans: the precious red coral Corallium rubrum and the gorgonians Callogorgia verticllata and Viminella flagellum. Using photogrammetry, we were able to reveal the size structure of the dense population of M. oculata in the canyon, as well as to obtain knowledge on a complex site (Cassis-200) composed of 15 knolls, and to quantify the surface occupied by M. oculata at a separate site (Cassis-500) influenced by industrial discharges. At the southern flank of the canyon we found a highly diverse site (SW Flank) dominated by antipatharians and gorgonians composing large forests, and finally a reservoir of M. oculata was identified under overhangs at a site called the Wall. The diversity of accompanying species is also reported and marine litter quantified. Images collected before 2017 were compared to the 3D models to precisely locate them on the sites, and assess temporal changes in M. oculata colony sizes at Cassis-200 site. We also report on the ground-truthing of predicted habitat maps produced previously, and confirm their good representation of the distribution of cold-water coral habitats. Finally, we quantified the criteria defined by the MSFD, aimed at evaluating the GES of benthic habitats for M. oculata ecosystems, at the scale of the Please note that this is an author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available on the publisher Web site. Cassidaigne canyon. Measurements showed that the extent of loss of the observed M. oculata habitat reached 56% according to the MFSD definition. Highlights ► Cold-water corals distribution, density and size structure are reported. ► Size measurements were performed using 3D-models. ► A diverse site dominated by antipatharians and gorgonians forests was found. ► The extent of loss of the observed M. oculata habitat reached 56...

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Section: Spatial and Vertical Distributionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Evaluating the ecological status of cold-water coral habitats using non-invasive methods: An example from Cassidaigne canyon, northwestern Mediterranean Sea

Fabri

Vinha

Allais

et al. 2019

Progress in Oceanography

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“…The species G. melastomus and H. dactylopterus were the most common fish species caught close to the black coral Leiopathes glaberrima and the gorgonian Isidella elongata in the eastern Ionian Sea (Mytilineou et al 2014). H. dactylopterus was also found together with other fish species in black coral habitats dominated by L. glaberrima at the Malta Escarpment (Angeletti et al 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Cold-water coral habitats and canyons as Essential Fish Habitats in the southern Adriatic and northern Ionian Sea (central Mediterranean)

Capezzuto

Sión

Ancona

et al. 2018

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The objective of this study is to provide additional evidence of the utilization of Cold-Water Corals (CWC) and Submarine Canyons (SC) by fishes as areas for growing to maturity and to reproduce and thus for the classification of CWC as Essential Fish habitats (EFH). Data were collected with longline experimental surveys carried out during spring-summer and autumn-winter from 2010 to 2014, in different CWC sites distributed along the Apulian margin: Gondola Slide (GS), Bari Canyon (BC), Monopoli (Mn) and Santa Maria di Leuca (SML). In the present study the reproductive phase of Galeus melastomus, Conger conger, Helicolenus dactylopterus, Merluccius merluccius, Pagellus bogaraveo and Phycis blennoides collected in the abovementioned CWC communities has been analysed with respect to fish size. Maturing and mature individuals as well as post-reproductive specimens of G. melastomus, H. dactylopterus and M. merluccius were observed in all the investigated CWC sites. Mature gonads were also found in the other three species, although the investigated period was outside their reproductive peak, indicating that these CWC sites act as spawning areas and therefore as a potential 'renewal network' for fish species exploited in the neighbouring fishing grounds. This provides a strong argument for the categorization of CWC as EFH in the design of management programs.

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“…The NW-SE and N-S faults across the eastern Malta Plateau share a similar orientation with a 716 number of known faults in the area (Figure 1) (Millot, 2005). In the present day, the action of 765 bottom currents in proximity of the southern mounds is confirmed by the occurrence of 766 suspension feeders, such as anthipatharian assemblages (Angeletti et al, 2015). We think that the and an elongate ridge (7.5 km in length) across an area of 650 km 2 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 77%

Outer shelf seafloor geomorphology along a carbonate escarpment: The eastern Malta Plateau, Mediterranean Sea

Micallef

Georgiopoulou

Mountjoy

et al. 2016

Continental Shelf Research

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First report of live deep-water cnidarian assemblages from the Malta Escarpment

Cited by 10 publications

References 35 publications

Evaluating the ecological status of cold-water coral habitats using non-invasive methods: An example from Cassidaigne canyon, northwestern Mediterranean Sea

Evaluating the ecological status of cold-water coral habitats using non-invasive methods: An example from Cassidaigne canyon, northwestern Mediterranean Sea

Cold-water coral habitats and canyons as Essential Fish Habitats in the southern Adriatic and northern Ionian Sea (central Mediterranean)

Outer shelf seafloor geomorphology along a carbonate escarpment: The eastern Malta Plateau, Mediterranean Sea

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