Annalisa Falace

University of Trieste | UNITS · Department of Life Sciences

Brown algal forests provide many ecosystem services but are declining worldwide, prompting a growing number of conservation and restoration efforts. Recent attempts to recover Cystoseira forests are encouraging in the Mediterranean, but whether this is possible in more challenging Atlantic conditions has not yet been investigated. In this study, we...

Gongolaria barbata plays a crucial role as a habitat-forming Fucales species in the Mediter-ranean Sea, thriving in shallow, sheltered coastal regions, where it exhibits optimal growth in a temperature range of 10 to 25 •C. In the northern Adriatic Sea, a semi-enclosed part of the Mediter-ranean, there has been a remarkable increase in seawater tem...

Gongolaria barbata (Sargassaceae, Fucales) is a widespread species for which several infraspecific taxa have been described, indicating its polymorphism. This study contributes to the understanding of the molecular, nomenclatural, morphological and ecological aspects of G. barbata in the Mediterranean and sheds light on the infraspecific diversity...

Rhodoliths, formed by free‐living coralline algae, are distributed worldwide, and the rhodolith beds (RBs) that they form are recognized as structurally complex habitats. In the Mediterranean, they are generally distributed in the mesophotic zone, at depths of 30–100 m; so far, only a few shallow RBs (<2 m) have been reported (e.g. Îles Kuriat, Tun...

Cystoseira sensu lato are fucoid algae that form dense stands on intertidal and subtidal rocky reefs sustaining species-rich associated assemblages. The increasing human pressure is causing the decline of these marine forests, raising wide concerns on the ecological consequences of their loss. Yet, little is known about functional trait variables o...

Essential for healthy oceans, coastal communities, fisheries, economies, and marine biodiversity from the subtropics to the polar regions, kelp forests are an integral and threatened ocean ecosystem. Their benefits are connected to over 740 million people who live beside a kelp forest, and their economic potential is valued at least 500 billion USD...

Marine kelp forests cover 1/3 of our world's coastlines, are heralded as a nature-based solution to address socio-environmental issues, connect hundreds of millions of people with the ocean, and support a rich web of biodiversity throughout our oceans. But they are increasingly threatened with some areas reporting over 90% declines in kelp forest c...

Brown algae from genus Cystoseira s.l. form dense underwater forests that represent the most productive areas in the Mediterranean Sea. Due to the combined effects of global and local stressors such as climate change, urbanization, and herbivore outbreaks, there has been a severe decline in brown algal forests in the Mediterranean Sea. Natural reco...

The northern Adriatic Sea (NAS) hosts numerous biogenic subtidal reefs that are considered biodiversity hotspots. Several studies have already investigated the origin and biodiversity of these reefs. However, many of them are still unexplored and further knowledge is needed for their conservation. Here, the spatial variability, epibenthic community...

As a result of several anthropogenic factors, Cystoseira sensu lato forests have declined or become regionally extinct in many coastal regions of the Mediterranean. Given the low natural recovery of lost populations, research efforts have been encouraged to develop sustainable and efficient restoration of macroalgal forests on a large scale. By pro...

In the Mediterranean, Cystoseira sensu lato (s.l.) (Phaeophyceae) forests have sharply declined and restoration measures are needed to compensate for the loss. Assisted regeneration through the outplanting of seedlings grown ex-situ has proven to be a sustainable option. Optimizing mesocosm culture can maximize survival of the most critical embryon...

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,...

• The aim of the present study was to propose a biotic index (North Adriatic Mesophotic BiogEnic Reefs, NAMBER) suitable for assessing the ecological quality of the mesophotic biogenic reefs of the northern Adriatic continental shelf based on photographic sampling. • At each of the 20 study sites, the degree of bioconstruction (expressed as percent...

Citation: Cannarozzi, L.; Bevilacqua, S.; Alongi, G.; Asnaghi, V.; Chiantore, M.; Pagnotta, A.; Paoli, C.; Rigo, I.; Vassallo, P.; Falace, A. Assessing the Effect of Full Protection on the Biomass of Ericaria amentacea and Understory Assemblages: Evidence from Two Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas. Diversity 2023, 15, 89. Abstract: Cystoseira se...

Biogenic reefs in the northern Adriatic Sea have a high ecological and economic value, but they are subject to different impacts and require more protection. Here we reviewed recent literature on biogenic reefs and presented new data on their diversity, connectivity and the potential factors affecting species distribution. Results showed that bioge...

Several anthropogenic factors are responsible for the decline of Cystoseira sensu lato (hereafter Cystoseira) forests along Mediterranean coasts. Some Cystoseira species are already regionally extinct, and their decline has been widely recorded. Sustainable and efficient techniques for the restoration of Cystoseira are needed. In this context, the...

Restoration of foundation species in historical habitat may be difficult if adult facilitation is obligatory for survival of early life stages. On intertidal Mediterranean coasts, large‐scale loss of the dominant forest‐forming macroalga Ericaria amentacea have prompted restoration efforts using recruits. Yet, early life stages may be more suscepti...

An ongoing decline of the climax communities of canopy-forming algae along the Mediterranean shallow rocky reefs is increasingly documented, reportedly driven by a multitude of stressors. Apart from alleviating local or global pressures to reverse this alarming trend, basic knowledge of these key species' reproductive phenology, embryology and grow...

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are at the core of management and conservation plans aimed at counteracting the ongoing widespread degradation of marine ecosystems. Although the outcomes of protection in enhancing marine biodiversity and restoring populations of exploited species are widely recognized, the putative effect of MPAs in increasing the re...

The loss of Mediterranean macroalgal populations dominated by Cystoseira sensu lato is driven by a multitude of pressures. In the eastern Mediterranean Sea, climate change and the establishment of Lessepsian herbivore species have further intensified the ongoing decline of these canopy-forming algae. Knowledge of the reproductive phenology, embryol...

In this chapter we describe the approaches available for kelp restoration and emphasize that you will need to consider the best suited approach(es) for your particular project (Fig. 5.1). The selected methodology will depend on the expertise of your group, project budget, the stressors present, environmental conditions, and whether kelp can return...

In the present study, alginate yield and composition were investigated during the seasonal life cycle of the alien brown alga Sargassum muticum harvested from the Atlantic coast of Morocco. Alginate yield ranged from 11.14% in winter to 25.62% in spring/early summer, coinciding with maximum vegetative growth. Monthly monitoring of the alginate bloc...

Canopy-forming brown algae support highly productive ecosystems whose decline has been attributed to the interplay of several anthropogenic disturbances. Climate change could have disruptive effects on the biology of these species, but the role of temperature in the development of early life stages is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to...

The global decline of brown algal forests along rocky coasts is causing an exceptional biodiversity loss. Regardless of conservation efforts, different techniques have been developed for large-scale restoration strategies in the Mediterranean Sea. In this study we tested ex situ pilot restoration of Gongolaria barbata (=Treptacantha barbata) for th...

Brown algae of the genus Cystoseira sensu lato form the most diverse and productive marine ecosystems throughout the Mediterranean Sea and have equal roles also in the Black Sea where they have been decreasing in the recent years. The taxonomy of Cystoseira s.l. taxa from the Black Sea is still not well understood, and questions arise when related...

Abstract 1. The worldwide decline of marine forests, due to human impacts and climate change, emphasizes the need to develop and implement effective and sustainable solutions to restore these endangered habitats and to re-establish the services they provide. 2. In this study, the ex situ restoration of Treptacantha barbata, a Mediterranean subtid...

Rhodolith beds represent a key habitat worldwide, from tropical to polar ecosystems. Despite this habitat is considered a hotspot of biodiversity, providing a suite of ecosystem goods and services, still scarce quantitative information is available thus far about rhodolith beds occurrence and ecological role, especially in the Mediterranean Sea. Th...

Coralline algae are one of the most diversified groups of red algae and represent a major component of marine benthic habitats from the poles to the tropics. This group was believed to be exclusively marine until 2016, when the first freshwater coralline algae Pneophyllum cetinaensis was discovered in the Cetina River, southern Croatia. While sever...

Rhodolith beds (RBs) are bioconstructions characterized by coralline algae, which provide habitat for several associated species. Mediterranean RBs are usually located in the mesophotic zone (below 40 m), and thus are frequently remote and unexplored. Recently, the importance and vulnerability of these habitats have been recognized by the European...

Fucus virsoides is an ecologically important canopy-forming brown algae endemic to the Adriatic Sea. Once widespread in marine coastal areas, this species underwent a rapid population decline and is now confined to small residual areas. Although the reasons behind this progressive disappearance are still a matter of debate, F. virsoides may suffer,...

Connectivity is a fundamental ecological property affecting stability, resilience and recovery of marine populations, in particular in networks of patchy habitats as the Mesophotic Biogenic Habitats of the Northern Adriatic Sea. Specific information on the dispersal behaviour of many species living in these habitats is lacking, thus the connectivit...

Macroalgal forests are one of the most productive and valuable marine ecosystems, but yet strongly exposed to fragmentation and loss. Detailed large-scale information on their distribution is largely lacking, hindering conservation initiatives. In this study, a systematic effort to combine spatial data on Cystoseira C. Agardh canopies (Fucales, Pha...

The variation of photophilic macroalgae functional metrics (unit richness, % coverage, Shannon-Weaver Index, cluster analysis of Bray–Curtis similarity) at Ecological Status Group (ESGI, IA, IB, IC, ESGII, IIA, IIB) level, as well as the variation of the Ecological Evaluation Index (EEI-c) were studied at different spatial (sampling site, location,...

The resilience of ecological communities is often defined by one or a few species that have disproportionately important roles influencing many other species in the community. This is true for some areas of the Mediterranean Sea that are characterized by large brown fucoid algae in the genus Cystoseira that form dense underwater forests structurall...

In the Mediterranean Sea, brown algae belonging to the Cystoseira genus play a valuable role as foundation species. Due to evidences of regression/loss of the habitats of these species caused by the interplay of human and climatic disturbances, active restoration measures have been encouraged by EU regulations. In particular, nondestructive restora...

Carpodesmia barbatula (= Cystoseira barbatula) (Fucales, Phaeophyta) is a species endemic to the Southern Mediterranean Sea, which grows in clean waters on exposed sublittoral rocky shores. Together with other species of the genus Cystoseira sensu lato, it is an ecosystem engineer that forms dense canopy forests, sustaining biodiversity, productivi...

Lithophyllum species in the Mediterranean Sea function as algal bioconstructors, contributing to the formation of biogenic habitats such as coralligenous concretions. In such habitats, thalli of Lithophyllum, consisting of crusts or lamellae with entire or lobed margins, have been variously referred to as either one species, L. stictiforme, or two...

High complexity habitat traits (i.e. high heterogeneity and/or size of discrete habitat units) often promote larger abundances of fauna. Sandy and rhodolith sea bottoms are typically interspersed as mosaics within coastal landscapes. The aim of this study was to experimentally assess the effect of two complexity attributes of rho-dolith nodules (i....

Marine bioconstructions are biodiversity-rich, three-dimensional biogenic structures, regulating key ecological functions of benthic ecosystems worldwide. Tropical coral reefs are outstanding for their beauty, diversity and complexity, but analogous types of bioconstructions are also present in temperate seas. The main bioconstructions in the Medit...

The role of habitat complexity determining patterns in the richness and abundance of associated fauna has received considerable attention in the ecological literature. High complexity habitat traits (i.e. high heterogeneity and/or size of discrete habitat units) often promote larger abundances of fauna. Sandy and rhodolith sea bottoms are typically...

Marine bioconstructions are biodiversity-rich, three-dimensional biogenic structures, regulating key ecological functions of benthic ecosystems worldwide. Tropical coral reefs are outstanding for their beauty, diversity and complexity, but analogous types of bioconstructions are also present in temperate seas. The main bioconstructions in the Medit...

One of the objectives of the BALMAS project was to conduct Port Baseline Biological Surveys of native and non-indigenous benthic flora in 12 Adriatic ports. Samples of macroalgae growing on vertical artificial substrates were collected in spring and autumn 2014 and/or 2015. A total number of 248 taxa, 152 Rhodophyta, 62 Chlorophyta, and 34 Ochrophy...

Due to multiple impacts, Cystoseira forests are experiencing a significant decline, which is affecting the ecosystem services they provide. Despite conservation efforts, there is an urgent need to develop best practices and large-scale restoration strategies. To implement restoration actions, we developed an ex situ protocol for the cultivation of...

Two-way crossed ANOVA performed on the number of eggs per gram. Significant effects are in bold. (PDF)

ANCOVA performed at week 2 using survival as a response variable, substratum and condition as factors and density as a covariate. Significant effects are in bold. aSNK test among substrata within condition: Cond. L+T-, T≠S; all other Cond., T = S. bSNK test among conditions within substratum: Sub. S, (L+T+ = L-T-)≠L+T-≠L-T+; Sub. T, (L+T+ = L-T-)≠(...

One-way PERMANOVA performed at week 1 based on the percent composition of three embryonic developmental stages under the different conditions. Significant effects are in bold. aPairwise comparisons among conditions: L+T-≠L+T+≠ L-T- = L-T+. (PDF)

ANCOVA performed at week 1 using survival, substratum and condition as factors and density as a covariate. Significant effects are in bold. aSNK test among conditions: L+T+≠L-T-≠L+T-≠L-T. (PDF)

Two-way PERMANOVA performed on the germling area at different stages at week 2. Condition and substratum are crossed fixed factors. Significant effects are in bold. aPairwise comparisons among conditions: L-T-≠L+T+ = L-T+ = L+T-. (PDF)

Two major biogenic formations, composed mainly by dead corallites of the Mediterranean stony coral (Cladocora caespitosa), have been recently studied in Slovenian marine waters. The paper presents new data about the presence of coralline algae on the biogenic formation situated off Cape Ronek and off Cape Debeli rtič. Coralline algae are very impor...

In the Mediterranean Sea meadows of the the Lesser Neptune grass (Cymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Ascherson) are widely distributed throughout shallow sites. Therefore, the correct assessment of the status of such meadows is essential for the implementation of the Water Framework Direcitve (WFD), the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), and the Hab...

Lithophyllum byssoides is a common coralline alga in the intertidal zone of Mediterranean coasts, where it produces biogenic concretions housing a high algal and invertebrate biodiversity. This species is an ecosystem engineer and is considered a target for conservation efforts, but designing effective conservation strategies currently is impossibl...

In the Mediterranean biogenic habitat built by coralline algae (orders Corallinales, Hapalidiales and Sporolithales) show a great diversity and a large bathymetric extent. The genus Lithophyllum is the most species-diverse coralline genus and plays a key role in the formation of extensive bioconstructions, as the coralligenous concretions in the ci...

Coralline red algae are significant components of sea bottom and up to now considered as exclusively marine species. Here we present the first coralline alga from a freshwater environment, found in the Cetina River (Adriatic Sea watershed). The alga is fully adapted to freshwater, as attested by reproductive structures, sporelings, and an inability...

1. The protocols available for sampling and monitoring shallow subtidal rhodolith beds (RBs) are inadequate for the deep Mediterranean analogues, and need calibration in order to attain comparable results. 2. After reviewing the present knowledge of the specificities of Mediterranean RBs, and in the framework of the ongoing international effort for...

Habitat classifications provide guidelines for mapping and comparing marine resources across geographic regions. Calcareous bio-concretions and their associated biota have not been exhaustively categorized. Furthermore, for management and conservation purposes, species and habitat mapping is critical. Recently, several developments have occurred in...

The genera Hydrolithon and Porolithon are the most discussed taxa of non-geniculate Corallinaceae, as well as the most poorly known. Anatomical observations based usually on thallus construction, number of epithallial cell layers, trichocyte arrangement, occurrence of vegetative filaments between the trichocytes, and presence/absence of cell fusion...

Coralline algae are among the most common seaweeds in benthic habitats worldwide, as well as one of the most species-diverse groups. Unfortunately, they are also among the most problematic in terms of species circumscription and characterization. Their taxonomic history has been plagued by problems of cryptic diversity, phenotypic plasticity and ta...

In the Mediterranean region Cymodocea nodosa is widely distributed throughout shallow sites. Therefore, a correct assessment of the status of its meadows is of great importance for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), and the Habitat Directive (HD), especially for areas where Pos...

Multi-Beam Echo-Sound data, Remotely Operated Vehicle video-images and grab samples were collected, within the framework of the research project funded by the Italian Ministry in charge of fisheries management -MiPAAF, in order to improve the knowledge on the Italian Rhodolith Beds Habitat (RBs). The aim of this paper is to assess the composition o...

The genus Hydrolithon, together with Porolithon, is one of the most discussed groups of Corallinaceae, as well as one of the most poorly known. Morphological observations led to different interpretations mainly due to the lack of type material. Recently molecular surveys on the phylogeny of Corallinales supported the hypothesis of considering Hydro...

The genus Hydrolithon, together with Porolithon, is one of the most discussed groups of Corallinaceae, as well as one of the most poorly known. Morphological observations led to different interpretations mainly due to the lack of type material. Recently molecular surveys on the phylogeny of Corallinales supported the hypothesis of considering Hydro...

GIS database of Fucus virsoides in the Gulf of Trieste

The distribution of the endemic brown alga Fucus virsoides was assessed along the northern Adriatic coastline. A high-resolution geographic information system database was created using visual census methods to identify the presence and abundance of algae, including the geomorphology of the substrate. Samples of F. vir-soides were collected for ana...

In the framework of the WFD 2000 ⁄ 60 ⁄EC intercalibration process the updated versions of the EEI and R-MaQI, proposed by Italy and Greece for the transitional waters, have been applied to the macrophytes of the Venice lagoon to test their comparability and relationships with the pressure gradients. Submerged macrophytes were collected during spri...

Phymatolithon lamii (Hapalidiaceae, Corallinales, Rhodophyta) is reported for the fi rst time in the Mediterranean Sea. A morphological-anatomical account of Gulf of Trieste specimens is presented along with comparisons with P. lamii specimens from other regions, comparisons with other Mediterranean species of Phymatolithon and a dichotomous key to...

We sampled macroalgal assemblages on 37 rocky outcrops in the northern Adriatic over the last 2 decades by SCUBA. Macroalgal assemblages were rich (173 taxa), but there was high variability in the number of species and coverage. The morphology of the outcrops, the distance from the coast and the depth were identified as the main factors accounting...

This book started as an idea at the GeoHab meeting held in Noumea, New Caledonia, in May 2007. We noticed that multibeam bathymetry maps of geomorphic features, sometimes shown as 3D fly-thru movies, followed by detailed sampling and photographic data (including underwater videos) illustrating the substrate conditions and associated biota was a con...

Southeastern Bay of Biscay (Basque coast) seafloor characterization and benthic habitat mapping was carried out integrating data from multibeam echosounder, topographic and bathymetric LiDAR, video, and sediment and biological sampling ranging from the intertidal zone up to 100 m depth over 1,096 km 2. The area shows high geomorpho-logic diversity...

This chapter presents a multidisciplinary study of the major characteristics of a set of submarine rock outcrops in the Northern Adriatic Sea: the rock occurrence, embedded down to about 1 m from the seafloor in the bottom sediments; numerous gas accumulations in the proximity of the outcrops; small-scale mud volcanoes; and microbial mats around th...

The coralline red alga Mesophyllum (Hapalidiaceae) is recorded for the first time from the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic Sea) and gametangial plants of M. macroblastum are recorded for the first time from the Mediterranean Sea. A morphological-anatomical account is provided, including comparisons with specimens from the western coast of Italy...

Authors present new data on the coralline algal flora from Slovenia. They come from a recent inspection of the Slovenian part of the Gulf of Trieste where peculiar communities, such as the biocoenosis of the coastal detritic bottom, the agglomeration of bioconcretions known in the area under the name of “trezze” or “tegnue”, and the bank of Mediter...

This article gives an up-to-date review of the status of and main changes in benthic algal flora that have occurred in recent decades along the Italian Adriatic coastline. Common traits among the main structural/functional changes observed and their causes are discussed. A synthesis of the challenges to and prospects of filling gaps in the data, ec...