Antipatharian corals are important structural and complex members of benthic communities inhabiting the Italian seafloor. In this study, the distribution of black corals in Italy is reported and mapped for the first time. This review has permitted the identification of occurrences of such vulnerable marine ecosystems along the Italian coasts in a bathymetric range of 42 m to 790 m. Black corals appear to be most conspicuous and widely distributed in the mesophotic zone (from around 60 to 300 m depth), with a major occurrence on the rocky bottom and shoals. This review also highlights that these communities suffer direct damage from anthropogenic impacts (fishing activity and lost garbage). Finally, this study provides evidence that the reported Italian submarine sites associated with the occurrence of black corals probably represent only a small portion of their real distribution. This finding urges the need to increase monitoring efforts to support the protection and the conservation of these pristine species assemblages.

Black coral distribution in the italian sea. A review / Ingrassia, M; Di Bella, L. - In: DIVERSITY. - ISSN 1424-2818. - 13:(2021). [10.3390/d13070334]

Black coral distribution in the italian sea. A review

Ingrassia, M
Primo
;
Di Bella, L
Secondo
2021

Abstract

Antipatharian corals are important structural and complex members of benthic communities inhabiting the Italian seafloor. In this study, the distribution of black corals in Italy is reported and mapped for the first time. This review has permitted the identification of occurrences of such vulnerable marine ecosystems along the Italian coasts in a bathymetric range of 42 m to 790 m. Black corals appear to be most conspicuous and widely distributed in the mesophotic zone (from around 60 to 300 m depth), with a major occurrence on the rocky bottom and shoals. This review also highlights that these communities suffer direct damage from anthropogenic impacts (fishing activity and lost garbage). Finally, this study provides evidence that the reported Italian submarine sites associated with the occurrence of black corals probably represent only a small portion of their real distribution. This finding urges the need to increase monitoring efforts to support the protection and the conservation of these pristine species assemblages.
2021
Antipatharia; vulnerable marine ecosystems; anthropogenic impact
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Black coral distribution in the italian sea. A review / Ingrassia, M; Di Bella, L. - In: DIVERSITY. - ISSN 1424-2818. - 13:(2021). [10.3390/d13070334]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1564526
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