CNR-IGAG (Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria), UOS Roma, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
CNR-IGAG (Istituto di Geologia Ambientale e Geoingegneria), UOS Roma, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
Mar Environ Res. 2019 May;147:1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.03.009. Epub 2019 Mar 27.
In the Mediterranean Sea, coralline algae assemblages (i.e. rhodolith beds and coralligenous assemblages) are considered biodiversity hotspots comparable to tropical reefs. However, information regarding their environmental distribution is still poor. In this view, relevant international actions have been adopted by the European Union to fill this gap. This work represents one of a few cases of predictive (fine-scale) habitats distribution map obtained through an integrated semi-automatic approach based on bathymetry, backscatter, seismic profiles, video, and sampling data. The used method has permitted the identification of nine morphological zones, four backscatter facies, and four benthic habitats distributed on the Zannone seafloor (western Pontine Archipelago; Tyrrhenian Sea). In particular, the finding of widespread sensitive habitats (i.e. coralligenous assemblages and rhodolith beds) reveals as the marine area off the western Pontine Archipelago (Tyrrhenian Sea) is highly suitable for their development (distance from the mainland, lack of river mouths), confirming the relevant ecological value of the Zannone area. Therefore, such information constitutes an update to the Mediterranean habitats distribution inventory, highlighting the need for the application of protection actions possibly targeted in the establishment of a Marine Protected Area.
在地中海，珊瑚藻群（即石珊瑚礁床和珊瑚礁生物群）被认为是与热带珊瑚礁相当的生物多样性热点。然而，关于它们的环境分布的信息仍然很少。有鉴于此，欧盟已采取相关国际行动来填补这一空白。这项工作是通过基于水深、反向散射、地震剖面、视频和采样数据的综合半自动方法获得的少数预测性（细尺度）生境分布图的案例之一。所使用的方法允许识别出分布在赞诺内海底（西部蓬蒂内群岛；第勒尼安海）的九个形态区、四个反向散射相和四个底栖生境。特别是，广泛存在的敏感生境（即珊瑚礁生物群和石珊瑚礁床）的发现表明，西部蓬蒂内群岛（第勒尼安海）附近的海域非常适合它们的发展（与大陆的距离、没有河口），证实了赞诺内地区的相关生态价值。因此，这些信息构成了对地中海生境分布清单的更新，突出了需要在建立海洋保护区方面采取可能有针对性的保护行动。
