Giménez Guadalupe, Pierri Cataldo, Corriero Giuseppe, Bavestrello Giorgio, Giampaoletti Jacopo, Mercurio Maria, Nonnis Marzano Carlotta, Longo Caterina
Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, 70125, Italy.
IMC International Marine Centre, Località Sa Mardini, Torregrande, Oristano, 09170, Italy.
Sci Rep. 2025 Aug 11;15(1):29419. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-15386-x.
Mesophotic habitats in the Mediterranean Sea host rich and diverse benthic assemblages, dominated by invertebrates alongside sciaphilous algae. Recent findings suggest that certain mesophotic bioconstructions built by invertebrates, while classified under the coralligenous definition, differ significantly in their taxonomic composition. This study investigates diversity patterns in megabenthic assemblages associated with algal and invertebrate bioconstructions along the Apulian coast, using α- and β-diversity metrics derived from an image analysis approach. Across 360 analyzed frames, 81 taxa were identified, revealing distinct coverage patterns that separate mesophotic algal assemblages from both coral and oyster bioconstructions. Morphological seabed features and primary bioconstructors played a key role in shaping the associated communities. These findings highlight the substantial differences between upper and deeper megabenthic assemblages and emphasize the ecological importance of mesophotic bioconstructions as biodiversity hotspots, underscoring their role in supporting Mediterranean marine ecosystems and the need for targeted conservation strategies.
地中海的中光层栖息地拥有丰富多样的底栖生物群落，以无脊椎动物和喜阴藻类为主。最近的研究结果表明，某些由无脊椎动物构建的中光层生物构造，虽然在珊瑚礁定义下进行分类，但其分类组成却有显著差异。本研究采用基于图像分析方法得出的α和β多样性指标，调查了亚得里亚海沿岸与藻类和无脊椎动物生物构造相关的大型底栖生物群落的多样性模式。在360个分析框架中，共识别出81个分类单元，揭示了将中光层藻类群落与珊瑚和牡蛎生物构造区分开来的独特覆盖模式。形态学海底特征和主要生物构造者在塑造相关群落方面发挥了关键作用。这些发现突出了上层和深层大型底栖生物群落之间的显著差异，并强调了中光层生物构造作为生物多样性热点的生态重要性，突显了它们在支持地中海海洋生态系统方面的作用以及制定针对性保护策略的必要性。
