Mediterranean Bioconstructions Along the Italian Coast

Advances in Marine Biology
Gianmarco IngrossoF Boero

Abstract

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 Mediterranean Sea are represented by coralligenous formations, vermetid reefs, deep-sea cold-water corals, Lithophyllum byssoides trottoirs, coral banks formed by the shallow-water corals Cladocora caespitosa or Astroides calycularis, and sabellariid or serpulid worm reefs. Bioconstructions change the morphological and chemicophysical features of primary substrates and create new habitats for a large variety of organisms, playing pivotal roles in ecosystem functioning. In spite of their importance, Mediterranean bioconstructions have not received the same attention that tropical coral reefs have, and the knowledge of their biology, ecology and distribution is still fragmentary. All existing data about the spatial distribution of Italian bioconstructions have been collected, together with information about their growth patterns, dynamics and connectivity. The degradation of these habitats a...Continue Reading

Citations

May 24, 2020·Scientific Reports·Giovanni ChimientiFrancesco Mastrototaro
Aug 20, 2020·Scientific Reports·Adriana VillamorMarco Abbiati
Sep 19, 2019·Scientific Reports·Fiorella PradaFabio Badalamenti

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