Archipelago National Park Research Articles

Spotting the "small eyes": using photo-ID methodology to study a wild population of smalleye stingrays (Megatrygon microps) in southern Mozambique.

BackgroundThe smalleye stingray (Megatrygon microps) is a large and rare dasyatid ray, patchily distributed across the Indo-West Pacific. Free-swimming individuals have regularly been recorded in Southern Mozambican coastal waters utilizing different inshore environments. Distinctive features of the species include latitudinal rows of white spots on the dorsal surface of their pectoral disc.MethodsThis study aimed to determine if the natural spot patterns on M. microps are sufficiently unique and stable to use in photo-identification studies of wild populations. Research dive logs were combined with opportunistic photographs from local dive centers and recreational divers to create a photographic database from the Inhambane Province coastline.ResultsSeventy different individuals were identified over a 15-year period, all exhibiting uniquely identifiable patterns. Stingrays were easily identifiable over a period of six years with multiple re-sightings of the same individuals recorded. Analysis of encounters across the Inhambane coastline revealed that individual rays regularly use inshore reefs along a 350 km stretch of coastline. Fifteen stingrays were re-sighted during the study period, including one showing a 400 km return movement between Tofo Beach and the Bazaruto Archipelago, which is the longest distance traveled by a dasyatid ray on record. Several presumably pregnant females have also been recorded in the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park.

From Birds to Boats: The Political Ecology of Cruise Tourism in Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve in Quebec (canada)

Driven by spectacular growth over the last decade, the international cruise industry is constantly looking for new destinations to appeal to a different breed of traveler, one that seeks comfort alongside wilderness adventure. Meanwhile, national parks, long held up as icons of wilderness adventure, are increasingly governed through the logic of austerity politics and seek new revenue. These two distinct processes have started to provide increased opportunities for collaboration, introducing complex dynamics and power struggles at destinations and beyond. However, few studies have addressed these issues so far. Drawing on the global political ecology of tourism and conservation literature, this article examines the various entanglements between Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve in Canada and the cruise industry, and the implications they have for the destination as a whole. To better understand the many challenges facing park authorities and their partners, we employed a slate of qualitative methods, including document analysis, participant observation, and 30 semistructured interviews with key stakeholders. Results show that although the expectations of regional actors have not been met and the future of cruise tourism in Mingan is uncertain, park authorities continue to invest time and money to engage with the industry and adapt their facilities to this clientele. This raises questions about the real motives of park authorities and the contribution of this form of tourism to the sustainable development of the region.

An updated inventory of the vascular flora of Elba island (Tuscan Archipelago, Italy)

We present an updated list of the vascular flora occurring on Elba island (Tuscan Archipelago). The list is based on bibliographic analysis and field studies carried out in the years 2006–2018. With a total of 1,098 specific and subspecific taxa currently occurring on the island (including 101 naturalized aliens), plus 67 casual aliens and 16 hybrid taxa, Elba shows the highest number of species among the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago. Two taxa are new for Tuscany: Hieraciumsymphytaceum s.l. and Ophrysexaltatasubsp.morisii; 22 taxa are new for the island, 34 have been confirmed, while 326 were reliably recorded previously by other authors, but not confirmed by our study. We excluded 41 taxa and considered doubtful the occurrence of 87. Life forms and chorotypes are in agreement with the Mediterranean climate of the island. Despite this, Elba also hosts a considerable proportion of Eurosiberian taxa. We detected significant differences in chorotypes and life forms spectra among different geographical portions of the island, paralleling distinct bioclimatic patterns. Despite the institution of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, we are still far from an integrated protection of the island flora. Based on our results, it has been possible to arrange a geodatabase of the flora on the island, useful for its protection.

The secret of Pianosa island: an Italian native population of European brown hare (Lepus europaeus meridiei Hilzheimer, 1906)

Given its relevance as a game species, the brown hare (Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778) is one of the most managed and translocated mammals in Europe. In Italy, the species shows a genepool consisting of a mix of native and exotic lineages, due to translocations and introductions for hunting purposes. Some authors argued that the introduction of exotic brown hares could have caused the extinction of an endemic subspecies, L. e. meridiei Hilzheimer 1906, once present in central and northern Italy. Here we genetically characterized for the first time the brown hare population living in Pianosa island (part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park) using 13 STR loci and a fragment of the mtDNA control region. All individuals analyzed share a unique haplotype, the L. europaeus haplotype Leu2, recognized as the ancestral mitochondrial lineage corresponding to the subspecies L. e. meridiei. Furthermore, considering autosomal markers, Pianosa brown hare population and current Italian peninsular population are genetically distinct. The discovery of this ancient population in a protected area, isolated and not affected by recent translocation/restocking events, has a great relevance in conservation and confirms the current presence of the endemic subspecies L. e. meridiei in Italy.

Universidad Nacional Agraria y su responsabilidad en la conservación y manejo de recursos naturales: caso Isla Zapatera

El pensamiento sistémico es un método holístico, incluido en el conjunto de métodos conocidos como sistemas blandos. Los conceptos de conservación y manejo de los recursos naturales y vida comunitaria, se convierten en un dilema de difícil concertación en la realidad. Actualmente, es necesario encarar situaciones complejas y dinámicas en el quehacer agropecuario y el manejo de los recursos naturales y el ambiente. Los beneficiarios directos son pobladores y propietarios de áreas protegidas; indirectos, actores externos representados por organizaciones gubernamentales y no gubernamentales, incluyendo centros de educación superior e investigación. Utilizando sistemas blandos y pensamiento sistémico, aprendizaje experiencial y ciclo de Kolb, así como mapas mentales, imagen enriquecida y diferentes herramientas participativas, se inició un proceso en la Isla Zapatera, para generar un intercambio de visiones y pareceres y una plataforma de comunicación e interacción que acerque las posiciones comunes de los diferentes actores y permita avanzar hacia la actualización y definición conjunta de un plan de manejo integral y consensuado del área protegida, Parque Nacional Archipiélago Isla Zapatera. Los resultados son halagadores en el sentido de que se logró establecer tal plataforma, y el grado de comunicación e intercambio, es clave en el logro de posiciones ventajosas para los diferentes actores, especialmente a los habitantes del Archipiélago. Este trabajo fur coordinado por la Universidad Nacional Agraria (Nicaragua) y la Universidad Agrícola de Suecia, apoyados por el Ministerio de Recursos Naturales y del Ambiente, y otros organismos gubernamentales y no gubernamentales.

Population genetic analysis of invasive black rats: Defining eradication units in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park

Population genetic analysis of invasive black rats: Defining eradication units in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park

Reintroduction of the highly endangered mollusk Patella ferruginea Gmelin, 1791 in an MPA: A novel approach to achieve high survival rates

Patella ferruginea is the most endangered marine invertebrate of western Mediterranean rocky shores. After a study of one of its most important populations in the Zembra Archipelago National Park (Tunisia), a new protocol for the translocation of the species (size: 4–8 cm) was adopted. The first translocation was made in June 2014 in the same archipelago, where 94 specimens were moved from Zembretta to Zembra Island and marked (62 protected by cages, 20 with no cages and 60 as controls). The second translocation was performed in August 2014 (110 specimens) from Zembra to La Galite Island (185 km away). High mortality was registered during transport. The remaining individuals (39) were marked and placed in cages on the rocky shores of Galite Island, then monitored until November 2015. Growth and survival rates were measured in both translocated and control populations. The highest mortality rates were observed during the initial three days after translocation, especially for individuals with no cage protection. After a 697-day survey on Zembra Island, survival rates of 58%, 25% and 85% were observed for cage, no-cage and control populations, respectively. After a 457-day survey on La Galite Island, the survival rate was 18%. Limpets>6 cm in size had the highest survival rate among Zembra-translocated populations, whereas translocated limpets of 4–6 cm in size showed the highest survival rate in La Galite. The growth rates for both translocated populations were higher than the rate observed for controls. Our translocation experiment shows the importance of cage protection and initial limpet size for survival.

Mass mortality hits gorgonian forests at Montecristo Island.

Mediterranean gorgonian forests are species-rich habitats, and like many other marine habitats they are threatened by anthropogenic disturbances and mass mortality events. These mortality events have often been linked to anomalies in the temperature profiles of the Mediterranean region. On 5 September 2017, colonies of the gorgonians Eunicella singularis and Eunicella cavolini exhibited rapid tissue loss, down to a depth of 30 m along the steep cliffs of Montecristo Island, Tuscan Archipelago National Park, Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy. Interestingly, Montecristo has previously been identified as a reference site for the ecological quality assessment of the western Mediterranean benthic assemblages on rocky bottoms. The observed mortality event occurred during a period of increased sea temperature. By utilising a combination of high-resolution oceanographic analysis, forecast models and citizen science initiatives, we propose that an early warning system for the concomitance of heat waves and mortality events can be put in place. A temperature-based coral disease surveillance tool could then be established for the entire Mediterranean Sea. Such a tool would allow for the timely study of mass mortality phenomena and the implementation of prompt mitigation and/or restoration initiatives. Finally, this specific mortality event, in a Marine Protected Area, offers a unique opportunity to monitor and assess the resilience of gorgonian populations and associated benthic assemblages in the absence of other, more directly, anthropogenic disturbances such as pollution and land runoff.

Coral colonies in the eastern tropical Pacific: predation by Acanthaster cf. solaris

The crown of thorns (CoTS; Acanthaster cf. solaris) have not been reported as an actual threat to reefs in the Gulf of California; however, in the Espiritu Santo Archipelago National Park, we have evidenced massive predation over scleractinian corals. Its abundance is now over outbreaks threshold value and it is higher than historical records

Usefulness of marine protected areas as tools for preserving the highly endangered limpet, Patella ferruginea, in the Mediterranean Sea

ABSTRACTPatella ferruginea is the most endangered endemic marine invertebrate of western Mediterranean rocky shores. From 2012 to 2015, we performed a census and an ecological study for this gastropod mollusc in the Zembra Archipelago National Park in Tunisia, where a large population still remains. In 1986, a total of 20,000 individuals were estimated, with 0.7 ind/m2, 4.4 cm adult mean size and low recruitment rate. In 2009, the estimated population reached 38,559 individuals with 2.65 ind/m2, 5.42 cm adult mean size and high recruitment rate. During the present work, 43,790 individuals were estimated in 2012, 27,359 in 2013, 33,170 in 2014 and 40,404 in 2015, with an average density ranging from 0.1 to 8.5 individuals per square metre, but reaching as many as 25 ind/m2 on some shores. This makes the archipelago one of the most important Mediterranean ‘hot spots’ for P. ferruginea, as it has a large and well-conserved population of this species. Variability of the population size is influenced by various biotic and abiotic factors, but is principally impacted by poaching of the species. The poachers target individuals larger than 6 cm in length, and the sex ratio study has shown that over 70% of individuals become females at that size. In addition, high recruitment rates were recorded in 2012 and 2013, but these decreased in 2014 and 2015, although population numbers show the opposite pattern. Moreover, growth rate is low and P. ferruginea may need many years to reach a large adult size. The loss of reproductive potential due to poaching inevitably causes a significant imbalance in the limpet population. Our results indicate the importance of the National Park for P. ferruginea and underline the need for this species to be protected and monitored over a long period to provide the most appropriate management measures.

Tissue mortality by Caribbean ciliate infection and white band disease in three reef-building coral species.

Caribbean ciliate infection (CCI) and white band disease (WBD) are diseases that affect a multitude of coral hosts and are associated with rapid rates of tissue losses, thus contributing to declining coral cover in Caribbean reefs. In this study we compared tissue mortality rates associated to CCI in three species of corals with different growth forms: Orbicella faveolata (massive-boulder), O. annularis (massive-columnar) and Acropora cervicornis (branching). We also compared mortality rates in colonies of A. cervicornis bearing WBD and CCI. The study was conducted at two locations in Los Roques Archipelago National Park between April 2012 and March 2013. In A. cervicornis, the rate of tissue loss was similar between WBD (0.8 ± 1 mm/day, mean ± SD) and CCI (0.7 ± 0.9 mm/day). However, mortality rate by CCI in A. cervicornis was faster than in the massive species O. faveolata (0.5 ± 0.6 mm/day) and O. annularis (0.3 ± 0.3 mm/day). Tissue regeneration was at least fifteen times slower than the mortality rates for both diseases regardless of coral species. This is the first study providing coral tissue mortality and regeneration rates associated to CCI in colonies with massive morphologies, and it highlights the risks of further cover losses of the three most important reef-building species in the Caribbean.

Nursery area and size structure of the lemon shark population, Negaprion brevirostris (Poey, 1868), in Los Roques Archipelago National Park, Venezuela

The protection of the habitats used by juvenile sharks is a management strategy that has recently caught the attention of fishery biologists. In the present study, we evaluated the population of the lemon shark (<em>Negaprion brevirostris</em>) from Los Roques Archipelago in order to identify the nursery area, describe the size composition, and examine the variation in nocturnal activity of the juvenile individuals. The data analysed came from three different sources: commercial shark fishery, tag-recapture sampling, and visual records. A total of 375 lemon sharks with total lengths between 55 and 281 cm were recorded during the study period. Overall data showed that the area occupied by juvenile lemon sharks was clearly partitioned into primary and secondary nurseries. Additionally, nighttime activity seemed to change according to the size of sharks in the primary nursery, suggesting a reduction of time activity overlapping among juveniles of distinct size/age. Results suggest that the strategy of utilization of the primary nurseries by the lemon shark may lead to important ecological benefits by reducing the competition, predation and natural mortality.

Oscheius tipulae in Italy: Evidence of an Alien Isolate in the Integral Natural Reserve of Montecristo Island (Tuscany).

Montecristo Island is an integral natural reserve of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park (Central Italy), characterized by a peculiar assemblage of flora and fauna, with several endemic taxa, and also with a high number of alien species. During a soil survey, we found an alien Oscheius tipulae Lam & Webster, 1971 isolate, phylogenetically close to others from South America. In this article, we examined the possible pathways of introduction of this nematode. Because of the high number of alien plants in this protected area and the low desiccation survival ability of O. tipulae, we hypothesized that the presence of this alien nematode isolate may be related to the soil of introduced plants, although historical association with plant-associated invertebrates is also possible. Further studies with more populations and marker molecules are necessary to investigate the distribution of O. tipulae and the possible impact on this natural reserve.

Analysis of genetic structure of Ranunculus baudotii in a Mediterranean wetland. Implications for selection of seeds and seedlings for conservation

Seed collection and storage of wild species in ex-situ seed banks should be continued as an integrated tool for the conservation of plants in their habitats. Although seed-bank facilities are widely used today, their seed samples often suffer low genetic diversity. Consequently, reintroduced seeds and plant material may not have the resilience to cope with future environmental stress so leading to complete wastage of seeds. Molecular techniques allow the benefit of quantification of the genetic diversity of a seed collection in comparison with that of the natural population. In this study we focus on ex-situ seed bank samples and living collections of Ranunculus peltatus subsp. baudotii. We compare their genetic diversity and structure with that of the natural population before and after undertaking a restoration project on a natural pond in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park. ISSR analyses, carried out on a total of five sampling groups, shows a relatively high level of genetic diversity for the ex-situ cultivated groups. The analysis of molecular variance, in agreement with clustering obtained in the neighbour-joining dendrogram and with the pattern from cluster analysis, suggests dividing the samples analysed into two groups: one formed by individuals sampled before the pond restoration and the other formed by the subsequent pond population. The results highlight the importance of planning mixed propagation lines which can be obtained through the use of a range of germination conditions to exploit a novel source of genetic variability which may otherwise remain hidden within the seed collection.

Germinazione dei semi e sopravvivenza dei semenzali di leccio (Quercus ilex L.) in interventi finalizzati alla rinaturalizzazione delle pinete di pino d’Aleppo (Pinus halepensis Mill.) dell’isola di Pianosa (Arcipelago Toscano, L

Abstract: Interventions aimed at promoting Quercus ilex spread in the Island of Pianosa (Tuscan Archipelago National Park) have been carried out within LIFE Nature Project “Tuscan Islands: new actions for sea birds and habitats”. In Pinus halepensis stands from afforestation, 810 acorns have been sown in 9 areas under the pine canopy with different presence of Mediterranean scrub. Germination and seedlings survival, five years after sowing, have been very satisfactory only in areas with a dense shrub layer.

Effects of non-native turf-forming Rhodophyta on mobile macro-invertebrate assemblages in the north-western Mediterranean Sea

The study compared mobile macro-invertebrate assemblages invaded by the two turf-forming invasive macroalgae Womersleyella setacea and Lophocladia lallemandii with non-invaded assemblages. The study was carried out at Pianosa Island, in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, within the depth ranges where the two invasive species showed high abundance: 35 m depth for Womersleyella setacea and 10 m depth for Lophocladia lallemandii. Results showed significant differences between invaded sites and non-invaded ones for the two turf-forming Rhodophyta. Invaded assemblages showed a lower species richness and a reduction of decapods and molluscs and an increase of polychaetes compared with non-invaded ones. Amphipods showed a drastic reduction in abundance in sites invaded by W. setacea, while they appeared less influenced by the presence of L. lallemandii. Womersleyella setacea showed more severe effects than L. lallemandii, causing deep changes in the structure of assemblages and a reduction of beta diversity of the system.

The detrimental consequences for seagrass of ineffective marine park management related to boat anchoring

Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile meadows are recognized as priority habitat for conservation by the EU Habitats Directive. The La Maddalena Archipelago National Park (Mediterranean Sea) P. oceanica meadow, the dominant coastal habitat of the area, is mostly threatened by boat anchoring. 12years after the establishment of mooring fields and anchoring restrictions, a study was conducted to measure their effectiveness on the conservation of seagrass and the mitigation of anchoring damage. We found that: (i) the condition of P. oceanica was disturbed, both in the mooring fields and in control locations; (ii) mooring fields and anchoring restrictions did not show to be an efficient system for the protection of seagrass, in fact anchor scars increased after the tourist season; (iii) the mooring systems had an impact on the surrounding area of the meadow, probably due to their misuse. On the basis of these results, management recommendations for marine parks are proposed.

Conservation assessment of the endemic plants of the Tuscan Archipelago, Italy

AbstractThe Mediterranean islands support a rich diversity of flora, with a high percentage of endemic species. We used the IUCN categories and criteria to assess the conservation status of 16 endemic plant taxa (species and subspecies) of the Tuscan Archipelago, based on data collected during field surveys over 4 years. Our data were sufficient to use criteria B, C and D in our assessment. We used criterion B in the assessment of all 16 taxa, criterion C for four taxa, criterion D for 11 taxa and criteria B, C and D for three taxa, Centaurea gymnocarpa, Limonium doriae and Silene capraria. According to our results L. doriae, Romulea insularis and S. capraria are categorized as Critically Endangered and therefore require immediate conservation measures; eight taxa are categorized as Endangered, two as Vulnerable and three as Near Threatened. Compared to earlier assessments, eight species are recategorized with a higher degree of threat, two species are recategorized with a lower degree of threat, five are unchanged, and one species is assessed for the first time. Based on the IUCN categorization our results show that all the endemic species of the Tuscan Archipelago are directly and/or indirectly threatened by human activities, such as tourism and agriculture, and invasive species of plants and animals. The Tuscan Archipelago National Park is responsible for the conservation of all endemic species in the area.

Levels and spatial distribution of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in superficial sediments from the marine reserves of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park (Italy)

Surface sediments from marine reserves of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park (Italy), including remote islands not directly affected by anthropogenic influences, were analyzed for two dominant perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), namely perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), using LC–ESI-MS/MS. The concentrations of PFOS were low, with medians ranging from 0.25 to 1.50ng/g dry wt, whereas PFOA was always below the detection limit of 0.1ng/g dry wt. The present paper can be considered a baseline study useful in future environmental monitoring programs.

Current Status and Abundance Trends of Common Terns Breeding at Known Coastal and Inland Nesting Regions in Canada

The status of Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) breeding in Canada is presented, with abundance trends in regions where data allow. Large (>12,000 pairs) concentrations of Common Terns nested in coastal Newfoundland, long the Gulf of St. Lawrence coast of New Brunswick, and in lakes Winnipeg, Winnipegosis and Manitoba in Manitoba. Nest numbers increased in the four provinces of Atlantic Canada ( 31%; 1973–2010), the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve Canada (MANPRC) in the Gulf of St. Lawrence ( 81%; 1986–2009) and possibly in Great Slave Lake ( 10%; 1988–2010). Nest numbers declined (-41%; 1976–2009) in Canadian waters of the North American Great Lakes. Based on recent census data (1999–2010), the number of Common Terns breeding in Canada was estimated at between 82,000–89,500 pairs, with possibly thousands of additional pairs elsewhere in Canada that have never been systematically censused: Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta inland areas of eastern provinces and the boreal forest. Recommendations are that Common Terns be censused in these areas with protocols established for the Great Lakes and annual management be implemented at sites on the Great Lakes earlier identified as “high priority”. Adoption of these recommendations would achieve better understanding of national abundance trends and inform future consevation initiatives.