Site Of Community Importance Research Articles

Seasonal and Interannual Variability of the Trophic State in the Marano and Grado Lagoon (Adriatic Sea, Italy) during the 2011–2021 Period

The Marano and Grado Lagoon (Adriatic Sea, Italy) is an important transitional environment that furnishes numerous ecosystem services and is under protection as Site of Community Importance. It suffers from an excess of nutrients, especially nitrate (NO3−), and has been designated as a nitrate vulnerable zone. In this work, sixteen water bodies were seasonally monitored for physicochemical parameters and nutrients, to elucidate the trophic state of the lagoon and to check the occurrence of significant temporal trends in a time series from 2011 to 2021. Steep gradients of spatial and seasonal distribution were observed for all parameters with elevated concentration of N-NO3− (up to 360 µM) in the western sector. The whole lagoon was in phosphorous limitation (P-PO43− mean ± s.d. = 0.15 ± 0.22 µM) with a mean Redfield ratio of 1130. The concentration of nutrients was significantly correlated with the degree of both freshwater inputs and precipitation. The calculation of trophic indices shows that the lagoon is in an oligotrophic to hypertrophic condition (i.e., TRIX 1.9–6.8). The analysis of the temporal series showed that despite some significant trends, the time span considered is too short to detect significant changes in the trophic state of this dynamic environment.

Improving the knowledge base of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems’ distribution in the Amendolara Bank (Ionian Sea)

The Amendolara Bank was recently designated as a Site of Community Importance; however, information on its ecosystems remains limited, with a particular dearth of knowledge regarding the deeper zone (>100 m). Previous studies have discovered the existence of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) within the bank, underscoring the necessity for more comprehensive data and its significance in terms of conservation in the Ionian Sea. This study aims to investigate various aspects of the bank using Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) to shed light on the possible presence of VME indicator species, their relationship with environmental variables, their connection with the observed fish, and to assess anthropogenic impact via the identification of fishing gear within the study area. This present research provides new information on the biodiversity of the Amendolara Bank, revealing the presence of four VME indicator species including the first sightings of black coral Antipathella subpinnata and the precious red coral Corallium rubrum. Moreover, it provides evidence on the interaction between fish fauna and VME indicator species as well as signs of anthropogenic impact from abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG). These findings highlight the urgent need for additional research to improve the knowledge base on the biodiversity of this unique spot in the Ionian Sea which would in turn ensure the development and implementation of more effective conservation and management measures.

Environmental variables and bottom trawling effort affect the complexity and distribution of soft-bottom octocorals and burrowing megafauna communities in the Gulf of Cádiz

Bottom trawling significantly impacts benthic communities, reducing habitat complexity and biodiversity. The distribution and abundance of key species in the northeastern Gulf of Cádiz, Spanish waters of Atlantic Ocean, such as soft-bottom octocorals and burrowing megafauna, were examined using video observations and Spatial Distribution Models developed with Random Forest. The study was conducted in the Site of Community Importance “Volcanes de fango del golfo de Cádiz" focusing on depths between 300 and 950 metres depth. The effects of environmental variables and bottom trawling on octocoral distribution and abundance were assessed, and management strategies for habitat protection were proposed. Bottom trawling was found to decrease habitat suitability for large octocoral species while the abundance of Norway lobster was positively correlated with certain values of bottom trawling effort. The study suggests that bottom trawling causes significant reduction in octocoral distributions, substrate homogenization, and habitat differentiation. A 200 km2 area is recommended for a specific bottom trawling regulation to protect soft-bottom octocorals and support the recovery of commercial burrowing megafauna.

Natura 2000 A Panacea? Natura 2000 Site Oltul Mijlociucibin-Hârtibaciu (ROSCI0132) ‒ a Local Extinction of a Native Fish Species and a New Alien Fish Arrival Case Study

Abstract The Romanian Oltul Mijlociu-Cibin-Hârtibaciu Natura 2000 site of community importance (SCI) was designated for the purpose of protecting biodiversity and maintaining the wild flora and fauna in a favourable conservation status, as well as the natural habitats of conservation interest. This research focused on the possible disparition of one protected fish species Pelecus cultratus (Linnaeus, 1758) and the appearance of an alien one Babka gymnotrachelus (Kessler, 1857), as ecological indicators of the fact that at least this Natura 2000 site is far from being properly protected and a new, more responsible way should be followed and different administrators put in charge of the areas management.

The first annotated checklist of Pentatomoidea (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) fauna of Alta Murgia National Park (Apulia region, Southern Italy)

Information regarding Pentatomoidea is scarce in Southern Italy, and in particular concering the Apulia region (Sourthern Italy), an area of high biodiversity potential. We conducted an extensive survey of Pentatomoidea fauna in the Alta Murgia National Park, a Site of Community Importance, and neighbouring areas located in central part of Apulia region. The survey was carried out in 2016, 2017 and 2020, sampling different habitat types. We found 55 species, with five new records for Apulia: Solenosthedium bilunatum, Acrosternum millierei, Sciocoris homalonotus, Cyphostethus tristriatus and Holcogaster fibulata. The polyphagous pest Halyomorpha halys was found only in urban areas, whereas Ventocoris falcatus, Ellipsocoris kalashiani and Tholagmus flavolineatus, considered rare species, were collected in dry grasslands, confirming the crucial role of natural habitat for biodiversity conservation.

Diversity, structure and spatial distribution of megabenthic communities in Cap de Creus continental shelf and submarine canyon (NW Mediterranean)

The continental shelf and submarine canyon off Cap de Creus (NW Mediterranean) were declared a Site of Community Importance (SCI) within the Natura 2000 Network in 2014. Implementing an effective management plan to preserve its biological diversity and monitor its evolution through time requires a detailed characterization of its benthic ecosystem. Based on 60 underwater video transects performed between 2007 and 2013 (before the declaration of the SCI), we thoroughly describe the composition and structure of the main megabenthic communities dwelling from the shelf down to 400 m depth inside the submarine canyon. We then mapped the spatial distribution of the benthic communities using the Random Forest algorithm, which incorporated geomorphological and oceanographic layers as predictors, as well as the intensity of the bottom-trawling fishing fleet. Although the study area has historically been exposed to commercial fishing practices, it still holds a rich benthic ecosystem with over 165 different invertebrate (morpho)species of the megafauna identified in the video footage, which form up to 9 distinct megabenthic communities. The continental shelf is home to coral gardens of the sea fan Eunicella cavolini, sea pen and soft coral assemblages, dense beds of the crinoid Leptometra phalangium, diverse sponge grounds and massive aggregations of the brittle star Ophiothrix fragilis. The submarine canyon off Cap de Creus is characterized by a cold-water coral community dominated by the scleractinian coral Madrepora oculata, found in association with several invertebrate species including oysters, brachiopods and a variety of sponge species, as well as by a community dominated by cerianthids and sea urchins, mostly in sedimentary areas. The benthic communities identified in the area were then compared with habitats/biocenoses described in reference habitat classification systems that consider circalittoral and bathyal environments of the Mediterranean. The complex environmental setting characteristic of the marine area off Cap de Creus likely produces the optimal conditions for communities dominated by suspension- and filter-feeding species to develop. The uniqueness of this ecosystem and the anthropogenic pressures that it faces should prompt the development of effective management actions to ensure the long-term conservation of the benthic fauna representative of this marine area.

Harbour Porpoise Abundance in Portugal over a 5-Year Period and Estimates of Potential Distribution.

Simple SummaryThe Iberian porpoise inhabits the Atlantic coast of Portugal and Spain. The population is relatively small and there is a high number of individuals accidentally captured in fisheries. Using airplane surveys, we estimated that there were only 2254 porpoises overall between 2011 and 2015 in the coast of Portugal. The highest annual number of porpoises was recorded in 2013 (3207 individuals). However, in the following year, our study revealed that the population had been reduced approximately by half (when an increase in stranded individuals was also registered). The northern area of Portugal presented the most suitable habitat for the Iberian harbour porpoise, where coastal fisheries represent a particularly important socio-economic activity. Measures to decrease fishing effort are urgently needed as well as detailed information on seasonal Iberian harbour porpoises’ use of space.The Iberian porpoise population is small and under potentially unsustainable removal by fisheries bycatch. Recently, a marine Site of Community Importance (SCI) was legally approved in Portugal, but no measures ensued to promote porpoise conservation. Information about porpoise abundance and distribution is fundamental to guide any future conservation measures. Annual aerial surveys conducted between 2011 and 2015 show a low overall porpoise abundance and density (2254 individuals; 0.090 ind/km2, CV = 21.99%) in the Portuguese coast. The highest annual porpoise estimates were registered in 2013 (3207 individuals, 0.128 ind/km2), followed by a sharp decrease in 2014 (1653 individuals, 0.066 ind/km2). The porpoise density and abundance estimated in 2015 remained lower than the 2013 estimates. A potential distribution analysis of the Iberian porpoise population was performed using ensembles of small models (ESMs) with MaxEnt and showed that the overall habitat suitability is particularly high in the Portuguese northern area. The analysis also suggested a different pattern in porpoise potential distribution across the study period. These results emphasize the importance of further porpoise population assessments to fully understand the spatial and temporal porpoise habitat use in the Iberian Peninsula as well as the urgent need for on-site threat mitigation measures.

Demersal and epibenthic communities of sedimentary habitats in the Avilés Canyon System, Cantabrian Sea (NE Atlantic)

The aim of this study was to describe the epibenthic and demersal communities of the Avilés Canyon System (ACS) in relation to the environmental variables that characterize their biotope. ACS (Cantabrian Sea, NE Atlantic) was recently included in the Natura 2000 network as a Site of Community Importance (SCI). Data of faunal biomass derived from 6 surveys carried out using beam trawl and otter trawls in 2009 and 2010 within INDEMARES and ERDEM projects. Data were divided into two groups to obtain information about the two ecological compartments: benthic and demersal. The total number of species used in this analysis ascended to 116 in the case of benthic organisms and 110 in the case of demersal. Hierarchical clustering analysis was applied to obtain groups of samples similar in terms of species composition for the two ecological components. Depth was the main discriminating factor for grouping hauls, showing high consistency of bathymetric range independently from the compartment examined. Six groups were identified by depth as follows: medium shelf (∼100–200 m), external shelf (∼150–300m), shelf break (∼300–400 m), upper-slope (∼500–700 m), upper middle-slope (∼700–1100 m), and lower-middle-slope (1200–1500 m). SIMPER analysis on biomass values was performed to determine the structure of the faunal assemblages observed for each group in both compartments. Using biomass values for the analysis allowed for the exploration of groups playing important roles in ecosystem functioning and energy fluxes taking place on the sedimentary bottom of this SCI. Finally, CCA analysis revealed that the main environmental drivers were depth, broad scale bathymetric position index (BPI), near-bottom salinity, sedimentary type, and dynamics related variables (Q50 phy and So). This study gives an inventory of the soft bottom assemblages along a very wide depth range (100–1500 m) inside a SCI, linking both epibenthic and demersal communities with the biotope preferences. This study contributes to fundamental knowledge on soft-bottom communities as a pre-requisite, necessary for the next steps in terms of management framework in the SCI.

Deep learning-assisted high resolution mapping of vulnerable habitats within the Capbreton Canyon System, Bay of Biscay

The Capbreton Canyon System is an area currently under study for its proposal as a Site of Community Importance under the EU Habitats Directive in the context of the LIFE IP INTEMARES project. Identifying and mapping benthic Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) plays a key role in this process. Although obtaining information on species distribution in deep sea rocky habitats has traditionally been a complicated task, the development of underwater remote sensing techniques resulted in a massive increase in the collection of digital imagery; however, processing all this information has led to another bottleneck due to the time-consuming nature of biota manual annotation. At this point, the use of computer vision and deep learning to automate image processing has substantial benefits but has rarely been adopted within the field of marine ecology. This study presents the integration of deep learning techniques for benthic fauna identification, high resolution multibeam echosounder (MBES) data and Species Distribution Models (SDMs), to map the potential habitat of the yellow coral Dendrophyllia cornigera, a representative species of the VME 1170 Reef habitat, on the circalitoral area of the Capbreton Canyon System. The localization and identification of the coral colonies was based on more than 7500 photographs taken during the INTEMARES-CapBreton 0619 and 0620 surveys using the photogrammetric ROTV Politolana. For the automatic annotation of the image set a deep learning based framework was developed by testing two different deep neural networks architectures; a FasterRCNN+Resnet101 model, accomplishing a precision of 100% over human expert annotation for presence/absence discrimination, was selected. Environmental data included different quantitative terrain attributes derived from high resolution MBES bathymetry data. A presence-only species distribution model, Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt), was used to infer the spatial distribution of D. cornigera over the study area. Predicted occurrences corresponded mainly to relevant topographic structures with significant slope, mainly associated to the edge of the continental shelf. These results are consistent with the ecological knowledge on the species and validate the use of deep learning tools to assist in the identification and mapping of VME for management and conservation purposes. This study provides a baseline for the protection of vulnerable habitats of the Capbreton Canyon System in the context of the Natura 2000 Network.

Diversity and distribution of bivalve molluscs in the Central Cantabrian Sea and the Avilés Canyons System (Bay of Biscay)

Bivalve molluscs is one of the dominant benthic groups in soft-sediment communities off the Atlantic Ocean, including the European margin and the Bay of Biscay. The current knowledge of deep-sea Euro-Atlantic bivalves and their distribution is still far from comprehensive and has been the scope of several recent publications. We examined the collected bivalve samples from two oceanographic campaigns (COCACE and BIOCANT) carried out in the central Bay of Biscay, including the Avilés Canyons System (ACS), a Site of Community Importance within the Natura 2000 Network. Bivalve specimens were collected from the continental shelf, slope and bathyal zones, ranging in deep from 25 to 4700 m. This is the first study focused on bivalve diversity from the Cantabrian Sea that covers such a wide bathymetric range. Eighty-four live taxa in 36 families were identified; Cetomya neaeroides is reported for the first time in the area. We provide photographs showing the shell diagnostic features of all recorded species. The conducted Multivariate Analysis showed three species assemblages: i) samples from shallow waters (continental shelf); ii) intermediate depths (shelf and upper slope) and iii) deep water (slope and abyssal plain). Depth was the main structuring factor that influenced the distribution of the recorded species and the higher species richness was found on the continental shelf. The feeding strategy and the substrate preference appeared as not significant factors in the zonation patterns of the studied bivalves.

Recent brachiopod diversity and distribution from the central Cantabrian Sea and the Avilés Canyons System (Bay of Biscay)

An accurate knowledge of the species diversity from deep-sea ecosystems is an imperative requirement in order to protect these environments in the context of global change and the biodiversity loss. We have examined the Brachiopoda samples collected during the COCACE (1987–88) and BIOCANT (2012–13) oceanographic cruises, from the central Cantabrian Sea and the Avilés Canyons System (ACS). The ACS is included in the Natura 2000 as a Site of Community Importance. Brachiopod specimens were collected from the continental shelf, slope and bathyal zones, ranging in deep from 117 to 4700 m. Nine hundred and thirty specimens belonging to 15 taxa (12 species and three subspecific varieties), in 12 families, were recognized. The species Dyscolia subquadrata is reported for the first time in the study area, constituting a new record from the Cantabrian Sea. We provide brief notes about the ecology and distribution of the collected species from the study area. Furthermore, we trace the biogeographical history of the involved species and review their main substrate and bio-depth zone preferences.

Frequency-Domain Electromagnetic Mapping of an Abandoned Waste Disposal Site: A Case in Sardinia (Italy)

For decades, bad practices in municipal and industrial waste management have had negative environmental impacts, generating high health risks for people and the environment. The use of badly designed, not engineered, and not well-operated landfills has, around the world, produced a large number of potentially contaminated sites, for which there are urgent needs to assess the actual risk and to proceed, in case, with reclamation activities. One of these sites, an abandoned waste disposal site located near a Site of Community Importance on the central-eastern coast of Sardinia (Italy), is the subject of the case history described in this work. As a part of a multi-method geophysical characterisation, a frequency-domain electromagnetic (FDEM) mapping survey was carried out with the specific aim of detecting the presence of buried materials (waste) and of delineating the lateral extent of the landfill by identifying the electrical conductivity anomalies produced, for the most part, by the conductive waste fill. Using an EM31 device in the vertical-dipole configuration, at a height of 0.9 m above the ground, both quadrature and in-phase electromagnetic responses were collected over a 7-hectare area with elevation varying between 6 m and 2.8 m above sea level. After removing the measurements identified as data coming from any recognisable surface man-made features within the survey area or near its perimeter, the filtered quadrature response (expressed as apparent conductivity) ranged from 5.5 mS/m to about 188.6 mS/m. All values are beyond the low induction number (LIN) condition and valid for the classical EM31 mapping, thus requiring advanced data processing. To obtain undistorted, meaningful, and interpretable high-resolution maps, measured data have been processed to correct the bias, introduced by the nonlinearity of the device, as a function of height above ground and the topography. The comparative analysis of the apparent conductivity map, obtained by the properly processed EM31 data and some aerial photos that clearly documented the site history, has allowed unequivocal delineation of the landfill extent, in good agreement with the results obtained with other geophysical methods (not described in this paper) and with the ground truthing data provided by three boreholes, which were core-drilled at the end of the study at three locations selected on the basis of the apparent conductivity map.

Confirmation of the presence of steppe polecat Mustela eversmanii (Carnivora: Mustelidae) in Giurgiu County (Romania) after more than 5 decades

This paper confirms the presence of steppe polecat Mustela eversmanii in Giurgiu County after more than 50 years. Mustela eversmanii is considered a vulnerable species, being listed in Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive. The specimen was found within the Site of Community Importance - ROSCI0043 Comana, included in the Natura 2000 network, which significantly overlaps with the protected natural area (Comana Natural Park). Currently, the steppe polecat is not added to the list of the Standard Form, because its presence was uncertain. We consider that this discovery is valuable and has important implications for the conservation of the species.

Recovery Signals of Rhodoliths Beds since Bottom Trawling Ban in the SCI Menorca Channel (Western Mediterranean)

One of the objectives of the LIFE IP INTEMARES project is to assess the impact of bottom trawling on the vulnerable benthic habitats of the circalittoral bottoms of the Menorca Channel (western Mediterranean), designated a Site of Community Importance (SCI) within the Natura 2000 network. The present study compares the epibenthic communities of four areas, subjected to different bottom trawl fishing intensity levels. The assignment of fishing effort levels was based on the fishing effort distribution in the area calculated from Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) data and the existence of two Fishing Protected Zones in the Menorca Channel. Biological samples were collected from 39 beam trawl stations, sampled during a scientific survey on April 2019. We compare the diversity, composition, and density of the epibenthic flora and fauna, together with the rhodoliths coverage and the morphology of the main species of rhodoliths of four areas subjected to different levels of bottom trawl fishing effort, including one that has never been impacted by trawling. Our results have shown negative impacts of bottom trawling on rhodoliths beds and the first signals of their recovery in areas recently closed to this fishery, which indicate that this is an effective measure for the conservation of this habitat of special interest and must be included in the management plan required to declare the Menorca Channel as a Special Area of Conservation.

Improving Scientific Knowledge of Mallorca Channel Seamounts (Western Mediterranean) within the Framework of Natura 2000 Network

The scientific exploration of Mallorca Channel seamounts (western Mediterranean) is improving the knowledge of the Ses Olives (SO), Ausias March (AM), and Emile Baudot (EB) seamounts for their inclusion in the Natura 2000 network. The aims are to map and characterize benthic species and habitats by means of a geological and biological multidisciplinary approach: high-resolution acoustics, sediment and rock dredges, beam trawl, bottom trawl, and underwater imagery. Among the seamounts, 15 different morphological features were differentiated, highlighting the presence of 4000 pockmarks, which are seafloor rounded depressions indicators of focused fluid flow escapes, usually gas and/or water, from beneath the seabed sediments. So far, a total of 547 species or taxa have been inventoried, with sponges, fishes, mollusks, and crustaceans the most diverse groups including new taxa and new geographical records. Up to 29 categories of benthic habitats have been found, highlighting those included in the Habitats Directive: maërl beds on the summits of AM and EB, pockmarks around the seamounts and coral reefs in their rocky escarpments as well as fields of Isidella elongata on sedimentary bathyal bottoms. Trawling is the main demersal fishery developed around SO and AM, which are targeted to deep water crustaceans: Parapenaeus longirostris, Nephrops norvegicus, and Aristeus antennatus. This study provides scientific information for the proposal of the Mallorca Channel seamounts as a Site of Community Importance and for its final declaration as a Special Area of Conservation.

Landscape Works. Balancing Nature and Culture in the Pantelleria National Park

Traditional agricultural practice and peculiar geographical features in the Mediterranean basin have not only moulded cultural and heritage values, but also created the conditions for the development of habitats to be protected. Therefore, Landscape proves a suitable concept both for the enhancement of cultural features and for nature conservation. The aim of this work is to apply the landscape approach to the Pantelleria National Park, providing the opportunity to reflect upon and discuss whether and how to encompass rural landscape planning and management within the broader context of natural values, offering a frame of reference for the zoning of the future Park Plan. Specifically, the research aims to define zoning categories, typical to protected areas planning, using criteria related to landscape features and patterns, environmental quality, traditional agriculture, architectural heritage. Established in 2016, the Pantelleria National Park is the most recent Italian National Park and the first one in Sicily. The Park covers 79% of the island, encompassing two sites of Community Importance as well as one Special Protection Area belonging to the Natura 2000 network. Pantelleria is a microcosm gathering a great variety of natural and human-made landscapes characterized by high levels of complexity embodying the antagonism of two protected ‘noble interests’: Nature and the environment on the one hand, Culture framed as traditional rural practices on the other. The main challenge of the new-founded National Park is to combine quality and values relating to the domain of Nature, which is expanding, with those expressed by Culture, represented by a wide array of historical rural values at risk due to ongoing abandonment of most remote areas.

Systematic Conservation Planning in a Mediterranean island context: The example of Cyprus

Cyprus’ biodiversity is under increasing pressure due to anthropogenic activities. TheNatura 2000 (N2K) sites under the Habitats Directive cover 10.4% of its island’s land surface while designation has been hindered by a complex political situation. We used a comprehensive dataset of Red Data Book (RDB) plants for the island and applied systematic conservation planning (SCP) to, (i) assess whether plant conservation features are adequately represented in the current Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) of the N2K, (ii) evaluate the effectiveness of the protected areas designated for plants by assessing the solutions of SCP against five widely used criteria and iii) suggest alternative protected areas configurations following basic principles of SCP. We run two scenarios in Marxan, using different cost surface and Boundary Length Modifier (BLM) parameters, one for all Annex II plant species and one for RDB plants. Targets were set for all conservation features (CFs) on the basis of their endangered status and endemism. The total area required to satisfy the targets ranged from 2.23% to 5.46% of the island’s area. Solutions with uniform cost achieve targets for the lowest cost but have the smallest overlap with the existing N2K (52.5–60.3%). Solutions with variable cost achieve significantly higher overlap with N2K (72.9–75.9%). The use of BLM reduces fragmentation and increases the number of irreplaceable PUs in both scenarios. The overlap of irreplaceable PUs with Critically Endangered species is high. Results corroborate that state-owned land provide protection to most threatened species, but there is a need for additional protected areas. Our findings provide a basis for improving the N2K network design in Cyprus to achieve biodiversity targets set for 2030, such as the increase of the land area providing legal protection to threatened plant species by considering our priority list of species and sites for future designation.

Moderate effectiveness of multiple-use protected areas as a policy tool for land conservation in Atlantic Spain in the past 30 years

Protected areas (PAs) are the main global policy instrument to avert the current biodiversity crisis by conserving important species and habitats on site. Yet important pressures around PAs and in PAs, notably land use-land cover (LULC) changes, jeopardise the conservation role of these tools. In Spain, as well as in most developed countries, land development is the main pressure on its rich biodiversity. Here, we used a semi-experimental Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) research design with covariates to ascertain whether three categories of multiple-use PAs including Nature Parks, Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) have been effective to prevent land development in Atlantic Spain between 1987 and 2017 using CORINE Land Cover (CLC) data. We split our census sample of PAs according to two geographic zones: coastal zone and inland zone, and four administrative sub-zones (regions with distinctive governance systems): Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country. We created and tested the validity of three types of controls specific to each PA category: standard 5-km buffer controls, bio-physically adjusted standard controls, and bio-physically adjusted random controls across zones. Multiple-use PAs reduced, though not completely avoided, land development in all zones and sub-zones compared with controls. An effectiveness gradient among PA categories was apparent: NPs ≥ SCIs > SPAs. Coastal areas, both protected and unprotected, experienced greater land development rates than inland areas, with coastal SPAs showing poor effectiveness results. The Basque Country was the best-performing region regarding PA effectiveness, with the remaining regions showing similar PA performance results regardless of the prevailing political party in power for most of the study period. Random controls had the greatest bio-physical similarity to their cases and produced larger control areas than standard buffer controls. The limited effectiveness of multiple-use PAs, especially of SPAs, at preventing land development in highly pressured coastal areas suggests the need for enhanced legal protection of these areas if long-term biodiversity conservation is to be ensured. Governance and political factors are likely to have influenced the effectiveness of PAs in Spain and should thus be further considered in environmental studies.

Expert-Based Assessment and Mapping of Ecosystem Services Potential in the Nemunas Delta and Curonian Lagoon Region, Lithuania

The Curonian Lagoon (SE Baltic Sea) and the coastal wetland system play a vital role in maintaining the overall cultural, economic and ecological health of the region. However, its value is still largely underestimated and there is a lack of integrated ecosystem management based on multiple ecosystem services assessment. In this study, 34 ecosystem services (ES) were identified, assessed and mapped following the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES). Using expert opinion, 35 land cover classes were scored for their ES potential, these being 15 CORINE land cover classes (CLC) and 20 Natura 2000 areas of conservation (habitat types, i.e., Sites of Community Importance). The total ES potential was calculated by averaging the opinions of experts, using self-confidence scoring as weights, and the ES relative importance index was derived from a questionnaire. As a result, three maps corresponding to each ES potential category (provisioning, regulation and maintenance and cultural) were calculated and further used for hot- and coldspot analyses. Regulation and maintenance and cultural ES were highly interrelated and had the highest potential in the studied area. Forested areas had the highest total ES potential and contributed significantly to the land cover of the ES hotspots.

Plant species diversity of the wet meadows under natural and anthropogenic interventions: The case of the Lakes Amvrakia and Ozeros (W. Greece)

The Lakes Amvrakia and Ozeros (W. Greece) belong to the western chain of Greek wetlands running along the coast of the Ionian Sea. They are both natural lakes belonging to the Natura 2000, Site of Community Importance (pSCI) and are characterized by high ecological value. Wet meadows are typical habitat types of these wetland ecosystems which are in contact with rural ecosystems which they interact with. Due to the high conservation value of these habitat types, in the framework of this study the flora of the wet meadows was recorded and a floristic analysis concerning chorology, life forms and habitat preferences was made. A total number of 152 taxa was found in the wet meadows of both lakes from which only 47 taxa were common. The families with the greatest number of species were Fabaceae (22 taxa), Asteraceae (14 taxa) and Poaceae (9 taxa) for the wet meadow vegetation of the Lake Amvrakia and Fabaceae, Poaceae (17 and 13 taxa, respectively) for the Lake Ozeros. In both lakes the prevalence of the Therophytes is evident, while the life forms of Chamephytes and Aquatics were absent from the Lake Amvrakia. From the results of the canonical correspondence analysis among species, sampling plots and selected environmental variables, a clear separation between species and sampling plots was found, presenting strong correlation with specific edaphic parameters (pH, CaCO3, EC, , Total N, SOC and ). These edaphic properties, as a result of natural and anthropogenic interventions, seem to play an important role in the wet meadows plant species distribution pattern.