Biodiversity is a portmanteau word to indicate the variety of life at all levels from genes to
ecosystems, but it is often simplistically equated to species richness; the word ecodiversity …

Abstract In the Mediterranean Sea, dense populations of the gorgonian Paramuricea clavata
shape marine animal forests, characterizing the seascapes of coralligenous habitats …

A new geological epoch has begun—the Anthropocene. Huge anthropogenic
transformations of terrestrial landscapes over the past five decades have forced its …

Along the Mediterranean Sea shelf, algal reefs made of crustose coralline algae and
Peyssonneliales are known as Coralligenous. It ranks among the most important …

Ecosystem services provided by oceans and seas support most human needs but are
threatened by human activities. Despite existing maps illustrating human impacts on marine …

Mediterranean gorgonian forests are threatened by several human activities and climatic
anomalies that increase their susceptibility to pathogens and epibionts, potentially leading to …

Abstract Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been proved to effectively protect and restore
fish assemblages. There is mixed evidence regarding the effects of MPAs on benthic …

Modular colonial benthic organisms exhibit high phenotypic plasticity, which is considered
an effective strategy when faced with fluctuations in abiotic and biotic factors. However …

Motives: Most research on underwater landscapes is conducted in seas and oceans. Sight-
aestheticassessments of the underwater world are very rarely conducted; the literature on …

Context Landscape geodiversity, and in particular small natural features (SNF), are crucial
components of habitat suitability for many threatened species. Rocky cliffs at the sea …