Davide IAMONTE, Mikac B., Colangelo M.A., Balković I., Mugnai F., Piazza A.,
Costantini F.
Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna,
Campus Ravenna, Italy.
E-mail: federica.costantini@unibo.it
NON-INDIGENOUS SPECIES (NIS) SURVEYS AND COMMUNITY
ASSESSMENT IN RAVENNA HARBOR (ADRIATIC SEA) BASED
ON SHORT-TERM DEPLOYMENTS OF AUTONOMOUS REEF
MONITORING STRUCTURES (ARMS)
Abstract
To evaluate and monitor the presence of non-indigenous species (NIS) in harbors and marinas,
Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) were deployed in two sites, a commercial
harbor and a touristic marina in the port of Ravenna (Italy, northern Adriatic Sea), in two
seasons and left about 2 m underwater for three months. Significant differences in sessile and
vagile community structures were found between sites and times. Out of 44 taxa identified, two
sessile and five vagile NIS were found. Among them, the polychaete Schistomeringos cf.
japonica (Annenkova, 1937) could represent the first Mediterranean record if confirmed by
further analyses.
Key-words: ARMS, Mediterranean Sea, marine invertebrates, invasive species, monitoring
Introduction
Non-indigenous species (NIS) are organisms that have been introduced outside of their
natural past or present distribution range through direct or indirect anthropogenic
vectors, such as commercial and touristic vessels. Because of the low habitat
heterogeneity and complexity, harbors and marinas can facilitate NIS colonization. As a
result, methods for monitoring benthic communities in these environments are required
to early detect new NIS. Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) are
standardized passive collectors that are used to assess marine cryptobenthic
communities (Leray & Knowlton, 2015). Here we use an integrative approach based on
3-month ARMS deployment to characterize the benthic communities (with a special
focus on NIS identification) of two sites along the Ravenna harbor (Adriatic Sea) in two
different seasons.
Materials and methods
Ravenna (North Adriatic Sea) is one of the largest commercial seaports in Italy, with a
canal port stretching 11 kilometers from the city center to the touristic marina. ARMS
were deployed in two sites, the Ravenna harbour (H) and the touristic marina (M), at
two times (spring and summer 2021) and left underwater for three months (Fig. 1). The
colonizing sessile communities were assessed using photoQuad image analyses and
vagile fauna (> 2 mm) was identified morphologically using a stereomicroscope and
light microscope, with a particular focus on NIS detection.
2nd Mediterranean Symposium on the Non-Indigenous Species (Genoa, Italy, 22-23 September 2022)
99
Costantini F.
Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna,
Campus Ravenna, Italy.
E-mail: federica.costantini@unibo.it
NON-INDIGENOUS SPECIES (NIS) SURVEYS AND COMMUNITY
ASSESSMENT IN RAVENNA HARBOR (ADRIATIC SEA) BASED
ON SHORT-TERM DEPLOYMENTS OF AUTONOMOUS REEF
MONITORING STRUCTURES (ARMS)
Abstract
To evaluate and monitor the presence of non-indigenous species (NIS) in harbors and marinas,
Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) were deployed in two sites, a commercial
harbor and a touristic marina in the port of Ravenna (Italy, northern Adriatic Sea), in two
seasons and left about 2 m underwater for three months. Significant differences in sessile and
vagile community structures were found between sites and times. Out of 44 taxa identified, two
sessile and five vagile NIS were found. Among them, the polychaete Schistomeringos cf.
japonica (Annenkova, 1937) could represent the first Mediterranean record if confirmed by
further analyses.
Key-words: ARMS, Mediterranean Sea, marine invertebrates, invasive species, monitoring
Introduction
Non-indigenous species (NIS) are organisms that have been introduced outside of their
natural past or present distribution range through direct or indirect anthropogenic
vectors, such as commercial and touristic vessels. Because of the low habitat
heterogeneity and complexity, harbors and marinas can facilitate NIS colonization. As a
result, methods for monitoring benthic communities in these environments are required
to early detect new NIS. Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) are
standardized passive collectors that are used to assess marine cryptobenthic
communities (Leray & Knowlton, 2015). Here we use an integrative approach based on
3-month ARMS deployment to characterize the benthic communities (with a special
focus on NIS identification) of two sites along the Ravenna harbor (Adriatic Sea) in two
different seasons.
Materials and methods
Ravenna (North Adriatic Sea) is one of the largest commercial seaports in Italy, with a
canal port stretching 11 kilometers from the city center to the touristic marina. ARMS
were deployed in two sites, the Ravenna harbour (H) and the touristic marina (M), at
two times (spring and summer 2021) and left underwater for three months (Fig. 1). The
colonizing sessile communities were assessed using photoQuad image analyses and
vagile fauna (> 2 mm) was identified morphologically using a stereomicroscope and
light microscope, with a particular focus on NIS detection.
2nd Mediterranean Symposium on the Non-Indigenous Species (Genoa, Italy, 22-23 September 2022)
99