Alessandra MORENI, GIUSSANI V., DAGNINO A., MORETTO P., BETTI1 F.
DiSTAV, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e della Vita, Università di
Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy
E-mail: s4523455@studenti.unige.it
ALIENS ON OUR DOORSTEP: THE CASE OF THE LIGURIAN
MACROFAUNA
Abstract
In the last decades, the Mediterranean Sea has been particularly affected by invasion of nonindigenous species (NIS), whose monitoring represents one of the main topics included in the
European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008). Since 2015, the Ligurian Regional
Agency for the Environment Protection (ARPAL), under the coordination of ISPRA-SNPA,
manages the monitoring activities in the Italian part of the Ligurian Sea (Genoa and La Spezia
harbours), with the aid of the Genoa University. Samples are collected twice a year, both on
soft and hard bottoms. So far 3 alien species have been recorded: i) the isopod Paranthura
japonica, native of the Japan Sea, reaching a maximum density of 760 individuals m
- ² in La
Spezia, ii) the sabellid fan worm Branchiomma luctuosum, showing a maximum density of 510
individuals m
- ², and iii) the small calcareous sponge Paraleucilla magna, collected on Genoa
panels. All those species are, at this point, considered established in the Ligurian Sea. These
activities are crucial to monitor the presence, abundance and distribution of NIS, in order to
optimize the management of coastal environments.
Key-words: non- indigenous species; isopoda; polychaeta; porifera; migrations
Introduction
The invasions of non- indigenous species (NIS) represent a very contemporary
worldwide topic and is therefore an integral part of the EU Marine Strategy Framework
Directive (2008). In the Ligurian Sea, the NIS monitoring activities are carried out by
ARPAL (Regional Agency of Environment Protection for Liguria), under the
coordination of ISPRA-SNPA.
Materials and methods
NIS monitoring activities in the Ligurian Sea are performed in the harbours of Genoa
(44° 25’11’’N; 008°48’51’’E) and La Spezia (44,0709°N; 9,8569°E). Macrofauna was
collected from soft bottoms using a 15l Van Veen grab while epilithic communities of
hard bottoms are scraped on 30x30 cm² squares. In addition, 6 plastic panels (15x15
cm²) have been placed in the Genoa harbour to assess the alien species colonization
process. Collected samples are sorted and identified to the lowest taxonomic level. All
activities are conducted twice a year, to monitor seasonal pattern variations in the
settlement of alien species.
Results
During the analysis of macrofaunal samples obtained from 2021 campaign in harbours,
both on soft and hard bottoms, 3 NIS has been recorded.
2nd Mediterranean Symposium on the Non-Indigenous Species (Genoa, Italy, 22-23 September 2022)
111
DiSTAV, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e della Vita, Università di
Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy
E-mail: s4523455@studenti.unige.it
ALIENS ON OUR DOORSTEP: THE CASE OF THE LIGURIAN
MACROFAUNA
Abstract
In the last decades, the Mediterranean Sea has been particularly affected by invasion of nonindigenous species (NIS), whose monitoring represents one of the main topics included in the
European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008). Since 2015, the Ligurian Regional
Agency for the Environment Protection (ARPAL), under the coordination of ISPRA-SNPA,
manages the monitoring activities in the Italian part of the Ligurian Sea (Genoa and La Spezia
harbours), with the aid of the Genoa University. Samples are collected twice a year, both on
soft and hard bottoms. So far 3 alien species have been recorded: i) the isopod Paranthura
japonica, native of the Japan Sea, reaching a maximum density of 760 individuals m
- ² in La
Spezia, ii) the sabellid fan worm Branchiomma luctuosum, showing a maximum density of 510
individuals m
- ², and iii) the small calcareous sponge Paraleucilla magna, collected on Genoa
panels. All those species are, at this point, considered established in the Ligurian Sea. These
activities are crucial to monitor the presence, abundance and distribution of NIS, in order to
optimize the management of coastal environments.
Key-words: non- indigenous species; isopoda; polychaeta; porifera; migrations
Introduction
The invasions of non- indigenous species (NIS) represent a very contemporary
worldwide topic and is therefore an integral part of the EU Marine Strategy Framework
Directive (2008). In the Ligurian Sea, the NIS monitoring activities are carried out by
ARPAL (Regional Agency of Environment Protection for Liguria), under the
coordination of ISPRA-SNPA.
Materials and methods
NIS monitoring activities in the Ligurian Sea are performed in the harbours of Genoa
(44° 25’11’’N; 008°48’51’’E) and La Spezia (44,0709°N; 9,8569°E). Macrofauna was
collected from soft bottoms using a 15l Van Veen grab while epilithic communities of
hard bottoms are scraped on 30x30 cm² squares. In addition, 6 plastic panels (15x15
cm²) have been placed in the Genoa harbour to assess the alien species colonization
process. Collected samples are sorted and identified to the lowest taxonomic level. All
activities are conducted twice a year, to monitor seasonal pattern variations in the
settlement of alien species.
Results
During the analysis of macrofaunal samples obtained from 2021 campaign in harbours,
both on soft and hard bottoms, 3 NIS has been recorded.
2nd Mediterranean Symposium on the Non-Indigenous Species (Genoa, Italy, 22-23 September 2022)
111