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Paolo Balistreri

  • Biodiversity Journal, 8 (1): 105-112 - MONOGRAPH

    Paolo Balistreri & Anna Maria Mannino
    Preliminary data on the occurrence of alien macroalgae in the vermetid reef along the coasts of Favignana Island (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea)

    ABSTRACT
    Intertidal vermetid reefs are highly diverse systems that provide numerous habitats for animal and vegetal species, leading to an increase of intertidal biodiversity. These habitats, particularly vulnerable to environmental changes and human activities, are now experiencing high mortality in several areas of the Mediterranean Sea. Since alien macroalgae are nowadays considered one of the most serious threats to biodiversity and natural ecosystem functioning, we provide a first baseline assessment of the occurrence of alien species in the vermetid reef along the coasts of the Island of Favignana (Egadi Islands Marine Protected Area). Surveyes carried out in 2015 revealed the only presence of Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder (Bryopsidales Caulerpaceae). The alga, exclusively recorded within the cuvettes, showed low values of abundance (class 1: cover <10%) except for San Giuseppe and Punta Longa localities where the values of abundance fell within the class 3 (cover <40% and >20%). No significant correlations were highlighted between the abundance values of C. cylindracea and those of the dominant macroalgae inhabiting the cuvettes.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (4): 907-912 - MONOGRAPH

    Anna Maria Mannino, Stefano Donati & Paolo Balistreri
    The Project “Caulerpa cylindracea in the Egadi Islands”: citizens and scientists working together to monitor marine alien species

    ABSTRACT
    The creation of early-warning systems is crucial for preventing and reducing the risk of invasive species introduction. In this respect, the contribution of citizen-scientists (tourists, students, teachers, divers and fishermen) in providing information and data (validated by taxonomic experts) on the occurrence of marine invasive species that would otherwise be impossible to collect, is crucial in understanding the phenomenon of biological invasions. The Citizen Science Project “Caulerpa cylindracea - Egadi Islands”, launched in 2014 and ended in 2016, aimed at creating a database on the spread dynamics and the levels of threat of the invasive green alga Caulerpa cylindracea within the Egadi Islands Marine Protected Area (MPA). The Project registered numerous followers and different groups of volunteers (students, tourists, divers, underwater photographers, amateurs and fishermen) were involved. In all 156 sightings (18 Divers, 9 Researchers, 91 Citizens, 38 Scientific Team) were collected. The alga was reported from all the three main Islands even though the majority of the records were from Favignana Island. Useful information on the behaviour strategies of the alga was also gathered.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 6 (1): 371-376 - MONOGRAPH

    Paolo Balistreri, Renato Chemello & Anna Maria Mannino
    First assessment of the vermetid reefs along the coasts of Favignana Island (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea)
    Proceedings of the 2nd International Congress “Speciation and Taxonomy”, May 16th-18th 2014, Cefalù-Castelbuono (Italy)

    ABSTRACT
    Intertidal vermetid reefs, particularly vulnerable to environmental changes and human activities, are now experiencing high mortality in several areas of the Mediterranean Sea. Since the increase of knowledge on this habitat is important for conservation purposes, we provide a first baseline assessment of the vermetid reefs along the coasts of the Favignana Island (Marine Protected Area “Egadi Islands”). Preliminary results showed the presence of a true reef, similar to a fringing reef, displaying at least three local patterns, distinguishable for width (from 2.3 to 15.5 m), height of the outer and of the inner margin (from 5.6 to 18 cm and from 8.3 to 26 cm, respectively) and number, width and depth of cuvettes. Moreover, significant differences in topographic complexity among the areas were evidenced whereas no correlation between coastal exposure and topographic complexity was found.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 415-426 - MONOGRAPH

    Danilo Scuderi, Paolo Balistreri & Alfio Germanà
    Are Pinctada radiata (Leach, 1814) and Pinctada fucata (Gould, 1850) (Bivalvia Pteriidae) only synonyms or really different species? The case of some Mediterranean populations
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.415.426

    ABSTRACT
    The earliest reported alien species that entered the Mediterranean after only nine years from the inauguration of the Suez Canal was “Meleagrina” sp., which was subsequently identified as the Gulf pearl-oyster, Pinctada radiata (Leach, 1814) (Bivalvia Pteriidae). Thereafter, an increasing series of records of this species followed. In fact, nowadays it can be considered a well-established species throughout the Mediterranean basin. Since the Red Sea isthmus was considered to be the only natural way of migration, nobody has ever doubted about the name to be assigned to the species, P. radiata, since this was the only Pinctada Röding, 1798 cited in literature for the Mediterranean Sea. Taxonomy of Pinctada is complicated since it lacks precise constant morphological characteristics to distinguish one species from the others. Thus, distribution and specimens location are particularly important since different species mostly live in different geographical areas. Some researchers also used a molecular phylogenetic approach, but the results were discordant. This taxonomic conundrum was re-examined this time applying morphological taxonomy. Increasing vessel traffic and records of vast amounts of Pinctada specimens with morphologically different shells led us to formulate the hypothesis that a separate Pinctada population of different geographical provenance could be present. Specimens were grouped according to the site of collection in the Mediterranean basin. Results from these morphological studies confirmed that, according to us, there were two distinct species, P. radiata and P. fucata (Gould, 1850). Morphological comments and interpretations on the taxonomical status of both species together with auto-ecological notes and a literature review of the molecular phylogenetic studies conducted will be here presented.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 10 (4): 383-388 - MONOGRAPH

    Anna Maria Mannino & Paolo Balistreri
    Effects of Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder (Chlorophyta Caulerpaceae) on marine biodiversity
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.383.388

    ABSTRACT
    The chief purpose of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is biodiversity conservation. The effects that invasive alien species (IAS) have on MPAs are not yet fully known, even though assessing them is fundamental. Effective management plans, indeed, also require knowledge on the distribution, spread dynamics and impact of IAS. We report first observations on the effects of Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder (Chlorophyta Caulerpaceae) on the communities living along the coasts of the Island of Favignana (Egadi Islands MPA, Sicily, Italy). We found that C. cylindracea may have negative effects on the habitat where it settles in two different ways: a) affecting the structure of the native algal community which presents a low diversity, and b) favouring the settlement of other alien species such as Branchiomma bairdi (McIntosh, 1885) (Polychaeta Sabellidae).

  • Biodiversity Journal, 10 (1): 001-002
    Paolo Balistreri
    The vermetid reef
    https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.1.I.II