WORDS FROM CoNISMa
Welcome to the fifth edition of the OCEAN CITIZEN newsletter!
By Federica Costantini
The main objectives of CoNISMa within OCEAN CITIZEN are related to the characterization of benthic communities and conservation status of the key species contributing to the formation of Marine Forests.
Specifically, CoNISMa will assess the biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and estimate the pattern of connectivity to find the best locations and techniques for the application of the planned restoration activities.
To achieve these goals CoNISMa performed several field missions during 2023 and 2024 to Tenerife, Lanzarote and La Gomera to characterize the benthic communities both in the intertidal and deep sites using different ecological sampling methods and interdisciplinary approaches. During the field campaigns in the intertidal zone in the restoration site Punta Blanca, CoNISMa sampled several brown macroalgae like Cystoseira spp., Gongolaria abies-marina,and Ericaria selaginoides. The intertidal in the restoration site is dominated by crustose and small turf-forming macroalgae (mainly crustosecoralline, Jania spp. and Ellisolandia spp.) with some scattered small patches of the canopy-forming Cystoseira compressa. Samples were also taken from the mesophotic assemblages to identify encrusting calcareous algae that will be used as substrates to foster the settlement, recruitment, and growth of the key species like corals and sponges. In fact, in collaboration with CNRS and ULPGC-ECO AQUA, CoNISMa also sampled several colonies of the black coral Antipathella wollastoni and the red and yellow gorgonians, Leptogorgia ruberrima and Leptogorgia viminalis, from 20 to 70-meter depth along the Tenerife coasts to evaluate the pattern of connectivity of the populations close to the restoration site and on more distant sites to better characterize the donor populations. To understand the connectivity pattern is essential not only to identify source and sink populations but also to maintain and to increase the efficiency of the restoration. Concerning sponges, CoNISMa sampled several individuals of different sponges’ species (Aplysinaaerophoba, Crambecrambe, Axinella damicornis to characterize them and to characterize their associated communities). Sponges are ubiquitous ecosystem engineers with a wide bathymetric range which play a key functional role increasing the complexity of the substrate and providing refuge to a wide variety of species.
Furthermore, they are efficient filter-feeders, filtering massive volumes of water every day and trapping particles inside their tissues, including environmental DNA. They are indeed natural and non-invasive sample collectors and can be used to monitor temporal changes of their associated communities. This is especially useful in the mesophotic environments, where sponges can become predominant and where benthic communities’ characterization is challenging. CoNISMa will use sponges as natural samplers to characterize their associated communities and in general the benthic biodiversity of Tenerife through morphological identification of associated meiofauna and environmental DNA metabar coding recovered from the sponge tissue.
Finally, in November 2024 CoNISMa, in collaboration with CNRS and ULPGC-ECOAQUA, went to La Gomera Island, an island in front of the restoration site in Tenerife. Here, our divers explored both shallow and deep environment, reaching depths of up to 70 meters in the mesophotic zone where black corals, gorgonians and sponges create marine animal forests like the trees on land. Their mission? Understand first, then restore. By thoroughly studying these potential donor populations, they aim to ground future restoration effort based on solid scientific evidence. This approach ensures to plan and develop effective strategies for marine restoration. The data collected will serve as foundation for future conservation and restoration plans, supporting the recovery of the full ecological function of these beautiful ecosystems.
We look forward to sharing more of this journey with you.
RECLAIMING TENERIFE’S OCEAN: OCEAN CITIZEN’S INITIATIVE
Tenerife’s marine ecosystems have been suffering many problems due to human activity. The island’s story is one of struggle and hope, now supported by OCEAN CITIZEN, a European-funded initiative aiming to restore and protect Tenerife’s coastal waters, ensuring a sustainable and healthy future for its marine life and the people who depend on it.
EXPLORING OCEAN CITIZEN PILOT SITES: REVITALISING THE COD POPULATION IN THE PORSANGERFJORD, NORTHERN NORWAY
As the project progresses and we’ve seen the first field actions being taken, it’s time to learn about each of the five pilot sites. As shown in the first OCEAN CITIZEN comic, each pilot site deals with a specific environmental pressure. This article starts in Norway, where overfishing is causing an ecological imbalance impacting the cod population.
EXPLORING OCEAN CITIZEN PILOT SITES: PRESSURES ON THE INNER DANISH WATERS
For our second article, we turn our focus to Denmark’s Inner Danish Water (IDW), a region that encompasses the Kattegat, the Great Belt, the Little Belt, and the Oresund. This area has faced significant pressures over time, which have created a range of current challenges and raised questions about the future of its marine ecosystems.
MARINE RESTORATION IN DANISH COASTAL WATERS
There is an increasing interest in marine nature restoration projects as a tool for improving environmental condition and biodiversity in European waters. The following article, found in page 44 of the Eurofish Magazine Issue 4 2024, describes new projects that examine the benefits and drawbacks of using concrete reefs as a supplementary tool for improving the marine environment.
EXPLORING MARINE BIODIVERSITY IN LA GOMERA
A multidisciplinary team of scientists recently conducted a four-day expedition off the coast of La Gomera, Canary Islands, to study sponges, black corals, and gorgonians. Working at depths ranging from 30 to 70 metres, the team collected valuable samples to inform restoration strategies for marine habitats. Discover more about their findings and efforts here.
MONITORING RED GORGONIAN POPULATIONS IN GRAN CANARIA
In October, a team from CEAB-CSIC and ULPGC conducted a ten-day field campaign at "El Roque de Taliarte" to study the red gorgonian Leptogorgia ruberrima.
By monitoring fixed frames and establishing floating nurseries, researchers collected valuable data on growth, survivorship, and reproduction.
NEW SEABED MAPPING CAMPAIGN IN TENERIFE TO IDENTIFY RESTORATION AND ‘DONOR’ SITES
In June 2024, a new campaign was carried out in Tenerife aimed at assessing and understanding the state of the area around Punta Blanca (Tenerife, Canary Islands) for the OCEAN CITIZEN project. Oceana, in collaboration with the University of Salento and UGI, is leading research aimed at identifying the most suitable areas for regenerating the seabed and recovering benthic biodiversity.
ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION OF SEAWEED FORESTS IN TENERIFE
Brown canopy-forming seaweeds are structural foundation species that can create extensive seaweed forests, which are considered among Earth’s most productive and biodiversity-rich ecosystems. The CoNISMa team is taking several preparatory steps to enhance the efficiency of future seaweed forest restoration actions in Tenerife.
INSIGHTS FROM THE TRAINING SCHOOL: “THREATS TO MARINE ANIMAL FORESTS AND CONSERVATION/RESTORATION ACTIONS
After five intensive days, the Training School on “Threats to Marine Animal Forests and Actions for Conservation / Restoration” took place at the Sorbonne University’s LECOB facilities in Banyuls-sur-Mer. Trainees from several countries gathered to explore innovative approaches and research in this emerging field. This training was organized as part of the MAF WORLD COST Action, with significant involvement from OCEAN CITIZEN.
OCEAN CITIZEN AT THE 2024 EMSEA CONFERENCE IN CROATIA
In recognition of the 20th anniversary of the Ocean Literacy concept, Juanita Zorrilla, from SUBMON, represented OCEAN CITIZEN at the EMSEA 2024 conference in Zadar, Croatia. She presented the project focusing on the critical role of ocean literacy in raising awareness and fostering engagement.
