- Senior professor Marine Zoologyedit
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Research Interests: Biology, Ecology, Invasive Species, Mediterranean Sea, Ascidians, and 13 moreFishery, Introduction, Exotic, Introduced species, Invasion, Mediterranean Climate, Non-Indigenous Freshwater Fish Species, Biología Marina, Zoología, Ecological Applications, Indigenous, Aquatic Invasions, and ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT
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Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are periods of extremely high seawater temperature that affect marine ecosystems in several ways. Anthozoans (corals and gorgonians) and Porifera (sponges) are usually among the taxa most affected by MHWs. Both are... more
Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are periods of extremely high seawater temperature that affect marine ecosystems in several ways. Anthozoans (corals and gorgonians) and Porifera (sponges) are usually among the taxa most affected by MHWs. Both are holobiont entities that form complex interactions with a wide range of microbes, which are an essential part of these organisms and play key roles in their health status. Here, we determine microbial community changes suffered in two corals (Cladocora caespitosa and Oculina patagonica), one gorgonian (Leptogorgia sarmentosa), and one sponge (Sarcotragus fasciculatus) during the 2015 MHW. The microbial communities were different among hosts and displayed shifts related to host health status, with a higher abundance in necrosed tissues of Ruegeria species or of potential pathogens like Vibrio. We also carry out a meta-analysis using 93 publicly accessible 16S rRNA gene libraries from O. patagonica, C. caespitosa and L. sarmentosa to establish a Medit...
Research Interests: Biology and Coral Reefs
Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are periods of extremely high seawater temperature that affect marine ecosystems in several ways. Anthozoans (corals and gorgonians) and Porifera (sponges) are usually among the taxa most affected by MHWs. Both are... more
Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are periods of extremely high seawater temperature that affect marine ecosystems in several ways. Anthozoans (corals and gorgonians) and Porifera (sponges) are usually among the taxa most affected by MHWs. Both are holobiont entities that form complex interactions with a wide range of microbes, which are an essential part of these organisms and play key roles in their health status. Here, we determine microbial community changes suffered in two corals (Cladocora caespitosa and Oculina patagonica), one gorgonian (Leptogorgia sarmentosa), and one sponge (Sarcotragus fasciculatus) during the 2015 MHW. The microbial communities were different among hosts and displayed shifts related to host health status, with a higher abundance in necrosed tissues of Ruegeria species or of potential pathogens like Vibrio. We also carry out a meta-analysis using 93 publicly accessible 16S rRNA gene libraries from O. patagonica, C. caespitosa and L. sarmentosa to establish a Medit...
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Some important changes on marine biota occur in the Levantine basin due to the lessepsian species and the 'tropicalization' of the Mediterranean, particularly in the infralittoral zone (0-35m depth), and to a lesser degree in the... more
Some important changes on marine biota occur in the Levantine basin due to the lessepsian species and the 'tropicalization' of the Mediterranean, particularly in the infralittoral zone (0-35m depth), and to a lesser degree in the circalittoral. Some of these species represent an important role to structuring the benthic biocenosis.
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The marine area from the Taza National Park (Algeria) was investigated for the purpose of describing coralligenous assemblages. Pre-coralligenous and coralligenous concretions are well represented in the Taza national park marine area but... more
The marine area from the Taza National Park (Algeria) was investigated for the purpose of describing coralligenous assemblages. Pre-coralligenous and coralligenous concretions are well represented in the Taza national park marine area but however its distribution is heterogeneous. The coralligenous bottoms spread out and cover important surfaces predominantly on vertical cliffs and outer part of marine caves developing coralligenous rims between 11 and 50m depth. Communities of high species diversity were observed and 196 species were recorded. Many signs testify of a healthy coralligenous community.
Specific Diversity of the Benthic Macrofauna Within the Western Coast of Tunis Bay and the Djerba Island Coast (South- Western Mediterranean) ﻣﻠﺨﺺ ﺟﺮﺑﺔ ﺟﺰﯾﺮة وﺳﺎﺣﻞ ﺗﻮﻧﺲ ﻟﺨﻠﯿﺞ اﻟﻐﺮﺑﻲ اﻟﺴﺎﺣﻞ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻘﺎﻋﯿﺔ ﻟﻼﻓﻘﺮﯾﺎت اﻟﺒﯿﻮﻟﻮﺟﻲ اﻟﺘﻨﻮع ) ﻏ ﺟﻨﻮب اﻷﺑﯿﺾ اﻟﺒﺤﺮ ﺮب اﻟﻤﺘﻮﺳﻂ (...more
RESUME Diversité spécifique de la macrofaune benthique dans la côte ouest de la baie de Tunis et la côte de l'île de Djerba (sud-ouest de la Méditerranée) : Dans cette étude, 21 stations ont été échantillonnées, 11 dans la côte de... more
RESUME Diversité spécifique de la macrofaune benthique dans la côte ouest de la baie de Tunis et la côte de l'île de Djerba (sud-ouest de la Méditerranée) : Dans cette étude, 21 stations ont été échantillonnées, 11 dans la côte de l'île de Djerba et 10 dans la côte ouest de la baie de Tunis. Ensuite, les échantillons ont été tamisés sur une maille carrée de 1 mm de côté, et les animaux capturés ont été identifiés et comptés. Faute d'un indice unique efficace et adapté à toutes les situations, plusieurs indices traditionnels de biodiversité ont été choisis, calculés et discutés. Les résultats montrent que la composition de la communauté est totalement différente dans les deux sites étudiés, et, à chaque site, plusieurs espèces sont communes, mais ils se substituent aux places des leaders d'une station à l'autre. Pour la mesure de la biodiversité et étant donné la grande différence dans les valeurs enregistrées par les indices retenus, une moyenne arithmétique a ét...
Stomatopoda and Decapoda crustaceans play an important role in the marine ecosystems through varied ecological strategies and bio-disturbance of species' community with an important effect on the benthic communities' structure, in... more
Stomatopoda and Decapoda crustaceans play an important role in the marine ecosystems through varied ecological strategies and bio-disturbance of species' community with an important effect on the benthic communities' structure, in addition to abiotic factors (such as temperature, salinity and type of bottom). Furthermore, faunal inventories are necessary, especially when focused on ecological and economical important groups, such as the Malacostraca class, and concentrated on areas under intense fishery activity such as the gulf of Gabes (Central Mediterranean). Inshore and offshore collections were performed at 30 sites of the Gulf's continental shell (20-260 m depth) in spring 2009, by employing two experimental bottom trawl gears. Overall, 40 species were detected in the samples distributed among Stomatopoda (only one species) and Decapoda (7 Dendrobranchiata, 3 Caridea, 1 Astacidea, 7 Anomura, and 21 Brachyura). In terms of abundance, Stomatopoda contributed for abou...
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During the course of an investigation of maërl forming species in Alicante (SE Spain) we found records of three well known species (Lithothamnion corallioides, Phymatolithon calcareum and Lithophyllum duckerii) and two genera not... more
During the course of an investigation of maërl forming species in Alicante (SE Spain) we found records of three well known species (Lithothamnion corallioides, Phymatolithon calcareum and Lithophyllum duckerii) and two genera not previously registered there: Sporolithon sp. and Neogoniolithon sp. and an additional species of Lithophyllum that might be new. In addition to this, only P. calcareum showed different growth-forms, and the rest of the plants presented only one growth form with the dominance of the fructicose plants. We present the taxonomic problem linked with the distribution knowledge of maërl forming species in the Mediterranean.
The Iberian Peninsula is located between the Lusitanian, Mauritanian and Mediterranean provinces of the Mediterranean-Atlantic Region; it harbors a cold to warm temperate biota; it is one of the important maritime traffic areas; and, for... more
The Iberian Peninsula is located between the Lusitanian, Mauritanian and Mediterranean provinces of the Mediterranean-Atlantic Region; it harbors a cold to warm temperate biota; it is one of the important maritime traffic areas; and, for these reasons, it represents a very sensitive area to the introduction of exotic species. The ascidians are very good indicators for the introductions due to ship transport: the sessile adults are firmly attached on the hull; and dispersal is restricted to small distances, due to the short-lived larval stages. In spite of ascidian historical records are scarce and dispersal in this area, about twenty non-indigenous species have been reported in the last century. The paper analyses the validity of some of these species, and whether ones were introduced or cryptogenic (of unknown status) based on their published geographic records
Ascidians from Mediterranean harbors (Alicante, Barcelona, Beirut, Haifa, Izmir, Livorno, Valetta, Taranto, Venetia) within the PORTAL-CIESM Project in Mediterranean Sea ports (PORT surveys in the Mediterranean sea for ship-transported... more
Ascidians from Mediterranean harbors (Alicante, Barcelona, Beirut, Haifa, Izmir, Livorno, Valetta, Taranto, Venetia) within the PORTAL-CIESM Project in Mediterranean Sea ports (PORT surveys in the Mediterranean sea for ship-transported ALiens organisms).
The Mediterranean Sea is considered one of the world ocean areas with higher risk to global warming, being both the progressive ‘tropicalization’ and the presence of warm-water species from Atlantic and Indo-Pacific the objects from... more
The Mediterranean Sea is considered one of the world ocean areas with higher risk to global warming, being both the progressive ‘tropicalization’ and the presence of warm-water species from Atlantic and Indo-Pacific the objects from concern. From 70’s, the mean sea temperature has increased by 0,002ºC.y-1; and the alien species has triplicate their number in the last 50 years, being some of them considered invasive. In order to evaluate the impact of the 'tropicalization' and invasive species on the habitats / natural populations not degraded by man (overfishing, organic pollution, habitat destruction), marine protected areas represent excellent places for these studies. In this regard, to monitor these temperature changes and the spread of the warm and exotic species, the Mediterranean Science Comission (CIESM) coordinate the ‘Tropical Signals Program’ (www.ciesm.org/marine/programs/tropicalization.htm), where two teams work in the SE of Iberian Peninsula (Spanish Institute...
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More than 60 marine non-indigenous species (NIS) have been removed from previous lists and 84 species have been added, bringing the total to 986 alien species in the Mediterranean [775 in the eastern Mediterranean (EMED), 249 in the... more
More than 60 marine non-indigenous species (NIS) have been removed from previous lists and 84 species have been added, bringing the total to 986 alien species in the Mediterranean [775 in the eastern Mediterranean (EMED), 249 in the central Mediterranean (CMED), 190 in the Adriatic Sea (ADRIA) and 308 in the western Mediterranean (WMED)]. There were 48 new entries since 2011 which can be interpreted as approximately one new entry every two weeks. The number of alien species continues to increase, by 2-3 species per year for macrophytes, molluscs and polychaetes, 3-4 species per year for crustaceans, and 6 species per year for fish. The dominant group among alien species is molluscs (with 215 species), followed by crustaceans (159) and polychaetes (132). Macrophytes are the leading group of NIS in the ADRIA and the WMED, reaching 26-30% of all aliens, whereas in the EMED they barely constitute 10% of the introductions. In the EMED, molluscs are the most species-rich group, followed b...
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To estimate the importance of the vertical daily migrations in the structure of the community of the epifauna associated with the leaf stratum of Posidonia oceanica, we compared to the vagil epifauna abundance in respect to the period of... more
To estimate the importance of the vertical daily migrations in the structure of the community of the epifauna associated with the leaf stratum of Posidonia oceanica, we compared to the vagil epifauna abundance in respect to the period of the day and the height of the sediment. The study was developed in the P. oceanica meadow of El Campello (Alicante, south-east Spain), during May of 1996, to a depth of 12 m, repeating the samplings in four sites to obtain a correct spatial interpretation. Three main behaviours were detected. Decapods, amphipods, isopods, mysids, ostracods and polychaetes showed a nocturnal increase in the leaf stratum of P. oceanica. By contrast, copepods showed a nocturnal decrease in the leaves and gastropods did not show any temporal change. Chaetognaths and acari did not show statistical differences because of the considerable spatial heterogeneity. These vertical migrations have an extreme importance in the configuration of the structure of the epifauna associ...