Understanding the current and future trajectories of critical habitats is essential for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management, especially in semi-enclosed environments such as the Mediterranean Sea. Endemic habitats in the Mediterranean, such as Posidonia meadows, are crucial for marine biodiversity, nutrient cycling, oxygen production, and carbon sequestration. Here, using in situ benthic chamber measurements of Posidonia meadows integrated with remote sensing data, we developed predictive models of key metabolic traits and upscale their ecosystem service predictions under current and future climate scenarios in the Mediterranean basin. We highlight the essential role of Posidonia meadows in providing ecosystem services, such as oxygen production, CO2 absorption, and carbon fixation, which are projected to increase, suggesting that Posidonia meadows may have some capacity to cope with future ocean warming. However, we also emphasize the importance of other stressors in determining the fate of these key habitats. Our study provides critical insights for guiding coastal management and conservation efforts, contributing to a broader understanding of ecosystem functioning in the Mediterranean Sea. Finally, to illustrate the applicability of our findings, we provide an interactive Shiny app that allows users to spatially explore and estimate the ecosystem services provided by specific Posidonia meadows throughout the Mediterranean Sea.

The Mediterranean Sea is undergoing significant environmental changes due to climate change and the introduction of non-native species, impacting biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics. Ocypode cursor (tufted ghost crab) has expanded its range, likely in response to changing thermal conditions.This study investigates the metabolic scaling of O. cursor across three active months (July, August, and September) under air- and water-breathing conditions during both daytime and nighttime. The results revealed seasonal variation in metabolic scaling, with significant differences in intercept values and scaling slopes among months. During daytime air-breathing conditions, metabolic rates increased in August and September regardless of body size, while at night in August, larger crabs exhibited higher metabolic rates. Under water-breathing conditions, smaller crabs showed greater metabolic responses in August during the day, whereas nighttime activity remained stable across months. These results indicate that temperature, diel cycle, and respiratory mode shape metabolic scaling as a comparative indicator of thermal performance rather than a direct proxy for fitness. Understanding these responses provides insight into the ecological flexibility O. cursor and contributes to assessing ectotherm responses to ongoing Mediterranean warming. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.

Habitat-forming species are essential for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in marine benthic ecosystems, but their role in modulating community responses to environmental stressors across spatial and temporal scales remains underexplored. In the Mediterranean Sea, the red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata forms structurally complex animal forests within coralligenous assemblages, able to enhance habitat heterogeneity. This study assessed the influence of P. clavata forests on the structure of coralligenous communities across five Mediterranean regions and two periods (summer and autumn), incorporating thermal (median temperature, temperature range, frequency and duration of heating events) and trophic (chlorophyll, pheophytins, carbohydrates, proteins, organic and inorganic suspended matters) environmental descriptors. Using Generalized Linear Latent Variable Models, we found that environmental variables—particularly temperature, organic matter, and trophic resource availability—strongly shaped coralligenous community structure. Forested sites exhibited a reduced abundance of opportunistic groups (e.g., turf algae, hydroids, perforating sponges) under conditions of elevated temperature and organic matter concentrations, highlighting the buffering role of P. clavata forests. However, under intense and prolonged thermal stress combined with high concentrations of carbohydrates and proteins, P. clavata itself showed increased necrosis, indicating limits to its resilience. Considering the regional and temporal scales, region emerged as the strongest predictor of community structure (explaining 45

Understanding how semi-terrestrial ectotherms respond to thermal variability is essential for predicting their resilience to climate warming. We investigated the thermal tolerance and metabolic performance of the Mediterranean tufted ghost crab Ocypode cursor , a protected species expanding its range northward in the Mediterranean Sea. Using in situ respirometry across a wide temperature gradient (12-36°C), we established the first thermal performance curve (TPC) for the species and coupled it with high-frequency sand temperature records to derive a thermal habitat suitability (THS) index. The results revealed a relatively restricted thermal performance range, with an optimal metabolic temperature (T opt ) of 24.3°C and model-derived performance thresholds between 21.8 and 33.5°C, defining a limited thermal performance margin (≈ 9°C). Daily and seasonal THS dynamics closely matched observed activity rhythms, showing that crabs were active during early-morning or nocturnal periods when surface temperatures fell within the range of maximal aerobic performance, and inactive during cooler or excessively warm phases. This study’s coupling of physiology, microhabitat temperature, and behavior underscores the role of burrows as key thermal refuges enabling persistence under fluctuating conditions. By integrating physiological and environmental data, this study provides a predictive framework for assessing the vulnerability and adaptive capacity of O. cursor populations. These insights offer valuable guidance for the conservation and management of Mediterranean sandy beaches, where increasing heat stress and anthropogenic disturbance threaten this emblematic species and its habitat.

Soundscape analysis has emerged as a relevant tool in functional marine ecology. However, how habitat-specific variables, environmental and biological components, and external pressures influence acoustic metrics requires further validation. This study investigates how soundscape structure and dynamics are influenced by seagrass meadow conditions, seasonal patterns, and anthropogenic disturbance. To this aim, the soundscape of P. oceanica meadows in 16 sites across two Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas was analysed (over 6,600 5-min recordings).The results revealed a multifaceted and highly site-specific soundscape. Diel cycles were the primary driver of the soundscape, with a significant nocturnal increase associated with fish sounds and the snapping rates of invertebrates. Meadow density and intermediate coverage positively influenced many acoustic metrics, suggesting that more structured meadows supported a more heterogeneous acoustic environment. However, denser meadows exhibited a reduction in low-frequency Sound Pressure Levels, indicating that the canopy acted as an acoustic attenuator. Furthermore, meadows on sandy substrates negatively influenced almost all acoustic metrics compared to those on rocky substrates, which provided more niches for soniferous species and acted as a reflective surface. Boat noise was pervasive and acted as the primary driver of low-frequency Sound Pressure Levels while significantly reducing acoustic complexity and diversity metrics.In conclusion, acoustic metrics reflected the dynamic interactions between habitat structure, biological processes, and human activity. These findings confirmed that soundscape analysis is a powerful complementary tool for assessing the functional state of P. oceanica meadows and that soundscape should be integrated into conservation strategies as a key functional attribute.

Reliable identification of non-indigenous species (NIS) is essential for preventing and managing biological invasions. In marine environments, this process is often hampered by limited research on small-sized taxa and a decline in taxonomic expertise. Misidentifications have been reported for decades and continue to occur in certain invertebrate groups. This study highlights this issue within an amphipod genus currently invading the Mediterranean Sea. The Atlantic benthic amphipod Serejohyale spinidactyloides (Schellenberg, 1939) was sampled between 2016 and 2017 at two Sicilian intertidal sites: Stagnone di Marsala Lagoon and Altavilla Milicia (southern Italy, central Mediterranean). Both sites were characterised by mytilid beds of the Lessepsian mussel Brachidontes pharaonis (P. Fischer, 1870). The finding represents the first record of both the genus and the species in Italian waters, and the second record of the genus in the Mediterranean since 2019 (Bizerte Lagoon, Tunisia). We provided a redescription of S. spinidactyloides based on the Sicilian specimens and the holotype from the Museum f & uuml;r Naturkunde, Berlin. Diagnostic characters of congeneric Serejohyale species were reassessed to improve future monitoring of NIS. Based on growth-related morphological changes, we suggest a synonymy between Serejohyale ramalhoi (Reid, 1939) and Serejohyale spinidactylus (Chevreux, 1926), and propose an updated Atlanto-Mediterranean distribution for the genus.

Bottom trawling affects seabed habitats, but its large-scale impacts remain poorly quantified. Assessment of trawling impacts is essential to support monitoring and achieving sustainability objectives under international conventions, sustainable development goals, and seafood certification programs. We present a Europe-wide quantitative assessment of bottom trawling impacts, accounting for regional seabed-community sensitivity drivers, across the Baltic, Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea continental shelves. Using two risk-based indicators of seabed status-Relative Benthic Status determined as benthic community biomass relative to seabed fauna carrying capacity (RBStot) and RBSsen (biomass of the 10% most sensitive fauna relative to carrying capacity)-we found substantial regional and habitat differences. The Black, Baltic and Aegean-Levantine Seas showed low trawling intensity and high seabed status across habitats. In contrast, the Western Mediterranean, Ionian and Central Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas were the most severely impacted. Trawling affected the sensitive species biomass fraction more strongly than the total community biomass. RBStot was in good condition (here chosen as RBS > 75% for epifauna) for over 79% of habitat-ecoregion combinations. In contrast, RBSsen met this threshold in only 46% of these. A strong correlation emerged between the mean trawling intensity and RBStot and RBSsen, allowing the use of SAR to estimate ecosystem status. This relationship can support decisions on where, and by how much, SAR reductions are needed to achieve good environmental status in regions where no detailed assessment is available. Our approach provides a quantitative framework to balance fishery production with ecosystem sustainability, offering tools for environmental and fisheries management in Europe.

Marine Heat Waves (MHWs) are extreme ocean temperature anomalies that can disrupt marine ecosystems, fisheries and coastal economies. Early and accurate prediction of MHWs is critical to support environmental monitoring and effective mitigation strategies. In this paper, we propose a novel federated learning framework for distributed prediction of MHWs using Sea Surface Temperature (SST) data collected from in situ sensors located along the Italian coastline. Our approach leverages the decentralized nature of marine monitoring infrastructures, allowing each coastal station to train local models in site-specific SST time series without sharing raw data, thus preserving data privacy and compliance with data sovereignty regulations. The system employs two LSTM architectures, used with FedAvg and personalized federated learning strategies to collaboratively aggregate local models. The collaborative federated learning paradigm improves the predictions of SST and MHW by effectively capturing distributed regional dynamics. Experimental results show that the proposed federated learning approach outperforms local on-site training (average RMSE over 1 to 7 day forecasts: 0.89 ^∘ C vs 1.11 ^∘ C) and almost matches the accuracy of centralized training, which assumes access to all raw data from every site (0.82 ^∘ C). Our work lays the foundation for a scalable and privacy-aware digital infrastructure for climate resilience in marine environments.

This study evaluated the genetic variability and traceability potential of farmed European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) populations from a fish farm located in Petrosino (Marsala, Sicily) (FAO 37), using microsatellite markers. A total of 64 D. labrax and 63 S. aurata individuals were genotyped with species-specific multiplex panels (9 and 10 loci, respectively). High levels of polymorphism were observed in both species, with an average of 12 alleles per locus in D. labrax and 9.1 alleles per locus in S. aurata. Mean observed heterozygosity (Ho) was 0.530 in D. labrax and 0.459 in S. aurata, while expected heterozygosity (He) reached 0.762 and 0.702, respectively. The fixation index (F) indicated moderate heterozygote deficiency in both populations (0.320 in D. labrax and 0.352 in S. aurata). Significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were detected at most loci in both species, suggesting non-random mating, genetic drift, or population substructure. The probability of identity (PI) values across loci confirmed the high discriminatory power of the microsatellite panels, supporting their suitability for individual identification and genetic traceability applications in aquaculture. Overall, the results highlight that, despite substantial genetic variability, the observed heterozygote deficiency and deviations from equilibrium may reflect suboptimal breeding management practices. These findings underline the importance of implementing regular genetic monitoring and integrating molecular tools into broodstock management to maintain genetic diversity, reduce inbreeding, and support sustainable aquaculture production.

The European clam Ruditapes decussatus contributes to ecosystem functioning and supports fisheries in coastal lagoons across the North-Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. Although the ecological consequences of climate-driven warming in lagoon systems are increasingly documented, its implications for the spatial distribution and habitat suitability of benthic species remain poorly understood. To address this gap, we quantified the metabolic response of R. decussatus across a wide range of temperatures (8-38 °C) by measuring respiration rate (RR). RR increased with temperature, from low values at 8 °C (0.07 ± 0.04 mg O2 h-1 g-1 DW) to a maximum around 26 °C (1.55 ± 0.40 mg O2 h-1 g-1 DW), followed by a sharp decline at higher temperatures. Among 24 candidate Thermal Performance Curve (TPC) models, the best-fitting function indicated an optimal temperature of 26.7 °C and a critical thermal maximum of 38.0 °C. TPC-derived parameters were then used to generate seasonal maps of Thermal Habitat Suitability (THS) under reference conditions (2017-2022) and future climate warming scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 for 2050) across four Mediterranean lagoons. Under reference conditions, THS showed seasonal and spatial variability, with highest suitability during summer and early autumn and lower values in winter. Future projections indicate a seasonal reshaping of habitat suitability, with increased values during winter, spring, and autumn, and a moderate decline during summer (up to 4% under RCP 8.5). Climate warming may therefore reshape the reproduction timing of the species, with implications for population dynamics and ecosystem functioning. Integrating THS into management frameworks may support future aquaculture and conservation planning.

Mediterranean coastal ecosystems are increasingly threatened by multiple anthropogenic pressures and climate change. As a result, these impacts have caused the decline of key endemic habitats such as Posidonia oceanica meadows and coralligenous reefs. Due to the slow natural recovery of these habitats after degradation, restoration actions play a key role in accelerating ecosystem recovery, reestablishing ecological structure and functional processes, and preventing further biodiversity and ecosystem service loss. Given the frequent habitat fragmentation and high levels of endemism, effective restoration efforts require a multidisciplinary, ecosystem-based approach that integrates marine science, engineering, socioeconomics, and policy. This study describes the holistic approach adopted in the RENOVATE project, which established an integrated framework to address the combined impacts of climate change and human pressures on vulnerable ecosystems. The framework employs advanced observational technologies, field data, and numerical modeling within an adaptive management loop, enabling site-specific, evidence-based restoration planning and assessment of ecosystem services recovery. Additionally, the study reports results from the northern Tyrrhenian coast (Latium, Italy), where RENOVATE aims to protect EU priority habitats and species from human pressures and climate-related threats. Although project activities are still in early stages, results from active restoration in the northern Latium coast show initial establishment and survival at pilot sites, highlighting the framework’s potential to guide effective, replicable interventions in coastal ecosystems. Beyond the regional case study, the proposed framework contributes to global marine restoration efforts by providing a transferable methodology for the management of coastal ecosystems.

Abstract Identifying regions where organisms are most (and least) vulnerable to climate change remains a key focus in ecological research. However, accurately capturing the thermal stress experienced by many, if not most, organisms is challenging because body temperature, which determines physiological performance, is driven by multiple environmental factors. We hindcasted hourly body temperatures of intertidal mussels globally using a modified heat budget model and assessed thermal risks (extreme temperatures and heatwaves) and hotspots based on body temperature. Results indicated that 98.34% of global coastal mussel populations faced at least one thermal risk factor, and 45.14% are subjected to the compounding effects of four or more thermal risk factors. Regions such as the Mediterranean coast and the northeastern coast of South America face a high and stacking thermal risk. Most thermal risk metrics exhibited a patchy, mosaic distribution. Semi‐enclosed topography and western boundary currents are thermal risk amplifiers, making organisms in these regions more vulnerable than those in other regions of the same latitude. Our research demonstrates the utility of hindcast body temperature in integrating multiple thermal metrics to assess global thermal risks.

This presentation provides an overview of a recent initiative and large investment in biodiversity undertaken in Italy. It focuses on establishing the Italian National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), the first National Research and Innovation Center dedicated to biodiversity, funded through European Union funds—NextGenerationEU. The NBFC includes key actions to monitor biodiversity, enhance conservation efforts, restore ecosystems, and value terrestrial, marine, and urban biodiversity. To deal with such a complex roadmap, the NBFC is designed following the Hub&Spoke model. It comprises 6 thematic Spokes dedicated to the sea, land and wetlands, and cities, with two crosscutting spokes dedicated respectively to training, communication, knowledge sharing, innovation, and policies through international connections. A primary objective is to encourage data sharing among various institutions, organizations, and countries to foster international collaboration in biodiversity protection. The NBFC is working to create a national digital platform for data analysis and biodiversity informatics, as well as collecting biodiversity data and acting as a digital twin for monitoring and conservation. This digital platform will connect biodiversity to ecosystem functions and services. This multilevel digital platform is a vital resource for the national and international scientific community, policymakers, and organizations responsible for protecting biological diversity in various environmental contexts. All actions undertaken by the NBFC are based on the Nature-based Solutions approach, providing a wide range of options for biodiversity restoration and management. Additionally, Citizen Science initiatives contribute to the NBFC's objectives by raising public awareness about the need to understand, monitor, conserve, and restore biodiversity. The NBFC's activities also aim to promote human health and well-being. In line with the One Health approach, healthy ecosystems are essential for resilience to diseases, food security, and improved quality of life. Through this initiative, Italy aims to strengthen its commitment to safeguarding biodiversity while promoting sustainable development and ecological resilience.

Trawling along continental shelves causes severe disruptions to benthic communities by altering sedimentary compositions and increasing species mortality, thus favoring opportunistic species over long-living, ecologically important ones. This study was carried out in the southern Strait of Sicily, a highly exploited fishing ground, using a trait-based ecosystem approach to assess the impacts of trawling in sandy and muddy sediments. The intensity of fishing here, measured by the swept area ratio (0.36-37.37), has exhibited a gradient from coastline to offshore, peaking along the eastern continental shelf. Surveys, being part of studies, captured 8191 individuals from 103 species (70% demersal). Demersal species’ density decreased with fishing intensity but increased with temperature, while benthic species density correlated positively with temperature and chlorophyll concentration. Taxonomic diversity was unaffected by fishing intensity but driven by chlorophyll, negatively for demersal species and positively for benthic diversity. Functional diversity showed no significant variation. Multivariate analysis explained limited variance in taxonomic and functional composition, highlighting the homogenization of benthic communities due to chronic trawling and bathymetric variation. Assemblages in this study reflected long-term exploitation, favoring opportunistic species and masking functional adaptations to fishing and environmental gradients. These findings emphasize the subtle yet significant impacts of chronic disturbances on benthic ecosystems, underscoring the value of trait-based analyses for assessing ecological responses in highly exploited zones.

The Mediterranean coralligenous reef is a vital ecosystem that provides essential habitat for various marine species. However, it faces growing threats due to human activities and climate change, particularly rising sea temperature and marine heat waves. While the impact of thermal anomalies on habitat-forming species is well-documented, their effects on associated fish communities remain understudied. This study investigates the role of the thermal environment, day length, and moon phases in shaping the acoustic community of coralligenous fish using passive acoustic monitoring. Acoustic data collected from two coralligenous reefs in Sardinia, between June and August 2023, revealed seventeen distinct sound types, six of which were attributed to four known species. The Generalized Linear Latent Variable Model highlighted the significant influence of mean daily temperature, temperature variation, and heating events on the abundance of most sound types, with higher temperatures generally correlating with increased sound production. However, some species exhibited reduced vocal activity in response to elevated temperatures, indicating species-specific responses. The study also found that reduced day length and moon phases influenced sound production, even though the thermal descriptors were more important in explaining fish sound abundance. These findings underscore the importance of temperature in shaping the fish acoustic community of coralligenous reefs and provide insights for the potential impacts of climate change on this marine ecosystem. Moreover, the study highlights the need for further research on the effects of sea warming on coralligenous fish assemblages.

Anthropogenic noise is a growing environmental stressor with implications for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. While impacts of noise at the individual level (e.g., on physiology and behaviour) have been documented for decades, less is known about how these effects scale up to influence higher ecological levels. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from 154 studies (1321 case studies) to assess the impact of anthropogenic noise on populations, communities, habitats, and ecosystems, across multiple taxonomic groups and habitat types. Results reveal a predominant focus on terrestrial environments—particularly urban areas, forests, and grasslands—with strong taxonomic biases toward birds, while amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, and aquatic species remain underrepresented. There are strong geographical and temporal biases, with most studies concentrated in Europe and North America and conducted over short timeframes, limiting broader generalization and understanding of long-term responses. Most studies targeted population-and community level effects, primarily changes in density, fitness, richness and diversity, whereas habitat and ecosystem level impacts have been rarely addressed. Furthermore, 61 % of studies relied on proxies of noise rather than direct acoustic noise measurements, introducing potential uncertainties in exposure assessments. Despite these limitations, 45 % of the case studies reported negative effects of noise exposure, especially in marine habitats, where sound plays a key ecological role. This review underscores the need for broader taxonomic and geographic coverage, standardized noise assessment methods, longer-term studies and investigation on ecological levels higher than population/community to better understand and mitigate the ecological impacts of anthropogenic noise.

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive aims to protect EU marine waters by achieving good environmental status. Descriptor 6 focuses on seafloor integrity, which is threatened by activities like bottom trawling, which disturbs the seafloor, alters marine diversity, and impacts habitat functions. In this study, we assessed the impact of bottom trawling on the benthic community of the Sicilian continental shelf using three model-derived indicators based on community longevity composition: L1, proportion of the community with life spans exceeding the interval between trawling; L2, the decrease in median longevity; PD, population dynamics, decrease in biomass relative to carrying capacity. Biomass~longevity distributions were estimated using epifauna data from trawl survey in conjunction with fishing intensity and environmental variables to compute L1, L2, and PD across the study area. High-intensity trawling occurs in about 75% of the area, with the most intense activity occurring over sandy substrates and near the shelf edge. Median longevity ranged from 8 to 9 years and was generally higher at greater depths. The L1 indicator (0.67 ± 0.43) shows that in 63% of the continental shelf at least 80% of the community has a longevity greater than the interval between trawling events, and helps pinpoint minimally impacted zones that could serve as community baselines. The L2 indicator (lower average impact of 0.01 ± 0.18) suggests minimal reductions in median longevity. The PD indicator (0.16 ± 0.17) shows higher impact zones aligned with the distribution of trawling, particularly along the shelf edge and in muddy sediments. Both PD and L2 reveal significant negative impacts along the shelf edge, especially in nursery zones of European hake and deep-water rose shrimp. PD highlights zones where long-lived species are most affected, such as the eastern Adventure Bank and northwestern Malta Bank. The generated maps can represent a baseline to inform policymakers in identifying sensitive areas and then address more effective spatial planning management and control measures enforcement at a regional scale.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) play a critical role in marine conservation, but their effectiveness, among other things, depends on robust ecological and environmental data integration. This paper explores key gaps and suggests ways forward for evaluating MPA ecological functionality, emphasizing the integration of species and habitat functional roles, process-based, and ecosystem-based indicators to assess species roles and ecosystem processes when identifying areas for conservation and supporting their management and governance. Connectivity is highlighted as a fundamental process, ensuring MPAs contribute to broader ecological coherence rather than acting as isolated spatial units. Given the dynamic nature of marine ecosystems, temporal adaptability, supported by long-term monitoring and data-driven decision-making, is essential for maintaining resilience amid climate change and anthropogenic pressures. Additionally, leveraging local and traditional knowledge through stakeholder engagement enhances MPA governance and implementation. By combining a diverse range of ecological indicators to aid decision-making, we can improve MPA effectiveness, ensuring they sustain biodiversity, ecosystem services, and resilience in the face of environmental change.