Restoration of Cystoseira macroalgal FORESTs to enhance biodiversity along Mediterranean rocky REEFs
Restoration of Cystoseira macroalgal FORESTs to enhance biodiversity along Mediterranean rocky REEFs
REEForest LIFE
REEForest LIFE aims to reverse the degradation of the endangered Cystoseira Habitat 1170 by implementing active restoration and setting up monitoring plans in 4 marine protected areas (Italy: Sinis Peninsula, Cilento National Park, Bergeggi Island; Greece: Gyaros island) where the causes of degradation have been addressed.
Macroalgal forests, one of the most productive and valuable habitats in the Mediterranean, are presently rapidly being lost because of direct and indirect human impacts.
Due to their role in supporting biodiversity their loss is leading to a decline in critical ecosystem services and a reduction in the ability of the oceans to sequester carbon dioxide and contribute to climate change mitigation.
For these reasons, prompt conservation and restoration efforts are needed, also in the context of UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030).
Capitalizing outcomes of ROC-POP LIFE, the project will restore the ecological status in the target MPAs through the implementation of specific conservation measures and cost-effective/sustainable reforestation activities (i.e. ex-situ and in-situ recruitment enhancement).
In addition, REEForest will
- provide concrete and robust methods that can be used to replicate and scale up restoration activities in other areas and with other species
- propose Guidelines for Mediterranean marine forest restoration that are relevant to EU policies, and support researchers and stakeholders to take correct decisions considering cost-effectiveness, ecological conditions and potential threats
- raise awareness among citizens and stakeholders on the loss of marine forests in the Mediterranean Sea
- promote knowledge replicability on the conservation, management and restoration of Cystoseira habitat through training, capacity building and “decision support” in at least 14 MPAs (Natura2000) and support MPA management bodies to formally adopt and update their management plans by including Cystoseira as a biodiversity target.
Restoration of Cystoseira macroalgal FORESTs to enhance biodiversity along Mediterranean rocky REEFs
News
Success flourishes beneath the waves: Cystoseira thrives in the Cilento!
The biggest update on the progress of Cystoseira the restoration in the Cilento National Park is here! Despite the challenges posed by the late summer sea storms, the resilient, newly outplanted seedlings have not just survived but are thriving! The
REEForest activities kick-off in Greece
In the charming Cyclades archipelago of Greece, a remarkable effort to restore marine forests is underway on the island of Gyaros Marine Reserve. Once used as a prison in the past, this remote site now captures the attention of HCMR‘s
Celebrating the success of the REEForest Life project in Cilento!
We are thrilled to share the news of the successuful reintroduction of Cystoseira seedlings in Cilento marking the first large-scale intervention in the Mediterranean.
After a month of growth in the aquariums of the University of Trieste, the Cystoseira seedlings were recently outplanted on the seabed of the receiving site near Agropoli (SA), restoring the Cystoseira marine forests in the Cilento National Park.
Good news from western Liguria!
Valentina Asnaghi’s team has recently concluded its monitoring in the Marine Protected Area “Isola di Bergeggi” in Liguria, Italy.
The researchers were then able to move on to the next phase of the project: the collection and laboratory cultivation of the Cystoseira found in the portion of the sea where she is still thriving.
The target species for restoration in the coastal waters of this MPA, located in western Liguria region, is called Ericaria amentacea, which is formerly known as Cystoseira amentacea, variety stricta.
Sea gardeners in action at Cilento’s National Park
While monitoring the seabed in front of Punta Licosa, something different caught his attention from the surface. Ten meters below, the algal fronds appeared brighter compared to previous dives. As he approached the first clump of Cystoseira anchored on the
First three papers are out!
We are pleased to share with you our earliest three REEForest scientific articles! The first, “Where and how – new insights for brown algal forest restoration in the Adriatic“, published in the journal ‘Frontiers’, analyse the reproductive traits of three