Preprint volume - SIBM

Pre-print Volume - Posters
Topic 1: BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION SCIENCE: CONTRIBUTING TO MANAGEMENT
M. PAPA, G.F. RUSSO
DiSAm, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Parthenope”, Centro Direzionale, Isola C4, 80134 - Napoli, Italia.
marianna.papa@uniparthenope.it
LONG-TIME CHANGES IN MACROALGAL BIODIVERSITY
IN THE MPA OF GAIOLA (GULF OF NAPLES)
CAMBIAMENTI DI LUNGO TEMPO NELLA BIODIVERSITÀ MACROALGALE
NELL’AMP DI GAIOLA (GOLFO DI NAPOLI)
Abstract - A recent study on the structure of the algal communities in the Marine Protected Area of Gaiola
gave the opportunity to qualitatively compare 80 years old data with present ones. An evident decrease of
biodiversity was recorded, with a rearrangement of species in the main chorographic group, due to both
climatic and edaphic (anthropogenic) factors. The presence of a Marine Protected Area, by reducing the
anthropogenic impact, may enhance local biodiversity in the future.
Key-words: algology, biodiversity, marine parks.
Introduction – Data on long-time changes of marine biodiversity in restricted and well
defined localities are rare, because of the relatively recent development of studies on
benthic associations in a systematic way. The Bay of Naples is one of the most studied
areas since the origin of Mediterranean marine biology and the recovery of ancient data
is possible and could be a useful tool to study long time changes in biodiversity. The
first, and till now most accurate, description on the algal vegetation of the Gulf of
Naples is the treatise published by Funk (1927). The Marine Protected Area of Gaiola,
in the Gulf of Naples, is the smallest of Italy (41,6 ha; 2 Km of coastline), and is
located along the coast of Posillipo, in the municipality of Naples (Fig. 1). From
Funk’s times the city of Naples expanded including the Gaiola area. The structure of
the algal communities in three different littoral environments of the Gaiola MPA
(semi-submerged rocky platform, photophilic and sciaphilic hard bottom) was
investigated in 2008, giving the opportunity to qualitatively compare ancient data with
present ones.
41 st S.I.B.M. CONGRESS Rapallo (GE), 7-11 June 2010
80
Fig. 1 – Map of the Gaiola MPA.
Mappa dell’AMP di Gaiola.
Material and methods - Species data, coming from sites today included into the Gaiola
MPA, were extracted from Funk’s treatise and a check-list was generated by updating their
nomenclature. A database was then implemented in Microsoft Access, with information on
systematic position and corological group affiliation of each species. After a preliminary
survey, present associations were sampled in three sites (one for each environment) and in
three times (April, July and October) during 2008. In each site, three replicates were
performed on a 400 cm 2 surface and species determination and cover was assessed.
Results - A total of 231 species were pull out from Funk’s treatise (Rhodophyta 61,5%,