Legal protection is not enough: Posidonia oceanica meadows in marine protected areas are not healthier than those in unprotected areas of the northwest Mediterranean Sea.
Using the Conservation Index, which measures the proportional amount of dead matte relative to live Posidonia oceanica, we assessed the health of 15 P. oceanica meadows at a regional scale along the coast of Liguria (NW Mediterranean). These areas were characterized by different degrees of anthropization, from highly urbanized sites to marine protected areas. Two different scenarios were identified according to depth: in shallow zones, the health of P. oceanica meadows was related to the degree of anthropization along the coastline. In contrast, in deep zones, most meadows exhibited poor health, independent of both the degree of disturbance and the legal measures protecting the area. Working synergistically with the regional impact of increased water turbidity, local impacts from the coast were recognized as the main causes of the severe regression of most Ligurian P. oceanica meadows. We conclude that marine protected areas alone are not sufficient to guarantee the protection of P. oceanica meadows. We emphasize the need for a management network involving the Sites of Community Interest (SCIs) containing P. oceanica meadows.
Montefalcone
Monica
M
DipTeRis, Department for the study of the Territory and of its Resources, University of Genoa, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genoa, Italy. montefalcone@dipteris.unige.it
Albertelli
Giancarlo
G
Morri
Carla
C
Parravicini
Valeriano
V
Bianchi
Carlo Nike
CN
D035961:Alismatales / Q000502:physiology*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008386:Marine Biology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008522:Mediterranean Sea