Coralligenous concretions, the unique calcareous formations of biogenic origin in
Mediterranean benthic environments, are produced by the accumulation of encrusting algae …

The semi-enclosed nature of the Mediterranean Sea, together with its smaller inertia due to
the relative short residence time of its water masses, make it highly reactive to external …

Marine reserves are quickly gaining popularity as a management option for marine
conservation, fisheries, and other human uses of the oceans. Despite the popularity of …

Historical exploitation of the Mediterranean Sea and the absence of rigorous baselines
makes it difficult to evaluate the current health of the marine ecosystems and the efficacy of …

The intensity of human pressure on marine systems has led to a push for stronger marine
conservation efforts. Recently, marine reserves have become one highly advocated form of …

An important principle of environmental science is that changes in single components of
systems are likely to have consequences elsewhere in the same systems. In the sea, food …

Removal of important predators by fishing can result in trophic cascades and indirect effects
on marine benthic communities. Indirect effects are especially evident when prey …

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have become popular tools worldwide for ecosystem
conservation and fishery management. Fish assemblages can benefit from protection …

Fish assemblages associated with nearshore Posidonia oceanica seagrass beds, rocky–
algal reefs and unvegetated sandy substrates were studied at two sampling localities …

Large differences in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck) population structure
have been observed in the NW Mediterranean. Differences have been attributed to removal …