PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Brown algae (Cystoseira) plays a key role in marine conservation, supporting biodiversity, food webs and sequestrating a large amount of carbon dioxide. In past decades, Cystoseira has declined in the Mediterranean due to anthropogenic pressure. All Cystoseira species are used for the definition of the reef habitat type (1170) listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive. In addition, several Cystoseira species are strictly protected under Annex I of the Bern Convention; while the Barcelona Convention's Mediterranean sea action plan identifies the conservation of all but one species as a priority. Cystoseira is also under surveillance as vulnerable by the IUCN and the MedPAN network of Mediterranean marine protected area managers. In addition it is one of the indicators of ecological quality, according to the Water Framework Directive. Even if these regulations reduce the impacts on Cystoseira, the lack of adults and the species' limited dispersal capabilities hamper natural recolonisation.
OBJECTIVES
The ROC-POP-LIFE project aimed to trigger the restoration of the Annex I-listed reef habitat type (1170) in two Natura 2000 network marine sites - Cinque Terre and Miramare - which are also specially protected areas of Mediterranean importance and where scientific data indicates populations were present in the past. The reefs' restoration was expected to be achieved by reintroduction of Cystoseira specimens taken from two Natura 2000 network sites - one in Italy (Portofino) and one in Slovenia (Strunjan). Pressures that lead to Cystoseira's disappearance were to be removed and protection provided under the Natura 2000 network. The project aimed to involve transplanting cultured seedlings, with advantages in terms of time, costs and ecological impact. The proposed method of restoration should encourage recolonisation without damaging donor sites. This is essential, given the critical conservation status of the species.
Specific objectives:
- Definition of a protocol for culturing Cystoseira (C. amantacea v. stricta, C. crinita and C. barbata) by collecting small fertile parts of specimens from healthy populations in the Portofino and Strunjan MPA sites to ensure the availability of healthy seedlings and then of juveniles for outplanting;
- Restoration of the reef habitat (1170) inside the Cinque Terre and Miramare sites via the transplantation of the cultured juveniles, also by quantifying and making efficient use of the ecosystem services provided by the marine Natura 2000 sites; and
- Contribution to the achievement of the Water Framework Directive's required ‘Good Ecological Status’ in the target Natura 2000 sites, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed restoration measures.
RESULTS
The implementation of project activities resulted in the following outcomes:
- Cystoseira target species, disappeared in the two receiving sites (Cinque Terre and Miramare MPAs), were reintroduced thanks to the actions of ROC-POP-LIFE; this allowed the restoration of Habitat 1170 along 1,650 metres of coastline in two Natura 2000 sites (also SPAMI).
- The number of adult thalli reintroduced was 1,214 in Liguria and 1,300 in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The percentage change represents the ratio between the repopulated coasts and the length of the A zone of the receiving MPAs: 17.3% in Cinque Terre and 41.6% in Miramare.
- It is expected that the number of thalli at the target sites will continue to increase after the end of the project, due to the critical density created and the natural reproduction of the transplanted populations. Natural recolonisation of nearby coastal areas is also expected.
- The new Cystoseira forests will form an ecological network with a cascade of positive impacts on the MPAs by restoring functions (refuge/food for fauna, food supply, water oxygenation, etc.). The process initiated with the restoration of Cystoseira, an indicator of good ecological quality, has already positively changed the ecological status of the target MPAs.
- In terms of people directly impacted by the project, the indicator has reached a number of 432 people; it indicates only the people who visited the project area with the specific purpose of visiting the ROC-POP-LIFE hatchery. Several other on-site activities were conducted to engage people in the marine forest restoration issue. The activities started after the first results during 2020 with a series of new visiting activities in Miramare MPA in the dedicated "station" with ROC-POP-LIFE Cystoseira tiles; the main purpose was to show the relevance of the project and to improve the visitors' attitude towards restored forests. Each snorkelling activity in 2020 was enriched with this new content; 47 snorkelling activities were carried out, each with 6 people. Special visits were developed to explain scientific aspects of restoration (Cystoseira and Pinna nobilis). These appreciated appointments were repeated in 2021 with 150 people and will be repeated in the after-LIFE period. The only place where such activities took place was Miramare, since the restoration works carried out in the Cinque Terre MPA were in a NO TAKE ZONE, where no tourist activities are allowed.
- The awareness strategy included different media channels and different target audiences. Taking into account the reach of national and local newspapers, national and local TV stations and all web channels, the total number of people reached was at least 2,000,000. During the public meetings or events where ROC-POP-LIFE was presented, about 35,000 people were already reached or directly involved. More than 2,000 researchers and more than 300 divers and 500 free divers have been involved in activities ranging from congresses to public events, scientific cafes, web-meetings, scientific festivals, etc.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's Layman report and After-LIFE Conservation Plan (see "Read more" section).
