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Publisher: Pensoft Publishers ; International audience ; Truly sustainable development in a human-altered, fragmented marine environment subject to unprecedented climate change, demands informed planning strategies in order to be successful. Beyond a simple understanding of the distribution of marine species, data describing how variations in spatio-temporal dynamics impact ecosystem functioning and the evolution of species are required. Marine Functional Connectivity (MFC) characterizes the flows of matter, genes and energy produced by organism movements and migrations across the seascape. As such, MFC determines the ecological and evolutionary interdependency of populations, and ultimately the fate of species and ecosystems. Gathering effective MFC knowledge can therefore improve predictions of the impacts of environmental change and help to refine management and conservation strategies for the seas and oceans. Gathering these data are challenging however, as access to, and survey of marine ecosystems still presents significant challenge. Over 50 European institutions currently investigate aspects of MFC using complementary methods across multiple research fields, to understand the ecology and evolution of marine species. The aim of SEA-UNICORN, a COST Action within the European Union Horizon 2020 framework programme, is to bring together this research effort, unite the multiple approaches to MFC, and to integrate these under a common conceptual and analytical framework. The consortium brings together a diverse group of scientists to collate existing MFC data, to identify knowledge gaps, to enhance complementarity among disciplines, and to devise common approaches to MFC. SEA-UNICORN will promote co-working between connectivity practitioners and ecosystem modelers to facilitate the incorporation of MFC data into the predictive models used to identify marine conservation priorities. Ultimately, SEA-UNICORN will forge strong forward-working links between scientists, policy-makers and stakeholders to facilitate ...

Truly sustainable development in a human-altered, fragmented marine environment subject to unprecedented climate change, demands informed planning strategies in order to be successful. Beyond a simple understanding of the distribution of marine species, data describing how variations in spatio-temporal dynamics impact ecosystem functioning and the evolution of species are required. Marine Functional Connectivity (MFC) characterizes the flows of matter, genes and energy produced by organism movements and migrations across the seascape. As such, MFC determines the ecological and evolutionary interdependency of populations, and ultimately the fate of species and ecosystems. Gathering effective MFC knowledge can therefore improve predictions of the impacts of environmental change and help to refine management and conservation strategies for the seas and oceans. Gathering these data are challenging however, as access to, and survey of marine ecosystems still presents significant challenge. Over 50 European institutions currently investigate aspects of MFC using complementary methods across multiple research fields, to understand the ecology and evolution of marine species. The aim of SEA-UNICORN, a COST Action within the European Union Horizon 2020 framework programme, is to bring together this research effort, unite the multiple approaches to MFC, and to integrate these under a common conceptual and analytical framework. The consortium brings together a diverse group of scientists to collate existing MFC data, to identify knowledge gaps, to enhance complementarity among disciplines, and to devise common approaches to MFC. SEA-UNICORN will promote co-working between connectivity practitioners and ecosystem modelers to facilitate the incorporation of MFC data into the predictive models used to identify marine conservation priorities. Ultimately, SEA-UNICORN will forge strong forward-working links between scientists, policy-makers and stakeholders to facilitate the integration of MFC knowledge into decision support ...

Publisher: Pensoft Publishers ; International audience ; Truly sustainable development in a human-altered, fragmented marine environment subject to unprecedented climate change, demands informed planning strategies in order to be successful. Beyond a simple understanding of the distribution of marine species, data describing how variations in spatio-temporal dynamics impact ecosystem functioning and the evolution of species are required. Marine Functional Connectivity (MFC) characterizes the flows of matter, genes and energy produced by organism movements and migrations across the seascape. As such, MFC determines the ecological and evolutionary interdependency of populations, and ultimately the fate of species and ecosystems. Gathering effective MFC knowledge can therefore improve predictions of the impacts of environmental change and help to refine management and conservation strategies for the seas and oceans. Gathering these data are challenging however, as access to, and survey of marine ecosystems still presents significant challenge. Over 50 European institutions currently investigate aspects of MFC using complementary methods across multiple research fields, to understand the ecology and evolution of marine species. The aim of SEA-UNICORN, a COST Action within the European Union Horizon 2020 framework programme, is to bring together this research effort, unite the multiple approaches to MFC, and to integrate these under a common conceptual and analytical framework. The consortium brings together a diverse group of scientists to collate existing MFC data, to identify knowledge gaps, to enhance complementarity among disciplines, and to devise common approaches to MFC. SEA-UNICORN will promote co-working between connectivity practitioners and ecosystem modelers to facilitate the incorporation of MFC data into the predictive models used to identify marine conservation priorities. Ultimately, SEA-UNICORN will forge strong forward-working links between scientists, policy-makers and stakeholders to facilitate ...

Publisher: Pensoft Publishers ; International audience ; Truly sustainable development in a human-altered, fragmented marine environment subject to unprecedented climate change, demands informed planning strategies in order to be successful. Beyond a simple understanding of the distribution of marine species, data describing how variations in spatio-temporal dynamics impact ecosystem functioning and the evolution of species are required. Marine Functional Connectivity (MFC) characterizes the flows of matter, genes and energy produced by organism movements and migrations across the seascape. As such, MFC determines the ecological and evolutionary interdependency of populations, and ultimately the fate of species and ecosystems. Gathering effective MFC knowledge can therefore improve predictions of the impacts of environmental change and help to refine management and conservation strategies for the seas and oceans. Gathering these data are challenging however, as access to, and survey of marine ecosystems still presents significant challenge. Over 50 European institutions currently investigate aspects of MFC using complementary methods across multiple research fields, to understand the ecology and evolution of marine species. The aim of SEA-UNICORN, a COST Action within the European Union Horizon 2020 framework programme, is to bring together this research effort, unite the multiple approaches to MFC, and to integrate these under a common conceptual and analytical framework. The consortium brings together a diverse group of scientists to collate existing MFC data, to identify knowledge gaps, to enhance complementarity among disciplines, and to devise common approaches to MFC. SEA-UNICORN will promote co-working between connectivity practitioners and ecosystem modelers to facilitate the incorporation of MFC data into the predictive models used to identify marine conservation priorities. Ultimately, SEA-UNICORN will forge strong forward-working links between scientists, policy-makers and stakeholders to facilitate ...

Background: International fish trade reached an import value of 62.8 billion Euro in 2006, of which 44.6% are covered by the European Union. Species identification is a key problem throughout the life cycle of fishes: from eggs and larvae to adults in fisheries research and control, as well as processed fish products in consumer protection. Methodology/Principal Findings: This study aims to evaluate the applicability of the three mitochondrial genes 16S rRNA (16S), cytochrome b (cyt b), and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) for the identification of 50 European marine fish species by combining techniques of "DNA barcoding" and microarrays. In a DNA barcoding approach, neighbour Joining (NJ) phylogenetic trees of 369 16S, 212 cyt b, and 447 COI sequences indicated that cyt b and COI are suitable for unambiguous identification, whereas 16S failed to discriminate closely related flatfish and gurnard species. In course of probe design for DNA microarray development, each of the markers yielded a high number of potentially species-specific probes in silico, although many of them were rejected based on microarray hybridisation experiments. None of the markers provided probes to discriminate the sibling flatfish and gurnard species. However, since 16S-probes were less negatively influenced by the "position of label" effect and showed the lowest rejection rate and the highest mean signal intensity, 16S is more suitable for DNA microarray probe design than cty b and COI. The large portion of rejected COI-probes after hybridization experiments (<90%) renders the DNA barcoding marker as rather unsuitable for this high-throughput technology. Conclusions/Significance: Based on these data, a DNA microarray containing 64 functional oligonucleotide probes for the identification of 30 out of the 50 fish species investigated was developed. It represents the next step towards an automated and easy-to-handle method to identify fish, ichthyoplankton, and fish products. © 2010 Kochzius et al. ; SCOPUS: ar.j ...

The migration of Lessepsian species, which was the result of the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and further facilitated by human activities and environmental conditions, seems to play a key role for fisheries particularly in the Levant basin. However, there is still lack of accurate data for most of the Lessepsian species in order to evaluate their positive or negative effect to the fisheries catches and local fish stocks. The Project "Scientific and Institutional Cooperation to Support Responsible Fisheries in the Eastern Mediterranean- EastMed has been declared in September 2009, is executed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and funded by Greece, Italy and EC. A network of experts on the effect of Lessepsian species on fisheries of the Eastern Mediterranean (NELESFISH) was established following a sub-regional technical meeting of the FAO-EastMed Project on "The Lessepsian Migration and its Impact on Eastern Mediterranean Fishery", that took place in Nicosia, Cyprus, in December 2010 and was attended by experts from Cyprus, Egypt, Gaza Strip and West bank, Greece, Italy, Lebanon and Turkey. According to the review of available information during the meeting, the Lessepsian migrants caught by fishing gears include nowadays 77 fish and 24 invertebrate species; their numbers are increasing from year to year. Some Lessepsian species, like Siganus spp., Marsupenaeus japonicus, Saurida undosquamis, Etrumeus terres, Upeneus spp., have been successfully introduced into local markets, constituting important resources for fisheries in some countries. Others, like Fistularia commersoni, are landed or discarded depending on the demand in the local markets and require some marketing to increase their commercialization. Some venomous species, like for example Lagocephalus sceleratus and Rhopilema nomadica, apart from being hazardous to human health, are causing damages to fishing gears and commercial catches, particularly of some coastal fisheries in the Levant basin. Among the main objectives of the network of experts are the standardization of methodology for the collection of data aiming to the quantification of Lessepsian migrants and their effects on fisheries, the development of a database with relative literature and legislation and the contribution of recommendations within the framework of the FAO EastMed project towards the minimization of negative effects of Lessepsian migration and the adaptation of fisheries to this phenomenon.

The migration of Lessepsian species, which was the result of the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and further facilitated by human activities and environmental conditions, seems to play a key role for fisheries particularly in the Levant basin. However, there is still lack of accurate data for most of the Lessepsian species in order to evaluate their positive or negative effect to the fisheries catches and local fish stocks. The Project "Scientific and Institutional Cooperation to Support Responsible Fisheries in the Eastern Mediterranean- EastMed has been declared in September 2009, is executed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and funded by Greece, Italy and EC. A network of experts on the effect of Lessepsian species on fisheries of the Eastern Mediterranean (NELESFISH) was established following a sub-regional technical meeting of the FAO-EastMed Project on "The Lessepsian Migration and its Impact on Eastern Mediterranean Fishery", that took place in Nicosia, Cyprus, in December 2010 and was attended by experts from Cyprus, Egypt, Gaza Strip and West bank, Greece, Italy, Lebanon and Turkey. According to the review of available information during the meeting, the Lessepsian migrants caught by fishing gears include nowadays 77 fish and 24 invertebrate species; their numbers are increasing from year to year. Some Lessepsian species, like Siganus spp., Marsupenaeus japonicus, Saurida undosquamis, Etrumeus terres, Upeneus spp., have been successfully introduced into local markets, constituting important resources for fisheries in some countries. Others, like Fistularia commersoni, are landed or discarded depending on the demand in the local markets and require some marketing to increase their commercialization. Some venomous species, like for example Lagocephalus sceleratus and Rhopilema nomadica, apart from being hazardous to human health, are causing damages to fishing gears and commercial catches, particularly of some coastal fisheries in the Levant basin. Among the main objectives of the network of experts are the standardization of methodology for the collection of data aiming to the quantification of Lessepsian migrants and their effects on fisheries, the development of a database with relative literature and legislation and the contribution of recommendations within the framework of the FAO EastMed project towards the minimization of negative effects of Lessepsian migration and the adaptation of fisheries to this phenomenon.