Format: ORAL

Anna M. Mannino1,2, Donatella Serio3

1 University of Palermo, Italy 2 NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy 3 University of Catania, Italy

Non-indigenous species (NIS), widely recognized as one of the main drivers of global change, may in time become invasive, determining significant environmental impacts, such as biodiversity loss and ecosystem services degradation. The impact of NIS on marine habitats within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), whose major aim is biodiversity conservation, can be significant even highly detrimental. Therefore, monitoring NIS distribution is crucial in these areas for planning effective conservation strategies. Currently, in Italy have been established 29 MPAs that protect about 700 kilometres of coastline and are mainly concentrated in the two great islands, Sicily (7) and Sardinia (6). Of them, 11 are Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI). In Italy, 73 alien macrophytes (10 Chlorophyta, 16 Ochrophyta, 46 Rhodophyta, 1 Tracheophyta) is currently reported. Our research revealed differences among the MPAs with respect to the number of marine alien macrophytes, which could be linked to different reasons such as differences in the number of conducted studies or differences in geographical position. For instance, 12 marine alien macrophytes have been reported for the MPA Egadi Islands, 6 for the MPA Capo Carbonara, 2 for the MPA Miramare and 8 for the MPA Portofino. The research has also shown that data on fauna and terrestrial flora are more numerous than those on marine flora and that the last ones are not often updated. Despite their fundamental role in the conservation of marine biodiversity, MPAs are not immune to biological invasions, evidencing that protection does not hinder the introduction and spreading of NIS. Management actions within MPAs should include the planning of regular monitoring activities which will allow early detections and to follow the spread of species already present. This work represents an important starting point for the creation of a regularly updated list of alien macrophytes within the Italian MPAs.