Pierpaolo Consoli

• PhD
• Researcher at Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn

Finding time-efficient and cost-effective data collection methods is a challenge when addressing aquatic litter pollution on a global scale. In this study, we analysed data on aquatic benthic debris collected worldwide by volunteer scuba divers through the Dive Against Debris® citizen science initiative, examining its relationship with spatial and...

This study, conducted within the PNRR "NBFC" project, investigates the biodiversity and ecological role of two key marine areas: the Palinuro seamount (Tyrrhenian Sea) and the upwelling system of the Strait of Messina. Both areas, characterized by hydrographic phenomena that increase biological productivity, act as biodiversity hotspots, supporting...

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) Technical Group on Marine Litter developed the Guidance for the Monitoring of Marine Litter in European seas in 2013 to enable EU Member States to launch monitoring programmes for MSFD Descriptor 10: no harm caused by marine litter. The maturity of methodological protocols for marine litter monitoring...

Introduction Shallow hydrothermal vents are considered natural laboratories to study the effects of acidification on biota, due to the consistent CO2 emissions with a consequent decrease in the local pH. Methods Here the microbial communities of water and sediment samples from Levante Bay (Vulcano Island) with different pH and redox conditions wer...

Background Hydrothermal vents, cold seeps, pockmarks and seamounts are widely distributed on the ocean floor. Over the last fifty years, the knowledge about these volcanic-associated marine ecosystems has notably increased, yet available information is still limited, scattered, and unsuitable to support decision-making processes for the conservatio...

Simple Summary This study reports the results of a multidisciplinary research on Mediterranean pelagic octopods belonging to the species Argonauta argo, Ocythoe tuberculata, Tremoctopus gracilis and Tremoctopus violaceus for the first time. The study area was the Strait of Messina and southern Tyrrhenian Sea. We used information from stranding even...

Few studies evaluated long-term effects of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics (MPs) ingestion in fish. The present study aimed to investigate the integrated biomarker responses in the liver and blood of 162 European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax, exposed for 90 days to control, virgin and marine incubated PVC enriched diets (0.1 % w/w) under co...

Simple Summary We investigated the influence of the lunar cycle on bluefin tuna prey composition in the Strait of Messina by stomach content analysis. We tested if the lunar phases could determine changes in mesopelagic prey composition and abundance. Moreover, we considered two potential impacts of the lunar cycle: the lunar irradiance and the str...

Luminescent bacteria are a fascinating component of marine microbial communities, often related to the light emissions in deep sea marine organisms. They are mainly affiliated with specific phylogenetic groups, such as Photobacterium, Vibrio, and Photorhabdus, and are sometimes involved in symbiotic relationships. However, the luminescence of some...

Seafloor pollution by benthic litter is an emerging phenomenon, although debris colonization by biota remains largely unexplored. We characterized the litter of the continental slope (~400-600 m) of the Gulf of Naples (Mediterranean) and investigated its fouling biota through integrative taxonomic approaches. Plastic pieces (82 %) with land-based o...

Offshore platforms, subsea pipelines, wells and related fixed structures supporting the oil and gas (O&G) industry are prevalent in oceans across the globe, with many approaching the end of their operational life and requiring decommissioning. Although structures can possess high ecological diversity and productivity, information on how they intera...

Management of fish populations and ecosystems suffers from data and knowledge gaps, particularly with respect to how humans and nature affect dynamics at multi‐decadal and longer time scales. However, collection of new data which indicates population or ecosystem status is slow and expensive. Here we analyse c. 110 years of neglected fishery data f...

Marine hydrothermal systems are a special kind of extreme environments associated with submarine volcanic activity and characterized by harsh chemo-physical conditions, in terms of hot temperature, high concentrations of CO2 and H2S, and low pH. Such conditions strongly impact the living organisms, which have to develop adaptation strategies to sur...

Few studies focused on behaviour adaptations of organisms to marine litter (ML) pollution in Mediterranean Sea. This research, investigates on some behavior traits of Octopus vulgaris, focusing on the interaction with ML during the artisanal fishing activities by the bottom traps in a small coastal area of the southern Tyrrhenian Sea. For the first...

Management of marine fisheries and ecosystems is constrained by knowledge based on datasets with limited temporal coverage. Many populations and ecosystems were perturbed long before scientific investigations began. This situation is particularly acute for the largest and commercially most valuable species. We hypothesized that historical trap fish...

The present investigation focuses on Boops boops specimens gathered in the Gulf of Patti in 2010. Providing a snapshot from the past, this paper represents, chronologically, the first record of microplastic ingestion in the Mediterranean bogue. The plastic abundance and composition in gastrointestinal tracts of the bogue was assess, in order to imp...

In this paper, a live hectocotylus, found inside a stranded female Argonauta argo shell, allowed us to describe the behaviour of this copulatory arm and add new information on its morphology. The hectocotylus penile filament is contained in a special membranous pocket or sac, almost completely transparent, extending from the apex of the basal part...

This study investigated, for the first time, the age and growth of the spotted lanternfish Myctophum punctatum through an analysis of otolith microstructure. A total of 377 individuals were collected from the Strait of Messina (central Mediterranean Sea), ranging between 20.3 and 73.7 mm of standard length. Their length–weight relationship was esti...

Management of marine fisheries and ecosystems is constrained by knowledge based on datasets with limited temporal coverage. Many populations and ecosystems have been perturbed long before scientific investigations have begun. This situation is particularly acute for the largest and commercially most valuable species. We hypothesized that historical...

In 2015, the Strait of Sicily, which includes several banks, was candidate as a future Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI) by the Contracting Parties of the Barcelona Convention. In this context, the present study aims to provide the first biological and ecological characterisation of this poorly known area, focusing on hab...

A heterogeneous amount of waste of different origins is continuously generated along Italian coasts in the Mediterranean Sea. In this paper, using information regarding the quantities and the different types of marine litter based on Project AWARE's “Dive Against Debris” data, we try to identify the main sources of this waste. In particular, the me...

We describe the interaction between harpoon fishing activity and sharks, which opportunistically depredated harpoon catches in the Strait of Messina. Shark bite marks were observed on harpooned swordfish during the period 2014–2020, with different damages to the catches. Most of the depredation events have focused on large swordfish, generally weig...

The Aeolian Archipelago, in the western Mediterranean Sea, is an active volcanic arc hosting several hydrothermal sites. This area, considered a Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem by The Food and Agriculture Organization because of its ecological importance and biodiversity value, is affected by various pressures and threats that may act as sources of mar...

The Strait of Messina is located at the centre of the Mediterranean Sea and is considered a biodiversity hotspot and an obligatory seasonal passage for different pelagic species such as sharks, marine mammals, and billfishes. For the first time, in the Strait of Messina, our research group tagged a Mediterranean spearfish (Tetrapturus belone) using...

This study aims to assess the litter ingestion in some demersal elasmobranchs, combining a classical gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) analysis with a procedure methodology to reduce airborne fibers contamination. In order to prevent the overestimation of litter ingestion, we applied severe mitigation measures to avoid airborne contamination during the...

Evaluating the effects of anthropogenic pressure on the marine environment is one of the focal objectives in identifying strategies for its use, conservation and restoration. In this paper, we assessed the effects of chemical pollutants, grain size and plastic litter on functional traits, biodiversity and biotic indices. The study was conducted on...

Plastic ingestion is one of the main impacts of marine litter on organisms. The occurrence of microplastics (MPs < 5 mm) in the stomachs of Mediterranean species was already reported in several studies. In this context, the present study aims to develop a new approach of digestion for the identification of MPs in the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs)...

The aim of this research was to assess marine litter abundance and its effects on the benthic fauna in an area of the central Mediterranean Sea exploited by fisheries using fish aggregating devices (FAD). The study was carried out by means of a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV). Derelict fishing gear, mainly FAD ropes, represented the main source of...

A poorly known form of marine litter known as Abandoned, Lost or otherwise Discarded Fishing (ALDFG) derives from fishing activities using FADs (Fish Aggregating Devices). In the Mediterranean Sea, this activity is widespread in southern Italy, Tunisia, Malta and Majorca (Spain). The way of constructing FADs, from a functional point of view, is ver...

The taxonomic, morphological and meristic features of a dark eel caught by commercial trawling off the Gulf of Patti, southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean Sea, February 17, 2017, showed it to be a female Conger conger. Histological analysis of gonads demonstrated that the individual was in a post‐spawning phase. X‐ray radiographs showed widesprea...

Citizen science programs carried out by volunteers are fundamental for the collection of scientific data on a wide spatial scale. From 2011 to 2018, 468 survey dives were conducted in 172 coastal locations of the Mediterranean Sea through Project AWARE's citizen science program, Dive Against Debris®. During the dives, information was collected on q...

This study describes for the first time the feeding behaviour and mesopelagic food consumption of adult Trachurus picturatus in the Strait of Messina (central Mediterranean Sea), where the distinctive hydrodynamic regime and the lunar cycle influence food availability for this predator. Indeed, the Strait of Messina is characterized by the upwellin...

The distribution of floating litter in marine waters, influenced by currents and wind drag, often determines the dispersal of its encrusting fauna. In the present paper, we observed for the first time the colonization of rafting floats from abandoned, lost or derelict fishing gears (ALDFG) by the four protected deep-sea species: Errina aspera, Desm...

The anthropogenic marine debris, especially abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG), represents a rising concern, because of its potential harmful impact on the marine animal forests. We carried out 13 km of video recordings, by means of a remotely operated vehicle, from 10 to 210 m depth, in an anthropised area of the Tyrrhenia...

The present study reports the first record of two gobiid fish, Odondebuenia balearica (Pellegrin & Fage, 1907) and Vanneaugobius dollfusi (Brownell, 1978), in the Strait of Sicily. Two females (23.1 and 33.9 mm TL, respectively) were sampled on the Terrible Bank at 48 and 55 meters depth, respectively. The soft bottom, previously investigated by me...

In this work the influence of habitat complexity on fish assemblages associated with extractive platforms in the Mediterranean Sea was investigated. More specifically, at large spatial scale we tested the differences in fish assemblage between 4-legs vs 8-legs platforms, whereas at medium scale we evaluated, within each platform, the differences be...

Abundance and qualitative composition of benthic marine litter were investigated in a coastal area of the central Mediterranean Sea. Almost 30 km of video footage, collected by a Remotely Operated Vehicle between 5 and 30 m depth, were analyzed. Litter density ranged from 0 to 0.64 items/m2 with a mean of 0.11 (±0.16) items/m2. General wastes, made...

Entanglement of marine fauna is one of the principal impacts of marine litter, with an incidence that can vary strongly according to regions, the type and the quantity of marine litter. On the seafloor, areas dominated by sessile suspension feeders, such as tropical coral reefs or deep-sea coral and sponge aggregations, have been termed “animal for...

Five Descriptors (D) of Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD): marine litter (D10), non-indigenous species (D2) and organic and inorganic pollutants (D8), were estimated in a coastal area of GSA 16 (Augusta harbour, Central Mediterranean Sea) in order to study their effects on the biodiversity (D1) of the benthic community D6) and to improve d...

Marine litter is commonly observed everywhere in the ocean. In this study, we analyzed 17 km of video footage, collected by a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) at depths ranging between 20 and 220 m, during 19 transects performed on the rocky banks of the Straits of Sicily. Recently, the Contracting Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (...

The geological, biological and geochemical features of a particular field of hydrothermal vents, discovered in the Panarea Volcanic Complex during a research survey carried out in 2015, are described for the first time. The site, located at 70–80 m depth off the South-western coast of the islet of Basiluzzo, was named Smoking Land for the presence...

Trace elements and DIC concentrations measured in water samples collected inside the benthic chamber and physico-chemical values measured by the multiparameter probe inside the benthic chamber in each deployment. (XLSX)

PRIMER matrix with species presence/absence data according to the three considered categories of area. (XLSX)

Ad oggi è ancora molto discussa la teoria sull’effetto vettore delle microplastiche (MPs) negli organismi marini. Per valutare le possibili alterazioni istologiche del tessuto epatico in spigole allevate, Dicentrarchus labrax, esposte a MPs, è stata condotta una sperimentazione presso l’Impianto Sperimentale di Acquacoltura dell’IAMC-CNR di Messina...

This study characterizes the small-scale fishery (SSF) of the oncoming Italian Marine Protected Area of Cape Milazzo in the western Mediterranean Sea and describes the recent evolution of SSF activities in the study area during recent years. Data on fishing activities, catch and effort were collected in 2006–2007 and 2014 and then compared. Informa...

This study demonstrates that, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, the Graham, Nereo and Pantelleria Vecchia Banks of the Strait of Sicily represent, in the wide and diversified 'Sicily Channel' Ecological or Biological Significant Area, unknown hot spots of biodiversity threatened by human activities. The investigated banks show an high ecological an...

The shore stranding of mesopelagic fauna is a recurrent phenomenon in the Strait of Messina (Central Mediterranean Sea). The aim of this paper is to test the influence of lunar phases, winds and seasons upon the frequency of occurrence of strandings of mesopelagic fish. Species abundance in relation to these factors was quantified for the first tim...

The Council Regulation (EC) no. 1967/2006 introduced the adoption of the 40 mm square-mesh or alternatively a 50 mm diamond-mesh codend for trawlers of EU Member States. In this context, the main aim of the current study was to compare the catch composition of Lampedusa’s shallow-water trawl fishery, in terms of retained and discarded fraction, usi...

The evolution of the Italian swordfish harpoon fishery as well as the crisis reasons and new related management actions were analyzed. Swordfish harpoon fishing has been practiced in Italian waters (Strait of Messina and nearby areas) since ancient times. During these centuries, it has maintained its artisanal features, although some technological...

This is the first paper documenting research on a selection of marine caves located along the coast of Capo Milazzo in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea. Three submarine and one semi-submerged caves were surveyed and sampled using underwater photo sampling. Surveys have only taken into account the sessile species belonging to the main taxa: Porifera, Ant...

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hazard from shipwrecks on communities by a holistic approach taking into account different effects on biological communities. Multibeam and Remotely Operated Vehicles surveys recorded ecological assessment of fish and benthic species on three shipwrecks flooded during the Second World War on Maërl be...

Several studies have investigated the possible link between microplastics effects and the risk for the health of marine organisms. Despite some research have been performed to evaluate the physical impact of microplastics ingestion in marine organisms, available information about fish is still very poor. An experiment was conducted at IAMC-Messina...

Recent studies have showed that the Mediterranean white sea bream Diplodus sargus has included the invasive green alga Caulerpa cylindracea in its diet. As a result of the novel alimentary habits, the fish accumulates the bioactive algal red pigment caulerpin in its tissues with consequent metabolic and enzymatic alterations. However, this may not...

The Strait of Sicily was recognized internationally as an “Ecologically or Biologically Significant Area” by the Contracting Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2014. However, basic aspects of its fish diversity are still unknown and most of the information comes from traditional trawl surveys. This paper provides the first detaile...

PRIMER matrix with densities of fish species according to “depth” and “complexity” factors. (XLSX)

Number of specimens censused at each depth. (XLSX)

Fish abundances dataset used for correspondence analyses. (XLSX)

Whole dataset with abundances of 52 fish species. (XLSX)

A new population of the protected species Pholas dactylus was discovered for the first time in the central Mediterranean Sea, more precisely in the southern coast of Sicily. Living populations of P. dactylus have been previously reported, in the Mediterranean Sea, only from the Greek Seas, the Balearic Islands, Turkey, Lebanon and the Italian coast...

Invasive species including Caulerpa cylindracea affect coastal benthic communities inducing structural changes. To assess effects in rocky ecosystems, food webs have been depicted based on stable isotopic data collected from invertebrates and fishes at invaded and non-invaded coastal areas. Isotopic values of invertebrates were slightly higher in i...

The shipping traffic visiting seven Central Mediterranean ports within Sicily and Malta over a period of one year (2013) and the ballast water volumes it transported was quantified and classified according to port of origin in order to assess the influence of traffic navigating through the Suez Canal on the marine biota of the same geographical are...

The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was used to support fishery analyses aimed to monitor the swordfish harpoon fishing and analyze temporal and spatial patterns of catch distribution, also in relation to the environmental parameter Sea Surface Temperature (SST). The study was carried out in an important reproductive area of the Mediterranean...

This study tested the hypothesis that the fish assemblage associated with a wreck can vary according to two factors: the vertical distribution and the level of wreck complexity. In the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea in September 2009, the composition and density of fishes were ascertained, coupling the detailed architectural reconstruction of a wreck with...

Fish assemblage in a surf zone of the southern Tyrrhenian Sea was investigated for the first time. Samples were collected during four surveys by a modified beach-seine, from June 2005 to May 2006. Overall, 42 species belonging to 19 families were recorded. Among them, Sardina pilchardus showed the highest abundance values, while Mugilids (Oedalechi...

This study focuses, for the first time, on the presence of plastic debris in the stomach contents of large pelagic fish (Xiphias gladius, Thunnus thynnus and Thunnus alalunga) caught in the Mediterranean Sea between 2012 and 2013. Results highlighted the ingestion of plastics in the 18.2% of samples. The plastics ingested were microplastics (<5mm),...

A total of 42 individuals of the non-indigenous polychaete Pseudonereis anomala are reported for the first time along the Ionian coast of Italy. Sampling was carried out by SCUBA diving in summer 2013 on hard substrates by scraping quadrates of a 20 × 20 cm2 surface in the Sicilian harbours of Augusta and Siracusa. The maximum density and biomass v...

A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) survey conducted in the deep (250–400 m) Maltese waters in 2013 revealed, for the first time, the characteristics of an extended coral forest, constituted almost exclusively by the arborescent, longevous black coral Leiopathes glaberrima. This species is a major component of the deep coral forests of the Mediterran...

The Collective Article ‘New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records’ of the Mediterranean Marine Science journal offers the means to publish biodiversity records in the Mediterranean Sea. The current article is divided in two parts, for records of alien and native species respectively. The new records of alien species include: the red alga Asparagopsis...

Understanding the role played by sunken vessels in Mediterranean marine ecosystems is acquiring increasing importance. The aim of this research was to study the fish communities associated with four shipwrecks, by means of underwater visual censuses performed by a remotely operated vehicle, and to test the differences in composition of fish assembl...

The feeding habits of juvenile fishes belonging to three medusivorous species (Centrolophidae and Nomeidae) from the Strait of Messina (central Mediterranean) during 2009–2010 and 2012 are reported. Individuals were collected after stranding along the shore and their diets were investigated by stomach content analysis. Young Schedophilus medusophag...

The effectiveness of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to describe the fish communities of three gas platforms located offshore Crotone (Italy, Ionian Sea) was investigated by comparing its observations with underwater visual censuses (UVCs). The study was carried out at two depth layers (0-6 and 12-18 m). Moreover, the ROV was used to survey three...

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing for swordfish, mainly of immature specimens, are known to be the highest threats for this resource. This study provide a simple and useful tool for the maritime security service to recognize illegal landing sizes (/68). The purpose of the present paper is to reduce the illegal swordfish fishing in the Me...

This 2-year study was aimed to investigate the early effects of protection measures on fish assemblage in the Plemmirio marine reserve and to evaluate its level of enforcement. Sampling was carried out by means of underwater visual census techniques in four sampling sites within the reserve boundaries and eight outside the reserve. Results showed s...

Understanding the role played by offshore platforms in marine ecosystems is acquiring increasing importance worldwide. In this work, underwater visual census techniques were applied to describe spatial and temporal patterns of fish assemblages associated with extractive platforms. Data were collected during three seasons according to the following...

The study of feeding habits of the Atlantic bluefin tuna was carried out in 123 specimens, ranging from 115 to 222 cm fork length (FL) and collected during spring seasons of 2010 and 2011 in the central Mediterranean Sea (Strait of Messina). The analysis of stomach contents allowed us to identify 91 taxa of prey items, mainly belonging to Teleostea...

Trophic relationships between Scorpaena porcus, S. notata and Chelidonichthys lucerna collected near natural gas platforms were investigated for the first time in central Adriatic Sea from July 2005 to May 2006. Sampling was repeated at control sites on soft bottom where, however, only C. lucerna occurred. All of the three predators showed diet spe...

In this paper levels of four (Hg, Cd, Pb, As) potential harmful elements (PHE) were measured in three different environmental matrices (sediments, macroalgae and fishes) from the Aeolian Archipelago and control areas both after 1 and 10 months from a volcanic activity of particular relevance occurred at the end of October 2002. Results were analyse...

The pelagic cephalopod fauna of the central Mediterranean Sea was investigated through stomach content analyses of large fish predators. A total of 124 Xiphias gladius, 22 Thunnus thynnus, 100 Thunnus alalunga, and 25 Tetrapturus belone were analyzed. Overall, 3,096 cephalopods belonging to 23 species and 16 families were identified. The cephalopod...

Fish assemblages associated with extractive platforms were surveyed, for the first time, using traditional fishing surveys (bottom gill net) and an underwater visual census (UVC) technique in order to test the effectiveness and to identify strengths and weaknesses of both methods. The study was carried out during three seasons at two offshore gas p...

Fish assemblages associated with extractive platforms were surveyed, for the first time, using traditional fishing surveys (bottom gill net) and an underwater visual census (UVC) technique in order to test the effectiveness and to identify strengths and weaknesses of both methods. The study was carried out during three seasons at two offshore gas p...