- Cyprus
Bioblitzes are a popular approach to engage people and collect biodiversity data. Despite this, few studies have actually evaluated the multiple outcomes of bioblitz activities. We used a systematic review, an analysis of data from more... more
Bioblitzes are a popular approach to engage people and collect biodiversity data. Despite this, few studies have actually evaluated the multiple outcomes of bioblitz activities. We used a systematic review, an analysis of data from more than 1000 bioblitzes, and a detailed analysis of one specific bioblitz to inform our inquiry. We evaluated five possible bioblitz outcomes, which were creating a species inventory, engaging people in biological recording, enhancing learning about nature, discovering a species new to an area, and promoting an organization. We conclude that bioblitzes are diverse but overall effective at their aims and have advantages over unstructured biodiversity recording. We demonstrate for the first time that bioblitzes increase the recording activity of the participants for several months after the event. In addition, we provide evidence that bioblitzes are effective at bringing people and organizations together to build communities of professionals and amateurs,...
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Biological invasions are considered among the largest threats to native biodiversity. The Mediterranean Sea, connecting the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic oceans, is characterized as a global marine invasion hotspot, due to a multitude of... more
Biological invasions are considered among the largest threats to native biodiversity. The Mediterranean Sea, connecting the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic oceans, is characterized as a global marine invasion hotspot, due to a multitude of human pathways and vectors such as shipping, aquaculture, tourism, and the opening of the Suez Canal, which have led to the introduction of nearly 700 alien species into the Mediterranean Sea. Among the species introduced, the lionfish Pterois miles could be considered the fastest spreading invasive fish species of the last decade (2012–2022) and has been recorded in all countries of the eastern Mediterranean Sea, reaching as far north as Croatia. Here, we present a Bayesian additive regression tree modelling framework for an updated species distribution modelling invasion map under current and future climate conditions. All climate uncertainty sources have been used, as these are available from the Bio-Oracle, the unique marine predictors database. Imp...
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The Akrotiri Bioblitz in Cyprus was a one-off event held as part of the Alien-CSI COST Action (CA17122). It took place for 24 hours between Wednesday, February 27 and Thursday, February 28, 2019. The aim of this bioblitz was to improve... more
The Akrotiri Bioblitz in Cyprus was a one-off event held as part of the Alien-CSI COST Action (CA17122). It took place for 24 hours between Wednesday, February 27 and Thursday, February 28, 2019. The aim of this bioblitz was to improve knowledge of the biodiversity of the Akrotiri Peninsula, identify potential risks to the biodiversity caused by invasive species and trial methods that could be used throughout Europe for this purpose. More information about the event can be found on these pages: https://osf.io/csvgz/wiki/home/. All bioblitz records can be found in the iNaturalist project akrotiri-bioblitz-cyprus and in the GBIF dataset (Hadjikyriakou et al. 2019). At the time of writing, 396 species had obtained "research grade" status on iNaturalist and included also captive and cultivated organisms. These species were assigned native/alien status, a level of establishment using the categories described by Groom et al. (2019a) and their occurrence in Akrotiri and Cyprus wa...
This dataset contains supplementary material to a review paper on bioblitzes (submitted). This dataset contains following files: 1a. Systematic literature review methods.pdf 1b. Reference list reviewed papers.pdf 1c. Reference list... more
This dataset contains supplementary material to a review paper on bioblitzes (submitted). This dataset contains following files: 1a. Systematic literature review methods.pdf 1b. Reference list reviewed papers.pdf 1c. Reference list reviewed papers_BibTeX.txt 1d. Reference list reviewed papers_RIS.txt 1e. Reference list reviewed papers.csv 1f. Data retrieved from the reviewed papers.csv 1g. Ranked importance of each aim per bioblitz record.csv 1h. Fig. 1_Map showing the distribution of published bioblitzes considered in the literature review.jpg These files include lists of reviewed papers in different formats (pdf/csv/RIS/BibTeX), the description of the methodology used to search and select this collection of papers, one csv-file containing the extracted data on bioblitzes from the literature and one showing the ranks in respect with the aim of the bioblitz per paper, and one figure showing the geographical distribution of the published records.
In support of researchers considering using the bioblitz method we collated a number of recommendations that may help get maximum benefit from the bioblitz. This list is a supplement to a review of bioblitzes.
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This paper presents preliminary results of a technology assessment analysis for the use of high pressure treatment (HPT) on Halloumi cheese. In particular, it presents the importance of this traditional Cyprus cheese to the island-s... more
This paper presents preliminary results of a technology assessment analysis for the use of high pressure treatment (HPT) on Halloumi cheese. In particular, it presents the importance of this traditional Cyprus cheese to the island-s economy, explains its production process, and gives a brief introduction to HPT and its application on cheese. More importantly, it offers preliminary results of HPT of Halloumi samples and a preliminary economic feasibility study on the financial implications of the introduction of such technology.
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This paper aims to give updated information on the lessepsian fish fauna of Cyprus. Specifically, an overview of the phenomenon of the lessepsian migration is given, together with a correlation of this phenomenon in relation to the mean... more
This paper aims to give updated information on the lessepsian fish fauna of Cyprus. Specifically, an overview of the phenomenon of the lessepsian migration is given, together with a correlation of this phenomenon in relation to the mean annual temperature of the Mediterranean. Finally, the status of the lessepsian fish migrants in Cyprus is analysed, while some emerging information gaps are highlighted. Key-Words: Cyprus, lessepsian fish fauna, climate change
technology assessment analysis for the use of high pressure treatment (HPT) on Halloumi cheese. In particular, it presents the importance of this traditional Cyprus cheese to the island's economy, explains its production process, and... more
technology assessment analysis for the use of high pressure treatment (HPT) on Halloumi cheese. In particular, it presents the importance of this traditional Cyprus cheese to the island's economy, explains its production process, and gives a brief introduction to HPT and its application on cheese. More importantly, it offers preliminary results of HPT of Halloumi samples and a preliminary economic feasibility study on the financial implications of the introduction of such technology.
The analysis of data from the literature and from the examination of large decapod collections permitted the creation of updated checklists of the decapod species from Cyprus, the south Turkish coast, the Aegean and the Black Seas. These... more
The analysis of data from the literature and from the examination of large decapod collections permitted the creation of updated checklists of the decapod species from Cyprus, the south Turkish coast, the Aegean and the Black Seas. These checklists are presented and the decapod faunas of these areas are compared in order to assess the gradation of decapod diversity from Cyprus towards the Black Sea. As it results from this study, there is a decrease in the number of lessepsian decapod species from the south Turkish coast towards the Black Sea, implying an attenuation of the lessepsian migratory current in this direction.
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Fish feed accounts for more than 50% of aquaculture farms’ operating costs and thus careful feeding planning is vital. In the case of the Mediterranean, most farms have their installations in coastal waters, hence this is relatively easy... more
Fish feed accounts for more than 50% of aquaculture farms’ operating costs and thus careful feeding planning is vital. In the case of the Mediterranean, most farms have their installations in coastal waters, hence this is relatively easy to perform. Low magnitude environmental conditions (winds, waves and currents) as well as easy and quick access ensures high consumption rates and smooth operation. Nevertheless, as competition for these waters increases the option of moving to offshore waters is seen as a solution. Moving further away from shore means exposing installations to harsher environments and lower degree of onshore monitoring. As a result, environmental conditions must now be monitored on-site, especially the ones affecting operations and feeding planning. For this reason, this article presents a feed management system powered by a stand-alone renewable energy sources system. The system provides energy independence and mobility by wirelessly transmitting important parameters onshore. An investment appraisal cost model is also described. The model compares the system’s costs over the fish feed cost saved by a priori feeding planning through better monitoring of on-site conditions. It concludes that such synergies have profitable potentials.
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The stomach contents of 104 individuals of Torquigener flavimaculosus from Cyprus were examined. The analysis revealed that it is an omnivorous species with a preference to animal prey, especially invertebrates with limited mobility... more
The stomach contents of 104 individuals of Torquigener flavimaculosus from Cyprus were examined. The analysis revealed that it is an omnivorous species with a preference to animal prey, especially invertebrates with limited mobility (crustaceans, molluscs, echinoderms). The study of the length-weight relationship indicated a negative allometric growth for both sexes. It seems that its preference to consume invertebrates, its high toxicity due to high concentrations of tetrodotoxin in its tissues and some other biological characteristic reinforce its characterisation as invasive and monitoring actions should be designed for such species.
The lionfish invasion in the Western Atlantic has been characterised as one of the most ecologically harmful marine fish introductions to date; associated with habitat modifications, and severe impacts on native communities. In the... more
The lionfish invasion in the Western Atlantic has been characterised as one of the most ecologically harmful marine fish introductions to date; associated with habitat modifications, and severe impacts on native communities. In the Mediterranean, lionfish followed similar expansion trends and raised significant concerns among the scientific community due to its potential to cause devastating ecological and socioeconomic impacts. The coastal ecosystems of Cyprus, near the Suez Canal, are amongst the first Mediterranean waters to be affected by the lionfish invasion. Cyprus sentinel location offers therefore, an ideal site for the development of an early warning and rapid response system of marine bioinvasions. RELIONMED (Preventing a LIONfish invasion in the MEDiterranean through early response and targeted REmoval) is a four-year project, funded by the EU LIFE instrument, aiming to make Cyprus the first line of defence against the invasion of lionfish in the Mediterranean. The proje...
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The European Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species entered into force in 2015, with the aim to fulfill regional and international biodiversity goals in a concerted manner. To date, the Regulation listed 66 Invasive Alien... more
The European Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species entered into force in 2015, with the aim to fulfill regional and international biodiversity goals in a concerted manner. To date, the Regulation listed 66 Invasive Alien Species (IAS) that are subject to legal controls. Only one of these is marine. A recent lionfish (Pterois miles) invasion has been closely monitored in the Mediterranean and a detailed risk assessment was made about the profound impacts that this invasive fish is likely to have on the fisheries and biodiversity of the region. In 2016–21, lionfish rapidly became dominant predators along Eastern Mediterranean coasts, yet the process for their inclusion on the EU IAS list has been lengthy and is ongoing. There is an urgent need to learn from this experience. Here, we recommend improvements to the Regulation 1143/2014 and the risk assessment process to protect marine ecosystems and secure the jobs of people that rely on coastal resources.
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Emerging in the 1990s, bioblitzes have become flagship events for biodiversity assessments. Although the format varies, a bioblitz is generally an intensive, short-term survey in a specific area. Bioblitzes collect biodiversity data and... more
Emerging in the 1990s, bioblitzes have become flagship events for biodiversity assessments. Although the format varies, a bioblitz is generally an intensive, short-term survey in a specific area. Bioblitzes collect biodiversity data and can therefore play a role in research, discovery of new species at a site and monitoring. They may also promote public engagement, community building, and education and outreach. However, the question remains, how effective are bioblitzes at achieving these goals? To evaluate the value of bioblitzes for these multiple goals, we conducted two meta-analyses, one on sixty published bioblitzes and the other on 1860 bioblitzes conducted using iNaturalist. Furthermore, we made an in-depth analysis of the data collected during a bioblitz we organized ourselves. From these analyses we found bioblitzes are effective at gathering data—collecting on average more than 300 species records—despite limitations of bias, which many types of biodiversity surveys suffe...
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Abstract Marine Recreational Fishing (MRF) in Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean) was evaluated using telephone surveys between 2016 and 2018. All three existing MRF types were included in the surveys, boat fishing, spearfishing and shore... more
Abstract Marine Recreational Fishing (MRF) in Cyprus (Eastern Mediterranean) was evaluated using telephone surveys between 2016 and 2018. All three existing MRF types were included in the surveys, boat fishing, spearfishing and shore fishing. Results highlight the great magnitude of this sector in terms of catches, as well as its social and economic significance. Around 2.7 % of the population was involved in MRF, of which 86 % in shore fishing, 10 % in boat fishing and 8.5 % in spearfishing. Overall recreational catches exceeded in weight (1065 t/year) and value (11.6 m€/year) the coastal commercial catches. 64 % of MRF catches came from shore fishing, 24 % from boat fishing and 12 % from spearfishing. By far the most important species in terms of weight and value were the invasive rabbitfishes. Species of higher trophic levels were found to be more impacted by MRF, especially boat fishing and spearfishing, than by coastal commercial fisheries. However, some of the most important species for the coastal commercial fleet were not important for any type of MRF. The study indicates that MRF in Cyprus and probably elsewhere in the Mediterranean has been underestimated thus far and that it should definitely be taken into account when considering measures for fisheries management.
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Standardized tools are needed to identify and prioritize the most harmful non-native species (NNS). A plethora of assessment protocols have been developed to evaluate the current and potential impacts of non-native species, but... more
Standardized tools are needed to identify and prioritize the most harmful non-native species (NNS). A plethora of assessment protocols have been developed to evaluate the current and potential impacts of non-native species, but consistency among them has received limited attention. To estimate the consistency across impact assessment protocols, 89 specialists in biological invasions used 11 protocols to screen 57 NNS (2614 assessments). We tested if the consistency in the impact scoring across assessors, quantified as the coefficient of variation (CV), was dependent on the characteristics of the protocol, the taxonomic group and the expertise of the assessor. Mean CV across assessors was 40%, with a maximum of 223%. CV was lower for protocols with a low number of score levels, which demanded high levels of expertise, and when the assessors had greater expertise on the assessed species. The similarity among protocols with respect to the final scores was higher when the protocols cons...
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Abstract We developed a trophic mass-balance model to describe the structure and functioning of the insular shelf ecosystem of the Republic of Cyprus and assess the impact of fishing and alien species during the mid-2010s. A total of 40... more
Abstract We developed a trophic mass-balance model to describe the structure and functioning of the insular shelf ecosystem of the Republic of Cyprus and assess the impact of fishing and alien species during the mid-2010s. A total of 40 functional groups were defined, ranging from producers and detritus to top predators and when possible, alien species were included in exclusively alien groups. All fishing activities in the area were considered. Input data were obtained from local surveys, fishery statistics, published data on stomach content analyses, other scientific and grey literature, as well as empirical equations. Results show that the ecosystem shares common structural and functional characteristics with other Mediterranean ones, especially those in the eastern basin. Fishing has noticeable impacts on the ecosystem and based on the results, 7.1% of the total primary production is required to sustain fisheries. The model predicts a strong negative impact of small-scale fisheries on small sharks and turtles, and of recreational fisheries on the large demersal and pelagic fishes. Our results also highlight the significant role of alien species within the ecosystem. Alien fish accounted for 29% of fish production. Negative impacts of alien fish were predicted, in particular by alien siganids on phytobenthos, and some alien demersal fishes on eels and morays. This is the first food-web model for Cyprus and results are discussed and compared to other Mediterranean models.
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Research Interests: Risk assessment, Biodiversity, Global Change Biology, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, and 11 moreMarine, Freshwater, Invasive Alien Species, Horizon Scanning, Terrestrial, Introduced species, Great Britain, Risk Assessment, Conservation of Natural Resources, Species Specificity, and Wiley
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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... more
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 native and alien species respectively. The new records of native species include: the neon flying squid Ommastrephes bartramii in Capri Island, Thyrrenian Sea; the bigeye thresher shark Alopias superciliosus in the Adriatic Sea; a juvenile basking shark Cetorhinus maximus caught off Piran (northern Adriatic); the deep-sea Messina rockfish Scorpaenodes arenai in the National Marine Park of Zakynthos (East Ionian Sea, Greece); and the oceanic puffer Lagocephalus lagocephalus in the Adriatic Sea.The new records of alien species include: the red algae Antithamnionella elegans and Palisada maris-rubri, found for the first time in Israel and Greece respectively; the green alga Codium parvulum reported from Turkey (Aegean Sea); the first record of the...
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Widespread reports over the last six years confirm the establishment of lionfish (Pterois miles) populations in the eastern Mediterranean. Accumulated knowledge on lionfish invasions in the western Atlantic Ocean has shown that it is a... more
Widespread reports over the last six years confirm the establishment of lionfish (Pterois miles) populations in the eastern Mediterranean. Accumulated knowledge on lionfish invasions in the western Atlantic Ocean has shown that it is a successful invader and can have negative impacts on native species, indirect ecological repercussions and economic effects on local human societies. Here we analysed genetic sequences of lionfish from Cyprus as well as data from the whole distribution of the species, targeting the mtDNA markers cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) and the control region (CR). Our results reflect a pattern of repeated introductions into the Mediterranean from the northern Red Sea and a secondary spread of this species west to Rhodes and Sicily. Presented results agree with previously published studies highlighting the genetic similarity with individuals from the northern Red Sea. Nevertheless, some individuals from Cyprus, in addition to those coming via the Suez Canal...
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Sampling carried out at 47 stations in the Aegean Sea revealed the presence of 10 teuthoid species. A checklist of the Mediterranean and Black Sea teuthoid species, as well as their distribution in the Mediterranean territorial areas and... more
Sampling carried out at 47 stations in the Aegean Sea revealed the presence of 10 teuthoid species. A checklist of the Mediterranean and Black Sea teuthoid species, as well as their distribution in the Mediterranean territorial areas and the Black Sea, is presented. The comparison of the faunas of the Mediterranean territorial areas showed that the number of species decreases as follows: Western Mediterranean, Central Mediterranean, Aegean Sea, Adriatic Sea, Levantine Sea, while in the Black Sea no teuthoid species exist. Species with a cosmopolitan distribution dominate in all Mediterranean areas followed in numbers by the Atlanto-Mediterranean species. One species is characterized as a lessepsian migrant while no endemic species exist. The examination of the diet composition of the 10 teuthoid species showed that they mainly feed on Crustacea followed by Pisces.
Today, aquaculture products account for more than fifty percent (50%) of all fisheries products consumed on a Global scale. Fish feed accounts for more than 60% of all costs of aquaculture farms and successful monitoring of fish feed... more
Today, aquaculture products account for more than fifty percent (50%) of all fisheries products consumed on a Global scale. Fish feed accounts for more than 60% of all costs of aquaculture farms and successful monitoring of fish feed consumption is key to such companies’ profitability. This paper presents the development of a Renewable Energy System (RES) to be mounted on offshore aquaculture cages, enabling remote fish feed monitoring. Such systems are vital for aquaculture industry proliferation further away from coast.
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In order to acquire information on the factors influencing the distribution of the Mediterranean endemic species Portumnus lysianassa (Herbst, 1796), which lives in the soft substratum midlittoral zone, 83 stations were selected along... more
In order to acquire information on the factors influencing the distribution of the Mediterranean endemic species Portumnus lysianassa (Herbst, 1796), which lives in the soft substratum midlittoral zone, 83 stations were selected along almost the entire Greek coast. In each sampling station, dredging was carried out, just above the rise of the surf zone, and sediment samples were taken with a core sampler. Two faunal samples were also taken by means of a quadrat from the lower midlittoral zone. The preliminary results of this study show that: P. lysianassa prefers to burrow in the rise of the surf zone; wherever the sediment becomes very coarse or very fine the crab populations decline; there is a correlation between the population abundance of the midlittoral bivalve Donacilla cornea (Poli, 1795) and P. lysianassa, and, moreover, this crab species is related to the composition of the midlittoral assemblage; also, P. lysianassa abundance is negatively correlated with the organic matter content of the sediment; in very exposed areas, D. cornea can be replaced or co-exist with the infralittoral species Donax trunculus (Linnaeus, 1758), and, in these cases, P. lysianassa can be replaced by the closely related infralittoral species Portumnus latipes (Pennant, 1777); when low temperatures or intensive wave action, as well as disturbance caused by swimmers in summer prevail, the population of this crab descends in the upper infralittoral zone.