Species and habitats of conservation interest in the Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area of the Strait of Sicily: a contribution towards the creation of a Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance

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 habitats and species of conservation concern. Surveys were carried through a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and allowed the identification of 19 habitat types, mostly considered of priority interest by the SPA/BD Protocol of the Barcelona Convention. A total of 269 taxa were also identified, mostly Porifera, Cnidaria and Pisces, among which 115 species are of conservation concern according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red Lists, the Habitats Directive, the Bern Convention, the SPA/BD Protocol and CITES. ROV surveys allowed some interesting observations on poorly known species and habitats. Results underlined that remarkable discrepancies in species conservation status assessment that exist between the several lists of protected species considered. The IUCN Red Lists, although not legally binding for European States, are the most complete, but, in spite of this, the conservation policies in the EU are largely focused on the Habitats Directive, which is really not exhaustive. An exhaustive and legally binding instrument to protect species of conservation concern at European scale is highly recommended. Acquired results could be useful for the delimitation of a future SPAMI or a network of Marine Protected Areas (including the investigated banks) and the identification of zones within them suitable for different area-based management measures.

New and interesting records of jewel and longhorn beetles from Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, Italy (Coleoptera: Buprestidae and Cerambycidae)

The present article lists distributional data about 19 taxa, which are new records for the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, respectively – 16 jewel and 3 longhorn beetles. Data about 4 Italian endemics (2 buprestids and 2 cerambycids) are listed, and the category of risk according to the Italian IUCN Red Lists is also indicated for each species (when available); among the listed species, 1 is Endangered, 1 is Near threatened and 27 are Least concern.

Impacts of tourism on threatened species in the Pacific region: a review.

The Pacific region has high levels of endemism and contains three of the world’s global biodiversity hotspots. Despite its conservation significance, the region faces difficulties in protecting its biodiversity primarily due to restricted knowledge, limited local capacity and financial constraints. Tourism has been increasingly promoted in the region as a means of promoting and financing conservation activities. To date however, there have been few studies looking at the impacts of increasing tourism on biodiversity in the Pacific. This paper reviews publicly available data on the contribution of tourism to the threatened status of Pacific biodiversity. The ~1900 IUCN Red listed species in the region are threatened by a number of factors that can be grouped into four major processes; habitat loss (55%), overexploitation (32%), invasive species (22%) and pollution (14%). Tourism, as a specific threatening process, affects 15% of all assessed listed species with its impacts more apparent in countries with relatively large and significant tourism industries. Most of the individual species reported as threatened by tourism are corals (83%). Terrestrial species may be equally threatened but the absence of National Lists of threatened species and incomplete IUCN Red Lists for all countries in the region highlights significant knowledge gaps making it difficult to fully assess the impacts of tourism on all taxa. While sustainable tourism development currently appears to be a suitable income-generating and conservation-promoting activity in the region, the short and long-term impacts of this development must be carefully monitored and addressed.