Mediterranean climate regions (hereafter ‘Med-regions’) cover small areas globally but harbour a wide diversity of ecosystems that are under serious threat due to current global climate change. Despite intensive research and conservation efforts in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems to prevent the consequences of habitat fragmentation, overfishing and changes in fire regimes and heatwaves, there is still no global consensus on how to conserve and manage Med-region ecosystems. We define integrative research as an interdisciplinary approach with common concepts and metrics enabling a better understanding of the general mechanisms underlying ecosystems. Building upon existing literature that promotes integrative research in Med-region ecosystems, we advocate for a more integrative approach that takes into consideration cross-ecosystem generalities and common resilience mechanisms. We propose examples of potential studies for implementing such integrative research, including: (1) integrative research across ecosystems; (2) integrative research across Med-regions; and (3) integrative research across political boundaries. We then offer recommendations for promoting integrative studies, including leveraging biodiversity data, establishing working groups in research syntheses and testing theoretical frameworks. Promoting integrative research in Med-regions would enable and facilitate the roadmap towards a better understanding of Med-region ecosystems’ responses to natural and anthropogenic disturbances and the identification of ecological baselines. We seek to foster future research synergies to identify tipping points across ecosystems and aid in determining desired future conditions in Med-regions globally.

The present study investigated the effects of a fish weir, a fixed trap used by artisanal fisheries, on the intertidal macrobenthic infauna of a macrotidal sandy beach on the Amazon coast. Biological and sediment samples were collected from within the weir and at five points of increasing distance (10 cm, 50 cm, 1 m, 2 m, 5 m and 50 m) from the external portion of the trap. The sediments from the weir and at 10 cm were dominated by mud, with a gradual decline in fine grains, water content and organic matter with increasing distance from the weir to 50 m (control). Taxon abundance and richness were significantly higher in the weir and at 10 cm than at the other sampling points. There was a trend of decreasing density and richness of the infauna from the weir to 1 m (which was a point of transition between the muddy and sandy sediments), after which the biological descriptors tended to increase once again. A shift was also observed in the dominant trophic groups, with a decrease in the abundance of the deposit feeders with increasing distance from the weir. By contrast, predators were more abundant at the points further from the weir. Our results indicate that fish weirs alter the associated sedimentary habitats, due to the increased protection from the action of waves and currents, with a micro-scale (from a few centimetres to 1–2 m) influence on the local macrofauna.

The soil microbiome was investigated at environmentally distinct locations on King George Island in the South Shetland Islands (Antarctic Peninsula) using 16 S rRNA gene pyrosequencing. The taxonomic composition of the soil prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea) was evaluated at three sites representing human-disturbed soils (Bellingshausen Station) and soils undergoing different stages of deglaciation (fresh and old moraines located near Ecology Glacier). The taxonomic analysis revealed 20 bacterial and archaeal phyla, among which Proteobacteria (29.6%), Actinobacteria (25.3%), Bacteroidetes (15.8%), Cyanobacteria (11.2%), Acidobacteria (4.9%) and Verrucomicrobia (4.5%) comprised most of the microbiome. In a beta-diversity analysis, the samples formed separate clusters. The Bellingshausen Station samples were characterized by an increased amount of Nostoc sp. and Janibacter sp. Although the deglaciation history had less of an effect on the soil microbiome, the early stages of deglaciation (Sample 1) had a higher proportion of bacteria belonging to the families Xanthomonadaceae, Sphingomonadaceae and Nocardioidaceae, whereas the older moraines (Sample 2) were enriched with Chthoniobacteriacae and N1423WL. Solirubrobacteriales, Gaiellaceae and Chitinophagaceae bacteria were present in both stages of deglaciation, characterized by genus-level differences. Taxonomic analysis of the abundant operational taxonomic units (OTUs) revealed both endemic (Marisediminicola antarctica, Hymenobacter glaciei) and cosmopolitan bacterial species in the microbiomes.

Macroalgal fouling communities are potentially useful as bioindicators in environmental monitoring as they are considered to be sensitive to changes in environmental conditions and the use of artificial substrata facilitates the implementation of standardized sampling strategies. The response of macroalgal fouling communities on buoys to changes in water quality was investigated with a view to the possible utilization of these assemblages in environmental monitoring programmes. Seven study sites were selected based on previously collected environmental data and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was used to order sites according to beam attenuation coefficient (BAC) and concentration of dissolved nitrates and phosphates, relative to a minimally impacted reference site. At each site, all fouling macroalgae were collected from 10 buoys of standard shape and size, and were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level. Species composition and species dominance were highly variable among impacted sites, indicating that qualitative aspects of community structure may not be useful as indicators of changes in water quality. However, higher levels of nutrient enrichment and turbidity were associated with lower macroalgal species richness, lower overall abundances, and decreased diversities, and therefore these quantitative aspects of community structure are potentially useful as indicators of environmental change. Intermediate levels of turbidity and nutrient enrichment were associated with lower evenness, but did not influence species richness, suggesting that macroalgal abundances respond to changes in environmental conditions before species replacement occurs.

This study reports the composition and distribution of demersal megafauna from various north-western Mediterranean submarine areas such as canyons, seamounts and landslides between 60–800 m depth, based on remotely operated vehicle (ROV) observations. From a total of 30 h of video, 4534 faunistic observations were made and analysed in relationship to environmental factors (i.e. topography, substrate type and depth). In addition, anthropogenic impact was quantified by grouping observations in four categories: fishing nets, longlines, trawl marks and other litter. The different targeted environments showed similarities in faunal composition according to substrate, depth and topography. Our results also indicated the presence of anthropogenic impact in all the sampled areas in which litter and trawl marks were the most observed artefacts.

Aquatic insects are widely distributed, and are especially diverse and abundant in tropical streams, where they play an important role in the food chain due to their diversity of feeding strategies, and the potential for the transfer of energy between aquatic and terrestrial environments. The intimate relationship found between these insects and environmental variables means that they are often used as bioindicatorss in environmental studies. We tested the hypothesis that the loss of environmental integrity in tropical streams will lead to a loss of species and a decline in the abundance of mayflies (Leptophlebiidae), in addition to a change in species composition, and the dynamics of population. Collect immature leptophlebiids in 18 streams representing different degrees of conservation, in the Brazilian Cerrado. The environmental integrity of the sites was assessed using a Habitat Integrity Index (HII), which generates values of zero (degraded) to one (preserved), based on soil use, the extension and conservation of riparian forest, as well as morphological features of the stream. A total of 4945 immature leptophlebiids were collected and identified as belonging to 16 species or morphospecies. On an average, a reduction of 0.1 in the value of the HII led to the loss of five specimens and one species. The composition of the communities varied systematically along the environmental gradient, with more sensitive species being found only when the index was above a threshold of 0.6. The importance of the riparian vegetation for the aquatic biota, especially its role in the mitigation of impacts from the surrounding matrix, supports the universal conservation of this type of habitat.

Holothuria arguinensis is reported for the first time on the south-eastern Spanish coast. One specimen of this species was identified in El Mojón (Alicante, Spain, 37°50′54.17″N 0°45′39.90″W). This finding widens the geographical range of H. arguinensis and demonstrates that its environmental requirements are changing. Future genetic studies in this species would allow us to improve our understanding of its colonization from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.

The impact of bottom trawling on cold-water corals (CWC) has been thoroughly studied and shown to be long-lasting; however the effects of bottom longlining on CWC ecosystems have received little attention. The present paper identifies the principal CWC species landed by bottom longlining in Faial (Azores) from 150 to 600 m depth. Data were obtained from a survey of 297 landings during four months coupled with 16 interviews with fishermen. A distinction was made among corals brought on deck directly entangled in the fishing gear (primary by-catch) from corals brought up associated with other larger CWC species or rocks (secondary by-catch). Forty-five (15.2%) of 297 fishing trips surveyed landed coral specimens. The survey recorded 39 different CWC taxa in the by-catch, belonging to five different orders (Scleractinia, Alcyonacea, Antipatharia, Zoanthidea and Anthoathecata). Secondary by-catch included a larger number of species but the total number of corals was in the same order of magnitude for both groups. The taxa most frequently encountered were Leiopathes spp., Errina dabneyiand Dendrophyllia sp. CWC taxa in the by-catch were mostly medium size (10–60 cm), 3-dimensional and branched colonies. Local ecological knowledge of fishermen confirmed that the corals recorded were representative of their past experience and also revealed a general agreement that there has been a decrease of CWC by-catch on traditional fishing grounds. Corals are common by-catch in bottom longline fisheries around the Azores and so conservation measures may be required.