Invasive or not? The case of Grateloupia turuturu (Rhodophyta, Halymeniales) in the Northern Ionian Sea (Mediterranean Sea).

It has been predicted that Grateloupia turuturu, native of the cold-temperate waters of Japan, is one of the most invasive marine species considered as a threat to global marine biodiversity. However, few studies have been carried out to assess the extent of its spread worldwide. Its seasonal dynamics in the Mar Piccolo of Taranto, a transitional water system in the Northern Ionian Sea, were observed for ten years.

Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture By-Products with Added Value: The Polychaete and the Seaweed as Potential Dietary Ingredients.

Aquaculture expansion is limited by the negative environmental impact of the waste and the need for alternative sources in the diet of reared fish. In this framework, for the first time, the survival rates, biomass gain, and fatty acid profiles of the polychaete and the macroalga , reared/cultivated as bioremediators in an integrated multitrophic aquaculture system (IMTA), were evaluated for their potential reuse applications. Results showed that these organisms represent a natural source of omega-3 and omega-6.

Screening of Lipidic Extract as A New Potential Source of Bioactive Compounds.

Recent studies have shown that marine algae represent a great source of natural compounds with several properties. The lipidic extract of the seaweed (Chlorophyta, Cladophorales), one of the dominant species in the Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Mediterranean, Ionian Sea), revealed an antibacterial activity against and , common pathogens in aquaculture, suggesting its potential employment to control fish and shellfish diseases due to vibriosis and to reduce the public health hazards related to antibiotic use in aquaculture. This extract showed also an antioxidant activity, corresponding to 170.

Port Baseline Biological Surveys and seaweed bioinvasions in port areas: What's the matter in the Adriatic Sea?

One of the objectives of the BALMAS project was to conduct Port Baseline Biological Surveys of native and non-indigenous benthic flora in 12 Adriatic ports. Samples of macroalgae growing on vertical artificial substrates were collected in spring and autumn 2014 and/or 2015. A total number of 248 taxa, 152 Rhodophyta, 62 Chlorophyta, and 34 Ochrophyta, were identified.