Metal levels in sediments and caged mussels in one of the industrial zones of the Eastern Aegean Sea.

Caged mussels make biomonitoring studies possible with their ability to take up pollutants in the industrial zones. The goal of this study was applied to assess metal levels in the biomonitoring organism Mytillus galloprovincialis Lamark, 1819 for transplantation from three locations for two periods (2016-2018) in the industrial zone of the Eastern Aegean Sea. Metals were also determined in sediments; high concentrations of Hg, As and Zn in surficial sediments of Nemrut Bay can cause hazardous impacts on the aquatic environment with respect to sediment quality guidelines.

Monitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in transplanted mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and sediments in the coastal region of Nemrut Bay (Eastern Aegean Sea).

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in the coastal region of Nemrut Bay, Eastern Aegean. Sediment and caged mussels were evaluated for sixteen PAHs. High contamination was observed in the sediment sampling sites next to the petrochemical refinery.

The structure of Mediterranean rocky reef ecosystems across environmental and human gradients, and conservation implications.

Historical exploitation of the Mediterranean Sea and the absence of rigorous baselines makes it difficult to evaluate the current health of the marine ecosystems and the efficacy of conservation actions at the ecosystem level. Here we establish the first current baseline and gradient of ecosystem structure of nearshore rocky reefs at the Mediterranean scale. We conducted underwater surveys in 14 marine protected areas and 18 open access sites across the Mediterranean, and across a 31-fold range of fish biomass (from 3.