Support for the research and monitoring of marine algae: a study of Italian coastal users


Published: Mar 31, 2022
Keywords:
Conero Riviera Ecosystem services Scuba diving Beach recreation Environmental education Ocean Literacy Citizen science Macroalgae / Seaweeds.
SERENA LUCREZI
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5042-9444
Abstract

Marine algae offer numerous extrinsic and intrinsic ecosystem services. Human impacts and climate change, however, have contributed to disrupting or compromising their ecology and distribution. Continuing research and monitoring of marine algae are pivotal but require public support. This study investigated public knowledge of and attitude towards marine algae and support for their research and monitoring. The focus was coastal users, a diversified group of interest for research into the perceptions of marine algae. The study was carried out in the Conero Riviera (Adriatic Sea, Italy), a location where coastal users come into contact with several types of marine algae. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2020 with 202 randomly selected scuba divers, beach and promenade visitors in the Riviera. Data analysis was thematic and statistical. Participants possessed basic knowledge of marine algae, which was more sophisticated among scuba divers. Coastal users ascribed both extrinsic and intrinsic values to marine algae. Most participants recognised the importance of protecting and managing marine algae while supported research and monitoring, prioritising types of marine algae which provide specific extrinsic and intrinsic ecosystem services. Based on the results, strategies of outreach, communication and engagement are suggested for the study location and types of coastal users. This study contributed to the growing body of research on Ocean Literacy, confirming the importance of investigating perceptions of marine resources to steer research, management and outreach strategies.

 

Article Details
  • Section
  • Special Issue Ocean Literacy
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Accoroni, S., Colombo, F., Pichierri, S., Romagnoli, T., Marini, M. et al., 2012. Ecology of Ostreopsis cf. ovata blooms in the northwestern Adriatic Sea. Cryptogamie, Algologie, 33 (2), 191-198.
Al-Thawadi, S., 2018. Public perception of algal consumption as an alternative food in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Arab Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 25 (1), 1-12.
Alves, B., Benavente, J., Ferreira, Ó., 2014. Beach users’ profile, perceptions and willingness to pay for beach management in Cadiz (SW Spain). Journal of Coastal Research, SI70, 521-526.
Barbier, M., Charrier, B., Araujo, R., Holdt, S.L., Jacquemin, B. et al., 2019. PEGASUS - PHYCOMORPH European guidelines for a sustainable aquaculture of seaweeds. COST Action FA1406, Roscoff, France, 200 pp.
Boutilier, R.G., 2014. Frequently asked questions about the social licence to operate. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 32 (4), 263-272.
Bulleri, F., Airoldi, L., 2005. Artificial marine structures facilitate the spread of a non‐indigenous green alga, Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides, in the north Adriatic Sea. Journal of Applied Ecology, 42 (6), 1063-1072.
Cerrano, C., Milanese, M., Ponti, M., 2017. Diving for sciencescience for diving: volunteer scuba divers support science and conservation in the Mediterranean Sea. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 27 (2), 303-323.
Chapman, R.L., 2013. Algae: the world’s most important “plants”-an introduction. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 18 (1), 5-12.
Claudet, J., Bopp, L., Cheung, W.W., Devillers, R., Escobar-Briones, E. et al., 2020. A Roadmap for using the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development in support of science, policy, and action. One Earth, 2 (1), 34-42.
Contreras-Porcia, L., Meynard, A., López-Cristoffanini, C., Latorre, N., Kumar, M., 2017. Marine metal pollution and effects on seaweed species. p. 35-48. In: Systems biology of marine ecosystems. Kumar, M., Ralph, P. (Eds). Springer, Cham.
Cornish, M., Critchley, A., Hurtado, A., Largo, D., Paul, N. et al., 2020. Seaweed resources of the world: a 2020 vision. Part 3. Botanica Marina, 63 (1), 1-3.
Duffy, J.E., Benedetti-Cecchi, L., Trinanes, J., Muller-Karger, F.E., Ambo-Rappe, R. et al., 2019. Toward a coordinated global observing system for seagrasses and marine macroalgae. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, 317.
Enzing, C., Ploeg, M., Barbosa, M., Sijtsma, L., 2014. Microalgae- based products for the food and feed sector: an outlook for Europe. JRC Scientific and Policy Reports, JRC85709. European Commission, 2021. Funding & tender Opportunities Online Manual. https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/funding-tenders- opportunities/display/OM/Online+Manual (Accessed 24 August 2021).
Fauville, G., Strang, C., Cannady, M.A., Chen, Y.F., 2019. Development of the International Ocean Literacy Survey: measuring knowledge across the world. Environmental Education Research, 25 (2), 238-263.
Ferreira, J.C., Vasconcelos, L., Monteiro, R., Silva, F.Z., Duarte, C.M. et al., 2021. Ocean literacy to promote sustainable development goals and agenda 2030 in coastal communities. Education Sciences, 11 (2), 62.
Forleo, M.B., Romagnoli, L., 2021. Marine plastic litter: public perceptions and opinions in Italy. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 165, 112160.
Freiwald, J., Meyer, R., Caselle, J.E., Blanchette, C.A., Hovel, K. et al., 2018. Citizen science monitoring of marine protected areas: case studies and recommendations for integration into monitoring programs. Marine Ecology, 39, e12470. Gallardo, T., 2015. Marine algae: general aspects (biology, systematics, field and laboratory techniques). p. 1-67. In: Marine algae: biodiversity, taxonomy, environmental assessment, and biotechnology. Pereira, L., Neto, J.M. (Eds). CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Gerovasileiou, V., Dailianis, T., Panteri, E., Michalakis, N., Gatti, G. et al., 2016. CIGESMED for divers: establishing a citizen science initiative for the mapping and monitoring of coralligenous assemblages in the Mediterranean Sea. Biodiversity Data Journal, 4, e8692.
Grattan, L.M., Holobaugh, S., Morris Jr, J.G., 2016. Harmful algal blooms and public health. Harmful Algae, 57, 2-8.
Gregg, P., Wells, V., 2019. The development of seaweed-derived fuels in the UK: an analysis of stakeholder issues and public perceptions. Energy Policy, 133, 110924.
Griffith, A.W., Gobler, C.J., 2020. Harmful algal blooms: a climate change co-stressor in marine and freshwater ecosystems. Harmful Algae, 91, 101590.
Guyomarc’h, J.P., Le Foll, F., 2011. Milieux côtiers, ressources marines et société. Ceser Bretagne, 294 pp.
Ingrosso, G., Abbiati, M., Badalamenti, F., Bavestrello, G., Belmonte, G. et al., 2018. Mediterranean bioconstructions along the Italian coast. Advances in Marine Biology, 79, 61-136.
Jacquin, A.G., Brulé-Josso, S., Cornish, M.L., Critchley, A.T., Gardet, P., 2014. Selected comments on the role of algae in sustainability. Advances in Botanical Research, 71, 1-30.
Kelly, R., Evans, K., Alexander, K., Bettiol, S., Corney, S. et al., 2021. Connecting to the oceans: supporting ocean literacy and public engagement. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 32, 123-143.
Kelly, R., Pecl, G.T., Fleming, A., 2017. Social licence in the marine sector: a review of understanding and application. Marine Policy, 81, 21-28.
Kirkpatrick, B., Kohler, K., Byrne, M., Fleming, L.E., Scheller, K. et al., 2014. Human responses to Florida red tides: policy awareness and adherence to local fertilizer ordinances. Science of the Total Environment, 493, 898-909. Koutsopoulos, K.C., Stel, J.H. (Eds.), 2021. Ocean Literacy: understanding the ocean. Springer, Cham, 309 pp.
Kuhar, S.E., Nierenberg, K., Kirkpatrick, B., Tobin, G.A., 2009. Public perceptions of Florida red tide risks. Risk Analysis: an International Journal, 29 (7), 963-969.
Lähteenmäki-Uutela, A., Rahikainen, M., Camarena-Gómez, M.T., Piiparinen, J., Spilling, K. et al., 2021. European Union legislation on macroalgae products. Aquaculture International, 29 (2), 487-509.
Lapointe, B.E., Bedford, B.J., 2007. Drift rhodophyte blooms emerge in Lee County, Florida, USA: evidence of escalating coastal eutrophication. Harmful Algae, 6 (3), 421-437.
Largo, D., Critchley, A., Hurtado, A., Paul, N., Pereira, L. et al., 2020. Seaweed resources of the world: a 2020 vision. Part 4. Botanica Marina, 63 (4), 299-301.
Le Chêne, M., 2012. Algues vertes, terrain glissant. Ethnologie Française, 42 (4), 657-665. Lucrezi, S., 2021. Characterising potential participants in kelp monitoring in the recreational diving community: a comparative study of South Africa and New Zealand. Global Ecology and Conservation, e01649.
Lucrezi, S., Milanese, M., Sarà, A., Palma, M., Saayman, M. et al., 2018. Profiling scuba divers to assess their potential for the management of temperate marine protected areas: a conceptual model. Tourism in Marine Environments, 13 (2-3), 85-108.
Mac Monagail, M., Cornish, L., Morrison, L., Araújo, R., Critchley, A.T., 2017. Sustainable harvesting of wild seaweed resources. European Journal of Phycology, 52 (4), 371-390.
Mancuso, F.P., Strain, E.M.A., Piccioni, E., De Clerck, O., Sarà, G. et al., 2018. Status of vulnerable Cystoseira populations along the Italian infralittoral fringe, and relationships with environmental and anthropogenic variables. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 129 (2), 762-771.
Mannino, A.M., Borfecchia, F., Micheli, C., 2021. Tracking marine alien macroalgae in the Mediterranean Sea: the contribution of citizen science and remote sensing. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 9 (3), 288.
Merkel, A., Säwe, F., Fredriksson, C., 2021. The seaweed experience: exploring the potential and value of a marine resource. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism.
Mokos, M., Cheimonopoulou, M.T., Koulouri, P., Previati, M., Realdon, G. et al., 2020. Mediterranean Sea Literacy: when ocean literacy becomes region-specific. Mediterranean Marine Science, 21 (3), 592-598.
Mouritsen, O.G., 2013. Seaweeds: edible, available, and sustainable. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL, 304 pp.
Najdek, M., Korlević, M., Paliaga, P., Markovski, M., Ivančić, I. et al., 2020. Effects of the invasion of Caulerpa cylindracea in a Cymodocea nodosa meadow in the Northern Adriatic Sea. Frontiers in Marine Science, 7, 1120.
Napolitano, A., 2018. Alga tossica a Sirolo, divieto di balneazione in spiaggia Urbani. https://www.centropagina.it/attual ita/alga-tossica-sirolo-divieto-balneazione-spiaggia-urbani/ (Accessed 13 August 2021).
Orlando-Bonaca, M., Lipej, L., Bonanno, G., 2019. Non-indigenous macrophytes in Adriatic ports and transitional waters: trends, taxonomy, introduction vectors, pathways and management. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 145, 656-672.
Palmieri, N., Forleo, M.B., 2020. The potential of edible seaweed within the western diet. A segmentation of Italian consumers. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 20, 100202.
Pinna, S., Piazzi, L., Ceccherelli, G., Castelli, A., Costa, G. et al., 2020. Macroalgal forest vs sea urchin barren: patterns of macro-zoobenthic diversity in a large-scale Mediterranean study. Marine Environmental Research, 159, 104955.
Portman, M.E., Camporesi, A.Z., 2020. Attitudes and behaviours of marine recreationists towards conservation and environmental protection: a case study of Tel Aviv, Israel. Marine Policy, 122, 104133.
Redazione Centro Pagina, 2021. Il Parco del Conero vince il progetto della Regione Marche sui Centri di Educazione Ambientale. https://www.centropagina.it/attualita/parco- conero-progetto-regione-centri-educazione-ambientale/ (Accessed 22 August 2021).
Redfern, J., Burdass, D., Verran, J., 2013. Transforming a school learning exercise into a public engagement event: ‘The Good, the Bad and The Algae’. Journal of Biological Education, 47 (4), 246-252.
Rindi, F., Braga, J.C., Martin, S., Peña, V., Le Gall, L. et al., 2019. Coralline algae in a changing Mediterranean Sea: how can we predict their future, if we do not know their present?. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, 723.
Rindi, F., Gavio, B., Díaz-Tapia, P., Di Camillo, C.G., Romagnoli, T., 2020. Long-term changes in the benthic macroalgal flora of a coastal area affected by urban impacts (Conero Riviera, Mediterranean Sea). Biodiversity and Conservation, 29 (7), 2275-2295.
Sandelowski, M., 2010. What’s in a name? Qualitative description revisited. Research in Nursing and Health, 33 (1), 77-84.
Schiro, J.A.S., Meyer-Arendt, K.J., Schneider, S.K., 2017. Sargassum on Santa Rosa Island, Florida: faunal use and beachgoer perception. Journal of Coastal Conservation, 21, 63-83.
Sinopoli, M., Allegra, A., Andaloro, F., Consoli, P., Esposito, V. et al., 2020. Assessing the effect of the alien seaweed Caulerpa cylindracea on infralittoral rocky benthic invertebrate community: evidence from a Mediterranean Marine Protected Area. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 38, 101372.
Skukan, R., Borrell, Y.J., Ordás, J.M.R., Miralles, L., 2020. Find invasive seaweed: an outdoor game to engage children in science activities that detect marine biological invasion. The Journal of Environmental Education, 51 (5), 335-346.
Stoll-Kleemann, S., 2019. Feasible options for behavior change toward more effective ocean literacy: a systematic review. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, 273.
Tarabelli, M., 2017. Alga tossica, vietata la balneazione al Passetto. https://www.centropagina.it/ancona/alga-tossica- vietata-la-balneazione-al-passetto/ (Accessed 13 August 2021).
Thiel, M., Penna-Díaz, M.A., Luna-Jorquera, G., Salas, S., Sellanes, J. et al., 2014. Citizen scientists and marine research: volunteer participants, their contributions, and projection for the future. Oceanography and Marine Biology: an Annual Review, 52, 257-314.
Turicchia, E., Ponti, M., Rossi, G., Milanese, M., Di Camillo, C.G. et al., 2021. The Reef Check Mediterranean Underwater Coastal Environment Monitoring protocol. Frontiers in Marine Science, 1086.
Varela Villarreal, J., Burgués, C., Rösch, C., 2020. Acceptability of genetically engineered algae biofuels in Europe: opinions of experts and stakeholders. Biotechnology for Biofuels, 13, 1-21.
Wiener, C.S., Manset, G., Lemus, J.D., 2016. Ocean use in Hawaii as a predictor of marine conservation interests, beliefs, and willingness to participate: an exploratory study. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 6 (4), 712-723.
Williams, A., Feagin, R., Stafford, A.W., 2008. Environmental impacts of beach raking of Sargassum spp. on Galveston Island, TX. Shore & Beach, 76, 63-69.
Yin, R., 2011. Qualitative research from start to finish. The Guilford Press, New York, NY, 386 pp.