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Coralligenous reefs are typical underwater seascapes of the Mediterranean Sea and are ranked among the most relevant ecosystems of the basin and a pole of biodiversity. For their critical importance for ecosystems conservation, coralligenous reefs are included among the indicators that should be assessed under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). However, information regarding their spatial distribution and the influence of environmental factors on their structure and biological characteristics is still poor. As part of monitoring regional programs for the implementation of the MSFD in Italy, an extensive study was performed along the Latium continental shelf, aimed to define and map the distribution of coralligenous reefs and to assess their environmental status in three different study areas, characterized by different environmental conditions and subjected to different potential levels of human pressure. For each area, a large dataset was collected, including multibeam bathymetry, side scan sonar records and ROV video transects. The integrated analysis of geophysical data and ROV videos allowed to identify the morpho-acoustic facies indicative of coralligenous outcrops and to map their distribution across the study areas. In parallel, a quantitative analysis of video transects was carried out, in order to characterize the megabenthic communities in terms of species composition, abundance, health status of structural species, and to evaluate the abundance of marine litter. The environmental status of the coralligenous communities was then assessed through the application of the Mesophotic Assemblages Conservation Status (MACS) index. The results obtained showed a large variability in the distribution and characteristics of coralligenous reefs and associated assemblages along the Latium continental shelf, likely reflecting the different environmental conditions and human pressure in the different areas. Coralligenous reefs were reported from all the investigated areas, hosting a rich and varied associated fauna with dense gorgonian forests, also featuring species of relevance for conservation such as Corallium rubrum. The application of MACS index allowed to distinguish among a wide range of ecological conditions of the coralligenous communities, spanning from high to poor environmental status across different sites. The assessment of the extent and diversity of coralligenous assemblages through the combination of geomorphological analysis, acoustic mapping and quantitative video analysis represents an efficient tool, which may help governments and stakeholders making informed management decisions for future coastal planning and conservation strategies.

Living (Rose-Bengal stained) benthic foraminifera were investigated in eleven stations sampled along transects following a depth gradient from Polcevera and Bisagno canyons and the adjacent open slope (Ligurian Sea), in a depth interval ranging from 200 to 2000 m. In order to understand which environmental factors influence the abundance and taxonomical composition of the foraminiferal assemblages in these two domains (canyon and open slope), qualitative and quantitative foraminiferal data were correlated to the sediment biochemical composition (in terms of phytopigments, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and biopolymeric carbon), grain size and the main hydrological characteristics (salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen). The Cluster Analysis and Canonical Correspondence Analysis allowed us to detect two sectors (coastal and offshore) characterized by contrasting trophic conditions. The coastal sector reflects spread meso-eutrophic conditions in both physiographic domains being possibly more impacted by the river inputs and sediment transport processes from land. In fact, the narrow continental shelf of the Ligurian Sea favors the deposition of sediment transported by riverine processes on the immediately adjacent coastal areas. As a result homogenization of sea-bottom conditions occurs, leading to an unclear differentiation between open slope and canyon foraminiferal assemblages. Conversely, the offshore sector is less affected by physical disturbance due to the sedimentary flows decreasing in relation to the larger distance from the coastline. Consequently, the lower organic matter content and lower food quality (expressed in terms of contribution of the primary material to the biopolymeric carbon pool) lead to a more oligotrophic condition, which favors the development of peculiar assemblages dominated by Glomospira charoides, Ammolagena clavata and epifaunal taxa. The first finding ever of a warm tropical species (Amphistegina lessonii) in the Ligurian Sea sediments at 500-m depth can be considered the first evidence of upward expansion of tropical species to the Northern portion of the Mediterranean Sea, which is experiencing an evident water warming linked to the ongoing global climate change.

13 pages, 10 figures, 3 tables, Megabenthic assemblages in deep-sea sedimentary environments receive far less attention than those occurring on rocky environments, despite they have been widely impacted by destructive trawling activities, mainly due to their association with important commercial species. ROV dives conducted on bathyal muds of the Alboran Sea continental slope (western Mediterranean) were used to characterize megabenthic assemblages, as well as assess their response to trawling and benthic litter. We identified a multispecific assemblage, dominated by the isidid Isidella elongata, and two monospecific assemblages composed by the sea-pens Funiculina quadrangularis and Kophobelemnon stelliferum. These assemblages are defined as vulnerable marine ecosystems by international institutions. Trawled areas exhibit significant low densities of habitat-forming species and a striking impoverishment of habitat complexity and diversity. Plastic debris and lost fishing gears were the most abundant components of the marine litter. This study highlights the destructive effects of human activities on bathyal muds, emphasizing the need for urgent conservation measures, The data for this study were collected during the Spanish national project SHAKE (CGL2011-3005-C02-02) funded by the Spanish Ministery of Economy, With the funding support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S), of the Spanish Research Agency (AEI)

The tectonically-controlled margins off Southern Italy are carved by several shelf-indenting submarine canyons that are periodically flushed by sedimentary gravity flows. In this study, the distribution of benthic and demersal megafauna within the thalweg of some of these canyons (i.e. the Gioia-Petrace and Caulonia Marina canyons in the Tyrrhenian and the Ionian Calabrian margins, respectively, and the Sant’Agata, San Gregorio, Tremestieri and Messina canyons in the Messina Strait) was studied using Remotely Operated Vehicle video transects. The relationships between fauna distribution and environmental conditions (i.e. seafloor type, depth, slope, aspect and canyon system) extracted from video footage and bathymetric data were assessed to identify the main physical drivers influencing the megafaunal assemblages within active submarine canyons. These latter have their heads in shallow water, so representing highly dynamic environments affected by present-day sediment transport. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis allowed to distinguish seven different assemblages occurring in the study areas. PERMANOVA analysis showed significant differences among species groups associated to different seafloor types, depth ranges and canyon systems. Distance-based linear modeling (DistLM) identified the canyon system as the main factor explaining the variability of the megafaunal assemblages across the study areas. In the Gioia and Petrace canyons, both characterized by homogenous fine-grained sediment, the assemblages were mainly dominated by Polychaeta Sabellidae and Ceriantharia. The almost total absence of sessile fauna at the canyons’ head was interpreted as an effect of a strong physical disturbance due to the impact of sedimentary flows. In the canyons of the Messina Strait, the presence of more varied seafloor encompassing fine and coarse sediment along with an higher spatial heterogeneity of physical disturbance, determined more diversified faunal assemblages, featuring species associated with hard and soft substrates. More in detail, in the Sant’Agata, San Gregorio and Messina canyons the colonization of cobbles and boulders by slow-growing species vulnerable to physical disturbance such as the gorgonians Acanthogorgia hirsuta and Swiftia dubia was recorded. For the Tremestieri canyons a stronger impact by sedimentary flows was reflected both by a very high abundance of land-based litter and the lowest values of species richness. Interactions between megafauna and marine litter, whose widespread occurrence was recorded on the floor of all these canyons, have been also presented and discussed. Although in several cases litter caused entanglement of benthic species, the anthropogenic debris was also used as growing substrate or shelter by some invertebrates and fishes, suggesting complex fauna-litter interactions that should be better explored. Overall, the large variability in morphology and seafloor characteristics across the studied canyons is reflected on the variability of megafauna assemblages, suggesting a strong influence of the physical conditions specific of each canyon in controlling fauna distribution.

Litter is a significant environmental issue, threatening all ocean environments including the deep sea, where little is known about the extent of the threat. This study collected underwater videos on shelf-indenting canyons (the Gioia and Petrace Canyon) and adjacent sectors to characterize benthic litter and its distribution patterns. A high density of litter was present in the canyon thalwegs (up to 56.3 items/100 m), where ∼95 % of observed debris was concentrated. Litter primarily comprised of plastic (∼90 %). The presence of household objects intermingled with vegetal material indicates a strong influence of land-based sources for litter in these areas. Sedimentary gravity flow processes transported natural and anthropogenic debris downslope and may determine its burial beneath the seafloor. Another litter transport mechanism is the presence of light items, observed while drifting above the seafloor under the action of down-canyon bottom currents. This phenomenon was frequently documented within Gioia Canyon, where up to 74 drifting items were counted in one hour of video. Conversely, a lower litter concentration was found along the continental margin, where items were mostly fishing-related. Findings from this study confirm that canyons act as conduits for land-sourced debris and litter transport from coastal to deep-sea environments. The funnelling of a large amount of plastic to the deep sea through multiple processes indicates that the magnitude of this pollution may be greater than expected. This pollution could concentrate in canyons along continental margins and possibly at the mouths of canyons at the base of the slope. This issue requires urgent attention, as understanding of deep-sea litter distribution is still limited and potential impacts to benthic ecosystems are poorly understood.

18 pages, 10 figures, 2 tables, Scleractinian cold-water coral (CWC)reefs are key habitats for benthic fauna as they enhance spatial heterogeneity and biodiversity. Understanding their environmental and ecological dynamics has therefore important implications for biodiversity conservation. This is especially true for the Mediterranean Sea, where living cold-water coral reefs are rare. In this study, we present a quantitative analysis of the CWC assemblages from Cabliers Coral Mound Province, located in the Alboran Sea (westernmost Mediterranean). The province extends for 25 km, with some mounds rising up to 140 m from the surrounding seafloor and being partly topped by living CWC reefs. The observed megabenthic species were quantified through video analysis of three Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)dives (280–485 m water depth)and their distribution was related to mound geomorphic characteristics and seafloor terrain parameters, extracted from a high-resolution Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)multi-beam bathymetry. The pronounced abundance and size of scleractinian CWCs among the observed assemblages, makes Cabliers the only known coral mound province in the Mediterranean Sea with currently growing reefs. Within these reefs, several recruits and juveniles of the sebastid Helicolenus dactylopterus were observed, confirming the use of such habitats as nursery grounds by some commercially valuable fish species. The qualitative comparison between the fauna of Cabliers and Atlantic coral mounds suggest that the number of species associated with CWC mounds worldwide is even higher than previously thought. This finding has important implications for the conservation and management of CWC habitats in different geographic regions, Guillem Corbera is funded by the Graduate School of the National Oceanography Centre Southampton (GSNOCS), with the collaboration of the NGO OCEANA. The data for this study was collected during the Spanish national project SHAKE (CGL2011-30005-C02-02, PI: Eulàlia Gràcia

Hudson Canyon is the largest shelf-sourced canyon system off the east coast of the United States, and hosts a productive ecosystem that supports key fisheries. Here we report the results of a multi-year interdisciplinary study of the geological, geochemical, and physical oceanographic features and processes in the canyon that underpin that ecosystem. High-resolution multi-beam bathymetric and backscatter data show that the contrasting morphology of the two perpendicularly oriented branches at the head of the Hudson Canyon is indicative of different states of geomorphological activity and sediment transport. Tightly spaced ridges and gullies extend perpendicularly towards the canyon axis from the canyon walls. Numerous depressions are found at the base of the canyon walls or along the canyon axis at depths from 300 m to 600 m. Elevated concentrations of dissolved methane in the water column, where the highest density of depressions occur, suggests that methane is actively venting there. The topography and reflective floors of circular depressions in canyon walls and their association with methane maxima suggest that these represent active methane gas release-collapse pockmarks with carbonate floors. Patterns of irregular, low-relief, reflective depressions on the canyon floor may also represent methane release points, either as gas release or cold-seep features. The presence of methane maxima in a region of strong advective currents suggests continuous and substantial methane supply. Hydrographic observations in the canyon show that multiple layers of distinct inter-leaved shelf (cold, fresh) and slope (warm, salty) water masses occupy the head of the canyon during the summer. Their interactions with the canyon and with each other produce shifting fronts, internal waves, and strong currents that are influenced by canyon topography. Strong tidal currents with along-canyon-axis flow shear help to drive the advection, dispersion and mixing of dissolved materials in the water column that likely help support the rich canyon ecosystem.

15 pages, 10 figures, 2 tables, 1 appendix, The distribution of megabenthic communities at the head of Hudson Canyon and adjacent continental shelf was studied by means of underwater video transects and still photo imagery collected using a towed camera system. The goal was to explore the relationships between faunal distribution and physical seafloor conditions and to test the hypothesis that increased seafloor heterogeneity in the Hudson Canyon supports a larger diversity of benthic communities, compared with the adjacent continental shelf. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to identify benthic assemblages as defined in imagery. The BIO-ENV procedure and the Canonical Correspondence Analysis were carried out to elucidate species groupings in relation to terrain variables extracted from bathymetric data. Species accumulation curves were generated to evaluate species turn over in and out of Hudson Canyon. The results indicate that seafloor morphology is the main physical factor related to benthic community composition and distribution. Assemblages dominated by sponges, zoanthids and cup corals colonized the canyon margins and flanks, and were associated with coarse-grained sediments, while sea pen assemblages were observed along muddy seafloor within the thalweg. An assemblage dominated by sea stars occurred on the shelf, associated with a sandy seafloor. Some assemblages were exclusively observed in the canyon area, suggesting that the increased variability of seafloor composition, together with the oceanographic processes specific to the canyon area, enhance beta diversity. The colonization by benthic suspension feeders within the canyon, in contrast to shelf assemblages, mainly composed of carnivores and detritus feeders could be favored the intense hydrodynamics at the canyon head that increase the availability of suspended organic matter. From the perspective of management and conservation of marine resources, the results obtained support the relevance of Hudson Canyon as a biodiversity hotspot. Such results are of particular significance in light of the recent action promoted by the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council, that restricts bottom trawling in most of the submarine canyons of the US Atlantic margin, including the Hudson Canyon, to protect cold-water corals from damage by fishing gear

17 pages, 13 figures, 4 tables supplementary data https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2016.01.005, In this paper, we used multibeam bathymetry and backscatter, high-resolution seismic profiles, ROV video images and sediment samples to identify the principal morpho-sedimentary features and related megabenthic communities along the upper reach of the Gioia Canyon (depth < 600 m) and the surrounding shelf and slope areas. Interpretation of the multidisciplinary dataset was undertaken to evaluate the relationships between seafloor characteristics and faunal distribution along a submarine canyon in an active tectonic setting. The results from this study indicate that physical disturbance on the seafloor at the canyon head and surrounding shelf, related to high sedimentation rates and occasional turbidite flows, may limit the variability of megabenthic communities. Evidence of diffuse trawl marks over soft sedimentary bottoms indicates anthropogenic impact due to fishing activities, which could explain low abundances of megabenthic species observed locally. The canyon margins and flanks along the continental slope host octocorals Funiculina quadrangularis and Isidella elongata, species that are indicative of vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) and relevant in terms of sustainable management priorities. At the Palmi Ridge, the occurrence of outcropping rocks and bottom currents related to the presence of Levantine Intermediate Waters, provide conditions for the development of hard-bottom assemblages, including the black coral Antipathella subpinnata and deep-sea sponges fields, This research was performed in the framework of the Flagship Project RITMARE (SP4-WP2-A1)