ecology of the zenobia shipwreck and marine research
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Ecology of the Zenobia shipwreck and Marine Research
Antonis Petrou
Marine Biologist
SO WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?
© Larnaka Napa Sea Cruises
SHIPWRECK “ZENOBIA”
© Enalia Physis © Enalia Physis
© Enalia Physis
© Enalia Physis
© Rassan Doubbane
© Rassan Doubbane
Chromis Nursery
© Enalia Physis
Juvenile Scorpion Fish - Nursery
© Enalia Physis
© Enalia Physis
THE BIODIVERSITY IS INSANE
© Enalia Physis
CORALS
© Enalia Physis
© Enalia Physis
© Enalia Physis
SPONGES
© Enalia Physis
© Enalia Physis © Rassan Doubbane
© Rassan Doubbane
© Enalia Physis
© Rassan Doubbane
© Rassan Doubbane
Negotiating space: Composition of the marine encrusting communities of the Zenobia
Shipwreck (Larnaka, Cyprus]
Energy, Environment and Water Research Center (EEWRC)
Jimenez Carlos 1, 2, Petrou Antonis 2, Evriviadou Marina 1, 2, Hadjioanou Louis 2,
Munkes Britta 3 and Lange Manfred A.1
[1] Energy, Environment, Water Research Centre of The Cyprus Institute, [2] Enalia Physis
Environmental Research Centre , Cyprus, [3] FB3 Marine Ecology, GeoMar, Germany
Very high diversity
Competition
Predation
Extreme grazers
Extreme idiots
Coral Point
Cover-Excel
extensions
[CPCe]
www.nova.edu/ocean/cpce
METHODS
• Cover [area%]
• Photo quadrates
• High diversity • Uncommon species [Levant] • Extreme conditions/substrate
CO2 ponds
Spill over and cascades
Thermistors
Comparative Evaluation of the encrusting communities at contrasting study sites
Zenobia Wreck (Cyprus) vs Alice B Wreck (Lebanon)
ALICE-B 49m length
© A.S. Haddad
30-38m depth
Militias 1985
• Few differences in cover [%]
• Different species composition & diversity
• Heterotrophy (prey on large zooplankton)
• Resilient species – “Cockroaches”
• Recruitment and settlement differ
• Different environmental histories
• Management under extreme conditions
ALICE-B vs. ZENOBIA
© Enalia Physis
IMPACT OF RECREATIONAL DIVING ON THE
“ZENOBIA” SHIPWRECK
IMPACT OF RECREATIONAL DIVING ON BENTHIC COMMUNITIES
DIVING IS RAPIDLY-GROWING COMPONENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL TOURISM INDUSTRY, ESPECIALLY IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA.
DIVERS CAN EASILY DAMAGE MARINE ORGANISMS THROUGH PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THEIR HANDS, BODY, EQUIPMENT, AND
FINS.
"SS President Coolidge", Vanuatu
"Thistlegorm", Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
"USS Oriskany", Pensacola, Florida
"Fujikawa Maru", Truk, Micronesia
"Blackjack B17", Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea
"SS Yongala", off coast of Ayr, Australia
"MV Captain Keith Tibbetts", Cayman Islands
"Zenobia", Larnaca Bay, Cyprus
"Umbria", Wingate Reef, Sudan
"SMS Markgraf", Scapa Flow, Scotland.
2003, The Times: “Top 10 wreck dives in the world”
GETTING TOO FRIENDLY
© Rassan Doubbane
© Enalia Physis
FISH FEEDING © Rassan Doubbane
SURVIVABILITY IS INFLUENCED BY FEEDING
© Enalia Physis
COMPETITION FOR PREY IS INFLUENCED BY FEEDING ACTIVITIES SO BALANCE IS AFFECTED
© Alfonso Siciliano
Siciliano Alfonso, Petrou Antonis
PHOTOQUADRATS TECHNIQUE AND USING OF CPCe SOFTWARE
TO ESTIMATE THE IMPACT OF RECREATIONAL DIVING ON THE MACROALGAE
COVERAGE OF THE SHIPWRECK "ZENOBIA"
(CYPRUS - MEDITERRANEAN SEA)
UNIVERSITY OF MESSINA
© Alfonso Siciliano
THE METHOD
© Alfonso Siciliano
We have chosen three areas to be sampled using transects, two "impact" zones (zone A and B), selected according to the classic routes that divers (recreational or otherwise) running on the shipwreck and, therefore, the possible impact that we decided to quantify, and a "control" zone (zone R).
SAMPLING AREAS
Transect R Transect A Transect B
© Alfonso Siciliano
RANDOM TRANSECT DESIGN
© Alfonso Siciliano
© Alfonso Siciliano
Padina pavonica
R TRANSECT B TRANSECT A TRANSECT
52% 3.7% 4%
3% 1.25% 0.11%
0% 1% 0.08%
Sargassum sp.
Peyssonnelia sp.
SPECIFIC COVERAGE
© Alfonso Siciliano
CONCLUSION
Our results suggest that the diving is having a significant impact on the macroalgae coverage of the shipwreck, especially in areas subject to high levels of use where divers come into contact with the hull.
© Alfonso Siciliano
Mucilage
Possible reasons: Change in temp, oceanographic changes, eutrophication events
© Enalia Physis
Suggestions
Future research
• Mucilage causes
• Effect of air bubbles on the
wreck’s ecology
• Effect of oil
• Further studies on the
coralligenous communities and
ichthyofauna
© Enalia Physis
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
© Enalia Physis
• Larnaka Napa Sea Cruises • AP Marine Environmental Consultancy Ltd • CORER German Program for the Lebanese Sea • University of Messina – Alfonso Siciliano • Octopus Divers Junieh – Lebanon • Rassan Doubbane
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION!
www.enaliaphysis.org.cy a.petrou@ enaliaphysis.org.cy
info@enaliaphysis.org.cy
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