https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/416 2026-05-07T14:39:21Z 2026-05-07T14:39:21Z Millot, Jade Lauria, Valentina Georges, Vincent Smith, Christopher J. Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos Evangelopoulos, Athanasios Gerovasileiou, Vasilis Chimienti, Giovanni Fanelli, Emanuela Evans, Julian Casini, Michele Fabri, Marie-Claire Carbonara, Pierluigi Rinelli, Paola Massi, Daniela Profeta, Adriana Jadaud, Angélique Manfredi, Chiara Stamouli, Catarina Mytilineou, Chryssi Farriols, Maria Teresa Musumeci, Claudia Sbrana, Mario Petović, Slavica Pisani, Luca Agius, Daryl Kamidis, Nikolaos Thasitis, Ioannis Kolitari, Jerina Vaz, Sandrine https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/146234 2026-05-07T13:31:59Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Climate-driven habitat shifts of the vulnerable sea pen Funiculina quadrangularis in the Mediterranean Sea Authors: Millot, Jade; Lauria, Valentina; Georges, Vincent; Smith, Christopher J.; Dominguez-Carrió, Carlos; Evangelopoulos, Athanasios; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; Chimienti, Giovanni; Fanelli, Emanuela; Evans, Julian; Casini, Michele; Fabri, Marie-Claire; Carbonara, Pierluigi; Rinelli, Paola; Massi, Daniela; Profeta, Adriana; Jadaud, Angélique; Manfredi, Chiara; Stamouli, Catarina; Mytilineou, Chryssi; Farriols, Maria Teresa; Musumeci, Claudia; Sbrana, Mario; Petović, Slavica; Pisani, Luca; Agius, Daryl; Kamidis, Nikolaos; Thasitis, Ioannis; Kolitari, Jerina; Vaz, Sandrine Abstract: The tall sea pen Funiculina quadrangularis (Pallas, 1766), a widespread octocoral species found in Mediterranean soft-bottom habitats, is recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as a vulnerable marine ecosystem indicator due to its sensitivity to bottom trawling. Adapted to stable environments, its distribution could be affected by the combined impacts of climate change, particularly warming bottom waters, and trawling activities. Records from the Mediterranean International Trawl Survey program and other sources were used in an ensemble species distribution modelling approach to predict current habitat suitability and project potential habitat shifts under the intermediate IPCC climate scenario SSP2–4.5 for 2050 and 2100. Results indicated a widespread distribution across the Mediterranean continental shelf and slope, with the species typically found between 100 and 750 m depth (occasionally as shallow as 20 m) and tolerating temperatures between 12°C and 16°C. By 2050, over 80% of the current habitat was projected to remain suitable. However, only 50% were expected to serve as climate refugia by 2100, likely due to warming bottom waters and increased salinity. Some habitat gains were projected (e.g., Ligurian Sea, Corsican waters, deep Eastern Mediterranean), but uncertainties persist regarding the species’ ability to colonize these new areas. Despite its presence in trawled areas, suggesting a relatively lower fishing pressure sensitivity than other VME taxa, significant habitat shifts were projected under future climate conditions. Therefore, it is essential to prioritize conservation efforts in areas projected to remain suitable over time. The climate refugia identified through this study offer critical guidance for future climate-smart VME management plans, helping to ensure the long-term survival of F. quadrangularis in the Mediterranean Sea.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z Froidevaux, Jérémy S. P. Toshkova, Nia Barbaro, Luc Benítez-López, Ana Kerbiriou, Christian Le Viol, Isabelle Pacifici, Michela Santini, Luca Stawski, Clare Russo, Danilo Dekker, Jasja Alberdi, Antton Amorim, Francisco Ancillotto, Leonardo Barré, Kévin Bas, Yves Cantú-Salazar, Lisette Dechmann, Dina K. N. Devaux, Tiphaine Eldegard, Katrine Fereidouni, Sasan Furmankiewicz, Joanna Hamidovic, Daniela Hill, Davina L. Ibáñez, Carlos Julien, Jean-François Juste, Javier Kaňuch, Peter Korine, Carmi Laforge, Alexis Legras, Gaëlle Leroux, Camille Lesiński, Grzegorz Mariton, Léa Marmet, Julie Mata, Vanessa A. Mifsud, Clare M. Nistreanu, Victoria Novella-Fernandez, Roberto Rebelo, Hugo Roche, Niamh Roemer, Charlotte Ruczyński, Ireneusz Sørås, Rune Uhrin, Marcel Vella, Adriana Voigt, Christian C. Razgour, Orly https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145956 2026-04-27T14:12:07Z 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: A species-level trait dataset of bats in Europe and beyond Authors: Froidevaux, Jérémy S. P.; Toshkova, Nia; Barbaro, Luc; Benítez-López, Ana; Kerbiriou, Christian; Le Viol, Isabelle; Pacifici, Michela; Santini, Luca; Stawski, Clare; Russo, Danilo; Dekker, Jasja; Alberdi, Antton; Amorim, Francisco; Ancillotto, Leonardo; Barré, Kévin; Bas, Yves; Cantú-Salazar, Lisette; Dechmann, Dina K. N.; Devaux, Tiphaine; Eldegard, Katrine; Fereidouni, Sasan; Furmankiewicz, Joanna; Hamidovic, Daniela; Hill, Davina L.; Ibáñez, Carlos; Julien, Jean-François; Juste, Javier; Kaňuch, Peter; Korine, Carmi; Laforge, Alexis; Legras, Gaëlle; Leroux, Camille; Lesiński, Grzegorz; Mariton, Léa; Marmet, Julie; Mata, Vanessa A.; Mifsud, Clare M.; Nistreanu, Victoria; Novella-Fernandez, Roberto; Rebelo, Hugo; Roche, Niamh; Roemer, Charlotte; Ruczyński, Ireneusz; Sørås, Rune; Uhrin, Marcel; Vella, Adriana; Voigt, Christian C.; Razgour, Orly Abstract: Knowledge of species’ functional traits is essential for understanding biodiversity patterns, predicting the impacts of global environmental changes, and assessing the efficiency of conservation measures. Bats are major components of mammalian diversity and occupy a variety of ecological niches and geographic distributions. However, an extensive compilation of their functional traits and ecological attributes is still missing. Here we present EuroBaTrait 1.0, the most comprehensive and up-to-date trait dataset covering 47 European bat species. The dataset includes data on 118 traits including genetic composition, physiology, morphology, acoustic signature, climatic associations, foraging habitat, roost type, diet, spatial behaviour, life history, pathogens, phenology, and distribution. We compiled the bat trait data obtained from three main sources: (i) a systematic literature and dataset search, (ii) unpublished data from European bat experts, and (iii) observations from largescale monitoring programs. EuroBaTrait is designed to provide an important data source for comparative and trait-based analyses at the species or community level. The dataset also exposes knowledge gaps in species, geographic and trait coverage, highlighting priorities for future data collection.

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z Agius, Andrew Borg, Joseph A. Schembri, Patrick J. https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145709 2026-04-17T05:44:32Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Large Myliobatis aquila aggregations associated with tuna ranches in the Maltese Islands Authors: Agius, Andrew; Borg, Joseph A.; Schembri, Patrick J. Abstract: ROV footage captured around a tuna ranch off the NE coast of Malta has recorded the largest known aggregation to date of Myliobatis aquila, with over 100 individuals. Few such aggregations have been reported, and little is known about why they occur. Evidence captured on video indicates that in this case, opportunistic feeding is the driving factor behind the formation of the aggregation, although other factors such as mating and reproduction cannot be definitively excluded.

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z Zammit, Gabrielle Fenech, Kristina Sinagra, Emmanuel https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/144993 2026-03-18T06:53:13Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Responses of biofilm-forming halophilic Calothrix and Coelastrella strains to environmental stressors associated with climate change Authors: Zammit, Gabrielle; Fenech, Kristina; Sinagra, Emmanuel Abstract: Research into the effects of environmental stressors associated with global climate change (GCC) on cyanobacteria and microalgae is scarce, with bloom-forming planktonic cyanobacteria being the exception. This study aimed to address the issue by assessing morphological and biochemical changes in cyanobacterial and microalgal cells exposed to an increased temperature (T), ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration. The strains selected were Calothrix sp. SLM0211 and Coelastrella sp. SLM0503, which were isolated from a coastal environment in the central Mediterranean island of Malta. Elevated UVR had a pronounced effect on Calothrix sp. filaments, which produced screening compounds and resorted to trichome coiling to enhance self-shading. Enhanced growth was observed in cultures of Calothrix sp. grown at an increased CO2 concentration, which produced significantly high amounts of biomass, chlorophylls and carotenoids. An increased T resulted in stunted growth and low biomass accumulation in both strains. Each strain exhibited a unique response to T and UVR stressors, which stimulated the production of exopolymeric substances (EPS) and mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) in cultures of Calothrix sp. and lipid production in Coelastrella sp. cells. Our findings indicate that the effects of stressors related to GCC on cyanobacterial and microalgal cells are strain-specific, making changes at community and ecosystem levels difficult to predict.

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