https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/13767 2026-07-22T17:06:45Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148185 Title: Lessons learned from the “spot the alien” citizen science campaign (2022–2025) in Maltese waters and the second record of Cephalopholis hemistiktos in the Mediterranean Authors: Deidun, Alan; Prieto Gomez, Laura; Gauci, Adam; Zammit, Audrey; Ramirez Montano, David Fernando; Corsini-Foka, Maria; Zava, Bruno; Marrone, Alessio Abstract: Introduction: Citizen science is increasingly recognised as a valuable approach for monitoring marine non-indigenous species (NIS), range-expanding species (RES), and cryptogenic taxa. This study evaluates the outcomes of the Spot the Alien campaign in Maltese waters between 2022 and 2025. Methods: A total of 441 expert-validated records of 30 NIS, RES and cryptogenic species were analysed to assess temporal and spatial reporting patterns, species richness, habitat and observation-method associations, reporting hotspots, and the influence of outreach activities. Results: Reporting effort and species richness increased throughout the study, with 2025 yielding the highest number of records. Species accumulation and rarefaction analyses indicated that the campaign documented a substantial proportion of the detectable target fauna. Reporting patterns varied significantly among seasons, habitats, and observer groups, highlighting the influence of both ecological factors and reporting behaviour. The campaign also produced the second Mediterranean record of the Indo-Pacific grouper Cephalopholis hemistiktos. Discussion: The Spot the Alien campaign demonstrates that expert-validated citizen science can provide reliable, cost-effective support for the surveillance of marine bioinvasions. The findings highlight the importance of sustained public engagement, rigorous validation, and long-term monitoring to improve early detection and inform future citizen-science initiatives. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147852 Title: First record of the Devil Firefish Pterois Miles (Bennett, 1828) (Actinopterygii: Scorpaenidae) from Maltese coastal waters Authors: Deidun, Alan; Zava, Bruno; Corsini-Foka, Maria; Sciberras, Arnold; Marrone, Alessio Abstract: A specimen of the invasive Devil firefish, Pterois miles (Bennett, 1828), was recorded for the first time in Maltese waters in January 2026. The individual was caught by a recreational angler at Migraħ Ferħa (north-west Malta) at a depth of 10 m using a paternoster rig baited with squid. The fish was photographed and then released. This record marks a further expansion of the P. miles distribution in the central Mediterranean Sea and highlights the importance of citizen science initiatives in the early detection of marine non-indigenous species.; Un esemplare della specie invasiva Pterois miles (Bennett, 1828), nota come pesce scorpione o pesce leone, è stato segnalato per la prima volta nelle acque maltesi nel gennaio 2026. Il pesce è stato catturato da un pescatore sportivo a Migraħ Ferħa (costa nord-occidentale di Malta) a una profondità di 10 m, utilizzando una lenza paternoster provvista di calamaro come esca. Una volta fotografato, l’esemplare è stato rilasciato. Questa segnalazione rappresenta un ulteriore ampliamento della distribuzione di P. miles nel Mediterraneo centrale e sottolinea l’importanza delle iniziative di scienza partecipativa per l’individuazione precoce di specie marine non-indigene. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147570 Title: Reservoir characterization review in sedimentary basins Authors: Ibekwe, Kelechi N.; Oguadinma, Vivian O.; Okoro, Victory K.; Aniwetalu, Emmanuel; Lanisa, Ademola; Ahaneku, Chibuzo V. Abstract: Evaluating the subsurface characteristics of reservoirs is an important part of gas storage, hydrocarbon exploration, and production in sedimentary basins. This process combines geological, geophysical, and engineering data to understand the subsurface geology, and fluid distribution, determine reserves and predict the fluid movement in the reservoir. And in the case of empty reservoir, the storage capacity, sealing strength is analysed. The primary goal of reservoir characterization is to create a precise and dependable reservoir model to maximize the production procedure and reduce the associated risks of hydrocarbon exploration and production. This review examines different approaches used for reservoir characterization in sedimentary basins, including geological, geophysical, and engineering methods. Each method's advantages and disadvantages are discussed, alongside their uses in different reservoir contexts. The importance of combining multiple lines of evidence to enhance the accuracy of the reservoir models is also examined. 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147399 Title: Characterization of an onshore–offshore aquifer system in the Venetian Friulian plain and north Adriatic basin : a 3D modelling approach Authors: Corradin, Cristina; Thomas, Ariel T.; Camerlenghi, Angelo; Zini, Luca; Giustiniani, Michela; Busetti, Martina; Foglia, Laura; Bertoni, Claudia; Micallef, Aaron Abstract: Continental coastal aquifer systems are well-studied worldwide and are often characterized on the basis of extensive and diverse borehole datasets. However, while it is postulated that in some cases, these aquifers may extend offshore, their seaward reach remains widely unknown due to the frequently limited availability of data, particularly for subsurface sediments and their pore water salinity. This paper presents a valuable characterization of the onshore aquifers in the Venetian-Friulian Plain (northeastern Italy) and their offshore extension in the Northern Adriatic Shelf, within ~20 km from the coastline. Three-dimensional digital geological and stratigraphic modeling was used to investigate geometries of the layered artesian aquifer system hosted in the Middle to Late Pleistocene sedimentary succession. Near-coastal and offshore aquifers are found to have mainly formed during coastline migration driven by sea level changes and low-permeability layers, sealing these aquifers, result from fine alluvial sediments during sea level lowstands or fine marine sediments during highstands. This study suggests that Quaternary glacio-eustatic fluctuations are mainly responsible for the genesis of the layered aquifer system in the study area. Given the consistency of depositional processes active in the Northern Adriatic Basin since Middle-Pleistocene, and that coastal fresh groundwater extends hundreds of meters below the topographic surface, this study confirms that the Northern Adriatic Basin has significant potential to host widespread offshore freshened groundwater aquifers. This resource might represent an additional freshwater supply in the future. Description: Supplementary Information is available within this record. 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z