https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/403 Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:25:49 GMT 2026-07-20T11:25:49Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148103 Title: Searching for information to build an impact spectrum for legionella bacteria in Malta Abstract: Our study was planned and launched with keen motivation to identiWing the triggers that could launch a Legionella Disease outbreak in Malta, enjoying a boon with tourism. Our research has generated early surprises, and we share them with this Opinion Paper. Our work was stymied by missing data in the Maltese Annual Notifiable Infectious Disease Reports (2010-2024), a vital data base, essential for surveillance and preparedness. We share our early analysis of Legionella cases and deaths in the Maltese Annual Reports for 2010-2024. Our surprise finding is a latent spike in Legionella cases for 2023-2024 and gaps in deaths for the same years. Using data from the Maltese Annual Re-ports, we can project that the likelihood of someone dying after contracting Legionnaire's Disease in Malta falls in the range of 3.9% to 12.4%. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148103 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. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147852 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147682 Title: Quantifying the resilience of coastal phytocoenoses though a trait-based adaptation index Authors: Schmidbauer, Lena; Micallef, Greta; Buhagiar, Joseph; Lanfranco, Sandro Abstract: Coastal ecosystems, particularly in Mediterranean regions, are increasingly threatened by climate change and the associated fluctuations in salinity, temperature and drought. The long-term survivability of coastal phytocoenoses depends on their ability to adapt quickly to these conditions. Current assessment methods, often based on static inventories, may not capture the functional mechanisms. To address this gap, we developed a novel, trait-based ‘Index of Adaptation’, which quantifies how plant communities persist under environmental stress by measuring functional adaptation across sites and stress gradients. We hypothesised that harsher coastal habitats, defined by high abiotic stress, would necessitate a higher degree of local functional adaptation for community survival, reflected in a high index score. For our trait-based approach we quantified key morphological adaptations of coastal halophytes and xerophytes (e.g., leaf area, stomatal dimensions, trichome density, chlorophyll a content, epidermal thickness) during both the peak growing season (wet) and the peak stress season (dry). This temporal comparison is critical for distinguishing plastic responses from constitutive strategies. These data were used to define two metrics: A “Performance Score” (PERF) that quantifies the community’s physiological condition during the harsh summer period. It is calculated from trait values that reflect the capacity to maintain physiological function under stress. A high PERF score indicates a community that "performs" well during the primary annual selection bottleneck. [excerpt] Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147682 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147674 Title: Establishing a temporal baseline for vegetation change in Malta’s coastal sand dune systems Authors: Camilleri, Leanne; Lanfranco, Sandro Abstract: Coastal sand dune ecosystems are among the most dynamic and threatened habitats of the Mediterranean, hosting specialised flora that is highly sensitive to environmental pressures and human disturbance. Understanding their long-term vegetation dynamics is essential to evaluate resilience, adaptive capacity, and restoration potential, particularly under the framework of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR). This study analyses temporal shifts in plant species composition in sand dune systems over the past fifty years. [excerpt] Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/147674 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z