The Mediterranean deep-water kelp Laminaria rodriguezii is an endangered species in the Adriatic Sea.

ABSTRACT: Deep-water kelps are little-known large brown algae occurring close to the lower limit of photosynthetic life in the sea. This study compares historical and recent records of the deep-water Mediterranean kelp Laminaria rodriguezii in the Adriatic Sea. Historical records include data from herbarium collections and trawling fishery expeditions in the mid-twentieth century, while recent data comprise records of the last 17 years from MEDITS expeditions, ROV surveys of historical kelp locations, benthic surveys and records by fishermen. Altogether, these findings demonstrate that the Adriatic population of L. rodriguezii has suffered a decline of more than 85 % of its historical range and is now present only around the small offshore island of Palagruža. Bottom trawling activitie

SUBMITTER: Zuljevic A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4791464 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature