When we think of wildlife, we often picture distant ecosystems. Here, however, it is just a few kilometres from the coast: in the Amendolara’s bank, a submerged ridge in the Ionian Sea off the coast of Calabria that rises from sandy and muddy seabeds and reaches its shallowest point at around 20 metres.
To understand (and protect) it, we need scientific ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’: multibeam mapping to reconstruct the seabed in 3D and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to observe habitats and species in detail.
In these environments, biodiversity consists of a network of organisms that shape the seabed and create complex habitats, providing shelter and food for many other species. The most recent research has documented the presence of indicator species of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs), including the first records in the area of red coral (Corallium rubrum) and black coral (Antipathella subpinnata).
Clip ROV: A. subpinnata
Clip ROV: C. rubrum
Clip ROV: Dendrophyllia cornigera
During ROV dives in the Amendolara’s bank, we observed 22 species of fish: a small biodiversity hotspot in the heart of the Ionian Sea. Among the most common is Anthias anthias, but we also documented species that are well-known and important for fisheries, such as Scorpaena scrofa (red scorpionfish), Helicolenus dactylopterus (blackbelly rosefish), Chelidonichthys lucerna (tub gurnard), Phycis phycis (forkbeard) and Zeus faber (John dory).
These fish are not there by chance: the seabed, with its sponges and corals, creates structured habitats that provide shelter, food sources and suitable areas for many species.
The Amendolara’s bank is not just a fascinating place to explore: it is a precious ecosystem capable of supporting entire marine communities. A place of such richness is also fragile: the pressures observed include lost or abandoned fishing gear, as well as environmental factors that can increase stress on ecosystems with long recovery times. For this reason, research and monitoring remain essential for designing effective management measures.
On World Wildlife Day, let us remember that biodiversity is not confined to remote places: it also lies beneath the surface of our seas – close at hand, precious and fragile. Getting to know it means understanding it better and protecting it more effectively.
As CRIMAC – the Calabria Marine Centre of the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station – we continue to monitor these seabeds: knowing more means protecting better.
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