Restoration Objective:
Here, we explored the potential use of G. barbata stranded along the shores after a storm, for the restoration of this species. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of an approach based on the collection of fertile stranded specimens of G. barbata, otherwise lost from the marine habitats, to generate vital and healthy offspring than can promote the recovery of this species.
Site Selection Criteria:
Where the historical presence of G. barbata was previously documented (Perkol-Finkel & Airoldi 2010). G. barbata current occurrence along the Conero Riviera has been recently documented (Orfanidis et al. 2021)
Cause Of Decline:
A dramatic loss of fucoid species was reported also in theAdriatic Sea (Rindi et al. 2020), with their replacement withless-structured turf-forming algae, preventing in turn canopy-forming-species recruitment (Orlando-Bonaca et al. 2021). This phenomenon was widely documented along the Conero Riviera (North-Eastern Adriatic Sea) for four fucoid species (Fucus virsoides, Cystoseira foeniculacea, C. humilis, and Sargassum acinarium). The main driver of this forest loss is the human impact on coastlines, increasing sediment resuspension, high nutrient concentrations, and loads (Rindi et al. 2020). As a result, only C. compressa and Gongolaria barbata are still present, even though the latter species is in regression, due to their greater tolerance to environmental stress (Orlando-Bonaca et al. 2022).
