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Ecology of the Zenobia shipwreck
and Marine Research
Antonis Petrou
Marine Biologist
© Larnaka Napa Sea Cruises
SO WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?
SHIPWRECK “ZENOBIA”
© Rassan Doubbane
© Enalia Physis
© Enalia Physis
© Enalia Physis
© Enalia Physis
© Rassan Doubbane
Chromis Nursery
© Enalia Physis
Juvenile Scorpion Fish - Nursery
© Enalia Physis
© Enalia Physis
THE BIODIVERSITY IS
INSANE
© Enalia Physis
© Enalia Physis
© Enalia Physis
CORALS
© Enalia Physis
© Rassan Doubbane
© Enalia Physis
SPONGES
© Enalia Physis
© Rassan Doubbane
© Enalia Physis
© Rassan Doubbane
© Rassan Doubbane
Negotiating space:
Composition of the marine encrusting communities of the Zenobia
Shipwreck (Larnaka, Cyprus]
Jimenez Carlos 1, 2, Petrou Antonis 2, Evriviadou Marina 1, 2, Hadjioanou Louis 2,
Munkes Britta 3 and Lange Manfred A.1
[1] Energy, Environment, Water Research Centre of The Cyprus Institute, [2] Enalia Physis
Environmental Research Centre , Cyprus, [3] FB3 Marine Ecology, GeoMar, Germany
Energy,
Environment and
Water Research
Center (EEWRC)
Very high diversity
Competition
Predation
Extreme grazers
Extreme idiots
METHODS
• Cover [area%]
• Photo quadrates
Coral Point
Cover-Excel
extensions
[CPCe]
www.nova.edu/ocean/cpce
• High diversity
• Uncommon species [Levant]
• Extreme conditions/substrate
CO2 ponds
Spill over and cascades
Thermistors
Comparative Evaluation of the encrusting communities at
contrasting study sites
Zenobia Wreck (Cyprus) vs Alice B Wreck (Lebanon)
ALICE-B
49m length
Militias 1985
30-38m depth
© A.S. Haddad
ALICE-B vs. ZENOBIA
• Few differences in cover [%]
• Different species composition & diversity
• Heterotrophy (prey on large zooplankton)
• Resilient species – “Cockroaches”
• Recruitment and settlement differ
• Different environmental histories
• Management under extreme conditions
© Enalia Physis
IMPACT OF RECREATIONAL DIVING ON THE
“ZENOBIA” SHIPWRECK
IMPACT OF RECREATIONAL DIVING ON BENTHIC COMMUNITIES
DIVING IS RAPIDLY-GROWING COMPONENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL TOURISM INDUSTRY,
ESPECIALLY IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA.
DIVERS CAN EASILY DAMAGE MARINE ORGANISMS THROUGH
PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THEIR HANDS, BODY, EQUIPMENT, AND
FINS.
2003, The Times: “Top 10 wreck dives in the world”
"SS President Coolidge", Vanuatu
"Thistlegorm", Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
"USS Oriskany", Pensacola, Florida
"Fujikawa Maru", Truk, Micronesia
"Blackjack B17", Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea
"SS Yongala", off coast of Ayr, Australia
"MV Captain Keith Tibbetts", Cayman Islands
"Zenobia", Larnaca Bay, Cyprus
"Umbria", Wingate Reef, Sudan
"SMS Markgraf", Scapa Flow, Scotland.
GETTING TOO FRIENDLY
© Enalia Physis
© Rassan Doubbane
FISH FEEDING
© Rassan Doubbane
SURVIVABILITY IS INFLUENCED BY FEEDING
© Enalia Physis
© Alfonso Siciliano
COMPETITION FOR PREY IS INFLUENCED BY FEEDING ACTIVITIES
SO BALANCE IS AFFECTED
UNIVERSITY OF MESSINA
PHOTOQUADRATS TECHNIQUE AND USING OF CPCe SOFTWARE
TO ESTIMATE THE IMPACT OF RECREATIONAL DIVING ON THE MACROALGAE
COVERAGE OF THE SHIPWRECK "ZENOBIA"
(CYPRUS - MEDITERRANEAN SEA)
Siciliano Alfonso, Petrou Antonis
© Alfonso Siciliano
THE METHOD
© Alfonso Siciliano
SAMPLING AREAS
We have chosen three areas to be sampled using transects, two "impact" zones (zone A and B), selected
according to the classic routes that divers (recreational or otherwise) running on the shipwreck and,
therefore, the possible impact that we decided to quantify, and a "control" zone (zone R).
Transect R
Transect B
Transect A
© Alfonso Siciliano
RANDOM TRANSECT DESIGN
© Alfonso Siciliano
© Alfonso Siciliano
SPECIFIC COVERAGE
Sargassum sp.
R TRANSECT
B TRANSECT
A TRANSECT
52%
3%
0%
3.7%
1.25%
1%
4%
0.11%
0.08%
Peyssonnelia sp.
Padina
pavonica
© Alfonso Siciliano
CONCLUSION
Our results suggest that the diving is having
a significant impact on the macroalgae
coverage of the shipwreck, especially in
areas subject to high levels of use where
divers come into contact with the hull.
© Alfonso Siciliano
Mucilage
Possible reasons: Change in temp, oceanographic changes, eutrophication events
© Enalia Physis
Suggestions
Future research
• Mucilage causes
• Effect of air bubbles on the
wreck’s ecology
• Effect of oil
• Further studies on the
coralligenous communities and
ichthyofauna
© Enalia Physis
© Enalia Physis
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
•
•
•
•
•
•
Larnaka Napa Sea Cruises
AP Marine Environmental Consultancy Ltd
CORER German Program for the Lebanese Sea
University of Messina – Alfonso Siciliano
Octopus Divers Junieh – Lebanon
Rassan Doubbane
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR
ATTENTION!
www.enaliaphysis.org.cy
a.petrou@ enaliaphysis.org.cy
[email protected]