Colonization of transplanted Posidonia Oceanica: understanding the spatial dynamics through high-spatial resolution underwater photomosaics Gianluca Mancini Sapienza University of Rome, Italy Daniele Ventura Sapienza University of Rome, Italy Edoardo Casoli Sapienza University of Rome, Italy Andrea Belluscio Sapienza University of Rome, Italy Giandomenico Ardizzone Sapienza University of Rome, Italy This is a section of Ninth International Symposium “Monitoring of Mediterranean Coastal Areas: Problems and Measurement Techniques”(DOI: 10.36253/979-12-215-0030-1) by Laura Bonora, Donatella Carboni, Matteo De Vincenzi, Giorgio Matteucci Firenze University Press Firenze 2022 https://doi.org/10.36253/979-12-215-0030-1.68

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Following the restoration of a P. oceanica meadow impacted by the Concordia shipwreck, we investigated the spatial dynamic of the most important and protected Mediterranean endemic seagrass over a two-year period applying three spatial metrics: number of patches, mean patch size and total cover. By means of underwater photomosaics, we noticed a diminution in the number of patches in favour of the mean size and total cover. The outcomes showed that, under suitable environmental conditions, P. oceanica colonizes rapidly the dead matte substrate.

 Posidonia Oceanica Seagrass restoration Restoration ecology Spatial dynamic Underwater photomosaic

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