WP3.1 - IMPLEMENTATION OF GENERAL DATA / Activity ATT7: Pilot actions in support of biodiversity that can be effectively replicated and that will increase cross-border cooperation also in the area of conservation of as yet unknown species and habitats.
Climate change is a global phenomenon that affects many habitats and species, such as the cushion coral (Cladocora caespitosa), and which the scientific community is increasingly confronted with. The TRETAMARA project aims to promote awareness of the importance of species such as the cushion coral and to test environmental restoration techniques that support this important bioconstructor.
The cushion coral, Cladocora caespitosa (L., 1767), is a Mediterranean coral consisting of a large number of colonial polyps, which are not connected to each other. Colony sizes range from a few centimetres to about 50 cm in diameter, and in exceptional cases exceed 65 cm. In some parts of the Mediterranean, colonies can reach several metres in length and half a metre in height, for example in the Lake of Mljet island. The species usually lives between a few metres and 20 m depth.
The cushion coral is a very important bioconstructor species, as it provides a large number of ecological niches for the survival of various benthic animals. Research on its infauna has shown that this community hosts a high number of individuals of different species of benthic invertebrates. Of particular importance are the sedentary polychaetes (Polychaeta Sedentaria), bivalve molluscs (Bivalvia) and various groups of crustaceans (Crustacea).
Operation co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund
