Detecting trends in seagrass cover through aerial imagery interpretation: Historical dynamics of a Posidonia oceanica meadow subjected to anthropogenic disturbance

Over the last century, P. oceanica meadows have undergone significant regression along Mediterranean coasts due to anthropogenic disturbances. Using an integrated approach based on historical aerial photography inter-pretation in GIS environment and Bayesian modelling, we mapped the upper limits of a P. oceanica meadow and identified the most influential disturbance factors acting along the coast of Giglio Island, where several local human-mediated impacts have historically co-occurred from 1968 to 2013. Model selection based on the DIC criterion suggested that the presence of the impacts is suitable for describing the seagrass coverage variation. Similarities in P. oceanica cover within 13 investigated zones were highlighted when considering the most relevant impacts, such as harbour expansion, mining, and anchoring. The detected adverse effects indicate the need for implementing management actions focusing on the present and past sources of impact to reduce their effect on P. oceanica beds actively.

Automated summary

Using a combination of historical aerial photography interpretation and Bayesian modeling, we mapped the upper limits of P. oceanica meadows and identified the key disturbance factors along the coast of Giglio Island. The study revealed that human-mediated impacts such as harbour expansion, mining, and anchoring had significant effects on seagrass coverage. The findings highlight the importance of implementing management actions to mitigate these adverse effects and preserve P. oceanica beds.