@article {290,
	title = {A catastrophic mass-mortality episode of gorgonians and other organisms in the Ligurian Sean (north-western Meditteranean), summer 1999},
	journal = {Ecology Letters},
	volume = {3},
	year = {2000},
	abstract = {<p>In the late summer 1999, an extensive mortality of gorgonians and other epibenthic organisms was observed in the Ligurian Sea (Mediterranean Sea) from the Tuscan Archipelago to Marseilles. Quantitative data from Tino Island and Portofino Promontory indicated that the proportion of affected gorgonians ranged from 60\% to 100\% in populations having a density of 9-27.8 colonies/m\&sup2;, suggesting that millions of sea fans died along the coast of Liguria. This mass mortality episode coincided with a sudden increase of sea water temperature down to more than 50 m depth. Laboratory analyses showed that the colonies stressed by high temperature also underwent extensive attack by microrganisms (protozoans and fungi), which are interpreted as opportunistic pathogens.</p>},
	keywords = {benthos, biodiversit{\'e}, biodiversity, climate change, gorgonaire, gorgonian, {\^\i}le du Tino, Italie, Italy, Ligurian Sea, Marseille, Marseilles, mass mortality, Mediterranean sea, M{\'e}diterran{\'e}e nord-occidentale, M{\'e}diterrann{\'e}e occidentale, Mer Ligure, Mer M{\'e}diterran{\'e}e, mortalit{\'e} massive, mortality, north-western Mediterranean, pathogen, pathog{\`e}ne, Portofino, sea water temperature, temperature, temp{\'e}rature de l{\textquoteright}eau de mer, Tino island, western Mediterranean},
	author = {Cerrano and Bavestrello and Bianchi and Cattaneo-Vietti and Bava and Morganti and Morri and Picco and Sara and Schiaparelli and Siccardi and Sponga}
}
