The Spatiotemporal Variability of Marine Plankton Ecosystem Services at the Regional Scale: A Combined Approach Using a Systematic Review and Network Analysis

Luca Russo (), Daniele Bellardini, Raffaella Casotti, Priscilla Licandro, Maria Grazia Mazzocchi, Arantza Murillas, Isabella Percopo, Diana Sarno and Domenico D’Alelio ()
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Luca Russo: Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy
Daniele Bellardini: Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy
Raffaella Casotti: Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy
Priscilla Licandro: Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy
Maria Grazia Mazzocchi: Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy
Arantza Murillas: AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Txatxarramendi Ugartea Z/G, 48395 Sukarrieta, Bizkaia, Spain
Isabella Percopo: Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy
Diana Sarno: NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy
Domenico D’Alelio: Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-22

Abstract: Marine plankton include organisms driving multiple ecosystem services (ESs). In this study, we identified ESs provided by planktonic consortia worldwide from the analysis of scientific literature. We also mapped the identified ESs onto forty-nine plankton trophic networks derived from presence–absence data obtained from two coastal surveys in three areas along the coast of the Campania region in the Tyrrhenian Sea (NW Mediterranean). The systematic review evidenced that ESs associated with goods provision and ecosystem regulation were the most studied categories, while cultural ESs were the least considered. The mapping of ESs across the Campania coast revealed significant spatiotemporal variations in plankton-based ESs, which depend on seasonal variability and local environmental conditions. Among the ESs, those connected with the regulation and maintenance of marine ecosystems dominated both temporally and spatially, highlighting the crucial role of plankton in ecosystem stability and resilience. Moreover, although the direct provision of goods and materials was less represented, food provision to higher trophic levels was widespread within each coastal sector, highlighting the crucial role of plankton biodiversity in directly sustaining the whole marine ecosystem and related economic activities such as fisheries and aquacultures.

Keywords: Mediterranean Sea; ocean; environmental services; phytoplankton; zooplankton; bacteria (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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