This volume collects the main results of 2 years of multidisciplinary researches (2007–08) on the Vlora Gulf ecosystem, carried out by a joint Italian (National Interuniversity Consortium for Marine Sciences [CoNISMA], National Research Council [CNR, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche] and Agenzia Regionale per la Prevenzione e la Protezione Ambientale [ARPA] Puglia) and Albanian (University of Tirana, the Science Academy, and the Ministry of the Environment) research team.

The studies and analyses were aimed at identifying the environmental factors and components that strongly interact with, and affect, the marine ecosystem of the region. In particular, the main research tasks were related to geological and hydrogeological aspects of the river basins, the bottom morphology of the whole marine area, the problems of coastal erosion phenomena, the stratigraphy of the marine sediment, the physical and chemical parameters of the water column, an examination of primary production, the biodiversity of benthic and pelagic ecosystems, and the existence of problems connected to the ecotoxicology of the biota.

The results pointed out the weakness to the Vlora Gulf ecosystem from several sources, including the (1) heavy human impacts on the natural coastal evolution, resulting in coastal erosion and/or accretion; (2) considerable influence of the input of suspended mud from the Vjosa River, causing conspicuous degeneration phenomena on the benthic biocoenoses (e.g., on the Posidonia oceanica meadow; and (3) conspicuous urban and industrial water discharge, producing diffuse pollution related to the presence of heavy metals (mercury, among others) in the sediments of the gulf area.

Finally, a further aim of the project was the planning of an International Center for Marine Research, located in Albania, to support an international focal point for researchers involved in environmental studies of the Eastern Mediterranean.

The present work reports the main results obtained from recent seafloor-mapping activities carried out offshore from south-western Albania. The area explored consists of two distinctive physiographic units: the Vlora Gulf (which is bounded to the west by the Karaburun Peninsula) and the upper continental slope offshore from the western side of the Karaburun Peninsula. Along these areas, 500 km² of multibeam echo–sounder coverage, about 2500 km of chirp-sonar data, and 200 km² of side-scan sonar mosaic (100–500 kHz) were acquired. This new acoustic data set was collected by two different oceanographic expeditions, which were carried out in the framework of the Centro Internazionale di Scienze del Mare (CISM) project (supported by Interreg III Italia–Albania), which focused on studying, through a multidisciplinary approach, the geological setting and the ecosystem conditions of a poorly investigated area of the Adriatic Sea, such as the Vlora Gulf. The investigated area incorporates water depths measurements from 5 m down to 57 m, whereas the offshore margin of the Karaburun Peninsula has been investigated down to 900 m water depth.

The acquired high-resolution multibeam bathymetry, combined with the described chirp-sonar echo-types, documents how the recent evolution of the Vlora Gulf is strictly dependent on complex, sedimentary dynamics established in this area. Here, the Vjose River is the dominant source of sediment for the continental shelf. We provided evidences that the (Vjose River) sediment distribution is under the control of a complex, local circulation pattern that is defined by the peculiar regional shape of the gulf which is tectonically controlled. The tectonic control on the present-day, sedimentary processes is also evident offshore from the Karaburun Peninsula, along the upper slope, where important resedimentation processes have been recognized and are related to the recent geodynamic evolution of the margin.

Six cores, up to 2 m thick, were drilled during a multibeam and high-resolution seismic survey guided in the Vlora Bay with multidisciplinary objectives. In this work the results of grain size and mineralogical analyses of 29 samples are presented. The samples were collected from each core at the top and bottom, further at different depths where any textural changes were evident. Results from grain size analyses allow the comparison of the sediments both in the time (stratigraphic sense) and in the space among different cores. The samples show a good homogeneity: clayey silts in most parts of the core. Only one core presents some intervals with 70% sand and gravel. These samples have mainly a biogenic component, which suggest reworking and mechanical concentrations. The greatest amounts of bioclasts in the core closer to the eastern coast is significant. Results from mineralogical analyses show some differences only in the composition of sands , whereas the clays and silts are mainly composed of clay minerals and secondarily of quartz, feldspar, calcite, and dolomite.The sandy fractions are composed of quartz, muscovite, monazite, and particularly of bioclasts (locally covered with pyrite coatings), clay aggregates, coal, and anthropic material. The results indicate a basin supplied by a mainly terrigenous source, represented by many rivers of the eastern side. Coarse-grained sediments are lacking and are only documented by bioclastic concentrations. The pyrite coatings may indicate only a low rate of anoxic conditions.

The study discusses the large karstic coastal aquifer of Vlora Bay. This case is peculiar, as the submarine groundwater discharge has a relevant rate of terrestrial inflow in an almost closed bay that is located in an environmentally valuable area.

The study is based on four methodological activities: geological and hydrogeological conceptualisation, climatic study and hydrological balance, numerical modelling, and monitoring. A geodatabase was created considering hundreds of data points (wells, springs, rivers, lagoons, and seas) and monthly time series of rainfall, temperature, and river discharge. Monitoring activity was realised over a hydrological year, installing a rainfall network tool and using a network of tens of sampling points, including springs, wells, lagoons, and sea. Chemical–physical and stable isotope determinations were realised.

Two main groups of aerial springs are fed by the aquifer, one of which is of a coastal type. The total spring discharge is roughly 4 m³/s. The submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) was assessed as being equal to 1.4 m³/s on the basis of the current rate of anthropic discharge and climatic conditions. The study showed the peculiarities of this carbonate coastal aquifer and the importance of its groundwater, which is the chief water source for the third-largest Albanian town.The groundwater quality was generally high, mainly due to the negligible presence of contamination sources on the relief in which the aquifer outcrops. The rate of seawater intrusion effects was also low, thanks to favourable aquifer three-dimensional geometry and high recharge levels.

The increasing anthropic activities constitute a relevant risk in the absence of the introduction of rigorous land and water management criteria.

Hydrodynamic and pollutant transport models are useful tools for evaluating remediation options for polluted water bodies. In this work, a Lagrangian-partide approach is used to simulate the three-dimensional pollutants transport in the Gulf of Vlora (Albania) coming from the fresh water outflow from the Vjosa River located in the northern sector of the gulf. Results indicate that the sedimentation processes are strongly dependent on the local meteorology, which is able to modify considerably the circulation of the gulf.

Numerical simulations were used to estimate the water circulation and the fate of pollutants in different meteo-oceanographic scenarios identified by the analysis of the oceanographic data collected during two oceanographic cruises carried on during the Centro Internazionale di Scienze del Mare (CISM) project.

Suspended sediments are simulated by a large number of Lagrangian elements, the trajectories of which are drawn on the basis of the sea current, settling velocity, and dispersion phenomena. The model was calibrated on the basis of biogeochemical experimental data consisting of concentrations of metals measured in water and in bottom samples, collected during the CISM project performed in the framework of the Interreg III Italia-Albania program.

Results of the simulations show that the pollutants coming from the river tend to spread rapidly and undergo rapid dilution for southern and eastern wind regimes. Under northern and western winds a variable percentage of the fine-grained part of sediments discharged by the river penetrates and settles inside the gulf, in accordance with the experimental data.

Heavy metals (Al, Fe, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) content was evaluated in suspended particulate matter and sediment samples collected from Vlora Bay (Albania) in the framework of Centro Internazionale di Scienze del Mare (CISM) Project activities. The trend of the metals (in general, overlapping that showed by the suspended particulate matter distribution), together with the linear correlation values found between metals, suggested the pivotal role of the Vjosa River and of the inner circulation scheme of Vlora Bay on their distribution. The geoaccumulation index, I_geo, was calculated as a criterion to assess if a metal concentration found in the sediment represents contamination level or can be considered as background level. The results show that metals concentrations in sediments can be considered near the background levels found in the Mediterranean Sea, even if some accumulation was found in several stations. The data were compared to Sediment Quality Guidelines considering the ERL (effects range low) and ERM (effects range medium) values, to evaluate the potential effects of sediment-associated metals on aquatic organisms. The Ni value for all samples was above the ERM value, while Cr and As values were in between ERL and ERM. Metal speciation was also evaluated in some sediment samples. Generally, the metals found were associated with the refractory phases, which constitute up to 80% of the total concentration. Moreover, the sampling strategies and the adopted analytical methods were compared to those recommended by national and international regulations.

Phytoplankton assemblages were studied to characterize the trophic status of the semienclosed Vlora Bay (Albania) and to evaluate the influence of terrestrial inputs on its pelagic ecosystem. The study was carried out as part of the European Project CISM (INTERREG IIIA Italy–Albania) and conducted during two oceanographic cruises (spring 2007, winter 2008). The size-fractionated chlorophyll a concentrations, primary production rates, and the chemotaxonomic composition (high-performance liquid chromatography) of the phytoplankton assemblages were measured. The spatial variability of primary production rates and chlorophyll a concentrations both showed a pronounced E-W gradient in the surface layer, with the highest values along the eastern coast. In spring, a deep chlorophyll maximum was observed in the central western part of the bay, whereas in winter a homogeneous vertical distribution was observed. The phytoplankton assemblages were quite similar in both seasons and were dominated by the picophytoplankton fraction (≈46% and 53% in spring and in winter, respectively). Haptophytes and pelagophytes were the major phytoplankton groups, and accounted, respectively, for 50% and 15% in spring, and 40% and 25% in winter. The results showed that Vlora Bay was characterized by generally oligotrophic conditions and that the influence of the southern Adriatic open waters was negligible. The trophic characteristics of the pelagic ecosystem of the bay were essentially driven by terrestrial inputs.

The Vlora Bay is the only internal sea of the Albanian coastline. The site is of paramount interest for Albanian fishing, being a natural nursery for many fish species of economic importance. The composition of the plankton community in the Vlora Bay has been analysed and particular attention devoted to the unicellular eukaryotes by collecting samples from 16 stations during 2 seasonal cruises (May–June 2007, and January 2008), an effort to date never carried out to know the plankton biodiversity of the area.

The microzooplankton community was composed of 122 phytoplankton and 105 microzooplankton taxa, of which 58.2% and 25.0%, respectively, were classified as seasonal (they were recorded only in one of the two considered times). Only four categories (all phytoplanktonic, the diatom Navicula sp., “undetermined naked dinoflagellates < 15 µm”, the coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi, and the “undetermined phytoflagellates < 10 µm”) were recorded in all the sampling stations (at least in one period). The microzooplankton were particularly diversified and characteristic in their Ciliophora components.

A statistical analysis of taxa distribution allowed us to identify three distinct areas in the Vlora Bay: internal, intermediate, and external. The extension or the border position of these areas varied with the seasons and according to the microzooplankton group examined. The microzooplankton assemblages of the Vlora Bay showed significant differences with many other sites in the Mediterranean Sea, probably due to the crucial geographic position the bay occupies among different Mediterranean basins.

Data on the soft bottom benthic communities of the Vlora Gulf along the Albanian coast were collected in the context of the international Centro Internazionale di Scienze del Mare (CISM) project funded by the Apulian region. The present study investigated and mapped the different communities inside the Gulf of Vlora, Albania, which are continuously affected by various natural and anthropogenic sources. Two research cruises were carried out in the Vlora Gulf during May 2007 and January 2008. During the first exploratory survey, the depth and morphology of the soft bottom was identified with a multibeam echo sounder and the Side-Scan–Sonar system; a preliminary map of the biocoenosis was created and a sampling plan was defined. In the second survey, 58 sampling stations were established in the study area using Van Veen grabs and scuba dives.

A total of 151 taxa were identified (1 Foraminifera, 6 Cnidaria, 3 Nemertea, 2 Sipuncula, 36 Mollusca, 53 Annelida, 25 Crustacea Decapoda, 7 Bryozoa, 15 Echinodermata, 1 Hemichordata, and 2 Tunicata); 54 species were reported for the first time in Albania. The analyses showed there were three main habitats in the investigated area: the biocoenosis of terrigenous mud; a wide, muddy matte of Posidonia oceanica; and the narrow residual areas of P. oceanica meadows.

The present study represents the first experience in mapping the benthic biocoenosis of the Vlora Gulf of Albania and shows a progressive decay of the benthic communities in the area, especially if compared with the previous few studies.

Human activities determine dramatic changes in natural systems, especially in marine coastal areas. This is especially true when economic development is fast and scarcely regulated, representing a serious threat to biodiversity. Besides the obvious prediction of impairment of natural systems, forecasting the effects of human activities can be particularly challenging since they affect species and assemblages, the patterns of distribution and extent of which are often totally unknown. In Vlora Bay, we show through an interdisciplinary project that 15 y of coastal development can result in a loss of over 50% of seagrass cover and a decline in macroalgae cover such as Cystoseira spp., which are structurally and functionally crucial habitats that provide essential goods and services for local human communities and recreation. Furthermore, illegal fishery practices (date mussel fishery, trawling, and use of explosives) contribute to depict a scenario of fragmentation and loss of shallow species-rich assemblages. Large-scale changes in sedimentation patterns have been recognised as one of the main drivers of those changes. This model of development, associated with nearly irreversible environmental consequences, as observed in Albania, can serve as an example for many other Mediterranean areas, showing a combination of high biodiversity and low protection regime. We discuss the urgent need for ecosystem-based management to ensure sustainable development while conserving and managing natural biodiversity and resources.

An integrated ecotoxicological study based on bioaccumulation and biomarker responses in sea urchin, mussel, and fish was conducted in Vlora Bay (Albania). Despite several past industrial activities and current increase of anthropogenic impact characterising Vlora Bay, no ecotoxicological data have been published so far, underlining the need to investigate the area and to validate the ecotoxicological approach. Heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides (OC), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in native sea urchin (Arbacia lixula), Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis), and red mullet (Mullus barbatus). Several biomarkers such as expression of heat-shock proteins (HSP-70) in sea urchin (PCR), detoxification enzyme activities and apoptosis in mussels, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in mussels and red mullet were investigated. Overall, ecotoxicological data suggest an environmental quality of Vlora Bay resembling a marine protected area except for levels of Cd, Ni, and Hg in mussels and red mullet gonads; these results are in agreement with past industrial activities. OC pesticides were found to be below the detection limit in sea urchin. PCB levels were very low (4.13–13.87 ngg⁻¹ fresh weight) both in mussels and fish, while PAHs were similar to those reported for moderately impacted areas. No exposure to neurotoxic pesticides (physiological AChE activities) or to cytotoxic contaminants (low apoptosis frequency: <1%) can be inferred both in mussels and fish. . Detoxification enzyme activities in mussels were highly similar compared with those reported for low-impact areas. The results of the present ecotoxicological study on Vlora Bay also support its suitability in environmental quality assessment of marine coastal areas.