Special Issue "Diversity, Taxonomy, and Biogeography of Elasmobranchs"

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fabrizio Serena
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Guest Editor
CNR IRBIM National Research Council – Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies Via Vaccara, 61-91026 Mazara del Vallo (Tp), Italy
Interests: fishery; sharks; stock assessment; taxonomy
Dr. Monica Barone
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Guest Editor
Independent International Consultant, 57100 Livorno, Italy
Interests: conservation and management of sharks; life history parameters; taxonomy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to present a Special Issue on the conservation of chondrichthyan biodiversity at the world level.

The ongoing loss of biodiversity is a key problem for the scientific and socio-political communities, and significant research effort is focused on the search for clear and concrete ways to stop its negative evolution. Numerous conservation approaches adopted worldwide operate under a large variety of basic assumptions connected to the human–nature relationship. These assumptions are often complex and linked to human habits. The aim of our initiative is to initiate an open discussion on how to halt the loss of biodiversity in this global system.

Chondrichthyes, a class that contains cartilaginous fishes, is a good example of the importance of this discussion, as its species play a primary role in ecosystem balance. Being top predators at various trophic levels of the food web, a decline in Chondrichthyans, in terms of biomass or number of individuals, or even their disappearance would result in a highly critical situation for trophic relationships with potentially irreversible changes.

Our intention is to present a review of the current views on, and management methods for, the evaluation and conservation of biodiversity. In the evaluation of cartilaginous fish biodiversity, it is important to form taxonomic lists and determine the conservation status of species in various marine regions as well as identifying diverse factors that affect their populations; typically, these include excessive and indiscriminate fishing activities and the degradation of their habitats. Therefore, when we consider the role that chondrichthyans have in the marine ecosystem, we should talk about an integrative approach that employs multiple conservation practices.

The global conservation biodiversity framework is defined by the ambitious plan it aims to implement and broad-based action, which directly involves the relationship between society and biodiversity. The goal is to live in harmony with nature by 2050. Initiation of the plan is urgent and involves all sectors of society, including indigenous peoples and local communities, to achieve the desired outcomes and contribute to the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity—to reduce threats to biodiversity and ensure sustainable use of natural resources.

In this sense, the human community, which exploits the ecosystem while being an integral part of it, must adopt an innovative approach that takes into account the principles that govern the balance of the entire ecosystem. The monitoring and evaluation of biological diversity is therefore of vital importance to ensure the survival of marine organisms, including chondrichthyans.

Dr. Fabrizio Serena
Dr. Monica Barone
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biodiversity
  • marine biogeography
  • taxonomic checklists
  • species distribution
  • fisheries management

Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission, see below for planned papers.

Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Two Endangered Ray Species Endemic to Europe, Leucoraja fullonica and L. circularis, Biogeography, Stock Status, and Prospects for Management and Conservation
Authors: Maurice Clarke
Affiliation: Rinville, Oranmore, Co. Galway, Ireland H91 R673
Abstract: The Leucoraja genus of rays contains several species that are endemic to Europe. This study focusses on 2 species which are unique among European marine fishes in that they are listed on the European Red list of species at risk of extinction yet are also subject to a total allowable catch under the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy. This study focusses on these species, Leucoraja fullonica the shagreen ray and Leucoraja circularis the sandy ray, in the northeast Atlantic. Neither of these species is well documented in the scientific literature, with few studies of life history. Available data have been compiled to confirm a patchy biogeography with several widely separated populations, displaying differing abundance trends. This study builds on the available life history information to infer sustainable fishing mortality levels which are low. The inherent biological vulnerability and fragmented biogeography confirms that further loss of biological diversity, including of individual populations, confirms the risk of loss of Leucoraja biological diversity in European waters. The solutions will not be straightforward, given the degree of fishing effort taking place in these waters. In searching for solutions, it is important to note that most population mortality occurs in offshore mixed-species demersal fisheries. This presents a particular challenge for their management and conservation. A review of best practice in framing management measures is presented along with a discussion of which measures are most likely to be successful.

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