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author Dimitriadis, Charalampos
Simantiris, Nikolaos
Maffucci, Fulvio
Aksissou, Mustapha
Benabdi, Mouloud
Carlino, Piero
Casale, Paolo
Demetropoulos, Simon
Fuller, Wayne J
Girondot, Marc
Godley, Brendan J
Hamza, Abdulmaula
Jribi, Imed
Kaska, Yakup
Levy, Yaniv
Monsinjon, Jonathan R
Oruc, Ayse
Panagopoulou, Aliki
Piroli, Vilma
Rees, ALan F
Tomás, Jesús
Turkozan, Oguz
Hochscheid, Sandra
Mazaris, Antonios D
author_facet Dimitriadis, Charalampos
Simantiris, Nikolaos
Maffucci, Fulvio
Aksissou, Mustapha
Benabdi, Mouloud
Carlino, Piero
Casale, Paolo
Demetropoulos, Simon
Fuller, Wayne J
Girondot, Marc
Godley, Brendan J
Hamza, Abdulmaula
Jribi, Imed
Kaska, Yakup
Levy, Yaniv
Monsinjon, Jonathan R
Oruc, Ayse
Panagopoulou, Aliki
Piroli, Vilma
Rees, ALan F
Tomás, Jesús
Turkozan, Oguz
Hochscheid, Sandra
Mazaris, Antonios D
Dimitriadis, Charalampos
Simantiris, Nikolaos
Maffucci, Fulvio
Aksissou, Mustapha
Benabdi, Mouloud
Carlino, Piero
Casale, Paolo
Demetropoulos, Simon
Fuller, Wayne J
Girondot, Marc
Godley, Brendan J
Hamza, Abdulmaula
Jribi, Imed
Kaska, Yakup
Levy, Yaniv
Monsinjon, Jonathan R
Oruc, Ayse
Panagopoulou, Aliki
Piroli, Vilma
Rees, ALan F
Tomás, Jesús
Turkozan, Oguz
Hochscheid, Sandra
Mazaris, Antonios D
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents Artificial night lighting in the Mediterranean: Management priorities and constraints for sea turtle conservation. Dimitriadis, Charalampos Simantiris, Nikolaos Maffucci, Fulvio Aksissou, Mustapha Benabdi, Mouloud Carlino, Piero Casale, Paolo Demetropoulos, Simon Fuller, Wayne J Girondot, Marc Godley, Brendan J Hamza, Abdulmaula Jribi, Imed Kaska, Yakup Levy, Yaniv Monsinjon, Jonathan R Oruc, Ayse Panagopoulou, Aliki Piroli, Vilma Rees, ALan F Tomás, Jesús Turkozan, Oguz Hochscheid, Sandra Mazaris, Antonios D Animals Turtles Conservation of Natural Resources Mediterranean Sea Lighting Ecosystem Environmental Monitoring Artificial light at night (ALAN) is an escalating anthropogenic threat that disrupts coastal and marine ecosystems worldwide, yet its impacts on Mediterranean sea turtles remain poorly quantified. We surveyed 27 experts across 16 Mediterranean countries to evaluate perceived ALAN effects on sea turtle nesting sites and nearshore habitats, identify research gaps, assess monitoring limitations, and prioritize mitigation strategies. Respondents consistently highlighted hatchlings as the most vulnerable life stage, particularly during sea-finding and early dispersal, with ALAN causing disorientation, increased predation risk, and reduced recruitment. Standardized monitoring of ALAN impacts is largely absent, with financial constraints representing the main barrier, alongside gaps in communication, education, and policy. Experts ranked the highest-priority mitigation measures as updating monitoring programs to incorporate ALAN, reducing light exposure on nesting beaches through shielding, downward-directed and long-wavelength lighting, shaded corridors, and nature-based solutions, and integrating advanced technologies into conservation planning. Measures such as policy reform, public awareness campaigns, and scenario-based coastal planning were considered of moderate priority, emphasizing that practical, site-specific interventions may yield the most immediate benefits. Limited expert consensus on the prioritization of mitigation strategies indicates persistent uncertainties and critical regional knowledge gaps that hinder effective conservation planning. ALAN is an established but under-addressed threat to Mediterranean sea turtles. Effective conservation will require integrating evidence-based research, standardized monitoring, and targeted mitigation measures at nesting and nearshore habitats. Implementing such strategies will not only safeguard sea turtle populations in the Mediterranean but also provide a globally relevant framework for managing ALAN in other coastal ecosystems.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_41764973
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2026
publisher Marine pollution bulletin
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle Artificial night lighting in the Mediterranean: Management priorities and constraints for sea turtle conservation.
Dimitriadis, Charalampos
Simantiris, Nikolaos
Maffucci, Fulvio
Aksissou, Mustapha
Benabdi, Mouloud
Carlino, Piero
Casale, Paolo
Demetropoulos, Simon
Fuller, Wayne J
Girondot, Marc
Godley, Brendan J
Hamza, Abdulmaula
Jribi, Imed
Kaska, Yakup
Levy, Yaniv
Monsinjon, Jonathan R
Oruc, Ayse
Panagopoulou, Aliki
Piroli, Vilma
Rees, ALan F
Tomás, Jesús
Turkozan, Oguz
Hochscheid, Sandra
Mazaris, Antonios D
Animals
Turtles
Conservation of Natural Resources
Mediterranean Sea
Lighting
Ecosystem
Environmental Monitoring
Artificial night lighting in the Mediterranean: Management priorities and constraints for sea turtle conservation. Dimitriadis, Charalampos Simantiris, Nikolaos Maffucci, Fulvio Aksissou, Mustapha Benabdi, Mouloud Carlino, Piero Casale, Paolo Demetropoulos, Simon Fuller, Wayne J Girondot, Marc Godley, Brendan J Hamza, Abdulmaula Jribi, Imed Kaska, Yakup Levy, Yaniv Monsinjon, Jonathan R Oruc, Ayse Panagopoulou, Aliki Piroli, Vilma Rees, ALan F Tomás, Jesús Turkozan, Oguz Hochscheid, Sandra Mazaris, Antonios D Animals Turtles Conservation of Natural Resources Mediterranean Sea Lighting Ecosystem Environmental Monitoring Artificial light at night (ALAN) is an escalating anthropogenic threat that disrupts coastal and marine ecosystems worldwide, yet its impacts on Mediterranean sea turtles remain poorly quantified. We surveyed 27 experts across 16 Mediterranean countries to evaluate perceived ALAN effects on sea turtle nesting sites and nearshore habitats, identify research gaps, assess monitoring limitations, and prioritize mitigation strategies. Respondents consistently highlighted hatchlings as the most vulnerable life stage, particularly during sea-finding and early dispersal, with ALAN causing disorientation, increased predation risk, and reduced recruitment. Standardized monitoring of ALAN impacts is largely absent, with financial constraints representing the main barrier, alongside gaps in communication, education, and policy. Experts ranked the highest-priority mitigation measures as updating monitoring programs to incorporate ALAN, reducing light exposure on nesting beaches through shielding, downward-directed and long-wavelength lighting, shaded corridors, and nature-based solutions, and integrating advanced technologies into conservation planning. Measures such as policy reform, public awareness campaigns, and scenario-based coastal planning were considered of moderate priority, emphasizing that practical, site-specific interventions may yield the most immediate benefits. Limited expert consensus on the prioritization of mitigation strategies indicates persistent uncertainties and critical regional knowledge gaps that hinder effective conservation planning. ALAN is an established but under-addressed threat to Mediterranean sea turtles. Effective conservation will require integrating evidence-based research, standardized monitoring, and targeted mitigation measures at nesting and nearshore habitats. Implementing such strategies will not only safeguard sea turtle populations in the Mediterranean but also provide a globally relevant framework for managing ALAN in other coastal ecosystems.
title Artificial night lighting in the Mediterranean: Management priorities and constraints for sea turtle conservation.
topic Animals
Turtles
Conservation of Natural Resources
Mediterranean Sea
Lighting
Ecosystem
Environmental Monitoring
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41764973/