Climate change is increasing the frequency, magnitude, and socio-economic costs of unprecedented extreme weather events and disasters. An exceptional stranding event of benthic species, mainly represented by the ecosystem engineer Porifera (Demospongiae) Geodia cydonium (Linnaeus, 1767) was observed in the Gulf of Oristano (Sardinia, Italy, Western Mediterranean) in 2018 after an extreme meteorological event. The stranding phenomenon was assessed and quantified by means of quadrats sampled along the beach highlighting all the conspicuous species; the benthic sponge community in the area was evaluated through underwater SCUBA transects. Stranding reached density peaks of up to 0.88 ind m⁻², and the most abundant species reported was the sponge G. cydonium, followed by molluscs, bryozoans, a rare teleost fish, and many other species. The putative source populations were identified in quite shallow (less than 2.5-m depth) Posidonia oceanica (Linnaeus) Delile, 1813 meadows, where the sponge shows a mean density of 2.0 ind m⁻². The present massive stranding event is the first in Sardinia and in the Mediterranean for this species, whose distribution is still poorly known. The living population of the gulf still seems in good status, and probably only a little percentage of specimens has been struck by the exceptionally strong hurricane. This work highlights the relevance of stranding events as opportunities for providing information about local biodiversity; biological traits of G. cydonium and the need of effective monitoring plans to fill the lack of knowledge about the distribution of this protected species are discussed.

中文翻译：

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大规模搁浅事件表明发生了一个被忽视的生态系统工程师海绵

气候变化正在增加史无前例的极端天气事件和灾难的发生频率，强度和社会经济成本。在极端的气象事件发生后的2018年，在奥里斯塔诺湾（撒丁岛，意大利，西地中海）观察到底栖物种的一次特殊搁浅事件，主要由生态系统工程师Porifera（Demospongiae）Geodia cydonium（Linnaeus，1767）代表。通过沿着海滩采样突出所有显着物种的四边形，对搁浅现象进行了评估和量化。通过水下SCUBA样带评估了该地区的底栖海绵群落。搁浅达到密度峰，最高可达0.88 ind m ^-2，据报道，最丰富的物种是海绵G.cydonium其次是软体动物，苔藓动物，稀有的硬骨鱼类和许多其他物种。推定的来源种群在很浅（不到2.5米的深度）大洋波西多尼亚（Linnaeus）Delile（1813个草地）中被发现，其中海绵的平均密度为2.0 ind m ^-2。目前的大规模搁浅事件是该物种在撒丁岛和地中海的第一次，其分布仍知之甚少。海湾地区的生活种群似乎仍然处于良好状态，可能只有极少数的标本受到了异常强烈的飓风的袭击。这项工作强调了搁浅事件作为提供有关当地生物多样性信息的机会的重要性；蓝藻的生物学特性 讨论了有效监控计划的需要，以填补对这种受保护物种分布的认识的不足。