Recent data from the monitoring of Posidonia oceanica in two marine protected areas of the Apulian coasts (Central-Eastern Mediterranean Sea)

This paper reports recent bio-ecological data on the Posidonia oceanica meadows located in two Marine Protected Areas of the Apulia region, Tremiti Islands and Porto Cesareo, placed in the Southern Adriatic Sea and North-Eastern Ionian Sea, respectively. The main features of the meadows (morpho-ecology, phenology, lepidochronology) were estimated. Moreover, in situ (-15 depth) continuous recording of light intensity (Lux) and water temperature (°C) was carried out during the period Oct. 2008-Sept. 2009