Diversity, distribution and population size structure of deep Mediterranean gorgonian assemblages (Menorca Channel, Western Mediterranean Sea)

Grinyó, Jordi; Gori, Andrea; Ambroso, Stefano; Purroy, Ariadna; Calatayud, Clara; Domínguez-Carrió, Carlos; Coppari, Martina; Iacono, Claudio Lo; López–González, Pablo J.; Gili, Josep María

doi:10.1016/j.pocean.2016.05.001

Cited by 75 publications

(78 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…A total of 8 species (about one third) of the 26 Mediterranean gorgonian species were found in Tunisian waters (Aguilar 2004, Aguilar andSànchez 2007). In general, the mono-specific characteristics of the gorgonian assemblages reported in this study are in agreement with those found in other areas of the Mediterranean Sea (Topçu and Öztürk 2015, Grinyó et al 2016, Molina et al 2016. In fact, the co-dominance of two or more species was rarely observed in Tunisian assemblages (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Overview on the distribution of gorgonian species in Tunisian marine coastal waters (central Mediterranean)

et al. 2018

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Gorgonian species play an important ecological role in the structure and function of marine communities. Human activities are negatively affecting the conservation status of gorgonian populations in the Mediterranean. Acquiring knowledge of gorgonian distribution is therefore a key step required to promote efficient management and conservation actions. However, information on the distribution of gorgonian species is lacking in many Mediterranean areas. This study aimed to provide an overview of the geographic and bathymetric distributions of gorgonians in the coastal waters of the Tunisian coast (1136 km). The sampling design encompassed three sectors, 27 localities and 87 sites. Information was collected from scuba diving (26 sites) and local ecological knowledge surveys of fishermen and divers (132 interviews), as well as from a literature review. Overall, the occurrence of eight gorgonians was confirmed at 54 out of the 87 sites surveyed in Tunisian coastal waters (7-120 m depth). The species that were found were Eunicella singularis, Eunicella cavolini, Paramuricea clavata, Paramuricea macrospina, Leptogorgia sarmentosa, Eunicella verrucosa, Corallium rubrum and Ellisella paraplexauroides. The highest gorgonian species richness and abundance was recorded in northern, followed by eastern Tunisian waters. In the southern areas only one species was recorded. This pattern was related to the rocky substrate that characterizes the northern and eastern coasts of Tunisia. This study is the first to report the occurrence of E. singularis, E. cavolini, E. verrucosa and Leptogorgia sarmentosa in northern and eastern Tunisian waters. The results are discussed in the hope of guiding future conservation and management actions for gorgonian assemblages in Tunisia.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Overview on the distribution of gorgonian species in Tunisian marine coastal waters (central Mediterranean)

et al. 2018

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“…The black coral Leiopathes glaberrima has also been cited as a species that thrives especially on exposed, steep rocky bench terraces or platforms (Bo et al, ; Mytilineou et al, ), or among white coral reefs (Angeletti et al, ; D'Onghia et al, ; Mastrototaro et al, ). Similarly, the occurrence of gorgonian species, such as Acanthogorgia hirsuta and Swiftia pallida , have been previously described on exposed rocks and boulders, showing a distribution ranging from circalittoral to bathyal zones (Grinyó et al, ; Raimundo et al, ; Wilding & Wilson, ). On the other hand, habitat 8 was the only habitat that was typified by sponges.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

Benthic habitat modelling and mapping as a conservation tool for marine protected areas: A seamount in the western Mediterranean

Torriente

González-Irusta

Aguilar³

et al. 2019

Aquatic Conservation

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1. An ecologically representative, well-connected, and effectively managed system of marine protected areas (MPAs) has positive ecological and environmental effects as well as social and economic benefits. Although progress in expanding the coverage of MPAs has been made, the application of management tools has not yet been implemented in most of these areas.2. In this work, distribution models were applied to nine benthic habitats on a Mediterranean seamount within an MPA for conservation purposes. Benthic habitat occurrences were identified from 55 remotely operated vehicle (ROV) transects, at depths from 76 to 700 m, and data derived from multibeam bathymetry. Generalized additive models (GAMs) were applied to link the presence of each benthic habitat to local environmental proxies (depth, slope, backscatter, aspect, and bathymetric position index, BPI).3. The main environmental drivers of habitat distribution were depth, slope, and BPI.Based on this result, five different geomorphological areas were distinguished. A full coverage map indicating the potential benthic habitat distribution on the seamount was obtained to inform spatial management. The distribution of those habitats identified as vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs)was used to make recommendations on zonation for developing the management plan of the MPA. This process reveals itself as an appropriate methodological approach that can be developed in other areas of the Natura 2000 marine network.

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“…These communities can develop both on hard and soft substrata, including detritic bottoms with small scattered substrata, such as small rocks, shells or coral rubble. Hard-bottom coral forests can be settled on both mesophotic rocky bottoms and deep coralligenous bioconstructions (Figure 1a and c), while in the deep sea, they can develop on rocky bottoms, hardgrounds or CWC frameworks [57][58][59][60] (Figure 1d). Antipatharians, also known as black corals (subclass Hexacorallia, order Antipatharia), form monospecific or multispecific forests on hard bottoms in both mesophotic and aphotic zones.…”

Section: Coral Forestsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, the gorgonians Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1826) (Figure 1a), Ellisella paraplexauroides Stiasny, 1936 and Eunicella spp. are among the most common species that form large aggregations on mesophotic coralligenous habitats, as well as on other coherent substrata, often on the continental shelf [59,[62][63][64][65]. Acanthogorgia hirsuta Gray, 1857, Callogorgia verticillata (Pallas, 1766) (Figure 1d On soft bottoms, the bamboo coral Isidella elongata (Esper, 1788) can form extensive populations on compact mud between 110 and 1600 m depth, on relatively flat or gently inclined seabed [69] (Figure 1e).…”

Section: Coral Forestsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mesophotic and Deep-Sea Vulnerable Coral Habitats of the Mediterranean Sea: Overview and Conservation Perspectives

Chimienti¹,

Mastrototaro²,

D’Onghia³

2020

Advances in the Studies of the Benthic Zone

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Although the different communities distributed in the mesophotic and deep waters play a fundamental role in the functioning of the marine ecosystems, the assessment of their global distribution is still far to be achieved. This is also true in the Mediterranean Sea, where exploration technologies are revealing a large diversity of unknown communities structured totally or partially by corals, which represent vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) according to FAO's guidelines. This chapter aims to define and describe the main coral habitats of the mesophotic and aphotic zones of the Mediterranean, such as coralligenous formations, cold-water coral frameworks, coral forests and sea pen fields. The role of these habitats in providing benefit for a variety of invertebrates and fishes as well as a suite of ecosystem goods and services is highlighted. Fishing is one of the main anthropogenic impacts affecting Mediterranean coral habitats, and the current conservation measures are often ineffective. Ongoing attempts and future solutions aiming at the conservation of these VMEs are here discussed, including the fishing restriction in strategic areas characterized by lush coral communities, the implementation of controls against illegal fishery, the development of encounter protocols for vulnerable species and the use of observers onboard.

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Diversity, distribution and population size structure of deep Mediterranean gorgonian assemblages (Menorca Channel, Western Mediterranean Sea)

Cited by 75 publications

References 71 publications

Overview on the distribution of gorgonian species in Tunisian marine coastal waters (central Mediterranean)

Overview on the distribution of gorgonian species in Tunisian marine coastal waters (central Mediterranean)

Benthic habitat modelling and mapping as a conservation tool for marine protected areas: A seamount in the western Mediterranean

Mesophotic and Deep-Sea Vulnerable Coral Habitats of the Mediterranean Sea: Overview and Conservation Perspectives

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