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Ante el indudable interés de conocer a los usuarios de información y la escasa práctica española en este sentido, especialmente en el ámbito de los archivos, el objetivo fundamental del presente trabajo es conocer las necesidades de información, comportamiento informativo y grado de satisfacción de los usuarios del Archivo Histórico de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, utilizando una metodología cuantitativa basada en un cuestionario. Entre los principales resultados obtenidos está que los escasos usuarios que acuden a este archivo buscan información sobre un personaje a través de la base de datos del centro y están satisfechos con la información obtenida. Entre las conclusiones destaca que existe aún camino por recorrer en torno a la cuestión de si está consolidado el binomio Investigación-Archivos Universitarios y que se deben plantear estrategias acomodadas a las necesidades de los usuarios, adaptando los recursos a los cambios sociales y tecnológicos y siguiendo determinadas líneas de actuación.

16 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables, supplementary material https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12962, The recent northward expansion of the round sardinella Sardinella aurita in the Mediterranean Sea has been documented as a consequence of rising sea temperature. At the same time, declines in sardine and anchovy biomass have been observed in the NW Mediterranean Sea, necessitating an assessment of whether the expansion of round sardinella may affect sardine and anchovy populations. Here, we combined stomach content and isotopic analyses to describe the trophic habits of round sardinella in the NW Mediterranean Sea and its trophic relationships with 2 sympatric small pelagic fish, European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus and European pilchard Sardina pilchardus. Results revealed changes in the diet of round sardinella during the year. In summer, the most important prey were copepods (Acartia spp.) and cladocerans (Penilia avirostris). During winter, the diet was composed mainly of copepods and tunicates (mainly appendicularians), but microplankton was also numerically important in adult diets. In contrast to previous studies, during spring, round sardinella principally fed on salps (Thaliacea). To our knowledge, this is the first time that salps have been identified as an important prey for round sardinella. When compared to coexisting small pelagic fish, we found that round sardinella adults had a different trophic niche than anchovy and sardine. In contrast, round sardinella juveniles partially overlapped the trophic niche with the juveniles of the other 2 species. Therefore, the range expansion of round sardinella probably would not affect sardine and anchovy populations. Only in a situation of food limitation could juveniles of round sardinella compete with and affect both sympatric species. Our results provide new insights into the ecological role of this range-expanding species in the NW Mediterranean Sea, and highlight the importance of gelatinous zooplankton as prey, We also thank the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean Sea (GFCM) for their financial support to present this work at the International Symposium on drivers of dynamics o small pelagic fish resources. This study was funded by ECO-TRANS (CTM2011-26333) and PELWEB (ES-PN-2017-CTM2017-88939-R) projects. M.A.P. was funded by an FPI grant and a Short-Stay FPI grant (BES-2012-054267; Spanish Government). J.N. was funded by a Ramon y Cajal contract (RYC-2015-17809) of the Spanish Government

11 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables, Variability in body condition and energy storage has important implications for fish recruitment and ecosystem structure. Understanding strategies for energy allocation to maintenance, reproduction and growth is essential to evaluate the state of the fish stocks. In this study, we address the energetics dynamics of the annual cycle of anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) and sardines (Sardina pilchardus) in the north-western Mediterranean Sea using indirect and direct condition indices. We assessed and validated the use of morphometric, biochemical and energetic indices for both species. Annual patterns of the relative condition index (Kn), gonadosomatic index (GSI), lipid content (% lipids) and energy density (ED) were linked to the energy allocation strategy. Our results highlight that anchovy mainly rely on income energy to reproduce, while sardine accumulate the energy during the resting period to be used in the reproduction period. Consequently, variability in the lipid content and ED between seasons was lower in anchovy than in sardine. In both species, we observed an early decline in energy reserves in late summer-early fall, which may be related to unfavourable environmental conditions during spring and summer. Regarding the use of different condition indices, both direct indices, lipid content and ED, were highly correlated with Kn for sardine. ED was better correlated with Kn than lipid content for anchovy. For the first time, a relationship between ED of gonads and GSI for sardine and anchovy was provided, highlighting the importance of the energy invested in reproduction. This work provides new insights into the energy dynamics of sardine and anchovy. We also demonstrate which are the most suitable indices to measure changes in the physiological condition of both species, providing tools for the future monitoring of the populations of these two commercially and ecologically important fish species, This study was funded by ECOTRANS (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Spain; CTM2011-26333) and PELWEB (Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain; ES-PN-2017-CTM2017-88939-R) projects. A.A.-P was funded by a Predoctoral reserach grant (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Spain; CTM2011-26333). J.N. was funded by a Ramon y Cajal contract (Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain ;RYC-2015-17809, With the funding support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S), of the Spanish Research Agency (AEI)

14 pages, 5 figures, 4 tables, Information on the spatial patterns and habitat preferences of marine species is key to understand the functioning of marine ecosystem and to manage and protect marine resources efficiently. However, the study of spatial patterns of marine ecosystems is challenging because they are dynamic environments that can vary seasonally. We modelled the spatial patterns of abundance, biomass, and biodiversity in a demersal community of the northwestern Mediterranean Sea by season using hierarchical Bayesian spatial models and environmental, physical, and anthropogenic factors. Overall, our findings revealed the importance of seasonality in the spatial patterns of the demersal community, which were mainly driven by sea surface temperature. Results also underlined important patterns of movements of demersal organisms: fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans showed high densities in the area surrounding the Ebro Delta River in winter mainly driven by species-specific behaviour. Our results are relevant to inform future management measures in the study area, such as seasonal fishing restrictions, or to adapt local marine protected areas to seasonal processes. This study provides evidence of the need to expand current monitoring schemes to capture the seasonality of marine demersal communities for a more comprehensive marine spatial planning framework, This study forms a contribution to the project ECOTRANS (CTM2011-26333, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain) and SafeNET (EU-DGMARE MARE/2014/41). [...] Joan Navarro was supported by Spanish National Program Ramón y Cajal, With the funding support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S), of the Spanish Research Agency (AEI)

Contribution to the Theme Section ‘Drivers of dynamics of small pelagic fish resources: biology, management and human factors’.-- 18 pages, 4 figures, 8 tables, Important changes have been observed in recent decades in small pelagic fish (SPF) populations of the NW Mediterranean Sea: Declines in biomass and landings of European anchovy and sardine, and a geographical expansion of round sardinella. These changes have been linked to environmental factors directly influencing annual recruitment and growth. The role of climate change in affecting the composition of plankton has also been suggested to explain declines in SPF, while other causes could be the recovery of predators, competition with other pelagic organisms that prey on early life phases of SPF (i.e. gelatinous zooplankton), interspecific competition for food, or impacts from fisheries harvest. To test the role of these potential pressures, we developed qualitative mathematical models of a NW Mediterranean pelagic food web. We used analyses of sign directed graphs and Bayesian belief networks to compare alternative hypotheses about how SPF species may have responded to combinations of different pressures. Data documenting changes in SPF populations were used to test predicted directions of change from signed digraph models. An increase in sea surface temperature (SST) that had either a positive impact on round sardinella or on gelatinous zooplankton abundance was the pressure that alone provided the most plausible insights into observed changes. A combination of various pressures, including an increase in SST, an increase of exploitation and changes to zooplankton also delivered results matching current observations. Predators of SPF were identified as the most informative monitoring variable to discern between likely causes of perturbations to populations of SPF, This study was funded by the ECO-TRANS (CTM2011-26333; Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity), SafeNET (EU-DGMARE MARE/2014/41) and PELWEB (ES-PN-2017-CTM2017-88939-R) projects. M.A.-P. was funded through an FPI grant from the Spanish government. J.N. was supported by the Spanish National Program Ramón y Cajal

8 pages, 3 figures, 3 tables, The ommastrephid squid, Illex coindetii, is one of the most abundant cephalopods in the Mediterranean Sea and an important predator in the ecosystem. In the present study, we examined the diet habits of I. coindetii in the north-western Mediterranean Sea by combining two complementary approaches: stomach content and stable isotopic analyses. Specifically, we examined whether the diet differed between sizes and seasons. Stomach content results indicated that the diet of I. coindetii was composed of 35 prey items including four major groups; namely the crustaceans Pasiphaea sivado, Amphipods, squid of the Order Teuthida, and pelagic and mesopelagic fish. Differences were found among different ontogenetic sizes: juvenile individuals fed mainly on crustaceans (%IRI = 77.59), whereas adult individuals fed on a wider range of prey items, including the shrimp P. sivado (%IRI = 33.21), the amphipod Anchylomera blossevillei (%IRI = 0.91), the decapod Plesionika sp. (%IRI = 0.19), the carangid Trachurus trachurus (%IRI = 0.34) and some Myctophids species (%IRI = 0.21). Differences were also found between seasons in the year. In winter, crustaceans were the main prey items, whereas in summer the diversity of prey was higher, including fish, crustaceans and molluscs. Similar to the stomach contents, stable isotopic results indicated differences among sizes. δ15N values were higher in adult squids than in juveniles because they fed on prey at higher trophic levels. In conclusion, this study indicates that feeding habits of I. coindetii vary seasonally and ontogenetically. These feeding variations may be associated with trophic competence scenarios based on size, and also with the availability and abundance of prey throughout the year, J.N. was funded by ESFRI LifeWatch project. M.A.-P. was supported by a predoctoral contract of the FPI program (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness)

22 pages, 9 figures, 4 tables, 3 appendices, We evaluated seasonal patterns of biodiversity of the megabenthic non-crustacean invertebrates on soft bottoms of the continental shelf and slope of the Catalan Sea (Balearic Sea, Northwestern Mediterranean). Scientific demersal trawls were carried out between 30 and 400 m during winter and summer of 2013 in 37 and 45 stations respectively. Among a total of 188 species, a limited number of echinoderms, cephalopods and occasionally ascidians dominated the bulk of the community, covering up to 95% of the total wet weight. Seasonal and bathymetric variations were found in the different biodiversity patterns, with higher values in summer and in shallower depths, regarding overall wet weight (>14,000 kg/km2), density (>1 million ind/km2), richness and diversity (143 species; H’=1.74). The statistical differences in density and wet weight between bathymetric strata reflected in particular groups of species typifying each environment, but without any exclusiveness in depth preferences, since generalist species were the main components of the community. Depth was the main driver of statistical differences in the community structure, but a combined influence of geographic location was also identified from an interaction effect. Sediment type may be influencing habitat preferences, with echinoderms (especially crinoids Leptometra and Antedon), dominating on sandy substrates, and cephalopod mollusks (especially cephalopods Illex, Eledone, Octopus) dominating on muddy substrates. Trawling activity may also influence the dominance of some target and non-target species. Several infrequent bivalves, opistobranchs and species from phyla Porifera, Cnidaria, Bryozoa and Sipuncula constituted an important understudied component of the richness of this community. This is the first study dealing with bathymetric variation of the megabenthic non-crustacean community of the Catalan Sea within this gradient of depths above the middle slope and also considering seasonal variability, Financial support to conduct this research was provided by the Spanish National Project ECOTRANS, whose members participated in the in study design and the collection, analysis and interpretation of data

Special issue Combining Modeling and Observations to Better Understand Marine Ecosystem Dynamics.-- 17 pages, 10 figures, 1 table, We show the application of a Spatially-Explicit Individual-Based Model (SEIBM) to understand the recruitment process of European anchovy. The SEIBM is applied to simulate the effects of inter-annual variability in parental population spawning behavior and intensity, and ocean dynamics, on the dispersal of eggs and larvae from the spawning area in the Gulf of Lions (GoL) towards the coastal nursery areas in the GoL and Catalan Sea (northwestern Mediterranean Sea). For each of seven years (2003-2009), we initialize the SEIBM with the real positions of anchovy eggs during the spawning peak, from an acoustics-derived eggs production model. We analyze the effect of spawners' distribution, timing of spawning, and oceanographic conditions on the connectivity patterns, growth, dispersal distance and late-larval recruitment (14 mm larva recruits, R14) patterns. The area of influence of the Rhône river plume was identified as having a high probability of larval recruitment success (64%), but up to 36% of R14 larvae end up in the Catalan Coast. We demonstrate that the spatial paths of larvae differ dramatically from year to year, and suggest potential offshore nursery grounds. We showed that our simulations are coherent with existing recruitment proxies and therefore open new possibilities for fisheries management, This research was conducted within the European project SARDONE (FP6-44294) and it is a contribution to the EU 7th Framework project called “Perseus (Policy-oriented marine environmental research for the Southern European Seas)”. A. Ospina-Alvarez benefited from a PhD grant of the JAE program (CSIC)

Special issue Future of oceanic animals in a changing ocean.-- This study is a contribution to the project ECOTRANS (CTM2011-26333, MINECO, Spain).-- 9 pages, 3 figures, 4 tables, Small and medium pelagic fishes play a central role in marine food webs by transferring energy from plankton to top predators. In this study, direct calorimetry was used to analyze the energy density of seven pelagic species collected over four seasons from the western Mediterranean Sea: anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus, sardine Sardina pilchardus, round sardinella Sardinella aurita, horse mackerels Trachurus trachurus and T. mediterraneus, and mackerels Scomber scombrus and S. colias. Inter-specific differences in energy density were linked to spawning period, energy allocation strategies for reproduction and growth, and feeding ecologies. Energy density of each species varied over time, with the exception of S. colias, likely due to its high energetic requirements related to migration throughout the year. In general, higher energy density was observed in spring for all species, regardless of their breeding strategy, probably as a consequence of the late-winter phytoplankton bloom. These results provide new insights into the temporal availability of energy in the pelagic ecosystem of the Mediterranean Sea, which are pivotal for understanding how the population dynamics of small and medium pelagic fishes and their predators may respond to environmental changes and fishing impacts. In addition, the differences found in energy density between species highlighted the importance of using species specific energy-values in ecosystem assessment tools such as bioenergetic and food web models, M.A.-P. was supported by a predoctoral contract of the FPI program (BES-2012–054267, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness). J.N. was supported by the Andalucía Talent Hub Program (Andalusian Knowledge Agency, European Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions – 267226). M.C. was partially funded by the European Commission through the Marie Curie Career Integration Grant Fellowships – PCIG10-GA-2011-303534 - to the BIOWEB project

Brosset, Pablo ... et al.-- 14 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, Small pelagic fish are among the most ecologically and economically important marine fish species and are characterized by large fluctuations all over the world. In the Mediterranean Sea, low catches and biomass of anchovies and sardines have been described in some areas during the last decade, resulting in important fisheries crises. Therefore, we studied anchovy and sardine body condition variability, a key index of population health and its response to environmental and anthropogenic changes. Wide temporal and spatial patterns were investigated by analyzing separately data from scientific surveys and fisheries in eight Mediterranean areas between 1975 and 2015. Results showed that anchovy and sardine body condition as well as maximum size in some areas sharply decreased in most Mediterranean areas along years (except in the Northern Alboran Sea). Despite this general pattern, well-marked environmental differences between sub-regions were highlighted by several analyses and variations in body condition were not found to be homogeneous over all the Mediterranean Sea. Further, other analyses revealed that except for the Adriatic where major changes towards a lower body condition were concomitant with a decrease in river runoffs and chl-a concentration, no concomitant environmental regime shift was detected in other areas. Together, these analyses highlighted the current poor body condition of almost all small pelagic fish populations in the Mediterranean. Yet, global environmental indices could not explain the observed changes and the general decrease in condition might more likely come from regional environmental and/or anthropogenic (fishing) effects. A prolonged state of poor fish body condition, together with an observed reduced size and early age-at-maturity may have strong ecological, economic and social consequences all around the Mediterranean Sea., PB acknowledges doctoral fellowship support from the French Ministère de l’Education Nationale, de la Recherche et de la Technologie

9 pages, 5 figures, 5 tables, In marine communities, energy of small planktonic organisms is transferred to their predators through feeding. The energy accumulated as organic substances by the different plankton organisms (Energetic Density content, E) has been analysed in high latitudes and tropical areas, but not in the Mediterranean Sea. In this study, we approach this type of investigation for Mediterranean plankton through measures of total calorimetric content using an oxygen bomb calorimeter. We examined the spatiotemporal variation in the E of microplankton (50–200 μm) and mesozooplankton (200–2000 μm), and two plankton-consumers, sardine (Sardina pilchardus) and anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) larvae. The study was carried out during the winter and summer of 2013 off the Ebro River Delta (NW Mediterranean Sea). Both plankton fractions showed a more coastal distribution and higher biomasses during winter, the period of sardine larvae occurrences, in front of a wider cross-shelf distribution and lower biomasses in summer, when anchovy appeared. E values increased with the size of each plankton component, i.e., microzooplankton < mesozooplankton < fish larvae. A tendency for higher plankton E in the winter period was observed, although being only significant for coastal zone, associated to the more productive waters there. Sardine and anchovy larvae showed an increasing trend in the amount of energy during development, with significantly lower E between early larvae (6–10 mm standard length) and late postflexion stages (16–20 mm standard length). Small larvae of both species departed from a similarly low E content, but in the next two size classes sardine larvae showed higher E values than anchovy, being significantly higher in the 16–20 mm size class. Information on larval feeding patterns and larval growth rates for each species were used to discuss differences in energy allocation strategies, This study forms a contribution to the project ECOTRANS (CTM201126333, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competiveness, Spain) and to the Master's thesis of Z.B.

Summary: We assessed the relative importance of different prey types of the European pilchard (European sardine) from the late larval to the adult stage. Two different methodologies for analysing stomach contents were used to describe the trophic dynamics of sardine and the relationship of sardine feeding behaviour with the ontogenetic development of body structures used for feeding, such as gill rakers and pyloric caeca. This information is essential to accurately depict the use of the planktonic resources in the area by sardine and to discuss the extent to which the sardine population could be affected by environmental changes in the Mediterranean Sea. We showed that cladocerans in summer and diatoms in winter were numerically the most important prey types for both juveniles and adults. However, decapod larvae were the most important prey during all seasons in terms of carbon content. Accordingly, differences in methodology should be considered in the analysis of sardine diets. An analysis of the composition of the plankton showed that small copepods were strongly selected by sardines at all ages and in both seasons. We also observed that the pyloric caeca began to grow when the sardines were approximately 4-5 cm standard length (SL) and ended their development when the sardines reached approximately 8 cm SL, whereas the gill rakers appeared to be completely functional when the sardines reached 7 cm SL. Therefore, filter feeding of small particles could be performed with total efficacy beginning at 7-8 cm SL. In view of the energetic advantage of filter feeding in a well-adapted filter-feeding species such as sardine, the prospective limited availability of small particles hypothesized by certain authors for the Mediterranean could have negative consequences for sardine. This study demonstrates that sardine populations, given their extremely high dependence on the lower marine trophic levels, could be strongly affected by alterations in the environment and in the planktonic community.

10 pages, 5 figures, 3 tables, 1 appendix, European pilchard Sardina pilchardus late larvae were collected in the Gulf of Manfredonia, an important nursery area, during their seasonal inshore occurrence. Thanks to diel cycle sampling and to the wide range of larval lengths (from a minimum of 27 mm to a maximum of 45 mm), both feeding rhythm and ontogenetic changes were analysed. The feeding peak was observed in the afternoon, before sunset. Sardine larvae were exclusively zooplanktivorous, their diet being based on Calanoid Copepods from the genus Paracalanus (IRI% = 65.7), on the species Temora longicornis (IRI% = 15.5) and other small-sized Copepods. Other planktonic organisms appeared in the stomach contents occasionally and never reached IRI% values > 1. The number of prey per stomach increased suddenly at larval lengths around 40 mm, corresponding to the development of the stomach. Prey composition in the environment was established by contemporaneous sampling of plankton, performed by means of two plankton nets with different meshes. The main prey items were positively selected among those available in the field, but some other prey (Centropages spp., Harpacticoids, Corycaeids, Temora stylifera and Acartia spp.) were also preferred, although rare in the plankton samples. In contrast, copepod nauplii, despite their abundance in the environment (15,848 ± 4441 individuals m− 3), were only occasionally recovered in the larval gut contents (N = 0.26%). This shows that sardine late larvae have switched to larger prey items, The present studywas financially supported by the European Project SARDONE (Improving assessment and management of small pelagic species in the Mediterranean, FP6-44294)

9 pages, 5 figures, 4 tables, Ecological knowledge of food web interactions within pelagic marine communities is often limited, impairing our capabilities to manage these ecologically and economically important marine fish species. Here we used stable isotope analyses to investigate trophic interactions in the pelagic ecosystem of the northwestern Mediterranean Sea during 2012 and 2013. Our results suggest that European sardine, Sardina pilchardus, and anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus, are consumers located at relatively low levels of the pelagic food web. Unexpectedly, the round sardinella, Sardinella aurita, appeared to be located at a higher trophic level than the other small pelagic fish species, although previous studies found similarity in their diets. Isotope data suggested that trophic niches of species within the genera Trachurus spp. and Scomber spp., were distinct. Atlantic bonito Sarda sarda, European hake Merluccius merluccius and European squid Loligo vulgaris, appeared to feed at higher trophic levels than other species. Despite some intraspecific seasonal variability for some species, community trophic structure appeared relatively stable through the year. These data provide an important step for developing models of food web dynamics in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea, M.A.-P. was supported by a predoctoral contract of the FPI program and a Short-Stay FPI grant (BES-2012-054267, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness). J.N. was supported by the Andalucía Talent Hub Program launched by the Andalusian Knowledge Agency. M.C. was partially funded by the European Commission through the Marie Curie Career Integration Grant Fellowships – PCIG10-GA-2011-303534 – to the BIOWEB project. This study is a contribution to the project ECOTRANS (CTM2011-26333, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Spain).

Special issue Ecopath 30 years – Modelling ecosystem dynamics: beyond boundaries with EwE.-- 15 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables, 2 appendixes, supplementary data https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2016.03.020, To realistically predict spatial-temporal dynamics of species in marine ecosystems it is essential to consider environmental conditions in conjunction with human activities and food web dynamics. In this study, we used Ecospace, the spatial-temporal dynamic module of Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) food web model, to drive a spatially explicit marine food web model representing the Southern Catalan Sea (NW Mediterranean) with various environmental drivers and with fishing. We then evaluated the individual and joint effects of environmental conditions and fishing in various compartments of the food web. First we used a previously developed EwE model fitted to time series of data from 1978 to 2010 as a baseline configuration. The model included 40 functional groups and four fishing fleets. We first ran the original Ecospace spatial-temporal dynamic model using the original habitat configuration, in addition to fishing, and we predicted species distributions and abundances. Afterwards, we ran the new habitat foraging capacity model using the most important environmental drivers linked with the Ebro River delta dynamics (salinity, temperature, and primary production), in addition to depth, substrate and fishing, and we compared results with those from the original implementation of Ecospace. Three commercial species, European hake (Merluccius merluccius), anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and sardine (Sardina pilchardus), were used to analyse results. Species distributions more closely matched the empirical information available from the study area when using the new habitat capacity model. Results suggested that the historical impacts of fishing and environmental conditions on the biomass and distributions of hake, anchovy and sardine were not additive, but mainly cumulative with a synergistic or antagonistic effect. Fishing had the highest impact on spatial modelling results while the spatial distribution of primary producers and depth followed in importance. This study contributes to the development of more reliable predictions of regional change in marine ecosystems of the Mediterranean Sea, MC was partially funded by the European Commission through the Marie Curie Career Integration Grant Fellowships – PCIG10-GA-2011-303534 – to the BIOWEB project and by the Spanish National Program Ramon y Cajal. This study is a contribution to the project ECOTRANS (CTM2011-26333, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain)

9 pages, 4 figures, 4 tables, 1 appendix supplementary data https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2016.03.007.-- This study is a contribution to the project ECOTRANS (CTM2011-26333, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competiveness, Spain) and to the Master's thesis of NL, The study of the feeding ecology of marine organisms is crucial to understanding their ecological roles and advancing our knowledge of marine ecosystem functioning. The aim of this study was to analyse the trophic ecology of two demersal predator species, black anglerfish (Lophius budegassa) and white anglerfish (L. piscatorius), in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Both species are important in the study area due to their high abundance and economic value, but information about their feeding behaviour is scarce. Here, we described the diet composition and ecological role of these two species, investigating whether trophic segregation exists between them and amongst fish of different sizes. In addition, by using experimental survey data we described the spatial distribution of both species to help us interpret trophic behaviour patterns. We gathered samples of two different sizes (small individuals of a total length, JN was supported by the Andalucía Talent Hub Program (Andalusian Knowledge Agency, co funded by the European Union's Seventh Framework Program, Marie Skłodowska Curie actions). MC was partially funded by the European Commission through the Marie Curie Career Integration Grant Fellowships – PCIG10-GA-2011-303534 – to the BIOWEB project and by the Spanish National Program Ramon y Cajal. CB and MA-P were supported by predoctoral fellowships of CONICYT-Becas Chile and FPI program of Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, respectively.

VI Congreso Ibérico de Ictiología - VI Iberian Congress of Ichthyology (SIBIC2016), celebrado del 21 al 24 de junio de 2016 en Murcia.-- 3 pages, 1 figure

10 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables, The fishery of the European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus in the Mediterranean needs several ecological approaches to be properly managed. As such, several surveys were carried out to study the ecology of larvae and juveniles of this species, which reproduces during the warmest period of the year (May through September) in the Gulf of Lions. In particular, we studied the late larvae (15 mm total length until metamorphosis), especially as other authors have focused on larvae below that size. Unexpectedly, we also collected anchovy late larvae during the December 2007 survey, whose range in size corresponded to a later spawning period than previously reported. Differences in the nutritional condition of these larvae were assessed by comparing indices of lipid composition and estimating growth rates from otolith measurements to provide information on the probability of survival between the two groups. The analysis of fatty acids, used as tracers of trophic relationships, indicates that these larvae fed mainly on zooplankton. Nutritional conditions of summer and late autumn larvae were very similar. In contrast, growth rates were higher for August larvae, probably due to the different temperatures in the two seasons. Our results are especially relevant in an ecological context where the increasing mean water temperatures in the Western Mediterranean could favor the extension of the anchovy spawning period up to late-Autumn months, This research was conducted within the European project SARDONE (FP6 e 44294). The authors gratefully acknowledge the collaboration of the IFREMER scientific staff and of the captain and crew of the RV L’Europe for their help during the cruises. We also thank the collaboration of Itziar Álvarez and Juan Pablo Beltrán in the analysis of the otoliths and Guiomar Rotllant and the people of IRTA for their guidelines regarding lipids extraction

The objective of this work was to describe inter- and intra-annual variations in the environmental characteristics of the North-eastern Aegean Sea and to relate these changes to the egg and larval distributions, growth and feeding of larval anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus). Four cruises, two in July and two in September in 2003 and 2004 were performed. The distributions of eggs and larvae were associated with i) salinity fronts related to the Black Sea Water and ii) shallow areas of high productivity over the continental shelf, some of them with high riverine influence. The first published description of the anchovy larval diet in the Eastern Mediterranean was conducted in individuals ranging from 2.2 to 17 mm standard length. The number of non-empty guts was relatively high (between 20% and 30%), and the diet was described through 15 main items. The mean size of the prey increased with larval size, and was generally dominated by prey widths smaller than 80 μm (mainly the nauplii and copepodite stages of copepods). Small larvae positively selected copepod nauplii. As larvae grew, they shifted to larger copepod stages. At all sizes, larvae rejected abundant taxa like cladocerans. The average trophic level calculated for anchovy of all size ranges was 2.98 ± 0.16 (SE). Growth rates varied from 0.41 to 0.75 mm d−1, with the highest growth rates generally observed in September. Variability in the Black Sea Water influence and the recorded inter- and intra-annual changes in primary and secondary production, combined with marked changes in temperature over the first 20 m depth, are used to frame the discussion regarding the observed significant differences in growth rates in terms of both length and weight., El presente estudio estuvo financiado por el proyecto de la Unión Europea ANREC (QLRT-2001-01216)

15 pages, 8 figures, 5 tables.-- Printed version published Sep 10, 2009. We analysed changes in the ecological roles of species, trophic structure and ecosystem functioning using four standardized mass-balance models of the South Catalan Sea (North-western Mediterranean). Models represented the ecosystem during the late 1970s, mid 1990s, early 2000s, and a simulated no-fishing scenario. The underlying hypothesis was that ecosystem models should quantitatively capture the increasing exploitation in the ecosystem from the 1970s to 2000s, as well as differences between the exploited and non-exploited scenarios. Biomass showed a general decrease, while there was an increase in biomass at lower trophic levels (TL) from the 1970s to 2000s. The efficiency of energy transfer (TE) from lower to higher TLs significantly increased with time. The ecosystem during the 1990s showed higher biomass and flows than during the 1970s and 2000s due to an increase in small pelagic fish biomass (especially sardines). Exploited food webs also showed similarities in terms of general structure and functioning due to high intensity of fishing already in the 1970s. This intensity was highlighted with low trophic levels in the catch, high consumption of production by fisheries, medium to high primary production required to sustain the catches and high losses in secondary production due to fishing. Significant differences on ecosystem structure and functioning were highlighted between the exploited and no-fishing scenarios. Biomass of higher TLs increased under the no-fishing scenario and the mean trophic level of the community and the fish/invertebrate biomass ratios were substantially lower in exploited food webs. The efficiency of energy transfer (TE) from lower to higher TLs was lower under the no-fishing scenario, and it showed a continuous decrease with increasing TL. Marine mammals, large hake, anglerfish and large pelagic fish were identified as keystone species of the ecosystem when there was no fishing, while their ecological importance notably decreased under the exploited periods. On the contrary, the importance of small-sized organisms such as benthic invertebrates and small pelagic fish was higher in exploited food webs. M.C. was supported financially by a research fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology.

36 pages, A trophic mass-balance model was developed to characterise the food web structure and functioning of the Northern and Central Adriatic Sea and to quantify the ecosystem impacts of fishing during the 1990s. Forty functional groups were described, including target and non-target fish and invertebrate groups, and three detritus groups (natural detritus, discards and by-catch of cetaceans and marine turtles). Results highlighted that there was an important coupling between pelagic–benthic production of plankton, benthic invertebrates and detritus. Organisms located at low and medium trophic levels, (i.e. benthic invertebrates, zooplankton and anchovy), as well as dolphins, were identified as keystone groups of the ecosystem. Jellyfish were an important element in terms of consumption and production of trophic flows within the ecosystem. The analysis of trophic flows of zooplankton and detritus groups indirectly underlined the importance of the microbial food web in the Adriatic Sea., Fishing activities inflicted notable impacts on the ecosystem during the 1990s, with a high gross efficiency of the fishery, a high consumption of fishable production, high exploitation rates for various target and non target species, a low trophic level of the catch and medium values of primary production required to sustain the fishery. Moreover, the analysis of Odum's ecological indicators highlighted that the ecosystem was in a low-medium developmental stage. Bottom trawling (Strascico), mid-water trawling (Volante) and beam trawling (Rapido) fleets had the highest impacts on both target and non target ecological groups. On the contrary, purse seining (Lampara) showed medium to low impacts on the ecosystem; cetaceans, marine turtles and sea birds were not significantly involved in competition with fishing activity, This work has been possible under a bilateral Cooperative-Agreement between CNR (Italy) and CSIC (Spain). During the work, M.C. was supported financially by a FPI fellowship from the MYCT of the Spanish Government

22 pages, 8 figures.-- Issue title: "Ecological Functioning of the Iberian Seas: A synthesis of GLOBEC Research in Spain and Portugal", The Mediterranean is globally considered an oligotrophic sea. However, there are some places or certain seasons in which mechanisms that enhance fertility may occur. These mechanisms and related processes are especially relevant when they take place during the period of larval development. This study analyzes how environmental conditions occurring in the NW Mediterranean, at local and seasonal scales, contribute to determine the temporal and spatial patterns of fish reproductive activity in the region. The structure of the bathymetry, types of bottoms, diversity of adult fish habitats, as well as mechanisms conditioning the primary production of the region determine the location of spawning, whereas physical processes (e.g., shelf-slope density front and associated current, continental water inflows, winter mixing, stratification of the water column) determine the final distribution patterns of fish eggs and larvae. High larval concentrations occur over the edge of the continental shelf in relation to the presence of the shelf-slope front and its associated convergence. However, this pattern is subject to considerable spatio-temporal variability, due to frontal mesoscale activity. High larval abundance can also be observed near the coast in zones with topographic irregularities that can greatly modify circulation favouring penetration of slope waters into the shelf. Finally, larvae of large pelagic migratory species are mainly distributed in areas under the influence of recent Atlantic Water (AW) and near the frontal system between these inflowing AW and the more saline waters of the northern basin. A pronounced seasonal variability regarding both the number of species and the number of fish larvae in the plankton can be observed throughout the year. The two dominant species, sardine and anchovy, have non-overlapping spawning periods, autumn–winter and spring–summer, respectively. The diversity of feeding patterns as well as the fact that different fish species have different spawning periods might reduce inter- and intra-specific competition for food resources in this area. Most NW Mediterranean fish reproduce during the spring–summer stratification period, when the phytoplankton biomass values at the upper layers of the water column are lower than in winter. The development of the Deep Chlorophyll Maximum in this period and the high zooplankton biomass associated to it offers an important food source for the larvae. Additionally, during this period the inputs of continental waters in certain areas are one of the fertilization mechanisms of surface waters and some species, as anchovy, takes advantage of this situation. Autumn–winter is the period with lower ichthyoplankton diversity, being dominated by sardine, which reproduces on the continental shelf. The mixing of the water column during winter is one of the mechanisms that enhances productivity on continental shelves. Moreover, there are no intense currents on the shelf and the circulation is usually anticyclonic, favouring larval retention in this zone. Fish species show reproductive strategies and larval fish behaviour that allow them to take advantage of the available resources throughout the seasonal cycle. These strategies, together with the high ecological efficiency of oligotrophic systems, contribute to the relatively high yield of Mediterranean fisheries, This work was supported by Grant REN2002-01339

12 pages, 11 figures The Gulf of Lions is one of the main anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) spawning areas in the NW Mediterranean. During the spring, low-salinity surface water from the outflow of the Rhône is advected by the shelf-slope current along the continental slope off the Catalan coast. In June 2000, a Lagrangian experiment tracking these low-salinity surface waters was conducted to assess the importance of this transport mechanism for anchovy larvae and to determine the suitability of the tracked surface waters for survival of anchovy larvae. The experiment consisted of sampling the tracked water parcel for 10 days with three drifters launched at the core of the shelf-slope current where low-salinity surface waters were detected. The survey was completed by sampling the surrounding waters. Anchovy larvae from the spawning area in the Gulf of Lions were advected towards the south in the low-salinity waters. The size increase of anchovy larvae throughout the Lagrangian tracking closely followed the general growth rate calculated by otolith analysis (0.65 mm day−1). However, advection by the current was not the only mechanism of anchovy larval transport. A series of anticyclonic eddies, originated in the Gulf of Lions and advected southwards, seemed to play a complementary role in the transport of larvae from the spawning ground towards the nursery areas. These eddies not only contributed to larval transport but also prevented their dispersion. These transport and aggregation mechanisms may be important for anchovy populations along the Catalan coast and require further study We greatly appreciate the assistance of the crew of the R/V García del Cid and all the participants during the ‘ARO’ cruise. This work was supported by the projects MAR 99-1202 and REN 2002-01339/MAR

17 pages, 7 figures, 6 tables, supplementary material http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2015.03.006, We developed an ecological model to characterize the structure and functioning of the marine continental shelf and slope area of the northwestern Mediterranean Sea, from Toulon to Cape La Nao (NWM model), in the early 2000s. The model included previously modeled areas in the NW Mediterranean (the Gulf of Lions and the Southern Catalan Sea) and expanded their ranges, covering 45,547 km2, with depths from 0 to 1000 m. The study area was chosen to specifically account for the connectivity between the areas and shared fish stocks and fleets. Input data were based on local scientific surveys and fishing statistics, published data on stomach content analyses, and the application of empirical equations to estimate consumption and production rates. The model was composed of 54 functional groups, from primary producers to top predators, and Spanish and French fishing fleets were considered. Results were analyzed using ecological indicators and compared with outputs from ecosystem models developed in the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Cadiz prior to this study. Results showed that the main trophic flows were associated with detritus, phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthic invertebrates. Several high trophic level organisms (such as dolphins, benthopelagic cephalopods, large demersal fishes from the continental shelf, and other large pelagic fishes), and the herbivorous salema fish, were identified as keystone groups within the ecosystem. Results confirmed that fishing impact was high and widespread throughout the food web. The comparative approach highlighted that, despite productivity differences, the ecosystems shared common features in structure and functioning traits such as the important role of detritus, the dominance of the pelagic fraction in terms of flows and the importance of benthic–pelagic coupling, Xavier Corraleswas partially supported by an IOLR scholarship.Marta Collwas partially supported by the EC Marie Curie CIG grant to BIOWEB and the Spanish Research Program Ramon y Cajal. This is a contribution to ECOTRANS Spanish PN project and to DESSIM Israeli project

Coll, Marta ... et. al.-- 12 pages, 2 figures, Thirty years of progress using the Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) approach in different fields such as ecosystem impacts of fishing and climate change, emergent ecosystem dynamics, ecosystem-based management, and marine conservation and spatial planning were showcased November 2014 at the conference “Ecopath 30 years-modelling dynamic ecosystems: beyond boundaries with EwE”. Exciting new developments include temporal-spatial and end-to-end modelling, as well as novel applications to environmental impact analyses, in both aquatic and terrestrial domains. A wide range of plug-ins have been added to extend the diagnostic capabilities of EwE, and the scientific community is applying EwE to a diversified range of topics besides fishing impact assessments, such as the development of scientific advice for management, the analysis of conservation issues, and the evaluation of cumulative impacts of environmental and human activities in marine food webs (including habitat modification and the invasion of alien species). Especially promising is the new potential to include the EwE model in integrated assessments with other models such as those related to climate change research. However, there are still many challenges, including the communication of scientific results in management procedures. In addition, other important scientific issues are how to improve model result validation and perform model quality control. During the conference, the Ecopath International Research and Development Consortium was presented as a way for the EwE user community to become involved in the long-term sustainability of the EwE approach. Overall, exciting times are facing the ecosystem modelling scientific community, and as illustrated by the conference: synergistic cooperation is the future path for the EwE approach, MC was partially supported by a Marie Curie CIG grant to BIOWEB project

Eggs and larvae of anchovy were obtained from plankton collections made along the Catalan coast (north-western Mediterranean) from 1983 to 1985 in order to determine spawning seasons and areas and other aspects of its life history. Previous studies have shown the existence of two main spawning areas, to the north and south of the Catalan coast, respectively. The northern one is characterized by a shorter spawning period related with the thermal cycle. Mortality rates of larvae aged 4.9-15 days were calculated from the peak spawning month (June) of the three years, separately by spawning areas. Data on abundance by length classes were adjusted for escape and net avoidance and for duration of growth through a size class as derived from otolith readings. Mortality rates ranged from 0.17 to 0.58. Mortality was higher in 1983 than in 1984 and 1985, coinciding with a high production of anchovy eggs in that year. Mortality at the northern spawning area was lower than at the southern one

13 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables, Relationships between environmental factors and the growth and condition of pilchard Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum) larvae were studied in November 1998 in the northwestern Mediterranean(NWM). Long-term growth of fish was assessed using otolith analysis and condition was assessed through histological and biochemical (RNA/DNA) indices. These measurements were conducted on larvae belonging to 2 station groups (A and B) previously defined through principal component analysis (PCA) on 7 environmental variables. Correlations between individual condition indices and environmental values at place of capture were also performed. Condition in environmental group A was significantly higher than in group B as assessed by both histological indices and RNA/DNA. Long-term growth, however, did not differ significantly between groups except for the otolith diameter vs. standard length (SL) relationship. The stations conforming to environmental group A were characterised by environmental ranges that would form a favorable habitat for larval success, including surface temperatures 4500 nauplii(N) m-3 or >5500 of other microzooplankters (T-N) m–3. Apart from the good agreement found between histological and RNA/DNA results, each approach offered different information: histological indices detected the largest portion of unfit larvae at size-ranges ≤8 mm, whereas RNA/DNA best discriminated large larvae. The results from this study support the view that links exist between mesoscale anomalies, spawning intensity and growth or condition of pilchard larvae in the NWM., This research was complied in accordance with all the Spanish laws and was funded by the Spanish research project CYTMAR 97-0902.

The Mediterranean fishery has experienced a decline in catches over the past 20 years due to an excessive increase in effort caused by both increased trawler engine power and rapid technological advances in fishing technology and fish location. This has led to overexploitation, in which immature individuals support an increasing portion of the catches. The present study was undertaken to test a sorting grid and square-mesh-panel as juvenile exclusion systems. Our experience was a pilot study of such a system in the western Mediterranean. The purpose of these exclusion systems was to help juvenile hake escape from the net. The results demonstrate that the use of sorting grids for small fish in trawl gears in the Mediterranean is an efficient and practical means of avoiding the capture and discarding of unwanted individuals, with escape rates of over 50% (ranging between 50 and 90%). The grids were efficient and useful for excluding hake ( Merluccius merluccius ) on bottoms located at depths between 50 and 300 m, where hake are found all year round. A bar spacing of 20 mm yielded escape rates of L 50 at 18.8 cm TL (L 25 = 16.8 cm and L 75 = 20.9 cm). Panels made of square meshes achieved poorer results than the grids. The grid system was effective for most of the species caught in the study area.

15 pages, 5 figures, 6 tables, Since the late 1980s, the Daily Egg Production Method (DEPM) has been applied to several anchovy stocks in European waters. DEPM surveys in the Bay of Biscay were well standardized and focused on providing fisheries-independent information for stock assessment purposes. Those targeting Mediterranean stocks were largely experimental and often opportunistic, with the main aim of developing and testing the method, rather than providing estimates of spawning stock biomass (SSB) for stock assessment. Consequently, the DEPM has been applied once, twice, or a maximum of three times in certain Mediterranean areas with no among-area standardization. Different techniques for several aspects of the method have been used in the Mediterranean, and the parameters estimated vary greatly among stocks and year of application. Evidence is provided that variability in biological production among sub-basins and/or years, a characteristic of Mediterranean Sea, may directly affect anchovy egg production. The daily specific fecundity of anchovy stocks can vary greatly among years, areas, or seasons in response to changing environmental and trophic regimes. When the correlation between regression-derived estimates of daily egg production and associated estimates of daily specific fecundity for anchovy in the Mediterranean, the Bay of Biscay, and upwelling areas are compared, a significant isometric relationship emerges for the Mediterranean and the Bay of Biscay, implying densitydependent use of spawning habitat. In upwelling areas, estimates of daily egg production are relatively high for a narrow range of generally low daily specific fecundities. There is a strong linear relationship between anchovy SSB and spawning area in European waters that does not differ significantly between the Bay of Biscay and the Mediterranean Sea

15 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables, In this study, the feeding apparatus (gill rakers, GR) and the diet composition of European sardine Sardina pilchardus populations living in two contrasting environments were compared: the upwelling area off western Iberia and the comparatively less productive region of the north-western Mediterranean Sea. The importance of local adaptations in the trophic ecology of this species was estimated. Sardina pilchardus from the Atlantic Iberian coast and from the north-western Mediterranean Sea have clear differences in the feeding apparatus and diet compositions. Those from the Atlantic Iberian coast have significantly more GRs than S. pilchardus of the same size range in the Mediterranean Sea. While S. pilchardus from the Mediterranean Sea mostly depend on prey ranging between 750-1500 and 3000-4000μm, corresponding mostly to cladocerans, decapods and copepods, those from the Atlantic depend on smaller prey (50-500 and 1000-1500μm) that include phytoplankton and copepods, particularly during summer months, and S. pilchardus eggs during the winter. The marked difference between the trophic ecology of S. pilchardus in the two areas studied appears to have originated from different dietary strategies that the two populations have adopted in contrasting feeding environments. These differences are shown to profoundly affect the size and quality of prey consumed, and the effect of cannibalism on the populations. © 2015 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles

9 pages, 4 figures, 4 tables, Anchovy and sardine in the Mediterranean are known to share the same habitat and, consequently, to interact with one another. These two sympatric pelagic species are planktivorous and consume a wide range of planktonic prey items during all their developmental stages, potentially overlapping their ecological niches, although the feeding interactions between these species have been poorly investigated. Here we compare the dietary habits of the juvenile phases of anchovy and sardine during different seasons in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea, through analysis of their stomach contents and of their feeding-related anatomical characteristics. In this study we show that juveniles of anchovy and sardine do not compete for food, and we describe significant dietary differences between anchovy and sardine due to their different alimentary tract morphology. © 2014 Elsevier B.V., This researchwas conductedwithin the European project SARDONE (FP6 – 44294)

The potential effect on the pelagic ecosystem of nitrogen recycling by anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) in a major spawning area of the Catalan Sea (NW Mediterranean) was assessed by comparing estimates of N excretion in the form of ammonia and urea with the N requirements of primary production. The influence of diel vertical migrations of anchovies on primary production in the stratified layer above the thermocline was also addressed. Results showed that N released by anchovy accounted for almost 2% of phytoplankton total demand in the entire water column during the thermal stratification period Diel trophic dynamics in the area related to vertical migrations led to a net upward nutrient transport through the thermocline, which might contribute to the vertical reallocation of production within the photic layer towards the stratified layer. If nocturnal N excretion occurs in the topmost 10 m, where spawning takes place, the net production increase in this surface layer could be >5%. This could enhance survival in the first stages of larval development of the species, This research was supported by a grant from the Catalonian Government to the first author. The authors thank Dr M. Estrada for primary production data, and the T-Echo Project for hydrologic data. Drs R.C. Dugdale, F. Maynou and one anonymous referee made valuable comments on the original manuscript

14 pages, 7 figures, 5 tables, Analysis of adult anchovy samples collected in the Catalan Sea during the spawning periods in 1994 and 1995 showed that feeding activity by this engraulid was mainly diurnal, taking place particularly after noon. Copepods and other small prey were primary dietary items, the former presumably being concentrated at the level of the deep chlorophyll maximum during daytime. At night only sporadic consumption of large prey items, mostly decapod larvae and mysids, was recorded. The feeding pattern described results in spatio-temporal segregation of feeding and spawning activity and may account for the absence of cannibalism on anchovy eggs. An assessment of the impact of consumption by the anchovy population in the Catalan Sea on zooplankton production underscored the major role played by this species in channelling energy of the pelagic food webs to higher trophic levels

13 pages, 11 figures, 3 tables, 1 appendix supplementary material https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2012.06.029, The Mediterranean endemic starry ray (Raja asterias) is one of the few demersal skates that are still present in Mediterranean exploited ecosystems. However, this species has declined with time, its presence in survey data is scarce, and limited information is available about its ecology and the impact of fishing on its populations. We examined key ecological features of this species such as reproduction, trophic behaviour and growth. We assessed the ecological role of this species within the food web using an ecological model of a North-Western Mediterranean ecosystem and setting the new information in an ecosystem context. We then explored impacts of fishing on the starry ray population using a dynamic temporal model and we developed fishing scenarios aiming at recovering the species. Field and modelling results showed that the starry ray is a potentially ecologically important predator of the Mediterranean demersal ecosystems, but its ecological importance in the food web is moderate-low since it is present at a low abundance. Results confirmed that the species has been and still is highly impacted by fishing and it is very sensitive to increasing fishing impacts. However, alternative fishing scenarios showed that Mediterranean starry ray populations may respond under decreasing trawl fishing effort and could substantially recover. The recovery of the starry ray may be accompanied by recovery of other demersal species and could have wider ecosystem impacts. Therefore, this skate could be a good sentinel species to indicate ecosystem health in current Mediterranean Sea ecosystems. These new insights may be useful to ensure the recovery and conservation of this species while triggering the recovery of exploited marine communities in the Mediterranean Sea, M.C. was funded by the European Commission through the Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowships to the ECOFUN Project (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-1-IOF) and the Spanish National Program Ramon y Cajal. J.N. was supported by a postdoctoral contract of the Juan de la Cierva program (MICINN-JDC, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation)

14 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables, The study of trophic ecology of marine predators is crucial to better understand the ecological factors that condition their role within marine ecosystems. Here we investigated the trophic habits and position of a Mediterranean endemic predator, the starry ray, Raja asterias. Specifically, we quantified the diet composition of this endemic ray in a highly exploited area of the NW Mediterranean, and we evaluated the effects of sex, maturity-stage and season on its feeding habits. Our results revealed that the starry ray is a predator of crustaceans (crabs and shrimps), and to a lower extent on teleosts, molluscs and polychaetes. This species has a high trophic position within its food web and feeds mainly on crabs (mainly Liocarcinus depurator and Goneplax rhomboides), independent of their sex, maturity-stage or season. The great importance of crabs in the diet of starry ray may be due to the fact that crabs are the dominant crustaceans in terms of biomass and abundance in the area where starry rays were collected, thus allowing them to exploit the most abundant food resource. Since the starry ray has shown a progressive decline on the catch, further research is needed to analyse the main drivers of starry ray dynamics in the Western Mediterranean Sea. Our results present important new data that will allow us to further explore the population dynamics of starry rays and the role of crustacean availability and fishing activity, JN was supported by a postdoctoral contract of the Juan de la Cierva program (MICINN-JDC, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation). MC was funded by the European Commission through the Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowships to the ECOFUN project (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-1-IOF)

15 pages, 8 figures, 5 tables, Recruitment of European anchovy has been traditionally thought to largely depend on the passive transport and dispersion of eggs and larvae from spawning to nursery areas. Knowledge of the factors influencing the vertical distribution of fish early stages, and consequently influencing the transport, is a crucial issue in fisheries science. The aim of this study is to assess the relevance of diel vertical migration (DVM) as a mechanism involved in the transport of European anchovy larvae toward nursery areas taking into account age/stage-dependent vertical migration (i.e., the maximum migration). We developed a simplified vertical migration sub-model for anchovy larvae included in an Individual-based (IBM) hydrodynamic coupled model. Two types of simulation experiments were conducted: (1) ‘Pure’ Lagrangian (passive) transport experiments and (2) biological behavior transport experiments with a realistic scheme for egg-buoyancy, larval growth, and DVM scheme. We detected high variability in the trajectory and final position of larvae with 14 mm length between the passive and biological behavior experiments. The particles were less clustered in the passive transport experiment. In the biological experiment the particles were aggregated depending on the mesoscale oceanographic structures, evidencing a transport associated to filaments and meanders. The formation of schools was facilitated by the transport in filaments and larvae transported within filaments generally avoided the nucleus of the eddies and the central part of the North Current. Moreover, our results suggest that there is interconnectivity between all the anchovy sub-populations in the NW Mediterranean and that the Gulf of Lions and the shelf waters surrounding the Ebro River Delta are the most important areas for anchovy reproduction in this region. Additionally, we detected that the pre-recruitment is higher in those years when the larvae retention is favored. We underline that bottlenecks in larval transport modeling are related to the scarcity of knowledge in developmental biology and behavior of anchovy larvae and emergent mechanistic processes, This research was conducted within the European project SARDONE (FP6-44294). Egg samples were obtained from the MPOCAT-DEPM surveys financed by Generalitat de Catalunya. A. Ospina-Alvarez benefited from a PhD grant of the JAE program (CSIC)

Special issue Egg Production Methods in Marine Fisheries.-- 10 pages, 7 figures, 1 table, Small pelagic fish populations exhibit reproductive strategies resulting from past natural selection pressure, by which certain traits become more or less common in a population, allowing them to adapt and become better suited to certain habitats. One such adaptation is the buoyancy of eggs, which is observed as density changes during development. This is an important issue in fisheries and modeling science, as it affects the vertical distribution of eggs and, therefore, egg transport. Recently, individual-based models for anchovies in the Mediterranean have focused on developing adequate biological algorithms to simulate realistic spatial variations of eggs and larvae. Some models that include movements of particles according to Stokes’ law also assume a constant value of egg density during egg development. However, field observations show differences in the vertical distribution of eggs when egg density during development is considered. We address the problem of egg density and its vertical distribution within a biological context. In Mediterranean waters, the incubation time for anchovy eggs during peak spawning is approximately 48–70 h; during these first hours, egg density has an influence on the horizontal and vertical trajectories of eggs, as well as their routes and hatching zones. In this study, we introduce an algorithm describing the egg density of European anchovy eggs throughout development. Egg density measurements were carried out in a density gradient column (DGC). We fitted a polynomial model that estimated egg density, as a function of time from fertilization and that was dependent on temperature. Simulations to study the vertical transport of eggs in the Mediterranean were carried out using ICHTHYOP/MARS3D. The vertical distribution of pelagic eggs was determined by a set of interacting biological and physical parameters related to eggs (density, diameter) and ambient seawater (density, viscosity, turbulence), respectively. The egg buoyancy model introduced here was validated and will provide insight for the design of anchovy egg surveys, as the vertical position of the eggs in the water column during development can be inferred by the hydrographic structure of seawater, This research was conducted within the European project SARDONE (FP6 – 44294). Egg samples were obtained from the MPOCAT-DEPM surveys financed by Generalitat de Catalunya. A. Ospina-Alvarez benefited from a PhD grant of the JAE program (CSIC). We are indebted with AZTI-Tecnalia for providing us with the Density Gradient Column used to conduct our experiments. Thanks to Anne Elizabeth Mohan for proofreading the English. We are grateful to P. Garreau and A. Nicolle for their support with MARS-3D hydrodynamic model outputs, as well as to P. Verley for his assistance in ICHTHYOP code. Finally, the authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the captain and crew of the RV Garcia del Cid for their help during the cruise

13 pages, 5 figures, 3 tables, We investigated ontogenetic and seasonal changes in the feeding ecology of 2 small pelagic fish species, the European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus and the European pilchard Sardina pilchardus in the Gulf of Lions (NW Mediterranean). By analysing the stable isotopes δ13C and δ15N, we determined the seasonal variation in the food sources and in the trophic level of these species, and we examined dietary shifts during development. The results of these investigations provided estimates of the diets of both species. We compared the values observed during different seasons (summer, autumn and winter) and at different developmental stages (late-larvae, juveniles and adults) for both species, together with the values of potential groups of prey (microplankton, cladocerans, copepods and appendicularians). Late-larvae preferred to feed on microplankton, although differences in the diet appeared after metamorphosis. Cladocerans were usually the preferred prey when available (summer), and appendicularians were the preferred prey in autumn. During the winter, the diets seemed to be more heterogeneous. Different feeding behaviours between the late-larvae of the 2 species were the most likely reason for the slightly different trophic levels found in the present study. This research demonstrates that studies with stable isotopes can furnish an alternative and/or complementary method for determining the diet of small pelagic fishes over extended periods and provides comprehensive knowledge of the functioning of the pelagic ecosystem, D.C. was funded by a PhD contract within the European project SARDONE (FP6 - 44294). J.N. was supported by a postdoctoral contract of the Juan de la Cierva programme (MICINN-JDC, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation)

8 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, Understanding how marine ecosystems are structured and how they function is a scientific challenge. Nowadays, to learn about ecosystem trophic dynamics ecologists use two complementary methodological approximations, mass-balance ecosystem models and isotopic tools. However, despite the wide applications of these methodologies, the comparison and combination of both are still scarce. The aim of this study was to examine the trophic dynamics of representative species of the South Catalan marine ecosystem (North-western Mediterranean) using the Ecopath ecosystem modelling tool and the stable isotope approach. By using the two methodologies we depicted the trophic position (trophic level and δ15N values) and trophic width (omnivory index and total isotopic area) of several species of fish, cephalopods, cetaceans, seabirds and one sea turtle. Our results show a clear correlation between the trophic levels estimated by the Ecopath model and the δ15N values, which validate the trophic position of several species in the study area and indicate that both methodologies are useful to determine the trophic position of marine species in Mediterranean marine food webs. In contrast, the two estimators of trophic width (the omnivore index and the total isotopic area) were not strongly related, since the relationship between modelling and stable isotope results was evident only for some species. Further comparisons of trophic width calculated in other marine food webs may provide a better understanding of our results and validate the accuracy of both methodological approaches to calculate trophic width, Research funds were provided by three projects from the Spanish Government (REN2000-0878/MAR, P06-RNM-02362, REN2002-00450). J. N. was supported by a postdoctoral contract of the Juan de la Cierva programme (MICINNJDC, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation). M. C. was funded by the European Commission through the Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowships (ECOFUN project, FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-1-IOF). M.L. was funded by a PhD fellowship of the Balearic Government, as well as by a postdoctoral contract of the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (EX-2007-1148) and Marie Curie Individual Fellowship (PIEF-GA-2008-220063)

14 pages, 7 figures, 4 tables The diel variation in feeding intensity and daily ration of the sardine Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum, 1792) was investigated based on 50 pelagic trawl hauls carried out during the period of thermal stratification (July 2007 and July 2008) and mixing (December 2007 and February 2009) in a coastal area of the North Aegean Sea (eastern Mediterranean). Concurrently collected hydrographic (temperature and salinity), plankton (chlorophyll a, microzooplankton and mesozooplankton) and fish parameters (somatic condition, sexual maturity and catch per unit effort of sardine, CPUE) were used to explain seasonal and inter-annual variability in feeding periodicity and daily ration. A piecewise regression fitted to the weight-length data indicated a significant inflexion point at a length of ~100 mm that was used to split the fish sample into adults and juveniles. The stomach fullness index (stomach content mass/fish mass) was strongly dependent on size, and a generalized linear model was used instead to standardize stomach content mass. During summer, sardine fed consistently during daytime with a prominent peak at around sunset. In winter, high feeding rates were recorded in the early night (first 6 h after sunset) but not in the second half of the night. Field estimates of gastric evacuation rate (R) ranged from 0.101 to 0.225 h−1 and were strongly related to temperature (T) (R = 0.075e0.038T, r2 = 0.785). Daily rations were estimated by applying the Elliott-Persson and the Eggers models and varied from 2.02 to 3.67% total weight (TW) in adults and 4.18 to 5.36% TW in juveniles. A significant positive relationship emerged when daily ration was regressed against the ratio of mesozooplankton biomass to sardine CPUE, implying a density-dependent rate of food consumption The present study was part of the European Project SARDONE (‘Improving assessment and management of small pelagic species in the Mediterranean’, FP6-44294)

We analyzed data from catch statistics, scientific surveys and results from ecosystem models to assess main changes in marine resources of the North-Central Adriatic Sea (Central Mediterranean) from the mid 1970s to the early 2000s. We then quantified food-web changes using these datasets and trophodynamic indicators. We applied time series trends and a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to reduce the number of multivariate dimensions and to define ecosystem reference directions. To assess the correlation between ecological indicators and abiotic (human or environmental) factors, we used the non-parametric BIO-ENV procedure. Results illustrated a general decrease in the biomass and catch of target species with time, with a first phase of increasing catch and biomass of some organisms from the 1970s to the 1980s, a 'fishing down the food web' process during the 1980s, and a clear trend towards biomass and catch reductions during the late 1990s and early 2000s. These changes occurred in parallel with an increase in fishing effort and human development in the basin and changes in environmental factors such as an increase in the average annual sea water temperature, a decrease in the inflow of highly saline Mediterranean water into the Adriatic Sea, and changes in the atmospheric pressure at sea level. We found a high and significant correlation between ecological indicators and abiotic factors (in particular with human factors: fishing effort and the human development index). Results from the PCA summarized main ecosystem trends and could be used as a reference framework. These results complement traditional single-species fisheries assessments and inform on past trajectories and present ecological status of the North-Central Adriatic Sea, This work was made possible by a bilateral Cooperative-Agreement between the CNR (Italy) and the CSIC (Spain). The EU project SESAME contract no. 036949-2 that allowed the continuation of this work is greatly acknowledged. M.C. was supported financially by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology, and by the European Community Marie-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship through the International Outgoing Fellowships (Call: FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-1-IOF) to ECOFUN

13 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables, This study presents a comparative analysis of protected and exploited Mediterranean Sea food webs using standardized ecological models of two ecosystems: the Central-North Adriatic Sea (highly exploited) and the Miramare Natural Marine Reserve (Northern Adriatic Sea, protected since 1986). Food webs are analysed in terms of structural and functional traits including trophic levels, transfer efficiency, trophic role of species and keystoneness, trophic spectra and other synthetic ecological indicators. Our results highlight similarities between food webs of the Adriatic Sea, differences that are likely due to the impact of fishing and differences that should be related to other factors. Analysis of biomass distribution along functional groups and of trophic spectra indicates that protected area presents higher mean trophic level of the community, higher biomasses, lower production and generally lower transfer efficiency than fished area. Our results indicate that measures of food web complexity (system omnivory index and ascendency), as well as pelagic/demersal and fish/invertebrates biomass ratios are higher in the protected area than in exploited ecosystem due to fishing-induced changes. Thus, this study highlights that marine protected areas can efficiently contribute to maintain structural and functional traits of marine ecosystems, This work was developed within the context of the SESAME project—EC Contract No. GOCE-036949, funded by the Sixth Framework Programme. M.C. was supported financially by postdoctoral fellowships from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology and by the European Community Marie-Curie Post-doctoral Fellowship through the International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF) (Call: FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-1-IOF) to the ECOFUN project

21 pages, 9 figures, 5 tables, We used a process-oriented model (Ecosim) to characterize changes in marine resources in the north-central (NC) Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean) from 1975 to 2002, and to explore the extent to which these changes were driven by trophic interactions, environment and fishing. Fishing efforts and fishing mortalities were used to drive the ecosystem model, and available biomass and catch data were compared to the model predictions. We calibrated and assessed the fit of the model using the sum of the squared deviations of the observed and predicted biomass values. Trophodynamic indicators were then calculated and used to analyse changes to the ecosystem. Trophic interactions, fishing, and environmental conditions were important driving factors of the ecosystem. Predictions from the model adequately matched observed biomass and catch data for each year. Observed trends and predicted data for biomasses decreased with time for several species, including Norway lobster, hake, red mullets, flatfish, and anchovy. The environmental functions resulting from the fitting procedure predicted that primary production and nutrients increased beyond the baseline from 1975 level, and then showed a decrease. They were negatively correlated with mean sea surface temperature and positively correlated with the Mediterranean Oscillation Index. Our results suggested that the NC Adriatic ecosystem became more degraded over time due to expanding fishing effort, bottom-up effects, and climatic anomalies. Possible mechanisms involved are discussed. Comparing our findings with descriptions of the south Catalan Sea ecosystem showed certain similarities between these 2 Mediterranean ecosystems and revealed unique features of the Adriatic Sea, This work was made possible by a bilateral co-operative-agreement between the Istituto di Scienze Marine (CNR), Italy, and the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ciencia e Investigación (CSIC), Spain. The integrated project ’Site Effect Assessment Using Ambient Excitations’ (SESAME) contract no. 036949-2, supported by the European Commission’s Sixth Framework Programme, Sustainable Development, Global Change and Ecosystems, which allowed the continuation of this work, is greatly acknowledged. During part of the work, M.C. was supported financially by doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Education and Science, and by Dalhousie University (Canada)