Back to Search
Start Over
Rocky reef fish assemblages at six Mediterranean marine protected areas: broad scale patterns in assemblages structure, species richness and composition
- Publication Year :
- 2013
-
Abstract
- Fish assemblages inhabiting shallow rocky reefs at six Italian marine protected areas (MPAs) were investigated to assess broad-scale patterns in assemblage structure, species richness and composition, and to evaluate the presence of a latitudinal gradient in the distribution pattern of a thermophilic fish, the ornate wrasse Thalassoma pavo. Fish abundance was estimated by visual censuses carried out within the integral reserve zones, within the 1--7 m depth range and during four sampling periods. Multivariate analyses revealed significant differences in the assemblage structure among MPAs, although patterns of variation changed considerably from time to time and they were not consistent with latitudinal or longitudinal gradient. Fish assemblages of Miramare (northern Adriatic) and those of the other MPAs clearly separated into two groups. Multivariate differences among MPAs mainly relied upon some relatively common species (e.g. Diplodus puntazzo and Muraena helena). Substantial contribution to t...
- Subjects :
- geography
Fish assemblage
geography.geographical_feature_category
biology
Coral reef fish
Range (biology)
Ecology
Thalassoma pavo
broad-scale patterns
marine protected areas
Mediterranean Sea
biology.organism_classification
Fishery
Common species
Wrasse
Fish assemblage, broad-scale patterns, marine protected areas, Mediterranean Sea
Animal Science and Zoology
Marine protected area
Species richness
Reef
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....f831d9eb84a1665c2eb846e694f89e0c