Nutritional condition of two coastal rocky fishes and the potential role of a marine protected area

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Núria Viladrich ◽  
Sergio Rossi ◽  
Angel López-Sanz ◽  
Covadonga Orejas
Keyword(s):  
Protected Area ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Nutritional Condition

scholarly journals Landscape configuration of seagrass meadows regulates sea urchins predation in a Marine Protected Area: what is the role of bottom predators?

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Farina ◽  
Silvia Oliva ◽  
Ivan Guala ◽  
Rodrigo Silva ◽  
Luigi Piazzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Predation Risk ◽  
Sea Urchin ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Sea Urchins ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Landscape Configuration ◽  
Benthic Assemblages ◽  
Seagrass Meadows

In Mediterranean benthic ecosystems of shallow water local-scale predation maintains a main control on both sea urchin population and the ecological structure of macrophyte community. The use of the habitat by local predator guild in dependence on the regional context shapes prey distributions across the environment. On rocky habitat, the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus is widely known as prey of apex fish predators that indirectly shape the structure of benthic assemblages whereas, in structured Posidonia oceanica, P. lividus can find shelter from predators. In this study, we assessed survival rates of P. lividus in a Marine Protected Area (Sardinia) at the aim to evaluate the role of composition and configuration of landscape on its predation risk. Sites of different landscapes were selected in function of their heterogeneity estimated according to the different proportions and spatial interspersion of four classes of habitats defined on the basis of P. oceanica meadows arrangement: (1) continuous, (2) fragmented and (3) patchy meadows and (4) absence of seagrass (i.e. rocky bottom with macroalgae communities). In order to capture the domain of the ecological process a sampling grain 5x5 meters was used as minimal spatial resolution at which information is assessed. Specifically continuous sampling units in a grid of 7x7 cells yield landscape quadrats of 35 × 35 m and allowed a finer description of the spatial pattern. For each cell we also estimated structural variables of seagrass habitats such as unburied mat, shoot density, canopy height, cover percent, roughness and the natural abundances of prey and predators. After placing the tagged sea urchins, we daily observed the survival rates for twenty days. Predation risk was significantly higher in continuous and fragmented seagrass habitats and predator marks were typically produced by gastropod’s attacks. Landscape indices are used to correlate the amount of available habitat for gastropods movements with sea urchin’s predation risk. Interestingly, estimated predation rate also was negatively correlated with natural sea urchins density across grid cells. Results suggest that, although fishes are considered among the most important pressures on sea urchin population, especially in effective MPAs, bottom predators’ control can be relevant in structurally complex environment such as seagrasses.

scholarly journals Landscape configuration of seagrass meadows regulates sea urchins predation in a Marine Protected Area: what is the role of bottom predators?

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Farina ◽  
Silvia Oliva ◽  
Ivan Guala ◽  
Rodrigo Silva ◽  
Luigi Piazzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Predation Risk ◽  
Sea Urchin ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Sea Urchins ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Landscape Configuration ◽  
Benthic Assemblages ◽  
Seagrass Meadows

In Mediterranean benthic ecosystems of shallow water local-scale predation maintains a main control on both sea urchin population and the ecological structure of macrophyte community. The use of the habitat by local predator guild in dependence on the regional context shapes prey distributions across the environment. On rocky habitat, the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus is widely known as prey of apex fish predators that indirectly shape the structure of benthic assemblages whereas, in structured Posidonia oceanica, P. lividus can find shelter from predators. In this study, we assessed survival rates of P. lividus in a Marine Protected Area (Sardinia) at the aim to evaluate the role of composition and configuration of landscape on its predation risk. Sites of different landscapes were selected in function of their heterogeneity estimated according to the different proportions and spatial interspersion of four classes of habitats defined on the basis of P. oceanica meadows arrangement: (1) continuous, (2) fragmented and (3) patchy meadows and (4) absence of seagrass (i.e. rocky bottom with macroalgae communities). In order to capture the domain of the ecological process a sampling grain 5x5 meters was used as minimal spatial resolution at which information is assessed. Specifically continuous sampling units in a grid of 7x7 cells yield landscape quadrats of 35 × 35 m and allowed a finer description of the spatial pattern. For each cell we also estimated structural variables of seagrass habitats such as unburied mat, shoot density, canopy height, cover percent, roughness and the natural abundances of prey and predators. After placing the tagged sea urchins, we daily observed the survival rates for twenty days. Predation risk was significantly higher in continuous and fragmented seagrass habitats and predator marks were typically produced by gastropod’s attacks. Landscape indices are used to correlate the amount of available habitat for gastropods movements with sea urchin’s predation risk. Interestingly, estimated predation rate also was negatively correlated with natural sea urchins density across grid cells. Results suggest that, although fishes are considered among the most important pressures on sea urchin population, especially in effective MPAs, bottom predators’ control can be relevant in structurally complex environment such as seagrasses.

scholarly journals Evidence of the top–down role of predators in structuring sublittoral rocky-reef communities in a Marine Protected Area and nearby areas of the Canary Islands

2008 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrina Clemente ◽  
José Carlos Hernández ◽  
Alberto Brito
Keyword(s):  
Canary Islands ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Rocky Reef ◽  
Adult Density ◽  
Top Down ◽  
El Hierro ◽  
Reef Communities ◽  
Predation Rates

Abstract Clemente, S., Hernández, J. C., and Brito, A. 2009. Evidence of the top–down role of predators in structuring sublittoral rocky-reef communities in a Marine Protected Area and nearby areas of the Canary Islands. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 64–71. Differences in the sea urchin Diadema aff. antillarum population structure, which have been attributed to removal of predatory fish through overfishing, are observed throughout the Canary Islands. Low urchin abundances and a “desired conservation state” are currently found in Mar de Las Calmas Marine Protected Area and nearby fished areas (FAs) in El Hierro Island, in contrast to the occurrence of high urchin densities and the “undesired conservation state” in the highly FAs (HFAs) of Tenerife Island. Under these different levels of fishing pressure, we consider a set of ecological variables potentially affecting urchin populations (settlement, recruitment, adult urchin densities, predation rates, and abundance of urchin fish predators) to infer their magnitude and relative importance in addressing community-wide changes. No differences in settlement and recruitment rates were found, but predation pressure was higher in El Hierro, where adult density was low and predation rates were high. The combination of these factors provides evidence of a top–down control of sublittoral reef communities. Although the effect of protection was less clear, we demonstrate the positive effects of reduced fishing effort in enhancing trophic cascade processes and reducing the establishment of barren grounds.

The Case of a Rudderfish Highlights the Role of Natural History Museums as Sentinels of Bio-invasions

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4254 (3) ◽  
pp. 382 ◽  
Author(s):  
SABRINA LO BRUTTO
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Natural History Museums ◽  
History Museums ◽  
Western Sicily ◽  
Kyphosus Vaigiensis ◽  
The Mediterranean

In September 2013 fishermen captured a rudderfish—Kyphosus vaigiensis—off Favignana Island, one of the islands of the Egadi Islands Marine Protected Area (MPA) in western Sicily (Mannino et al., 2015). This species is rarely sampled in the Mediterranean Sea. 

scholarly journals Management Board of the Ilha dos Lobos Wildlife Refuge: Building a New Relationship with its Territory

2020 ◽  
pp. 107-134
Author(s):  
Aline Kellermann ◽  
Walter Steenbock ◽  
Paulo Henrique Ott
Keyword(s):  
Social Participation ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Board Members ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Sea Lions ◽  
Management Board ◽  
Management Council

Forming a management board for a Protected Area (PA) is a democratic process which exercises social participation in public environmental management. Ilha dos Lobos Wildlife Refuge (WLR), in southern Brazil, had its management council formed in 2016, 33 years after its creation. The objective of this article was to characterize the board members’ profiles emphasizing their perception of the role of the management council and the challenges and opportunities of this PA. In order to achieve these goals, qualitative methodologies such as the application of 30 questionnaires with closed questions and nine semi-structured interviews with the board members were used. Data collection also involved bibliographical and documentary research. The general profile of the board members is of residents at the PA municipality, with a high level of education, and with previous experience in other councils. According to the interviewed members, the main role of a board member is to provide the management council with technical information, to help integrating society with the PA, and to spread the importance of the WLR. Regarding the main goals of the WLR, its importance as a refuge for sea lions and for scientific research was highlighted. As to the conflicts, the management council members mentioned the illegal fishing within the PA and the fishery interaction with sea lions as the main problems. In terms of future perspectives, the board members revealed the desire to develop sustainable tourism and to implement a management plan. In this context, the establishment of the management council of Ilha dos Lobos WLR represents a milestone in the history of participative management of this PA, consolidating a space for clarification, discussion and integration with the stakeholders of its area of influence. Keywords: Social participation, marine protected area, participatory governance, stakeholders.

scholarly journals Marine protected area governance: Prospects for co-management in the European Mediterranean

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Hogg ◽  
Pedro Noguera-Méndez ◽  
María Semitiel-García ◽  
María Giménez-Casalduero
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Participatory Approach ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Management Processes ◽  
The Mediterranean

Marine protected areas (MPAs) raise serious challenges in terms of their governance. By applying a participatory approach co-management can help in overcoming many of the deficiencies of top-down management processes. Yet, despite benefits of co-management, it is still found to be the exception in the Mediterranean. This paper provides a review of co-management and the prospects for decentralisation in the European Mediterranean. The role of social capital (SC) in co-management is discussed and a framework for SC and participation to attain effective co-management is proposed.

The role of science in supporting marine protected area network planning and design in California

2013 ◽  
Vol 74 ◽  
pp. 45-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Saarman ◽  
Mary Gleason ◽  
John Ugoretz ◽  
Satie Airamé ◽  
Mark Carr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Area ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Network Planning ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Protected Area Network ◽  
Planning And Design
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