Coralligène formations in the eastern Mediterranean Sea: Morphology, distribution, mapping and relation to fisheries in the southern Aegean Sea (Greece) based on high-resolution acoustics

Georgiadis, Michalis; Papatheodorou, George; Tzanatos, Evangelos; Geraga, Maria; Ramfos, Alexis; Koutsikopoulos, Constantin; Ferentinos, G.

doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2008.10.001

Cited by 42 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The graph of the cumulative number of species did not show a tendency to stabilise in an asymptotic curve and highlights the heterogeneity of habitat distribution in Menorca Channel (Clarke and Warwick 2001;Gray 2002). There is little information in this article on the deep coralligenous habitats in the Mediterranean, which are considered to be amongst the most diverse (Batala et al 2005;Ballesteros 2006;Georgiadis et al 2009), and no data on other components of the benthos, such as the supra-and infauna, in the area. However, our results confirm the assumption that although soft-sediments are not generally considered highly structured, some habitats within these bottoms, such as maërl beds, can support high biodiversity (Birkett et al 1998;Foster 2001;BIOMAË RL Team 1999;Bordehore et al 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Biodiversity and habitat mapping of Menorca Channel (western Mediterranean): implications for conservation

et al. 2012

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Menorca Channel (Balearic Islands, western Mediterranean) comprises 98,700 Ha of continental shelf. It has been proposed to include this area in the Natura 2000 network due to the wide range of species and habitats of high conservation value found here, such as Posidonia oceanica meadows and maërl and coralligenous beds. This study aimed to establish a scientific basis for managing and protecting the continental shelf bottoms in Menorca Channel. Sampling was carried out with side-scan sonar, beam trawls, box corers, a remote-operated vehicle and an underwater drop camera. The information collected was used to map the habitat distribution between 50 and 100 m depth, as well as make an inventory and describe the spatial patterns of both the specific and functional diversity. A total of 636 species was recorded in a mosaic of habitats in which Corallinacea calcareous algae and other soft red algae (Osmundaria volubilis and Peyssonnelia spp.) were the most abundant groups. Hotspots of specific and functional diversity were located in areas with high habitat heterogeneity and complexity. Protection of Menorca Channel should not only include the habitats and species in the European directives, but also the habitats that are not currently protected, such as O. volubilis and Peyssonnelia beds, due to Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Biodiversity and habitat mapping of Menorca Channel (western Mediterranean): implications for conservation

et al. 2012

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“…In the shortterm, however, significant catch reductions are expected for several species. Furthermore, the extension of the spatial trawling prohibition may favor the (Georgiadis et al, 2009;, into the protected zone. However, if such a ban is not accompanied by a capacity reduction of the bottom-trawl fishery (e.g., number of vessel licenses), it would result in higher competition for fishery resources in deeper areas; thus increasing fishery pressure on stocks inhabiting the continental slope (e.g., hake, shrimps).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial management of the Mediterranean bottom-trawl fisheries: the case of the southern Aegean Sea

2011

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A time series of survey abundance indices for commercially important demersal fish and cephalopod species, inhabiting the narrow continental shelf of the southern Aegean Sea, is analyzed in relation to the topography of the area in order to evaluate the impact of different spatial fishery bans on the bottom-trawl fishery. With reference to the current situation, results suggested that implementation of the 1967/2006 EC Regulation, which bans bottom-trawl activities within 1.5 NM off the coast, will significantly increase (20-80%, depending on the species) the proportion of the populations that are inaccessible to the bottom-trawl fishery. It might also result in shifting of fishing activities toward deeper waters, adding fishing pressure onto slope resources inhabiting the slope. As depth determines, to a large extent, the distribution pattern of the species, it constitutes a variable of crucial importance for the spatial management of marine fisheries and should be taken into account when adopting relevant management regimes.

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“…They typically develop under dim light conditions at depths ranging from 20 to 120 m, either (a) as outcrops of rocky substrates (i.e., coralligenous of the littoral rock), or (b) as banks/platforms/minute reefs (sensu Georgiadis et al, 2009) surrounded by sedimentary substrates or even sandy bottoms (Ballesteros, 2006;Georgiadis et al, 2009). The geographic distribution of coralligenous formations in the Aegean Sea was mainly based on data provided by previous mapping efforts of variable spatial resolution (e.g., Georgiadis et al, 2009;Fakiris, 2012;Giakoumi et al, 2013;Martin et al, 2014;Papatheodorou et al, 2014;Dimas et al, 2015;Geraga et al, 2016), and ecological assessments (e.g., Sini et al, 2015;Supplementary File 4). New information on coralligenous formations of the littoral rock found at depths shallower than 40 m was acquired through interviews and questionnaires with divers, and during the SCUBA diving surveys of the present study.…”

Section: Coralligenous Formationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assembling Ecological Pieces to Reconstruct the Conservation Puzzle of the Aegean Sea

et al. 2017

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The effective conservation of marine biodiversity through an integrated ecosystem-based management approach requires a sound knowledge of the spatial distribution of habitats and species. Although costly in terms of time and resources, acquiring such information is essential for the development of rigorous management plans and the meaningful prioritization of conservation actions. Located in the northeastern part of the Mediterranean, the Aegean Sea represents a stronghold for marine biodiversity. However, conservation efforts are hampered by the apparent lack of spatial information regarding marine habitats and species. This work is the first to address this knowledge gap by assembling, updating, and mapping information on the distribution of key ecological components. A range of data sources and methodological approaches was utilized to compile and complement the available data on 68 ecological features of conservation interest (58 animal species, six habitat categories, and four other vulnerable ecological features). A standardized data evaluation procedure was applied, based on five semi-quantitative data quality indicators in the form of a pedigree matrix. This approach assessed the sufficiency of the datasets and allowed the identification of the main sources of uncertainty, highlighting aspects that require further investigation. The overall dataset was found to be sufficient in terms of reliability and spatiotemporal relevance. However, it lacked in completeness, showing that there are still large areas of the Aegean that remain understudied, while further research is needed to elucidate the distribution patterns and conservation status of several ecological features; especially the less charismatic Sini et al.Aegean Sea Conservation Puzzle ones and those found in waters deeper than 40 m. Moreover, existing conservation measures appear to be inadequate to safeguard biodiversity. Only 2.3% of the study area corresponds to designated areas for conservation, while 41 of the ecological features are underrepresented in these areas. Considering the high geomorphological complexity and transnational character of the Aegean Sea, this study does not offer a complete account of the multifaceted diversity of this ecoregion. Instead, it represents a significant starting point and a solid basis for the development of systematic conservation plans that will allow the effective protection of biodiversity within an adaptive management framework.

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Coralligène formations in the eastern Mediterranean Sea: Morphology, distribution, mapping and relation to fisheries in the southern Aegean Sea (Greece) based on high-resolution acoustics

Cited by 42 publications

References 36 publications

Biodiversity and habitat mapping of Menorca Channel (western Mediterranean): implications for conservation

Biodiversity and habitat mapping of Menorca Channel (western Mediterranean): implications for conservation

Spatial management of the Mediterranean bottom-trawl fisheries: the case of the southern Aegean Sea

Assembling Ecological Pieces to Reconstruct the Conservation Puzzle of the Aegean Sea

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