Overlooked habitat of a vulnerable gorgonian revealed in the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic by ecological niche modelling

Abstract

Factors shaping the distribution of mesophotic octocorals (30–200 m depth) remain poorly understood, potentially leaving overlooked coral areas, particularly near their bathymetric and geographic distributional limits. Yet, detailed knowledge about habitat requirements is crucial for conservation of sensitive gorgonians. Here we use Ecological Niche Modelling (ENM) relating thirteen environmental predictors and a highly comprehensive presence dataset, enhanced by SCUBA diving surveys, to investigate the suitable habitat of an important structuring species, Paramuricea clavata, throughout its distribution (Mediterranean and adjacent Atlantic). Models showed that temperature (11.5–25.5 °C) and slope are the most important predictors carving the niche of P. clavata. Prediction throughout the full distribution (TSS 0.9) included known locations of P. clavata alongside with previously unknown or unreported sites along the coast of Portugal and Africa, including seamounts. These predictions increase the understanding of the potential distribution for the northern Mediterranean and indicate suitable hard bottom areas down to >150 m depth. Poorly sampled habitats with predicted presence along Algeria, Alboran Sea and adjacent Atlantic coasts encourage further investigation. We propose that surveys of target areas from the predicted distribution map, together with local expert knowledge, may lead to discoveries of new P. clavata sites and identify priority conservation areas.

A fine-tuned global distribution dataset of marine forests

“…The integration of the dataset with a set of functions in R language allows easy data acquisition and smooth integration with already available statistical tools, such as those aiming for Ecological Niche Modeling 47,48 . For instance, the dataset can be used to describe the global distribution of species 12,49 , address niche-based questions 3,50,51 , support biodiversity and ecosystem-based conservation 10,52,53 , and to understand correlations between anthropogenic pressures and population extinctions 54 . Additionally, the availability of standard data layers delivering past and future climate change scenarios 36,55 may further expand the applications of this dataset to predict range shifts 9,56,57 or hypothesize important evolutionary scenarios, such as mapping climate-refugia where higher and endemic biodiversity evolved 43,58,59 .…”

The understorey of gorgonian forests in mesophotic temperate reefs

“…Pristine forests may reach densities of greater than 50 colonies m −2 and dry masses of greater than 1700 g m −2 (Coma, Ribes, Zabala, & Gili, ; Linares, Coma, Garrabou, Díaz, & Zabala, ). The biology and ecology of this species have been well studied: geographic and bathymetric distributions (Boavida, Assis, Silva, & Serrão, ; Di Camillo, Ponti, Bavestrello, Krzelj, & Cerrano, ; Gori et al, ; Kipson et al, ; see also Appendix S1, Figures S1.1 and S1.2), reproduction, growth, secondary production, and survivorship (Coma et al, ; Cupido et al, ; Cupido, Cocito, Sgorbini, Bordone, & Santangelo, ; Fava, Bavestrello, Valisano, & Cerrano, ; Linares et al, ; Linares, Coma, & Zabala, ; Mistri & Ceccherelli, ; Santangelo et al, ), feeding ecology (Cocito et al, ; Coma, Gili, Zabala, & Riera, ; Ribes, Coma, & Gili, ), respiration rate (Coma, Ribes, Gili, & Zabala, ; Previati, Scinto, Cerrano, & Osinga, ), and population genetic structure (Mokhtar‐Jamai et al, ; Perez‐Portela et al, ; Pilczynska, Cocito, Boavida, Serrao, & Queiroga, ).…”

Postglacial range expansion shaped the spatial genetic structure in a marine habitat‐forming species: Implications for conservation plans in the Eastern Adriatic Sea

“…The red gorgonian, Paramuricea clavata, is a habitat‐forming octocoral with a key role in the structure and functioning of coralligenous habitat (Ballesteros, ), and thus it is of major interest for conservation purposes. Characterized by a patchy distribution in the Western Mediterranean and in the Adriatic (Boavida, Assis, Silva, & Serrão, ), this long‐lived and gonochoric species reproduces annually and shows late sexual maturity (13 years of age) with a short larval phase (Coma, Zabala, & Gili, ). The larval phase was estimated between 8 and 25 days in aquarium (Linares, Coma, Garrabou, Díaz, & Zabala, ) but field observations reported high settlement rates near the mother colony (Coma et al., ).…”