Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T14:33:29.116Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A species-rich molluscan assemblage in a coralligenous bottom of the Alboran Sea (south-western Mediterranean): intra-annual changes and ecological considerations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 August 2011

Javier Urra ,
José L. Rueda ,
Serge Gofas ,
Pablo Marina  and
Carmen Salas
Javier Urra*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29071, Málaga, Spain
José L. Rueda
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29071, Málaga, Spain Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola (Málaga)
Serge Gofas
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29071, Málaga, Spain
Pablo Marina
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29071, Málaga, Spain Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola (Málaga)
Carmen Salas
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29071, Málaga, Spain
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: J. Urra, Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29071, Málaga, Spain email: biologiamarina@uma.es
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The composition and structure of a molluscan assemblage inhabiting an outcrop with a coralligenous community was studied in southern Spain. A total of 117 molluscan species were identified, with gastropods as the dominant group. Calyptraea chinensis was the dominant species and the family Conidae presented the highest number of species. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index and the Evenness showed non-significant changes between cold and warm months, displaying high values (~4 bits and ~0.8 bits respectively). Some of the dominant and/or frequent species are strictly associated with coralligenous-building organisms, such as Neosimnia spelta with gorgonians. Regarding trophic guilds, carnivores are the dominant group, followed by filter feeders due to the high abundance of C. chinensis. Regarding biogeographical distributions, most of these species (<95%) are widely distributed in European waters, the number of strictly Mediterranean species being very low. The Alboran Sea represents the distributional limit towards the Mediterranean for some species found in this bottom, such as the Atlantic Bela powisiana. Rocky–coralligenous bottoms are scarce in the western Alboran Sea but support a high species richness molluscan assemblage, displaying higher diversity values than the surrounding soft bottoms and increasing the biodiversity at local scale. This high biodiversity is partly explained by the coexistence of different taxa with contrasting biogeographical affinities promoted by the geographical location of the area. Due to this, conservation efforts should be required to protect this stretch of coastline where one of the most biodiverse invertebrate assemblages along the European coasts can be found.

Keywords

gastropodsbivalvesbiodiversitybiogeographical distributionhard bottomcoralligenousAlboran SeaWestern Mediterranean
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 92 , Issue 4: Coral Reefs, the Aquarium Trade and the Maritime Industry , June 2012 , pp. 665 - 677
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Abbiati, M., Airoldi, L., Costantini, F., Fava, F., Ponti, M. and Virgilio, M. (2009) Spatial and temporal variation of assemblages in Mediterranean coralligenous reefs. In Pergent-Martini, C. and Brichet, M. (eds) Actes Du 1er Symposium Sur Le Coralligène et autres Bio-Concrétions calcaires de Méditerranée, Tabarka, 15–16 January 2009. Tunis: RAC/SPA publication, pp. 34–40.Google Scholar
Antoniadou, C. and Chintiroglou, C. (2005) Biodiversity of zoobenthic hard-substrate sublittoral communities in the Eastern Mediterranean (North Aegean Sea). Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 62, 637–653.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Antoniadou, C., Koutsoubas, D. and Chintiroglou, C.C. (2005) Mollusca fauna from infralittoral hard substrate assemblages in the North Aegean Sea. Belgian Journal of Zoology 135, 119–126.Google Scholar
Arroyo, M.C., Salas, C., Rueda, J.L. and Gofas, S. (2006) Temporal changes of mollusc populations from a Zostera marina bed in southern Spain (Alboran Sea), with biogeographic considerations. Marine Ecology 27, 417–430.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bakir, K. and Katagan, T. (2005) Crustacean diversity of the coralligenous beds of Markiz Island (Aegean coast of Turkey). Crustaceana 78, 873–883.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Balata, D., Piazzi, L., Cecchi, E. and Cinelli, F. (2005) Variability of Mediterranean coralligenous assemblages subject to local variation in sediment deposition. Marine Environmental Research 60, 403–421.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Balata, D., Acunto, S. and Cinelli, F. (2006) Spatio-temporal variability and vertical distribution of a low rocky subtidal assemblage in the north-west Mediterranean. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 67, 553–561.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ballesteros, E. (2006) Mediterranean coralligenous assemblages: a synthesis of present knowledge. Oceanography and Marine Biology: an Annual Review 44, 123–195.Google Scholar
Bianchi, C.N. and Morri, C. (2000) Marine biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea: situation, problems and prospects for future research. Marine Pollution Bulletin 40, 367–376.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boudouresque, C.F., Meinesz, A., Ledoyer, M. and Vitiello, P. (1994) Les herbiers à Phanérogames marines. In Bellan-Santini, D., Lacaze, J.-C. and Poizat, C. (eds) Les biocénoses marines et littorales de Méditerranée, synthèse, menaces et perspectives. Paris: Muséun National d'Historie Naturelle, pp. 98–118.Google Scholar
Casellato, S., Masiero, L., Sichirollo, E. and Soresi, S. (2007) Hidden secrets of the Northern Adriatic: ‘Tegnúe’, peculiar reefs. Central European Journal of Biology 2, 122–136.Google Scholar
Casellato, S. and Stefanon, A. (2008) Coralligenous habitat in the northern Adriatic Sea: an overview. Marine Ecology 29, 321–341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cebrián, E., Ballesteros, E. and Canals, M. (2000) Shallow rocky bottom benthic assemblages as calcium carbonate producers in the Alboran Sea (south-western Mediterranean). Oceanologica Acta 23, 311–322.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cebrián, E. and Ballesteros, E. (2004) Zonation patterns of benthic communities in an upwelling area from the western Mediterranean (La Herradura, Alboran Sea). Scientia Marina 68, 69–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chintiroglou, C., Antoniadou, C., Vafidis, D. and Koutsoubas, D. (2005) A review on the biodiversity of hard substrate invertebrate communities in the Aegean Sea. Mediterranean Marine Science 6, 51–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clarke, K.R. and Green, R.H. (1988) Statistical design and analysis for a ‘biological effects’ study. Marine Ecology Progress Series 46, 213–226.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clarke, K.R. and Warwick, R.M. (1994) Change in marine communities: an approach to statistical analysis and interpretation. Plymouth, UK: Plymouth Marine Laboratory.Google Scholar
Cocito, S., Bedulli, D. and Sgorbini, S. (2002) Distribution patterns of the sublittoral epibenthic assemblages on a rocky shoal in the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean). Scientia Marina 66, 175–181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coll, M., Piroddi, C., Steenbeek, J., Kaschner, K., Ben Rais Lasram, F., Aguzzi, J., Ballesteros, E., Bianchi, C.N., Corbera, J., Dailianis, T., Danovoro, R., Estrada, M., Froglia, C., Galil, B.S., Gasol, J.M., Gertwagen, R., Gil, J., Guilhaumon, F., Kesner-Reyes, K., Kitsos, M.-S., Koukouras, A., Lampadariou, N., Laxamana, E., Lopéz-Fé de la Cuadra, C.M., Lotze, H.K., Martin, D., Monillot, D., Oro, D., Raicevich, S., Rius-Barile, J., Saiz-Salinas, J.I., San Vicente, C., Somot, S., Templado, J., Turon, X., Vafidis, D., Villanueva, R. and Voultsiadou, E. (2010) The biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea: estimates, patterns and threats. PloS ONE 5: e11842. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0011842CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ekman, S. (1953) Zoogeography of the sea. London: Sidgwick and Jackson.Google Scholar
Fava, F., Ponti, M. and Abbiati, M. (2009) Coralligenous assemblages in the northern Adriatic continental shelf. In Pergent-Martini, C. and Brichet, M. (eds) Actes Du 1er Symposium Sur Le Coralligène et autres Bio-Concrétions calcaires de Méditerranée, Tabarka, 15–16 January 2009. Tunis: RAC/SPA publication, pp. 195–197.Google Scholar
Ferdeghini, F., Acunto, S., Cocito, S. and Cinelli, F. (2000) Variability at different spatial scales of a coralligenous assemblage at Giannutri Island (Tuscan Archipelago, northwest Mediterranean). Hydrobiologia 440, 27–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
García Muñoz, J.E., Manjón-Cabeza, M.E. and García-Raso, J.E. (2008) Decapod crustacean assemblages from littoral bottoms of the Alborán Sea (Spain, west Mediterranean Sea): spatial and temporal variability. Scientia Marina 72, 437–449.Google Scholar
García-Raso, J.E. (1988) Consideraciones generales sobre la taxocenosis de crustáceos decápodos de fondos de concrecionamiento calcáreo superficial del alga Mesophyllum lichenoides (Ellis & Sol.) Lemoine (Corallinaceae) del mar de Alborán. Investigación Pesquera 52, 245–264.Google Scholar
García-Raso, J.E. and Fernández Muñoz, R. (1987) Estudio de una comunidad de crustáceos decápodos de fondos ‘coralígenos’ del alga calcárea Mesophyllum lichenoides del sur de España. Investigación Pesquera 51, 301–322.Google Scholar
García-Raso, J.E., López de la Rosa, I. and Rosales, J.M. (1996) Decapod crustacean communities from calcareous seaweed and Posidonia oceanica (rhizome stratum) in shallow waters. Ophelia 45, 143–158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
García-Raso, J.E., Gofas, S., Salas Casanova, C., Manjón-Cabeza, M.E., Urra, J. and García Muñoz, J.E. (2010) El mar más rico de Europa: Biodiversidad del litoral occidental de Málaga entre Calaburras y Calahonda. Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Andalucía, Sevilla, 138 pp.Google Scholar
Garrabou, J., Sala, E., Arcas, A. and Zabala, M. (1998) The impact of diving on rocky sublittoral communities: a case study of a bryozoan population. Conservation Biology 12, 302–312.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Garrabou, J., Ballesteros, E. and Zabala, M. (2002) Structure and dynamics of North-Western Mediterranean rocky benthic communities along a depth gradient. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 55, 493–508.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hergueta, E. and Salas, C. (1987) Study of the molluscs from the concretions of Mesophyllum lichenoides (Ellis) Lemoine of the Alboran Sea. Iberus 7, 85–97.Google Scholar
Krebs, C.J. (1989) Ecological methodology. New York: Harper and Row.Google Scholar
Laubier, L. (1966) Le coralligéne des Albéres. Monographie biocénotique. Annales de ĺInstitut Océanographique, Paris 42, 137–316.Google Scholar
Macías, D., Navarro, G., Echevarría, F., García, C.M. and Cueto, J.L. (2007) Phytoplankton pigment distribution in the north-western Alborán Sea and meteorological forcing: a remote sensing study. Journal of Marine Research 65, 523–543.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Macías, D., Bruno, M., Echevarría, F., Vázquez, A. and García, C.M. (2008) Metereologically-induced mesoscale variability of the north-western Alborán Sea (southern Spain) and related biological patterns. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 78, 250–266.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mazzella, L., Buia, M.C., Gambi, M.C., Lorenti, M., Russo, G.F., Scipione, M.B. and Zupo, V. (1992) Plant–animal trophic relationship in the Posidonia oceanica ecosystem of the Mediterranean Sea: a review. In John, D.M., Hawkins, S.J. and Price, J.H. (eds) Plant–animal interactions in the marine benthos. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Systematics Association Special Volume No. 46, pp. 165–187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Patarnello, T., Volckaert, F.A.M.J. and Castilho, R. (2007) Pillars of Hercules: is the Atlantic–Mediterranean transition a phylogeographical break? Molecular Ecology 16, 4426–4444.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peñas, A., Rolán, E., Luque, Á.A., Templado, J., Moreno, D., Rubio, F., Salas, C., Sierra, A. and Gofas, S. (2006) Moluscos marinos de la isla de Alborán. Iberus 24, 23–151.Google Scholar
Pérès, J.M. and Picard, J. (1964) Nouveau manuel de bionomie benthique de la Méditerranée. Recueil des Travaux de la Station Marine d'Endoume 31, 1–137.Google Scholar
Piazzi, L., Balata, D., Pertusati, M. and Cinelli, F. (2004) Mediterranean coralligenous phytobenthic assemblages: temporal dynamics and infuence of substrate inclination. Botanica Marina 47, 105–115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pielou, E.C. (1969) An introduction to mathematical ecology. New York: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Procaccini, G., Buia, M.C., Gambi, M.C., Perez, M., Pergent, G., Pergent-Martini, C. and Romero, J. (2003) The seagrasses of the western Mediterranean. In Green, E.P. and Short, F.Y. (eds) World atlas of seagrasses. Berkeley, CA: UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre and University of California Press, pp. 48–58.Google Scholar
Rueda, J. and Salas, C. (1998) Modiolus lulat (Dautzenberg, 1891): a tropical West African bivalve recorded from south European coasts. Journal of Conchology 36, 80.Google Scholar
Rueda, J. and Gofas, S. (1999) Sinum bifasciatum (Récluz, 1851) (Gastropoda: Naticidae) confirmed in Mediterranean fauna. Journal of Conchology 36, 81–82.Google Scholar
Rueda, J., Salas, C. and Gofas, S. (2000) A molluscan community from coastal bioclastic bottoms in the Strait of Gibraltar area. Iberus 18, 95–123.Google Scholar
Rueda, J., Gofas, S., Urra, J. and Salas, C. (2009) A highly diverse molluscan assemblage associated with eelgrass beds (Zostera marina L.) in the Alboran Sea: micro-habitat preference, feeding guilds and biogeographical distribution. Scientia Marina 73, 679–700.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sala, E., Garrabou, J. and Zabala, M. (1996) Effects of diver frequentation on Mediterranean sublittoral populations of the bryozoan Pentapora fascialis. Marine Biology 126, 451–459.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salas, C. and Hergueta, E. (1986) The molluscan fauna of calcareous concretions of Mesophyllum lichenoides (Ellis) Lemoine. Study of annual cycle diversity. Iberus 6, 57–65.Google Scholar
Salas, C. and Sierra, A. (1986) Contribution to the knowledge of the molluscs bivalves from the red coral bottoms of the Alboran island (España). Iberus 6, 189–200.Google Scholar
Sarhan, T., García Lafuente, J., Vargas, J.M. and Plaza, F. (2000) Upwelling mechanisms in the northwestern Alboran Sea. Journal of Marine Systems 23, 317–331.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spalding, M.D., Fox, H.E., Allen, G.R., Davidson, N., Ferdaña, Z.A., Finlayson, M., Halpern, B.S., Jorge, M.A., Lombana, A., Lourie, S.A., Martin, K.D., McManus, E., Molnar, J., Recchia, C.A. and Robertson, J. (2007) Marine ecoregions of the world: a bioregionalization of coastal and shelf areas. BioScience 57, 573–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Urra, J. and Gofas, S. (2009) New records of Bela powisiana (Dautzenberg 1887) (Gastropoda: Conidae) in Southern Europe. Journal of Conchology 40, 1–4.Google Scholar
Urra, J., Gofas, S., Rueda, J.L. and Marina, P. (2011) Molluscan assemblages in littoral soft bottoms of the Alboran Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea). Marine Biology Research 7, 27–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Virgilio, M., Airoldi, L. and Abbiati, M. (2006) Spatial and temporal variations of assemblages in a Mediterranean coralligenous reef and relationships with surface orientation. Coral Reefs 25, 265–272.CrossRefGoogle Scholar