Potential use of marinas as nursery grounds by rocky fishes: insights from four Diplodus species in the Mediterranean
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Published source details
Bouchoucha M., Darnaude A.M., Gudefin A., Neveu R., Verdoit-Jarraya M., Boissery P. & Lenfant P. (2016) Potential use of marinas as nursery grounds by rocky fishes: insights from four Diplodus species in the Mediterranean. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 547, 193-209.
Published source details Bouchoucha M., Darnaude A.M., Gudefin A., Neveu R., Verdoit-Jarraya M., Boissery P. & Lenfant P. (2016) Potential use of marinas as nursery grounds by rocky fishes: insights from four Diplodus species in the Mediterranean. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 547, 193-209.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Create small adjoining cavities or ‘swimthrough’ habitats (≤100 mm) on subtidal artificial structures Action Link |
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Create small adjoining cavities or ‘swimthrough’ habitats (≤100 mm) on subtidal artificial structures
A replicated, paired sites, controlled study in 2013–2014 on subtidal seawalls and pontoons in five marinas in the Mediterranean Sea, France (Bouchoucha et al. 2016) found that creating small swimthrough habitats on seawalls and pontoons had mixed effects on juvenile seabream Diplodus spp. abundance and habitat usage on and around the structures, depending on the species, juvenile development stage, site and survey month. Over 17 months, juvenile seabream (four species) used swimthrough habitats created on seawalls as frequently as those created under pontoons, and in three of six comparisons, they used both more than seawall and pontoon surfaces without swimthroughs, but in the other three comparisons no significant difference was found (data reported as habitat preference index). Abundances on and around swimthroughs and seawall and pontoon surfaces varied depending on the species, development stage, site and survey month (swimthroughs: 0–6 individuals/survey for any one species; seawall and pontoon: both 0–2/survey; see paper for results). Small swimthrough habitats were created by attaching steel cages containing oyster shells (Biohuts: height: 0.8 m; length: 0.5 m; width: 0.3 m; mesh size: 25–50 mm) to seawalls and pontoons in March 2013. Eight Biohuts were attached to each of three vertical seawalls, and three were suspended under each of three pontoons, in each of five marinas (depth not reported). Biohuts were compared with seawall (height: 0.8 m; length: 5 m) and pontoon (4 m2) surfaces without swimthroughs. Juvenile seabreams were counted on and around Biohuts and seawall/pontoon surfaces over 17 months.
(Summarised by: Ally Evans)
