Long-term effect of beach replenishment on natural recovery of shallow Posidonia oceanica meadows

The recovery capacity of shallow Posidonia oceanica meadows degraded by beach replenishment eighteen years before was assessed in two impacted meadows and compared with other two undisturbed localities. Inside each locality, we selected randomly three sites separated by 500–1000 m. At site level we study the vitality of P. oceanica meadow assessing the vegetative growth, leaf characteristics, and non-structural carbohydrates of the plants. Additionally, at locality level, silt-clay fraction, organic matter, pH and light intensity incident on the sea bottom were measured to evaluate the environmental conditions. Covering of P. oceanica was significantly lower at the impacted localities while amount of dead “matte” was higher. Leaf production of horizontal rhizomes (14.6 ± 1.11 vs 19.47 ± 1.45 leaves y⁻¹), net total rhizomes recruitment (2.33 ± 0.17 vs 4.3 ± 0.33 branches y⁻¹) and starch concentration (43.625 ± 0.67 vs 54.45 ± 0.74 mg per g of rhizome) at impacted meadows were significantly lower than controls. Leaf features, epiphytes biomass, colonization, elongation and horizontal and vertical rhizome production did not show significant differences. Sediments at impacted localities contained higher silt-clay fraction and higher organic matter load while pH was lower. Light intensity on the sea bottom measured at all localities was over the minimum light requirements estimated for P. oceanica. Our results show that the press impact produced by beach replenishment was enduring in the time slowing natural recovery by 45%. This impact may be related with changes in the sediment features.     

Temporal and bathymetric variation of epiphyte cover and leaf biomass in a southern Posidonia oceanica (L.) meadow: the case of Mahdia coast,Tunisia

The aim of this research was to study spatial and temporal variation in epiphyte cover and leaf biomass of Posidonia oceanica in Eastern Tunisia. Sampling was conducted at four stations on the Mahdia coast during October and December 2010, and April and August 2011, which correspond respectively to autumn, winter, spring and summer in this area. Posidonia oceanica shoots were collected at two depths (5 and 10 m). Cover of macroinvertebrates and macroalgae was estimated on adult leaves. The results showed that leaf and epiphyte biomasses vary significantly according to sampling date, with the highest values recorded in August. We found a high diversity of epiphytic assemblages on the leaves of P. oceanica with clear qualitative and quantitative dominance of Rhodophyceae compared to other groups, followed by Phaeophyceae. Most epiphyte species on the leaves of P. oceanica in Eastern Tunisia are the same as those in other parts of the Mediterranean Sea. No bathymetrical variation in the epiphytic community was found in our study area, which can be explained by the high levels of water clarity in Mahdia.     

Harpacticoid copepod response to epiphyte load variations in Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile meadows

We conducted a field experiment to assess the response of phytal harpacticoids to nutrient‐driven increases of epiphyte load in Posidonia oceanica meadows. First, we evaluated differences in species richness, diversity and assemblage structure of phytal harpacticoids in P. oceanica meadows with differing epiphyte loads. Secondly, we conducted a field experiment where epiphyte load was increased through an in situ addition of nutrients to the water column and evaluated the responses of the harpacticoid assemblages. We predicted that there would be changes in the harpacticoid assemblages as a result of nutrient‐driven increases of epiphyte load, and that these changes would be of a larger magnitude in meadows of low epiphyte load. Our results show that the harpacticoid fauna (>500 μm) present in P. oceanica meadows in the Bay of Palma comprised taxa which are considered phytal and other less abundant ones previously described as sediment dwellers or commensal on other invertebrate species. Nutrient addition had an overall significant effect on epiphyte biomass and on harpacticoid abundance, diversity and assemblage structure, possibly as a response to the increased resources and habitat complexity provided by epiphytes. The abundance of dominant species at each location was favoured by nutrient addition and in some cases correlated with epiphytic biomass, although never strongly. This may indicate that structural complexity or diversity of the epiphytic cover might be more important than the actual epiphytic biomass for the harpacticoid species investigated. More species‐specific studies are necessary to ascertain this and clarify the relationships between harpacticoids and epiphytes in seagrass meadows. To our knowledge, this is the first account of harpacticoid species associated with P. oceanica leaves and the epiphytic community they harbour in the Mediterranean Sea.     

Modelling formation of complex topography by the seagrass Posidonia oceanica

Posidonia oceanica is a slow growing seagrass species that extends via growing rhizomes that grow only centimetres both horizontally and vertically each year. Posidonia oceanica forms topographically complex biogenic reefs of dead rhizome and sediments that are up to 4 m in height that are called “matte”. This study investigates the role of slow horizontal and vertical growth of rhizomes in the formation of topographic complexity in P. oceanica matte using agent-based modelling. The simulated infilling of landscapes by P. oceanica was run over 600 iterations (years) for 10 random starts of 150 agents each. Initial infilling rates were very slow and P. oceanica had limited cover after a century of growth. Growth accelerated after 100 years but plateaued after 400 years such that after 600 years only two-thirds of the landscape was occupied by P. oceanica. The pattern of spread of agents was initially random in direction but after larger patches were formed spread was radial from these patches. The seagrass landscape was initially highly fragmented with many small separate patches made up of a few agents each, with a Landscape Division index close to 1. Between 300 and 600 years Landscape Division declined sharply to 0.42, indicating patches had coalesced into larger more continuous meadows forming a less fragmented landscape. Perimeter to area ratio of seagrass patches declined exponentially from >1 to approximately 0.2 over 600 years of simulation. The matte developed from growth of patches and its greatest height occurred in more continuously occupied cells of the grid. The topography of the reef that occupied two-thirds of the landscape after six centuries of growth could be described as a pattern of channels between reef plateaus elevated 1–2 m above channels. These results demonstrate that development in P. oceanica meadows of three-dimensional structure, in the formation of biogenic reefs, can be explained by, and is an emergent property of, slow horizontal and vertical rhizome growth rates combined with the time it takes for the accumulation of rhizomes in any region of the landscape. As such, the model provides a parsimonious explanation for the development of complex matte topography.     

Patterns of spatial variation of nutrient content,epiphyte load and shoot size of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows (Mediterranean Sea)

Knowledge of patterns of spatial variability of vegetative development, epiphyte load and nutrient availability in seagrass meadows is essential for the adequate design of research and environmental monitoring programmes. Differences in shoot size, epiphyte load and nutrient content of leaves and epiphytes of the Mediterranean endemic seagrass Posidonia oceanica at spatial scales ranging from metres to hundreds of metres are evaluated using a hierarchical nested sampling design. The size and epiphyte load of P. oceanica shoots and the nitrogen and phosphorus content of leaves and epiphytes were different in most of the spatial scales considered. Sampling efforts concentrated at the metre scale incorporated most of the variability in size, epiphyte load and nutrient content of the leaves and epiphytes of P. oceanica shoots. Epiphyte load showed no correlation with nutrient content in the epiphytes or in the leaves. However, epiphyte load and shoot size were negatively correlated, which suggests that light penetration in the canopy may be a main determinant of epiphyte load.     

Crustacean decapod assemblages associated with fragmented Posidonia oceanica meadows in the Alboran Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea): composition,temporal dynamics and influence of meadow structure

The decapod assemblage associated with a Posidonia oceanica meadow located near its western limit of biogeographic distribution was studied over an annual cycle. Fauna samples were taken seasonally over a year (five replicates per season) in two sites located 7 km apart, using a non‐destructive sampling method (airlift sampler) for the seagrass. The dominant species of the assemblage, Pisidia longimana, Pilumnus hirtellus and Athanas nitescens, were associated with the protective rhizome stratum, which is mainly used as a nursery. The correlations between decapod assemblage structure and some phenological parameters of the seagrass shoots and wave height were negative or null, which reflects that species associated with the rhizome had a higher importance than those associated with the leaf stratum. The abundance and composition of the decapod assemblage as well as the ecological indexes displayed a seasonality trend with maximum values in summer‐autumn and minimum in winter‐spring, which were related to the seawater temperature and the recruitment periods of the dominant species. The spatial differences found in the structure and dynamics of the assemblages may be due to variations in the recruitment of the dominant species, probably as a result of the influence of local factors (e.g. temperature, currents) and the high dispersal ability of decapods, together with the patchy configuration and the surrounding habitats. The studied meadows are fragmented and are integrated within a mosaic of habitats (Cymodocea nodosa patches, algal meadows, rocky and sandy bottoms), which promotes the movement of individuals and species among them, maintaining a high species richness and evenness.     

Epiphyte assemblages of the Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica: an overview

This paper reviews the main studies dealing with epiphytes of both leaves and rhizomes of Posidonia oceanica, the main seagrass found in the Mediterranean Sea. A total of 660 epiphyte species has been recorded, including 430 on leaves and 437 on rhizomes. Of these, 205 are Rhodophyta, 59 Ochrophyta, 43 Chlorophyta, 78 Porifera, 82 Cnidaria, 19 Annelida, 155 Bryozoa and 19 Tunicata. The epiphyte assemblages demonstrate a gradient of dissimilarity from west to east, with the eastern area being the most unlike the others. The differences can be attributed mostly to rare species that differ amongst the Mediterranean regions. Many of the dominant taxa have been found in all meadows studied. Data concerning species composition, abundance, and patterns of spatial and temporal variability are summarized, and biotic and abiotic factors controlling the structure of assemblages are discussed. Responses of epiphyte assemblages to anthropogenic stressors, such as nutrient enrichment and biological invasions, are discussed in relation to the use of epiphytes as ecological indicators.     

Impact of fish farming facilities on Posidonia oceanica meadows: a review

The impact of fish farming facilities on Posidonia oceanica meadows was assessed from studies of intensive facilities carried out over the last few years. The disturbances caused by these fish farms were measured by means of both abiotic (light, sediment, interstitial water) and biotic variables (meadow density, leaf biometry, lepidochronology, primary production, epiphytes, reserve carbohydrates in the rhizomes), in function of increasing distance from cages and/or inside a geographically close reference site. The results showed significant degradation of these seagrass meadows in all the sectors investigated. When fish farming cages were placed above a P. oceanica bed, the meadow was severely degraded or disappeared and the sediment showed a strong increase in organic matter that could lead to anoxia phenomena. The irreversible impact of fish farming projects on P. oceanica meadows requires the application of the precautionary principle. Several recommendations (site selection, preliminary studies and monitoring over time) are suggested in order to enable piscicultural activities to be incorporated in a global process of Integrated Coastal Zone Management.     

First record of vertical rhizomes in the seagrass Zostera marina (Novigrad Sea,Croatia)

We report the first record of vertical rhizome growth in the temperate seagrass Zostera marina. In a population of Z. marina occurring on subtidal sand in the Novigrad Sea (Croatia), an area subject to episodic high sediment transport, collected plants of Z. marina showed vertical rhizomes with shorter and narrower inter‐nodes (mean length = 3.4 ± 1.5 SD mm, mean width = 1.9 ± 0.3 SD mm) than those recorded for horizontal rhizomes (mean length = 9.0 ± 3.5 SD mm, mean width = 2.8 ± 0.4 SD mm). Out of a sample of 1130 rhizome fragments, 288 (25.5%) were vertical. Repeated moderate burial events may have stimulated the production of vertical rhizomes, and the ability of Z. marina to produce vertical rhizomes may enable it to withstand moderate burial in this highly dynamic environment.     

Dominant amphipods of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows display considerable trophic diversity

Gut content examination and trophic markers (fatty acids, stable isotopes of C and N) were combined to delineate the diet of the dominant species of amphipods from Mediterranean Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows and to highlight trophic diversity among this community. Our results indicate that, although all dominant species heavily relied on macroalgal epiphytes, considerable interspecific dietary differences existed. Carbon stable isotope ratios notably showed that some of the amphipod species favored grazing on epiphytes from leaves or litter fragments (Apherusa chiereghinii, Aora spinicornis, Gammarus aequicauda), while others such as Dexamine spiniventris preferred epiphytes from rhizomes. The remaining amphipods (Caprella acanthifera, Ampithoe helleri and Gammarella fucicola) readily consumed both groups. In addition, SIAR modeling suggested that most species had a mixed diet, and relied on several food items. Fatty acid analysis and gut contents revealed that contributions of microepiphytic diatoms and of benthic and suspended particulate organic matter to the diet of amphipods were anecdotal. None of the examined species seemed to graze on their seagrass host [low 18:2(n‐6) and 18:3(n‐3) fatty acids contents], but Gammarus aequicauda partly relied on seagrass leaf detritus, as demonstrated by the lesser ¹³C‐depletion of their tissues. Overall, our findings suggest that amphipods, because of their importance in the transfer of organic matter from primary producers and detritus to higher rank consumers, are key items in P. oceanica‐associated food webs.     

Spatial variability of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile epiphytes around the mainland and the islands of Sicily (Mediterranean Sea)

This paper investigates patterns of variability in epiphytes of Posidonia oceanica leaves at various spatial scales around Sicily, including geographical differences among the Mediterranean basins, differences between the small islands and mainland, and the variability among and within replicated meadows in each of the previous conditions. Data on percentage cover of the most common epiphytic organisms were analysed by univariate techniques. Encrusting red algae, encrusting brown algae, filamentous algae, encrusting bryozoans, erect bryozoans, hydroids and Foraminifera were the most abundant taxa. Significant differences in the abundance of taxa were detected among geographical regions, while no significant differences were found between the islands and mainland. At smaller scales, variability was concentrated mostly among leaves 100s of centimetres apart and among meadows a few kilometres apart. These results suggest that both geographical and local processes are important in structuring the epiphytes of P. oceanica leaves in this area of the Mediterranean.     

Influence of wave climate on architecture and landscape characteristics of Posidonia oceanica meadows

Seagrass meadow characteristics, including distribution, shape, size and within‐meadow architectural features, may be influenced by various physical factors, including hydrodynamic forces. However, such influences have hardly been assessed for meadows of the ecologically important and endemic Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica. The distribution of P. oceanica meadows at five sites in the Maltese Islands was mapped to a depth of c. 15 m using a combination of aerial photography and SCUBA diving surveys. Estimates of wind‐generated wave energy and energy attenuated by depth were computed using the hydrodynamic model WEMo (Wave Exposure Model). Metrics for P. oceanica landscape features were calculated using FRAGSTATS for replicate 2500 m² subsamples taken from the seagrass habitat maps in order to explore the influence of wave dynamics at the landscape scale. Data on within‐meadow architectural attributes were collected from five sites and analysed for relationships with wave energy. The results indicate that landscape and architectural features of P. oceanica meadows located within the 6–11 m depth range are significantly influenced by wave climate. Posidonia oceanica meadows tend to be patchier and have low overall cover, more complex patch shapes and reduced within‐patch architectural complexity along a wave exposure gradient from low to high energy. The findings from the present study provide new insight into the influence of hydrodynamic factors on the natural dynamism of P. oceanica meadow landscape and architecture, which has implications for the conservation and management of the habitat.     

Temporal and spatial zonation of macroepiphytes on Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile leaves in a meadow off Tunisia

The aim of this survey was to study the cover and the composition of macroepiphytic species on the leaves of Posidonia oceanica in the east of Tunisia. Surveys were conducted in December 2009 (winter period), March (spring period) and August 2010 (summer period) in a fringing reef located in Chebba. At each sampling date, 15 adult leaves were randomly collected and divided into basal and apical parts. The inner face of each part was examined with ocular glasses and microscope to estimate species cover by orthogonal projection. PERMANOVA and ANOSIM were used to test for differences of cover between sampling dates and leaf parts. SIMPER, cluster analysis, and PCA were used to ordinate species assemblages. Comparison of epiphytic cover along leaf blades showed significant differences for all groups, except cyanophycea, with high cover of hydrozoans and bryozoans in the basal part and high cover of algae in the apical part. The species composition and cover also vary with sampling date; minimum values were detected in December and the epiphytic community was composed of a few pioneer species, whereas maximum epiphytic cover values were registered in August, with the epiphytic community being composed of a more mature and more diverse community, termed ‘climax’. The main regulatory factors for this distribution are discussed.     

Size‐frequency distributions of Joania cordata and Argyrotheca cuneata (Brachiopoda: Megathyrididae) from the Central Tyrrhenian Sea

Size‐frequency distributions can support reliable inferences concerning population dynamics of brachiopods, but only a few data are available so far. In this study, length and width frequency distributions of dead specimens of the Recent brachiopods Joania cordata and Argyrotheca cuneata from the Marine Protected Area ‘Secche di Tor Paterno’, Central Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy (41°35′ N, 12°20′ E), are reported in order to add new data about size‐frequency distributions of brachiopods. The studied specimens came from death assemblages in the coralligenous substrate, in the Posidonia oceanica meadows, and in the sand channels. The observed patterns vary from left‐skewed (J. cordata) to right‐skewed (A. cuneata), indicating respectively a low and high mortality of smaller individuals. Significant differences between the coralligenous substrate and the P. oceanica meadow were observed for both species, revealing a variation among different habitats. All length and width distributions are clearly polymodal, but the biological meaning of the peaks is difficult to interpret, as the two species seem to have a 2‐year life span. A biometric analysis of shell sizes revealed that length and width are the most variable parameters during the growth of the animal.     

Ontogenic variation and effect of collection procedure on leaf biomechanical properties of Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile

Leaf mechanical traits are important to understand how aquatic plants fracture and deform when subjected to abiotic (currents or waves) or biotic (herbivory attack) mechanical forces. The likely occurrence of variation during leaf ontogeny in these traits may thus have implications for hydrodynamic performance and vulnerability to herbivory damage, and may be associated with changes in morphologic and chemical traits. Seagrasses, marine flowering plants, consist of shoot bundles holding several leaves with different developmental stages, in which outer older leaves protect inner younger leaves. In this study we examined the long‐lived seagrass Posidonia oceanica to determine ontogenic variation in mechanical traits across leaf position within a shoot, representing different developmental stages. Moreover, we investigated whether or not the collection procedure (classical uprooted shoot versus non‐destructive shoot method: cutting the shoot without a portion of rhizome) and time span after collection influence mechanical measurements. Neither collection procedure nor time elapsed within 48 h of collection affected measurements of leaf biomechanical traits when seagrass shoots were kept moist in dark cool conditions. Ontogenic variation in mechanical traits in P. oceanica leaves over intermediate and adult developmental stages was observed: leaves weakened and lost stiffness with aging, while mid‐aged leaves (the longest and thickest ones) were able to withstand higher breaking forces. In addition, younger leaves had higher nitrogen content and lower fiber content than older leaves. The observed patterns may explain fine‐scale within‐shoot ecological processes of leaves at different developmental stages, such as leaf shedding and herbivory consumption in P. oceanica.     

Experimental assessment of Posidonia oceanica‐associated gastropods grazing on an early‐successional biofilm community: nutrient availability and species‐specific effects

Although grazing is considered an essential process controlling epiphyte biomass on seagrass leaves, there is still a lack of fundamental knowledge about the species‐specific consumption rates of the most common grazers in Mediterranean meadows. This study experimentally assessed the effect of Posidonia oceanica‐associated gastropod grazing on early successional biofilm and the species‐specific relationship between biofilm consumption rates and biofilm biomass. Two biofilms on artificial substrata, both developed in situ (in a P. oceanica meadow), one under ambient conditions and the other under nutrient‐enriched conditions, were offered in aquaria assays to nine species of grazers found in P. oceanica meadows. Biofilm consumption rates and their association with biofilm biomass were assessed. It was found that: (i) there was a positive association between biofilm consumption and biofilm biomass up to 20 mg Chl a·m^?2 for Bittium reticulatum, Gibbula ardens, Jujubinus exasperatus and Tricolia pullus; (ii) Alvania montagui, B. reticulatum and Jujubinus striatus showed the highest consumption rates and are thus expected to be amongst the leading consumers in early‐successional epiphytic communities; (iii) there was not an increase of consumption rate when a substratum colonized under nutrient‐enriched conditions was offered to any of the nine studied species. This study provides species‐specific consumption rates knowledge that is useful for the assessment of the strength of grazer–epiphyte interactions and trophic fluxes in P. oceanica meadows.     

Spatial scale variability in shoot density and epiphytic leaves of Posidonia oceanica on Kerkennah Island (Tunisia) in relation to current tide effects

A study was undertaken of the patterns of spatial variability, epiphytic biomass and distribution of epiphytic fauna and flora of Posidonia oceanica. Samples were taken at four stations located approximately 4 km apart, exposed to different current conditions. Stations A and B, situated near the Oued Mimoun tidal channel with its relatively strong bi‐directional flows, were affected by high current tide. The other two stations, North Oued Mimoun (L1) and South Oued Mimoun (L2), were located further from the channel, in low current tide conditions. Sampling was conducted in the Attaya area of Kerkennah Island (Tunisia) in August 2009 at depths between 2 and 3 m, with the results indicating differences among the stations. Shoot density decreased when exposed to high levels of hydrodynamic activity generated by current tides whereas the epiphytic biomass of P. oceanica leaves decreased at sheltered stations located far from the channel. Epiphytic algae such as Heterokontophyta, Rhodophyta and Chlorophyta, and epiphytic fauna represented by Bryozoa, Hydrozoa, Annelida, Porifera and Tunicata, dominated the epiphytic assemblages and were abundant at the station most exposed to high current tide hydrodynamics. Cyanobacteria, however, were dominant in stations exposed to low current tide.     

Response of three krill species to hypoxia and warming: an experimental approach to oxygen minimum zones expansion in coastal ecosystems

To understand the adaptation of euphausiid (krill) species to oxygen minimum zones (OMZs), respiratory response and stress experiments combining hypoxia‐reoxygenation exposure with warming were conducted. Experimental krill species were obtained from the Antarctic (South Georgia area), the Humboldt Current System (HCS, Chilean coast) and the Northern California Current System (NCCS, Oregon). Euphausia mucronata from the HCS showed oxyconforming pO₂‐dependent respiration below 80% air saturation (18 kPa). Normoxic subsurface oxygenation in winter posed a ‘high oxygen stress’ for this species. The NCCS krill, Euphausia pacifica, and the Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, maintained respiration rates constant down to low critical pO₂ values of 6 kPa (30% air saturation) and 11 kPa (55% air saturation), respectively. Antarctic krill had low antioxidant enzyme activities, but high concentrations of the molecular antioxidant glutathione (GSH) and was not lethally affected by 6 h exposure to moderate hypoxia. The temperate krill species (E. pacifica) had higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) values in winter than in summer, which relates to a higher winter metabolic rate. In all species, antioxidant enzyme activities remained constant during hypoxic exposure at the typical temperature for their habitat. Warming by 7 °C above habitat temperature in summer increased SOD activities and GSH levels in E. mucronata (HCS), but no oxidative damage occurred. In winter, when the NCCS is well mixed and the OMZ is deeper, +4 °C of warming combined with hypoxia represents a lethal condition for E. pacifica. In summer, when the OMZ expands upwards (100 m subsurface), antioxidant defences counteracted hypoxia and reoxygenation effects in E. pacifica, but only at mildly elevated temperature (+2 °C). In this season, experimental warming by +4 °C reduced antioxidant activities and the combination of warming with hypoxia again caused mortality of exposed specimens. We conclude that a climate change scenario combining warming and hypoxia represents a serious threat to E. pacifica and, as a consequence, NCCS food webs.     

Reproductive and growth strategies of Idotea balthica basteri (Pallas, 1772) population in the Bizerte lagoon (Tunisia,Southern Mediterranean)

We analysed several life history traits of the marine isopod Idotea balthica basteri (Pallas, 1772) from the Bizerte lagoon, Southern Mediterranean Sea. Growth was continuous throughout the life of the animal with a high growth rate in the first life phase, and the growth curve was described according to von Bertalanffy's model. The lowest growth rate (0.23 mm) was recorded in winter (December, January and February) and the maximum rate (2.31 mm) between April and June. The total number of hatched eggs or embryos was positively correlated with the body length of ovigerous females. This population of I. balthica basteri was iteroparous, showing distinct strategies of reproduction. Large ovigerous females with high fecundity were collected during the whole sampling period, while breeding in smaller females with low fecundity was restricted to the period from late spring to early autumn, Manca size increased significantly with increasing female body size and there was also a significant trade‐off between manca size and the number of eggs per brood. Reproductive allocation, ranging between 17.1 ± 1.2% in winter and 23.2 ± 1.8% in summer, was positively correlated with female weight. Accordingly, parental investment in producing a juvenile varied between 1.02% per manca in winter to 3.38% in spring. Evaluated traits show that late summer and autumn cohorts have a K‐strategy, whereas cohorts born in winter and spring, and which exhibit a shorter life time, exhibit faster development, earlier reproduction and a smaller parental investment tending towards an r‐selected strategy.     

Temporal partitioning of microhabitat use among four juvenile fish species of the genus Diplodus (Pisces: Perciformes,Sparidae)

Timing, microhabitat selection and behavior from the onset of settlement to recruitment to the adult population of juvenile fishes of the genus Diplodus (Pisces: Sparidae) were investigated along a rocky coastline in the Central Mediterranean Sea. The settlement periods in Diplodus sargus and Diplodus annularis were concentrated in spring, between late May and early June, and the recruits leave the nursery grounds in late September–October. Juvenile fishes of Diplodus puntazzo and Diplodus vulgaris showed a partial time overlapping, sharing the same zones in winter and early spring, from February to May. Multiple correspondence analysis showed that sea breams settle in well‐defined habitats. The smallest juveniles of D. sargus and D. puntazzo settled primarily in the shallowest sheltered pebbly areas, located in sciaphilous crannies covered by red algae. Diplodus vulgaris settlers were observed on a wider range of substrata: rock on sand, gravel and pebbles without algal cover or large boulders, generally in deeper waters. The intermediate‐size juveniles of D. sargus, D. puntazzo and D. vulgaris showed a preference for rocky substrata with substantial algal cover, with arborescent structures (Phaeophyceae). Diplodus annularis juveniles showed high fidelity to seagrass beds (Posidonia oceanica). The home range increased over time in all species, highlighting a loss of substrate specificity: larger juveniles were even observed in deeper and different microhabitats outside nursery grounds. This study suggests that shallow infra‐littoral rocky communities with photophilic algae play a key role in recruitment of sparid fishes, affecting the distribution and abundance of juvenile fishes and therefore determining the renewal of populations and the structure of adult assemblages.