| Abstract: | Abstract. Two geographically distant Posidonia meadows located in the Western Mediterranean Sea were analysed using SCUBA diver-taken samples. The material was collected at depths of 1, 5, 15 and 30 m, sampling all the plants within a 400cm2 area, as well as selecting bundles with epiphytic Porifera from a 5 m: area divided into quadrates. The effectiveness of both methods is compared, as the data in the literature were obtained from dredgings. The abundance and distribution of the seventy-five identified species of Porifera were examined, taking into account the depth of the sampling stations and additional environmental factors. The two meadows studied were compared using statistical methods; some doubts are raised about the existence of a specific Porifera population characteristic of Posidonia beds. |
