Diversity and Distribution of Sabellida (Annelida) under Protection Regimes

Sabellida are widespread, diverse and abundant in marine benthic habitats. Their distribution patterns on hard-bottom substrates are poorly studied so far. Little is known about the factors influencing their distribution, including the protection regimes that are known to affect assemblage diversity. We analyzed hard-bottom Sabellida at 1.5 and 5 m depths at the Torre Guaceto Marine Protected Area (MPA) (SE Italy) to describe diversity and distribution patterns, and to identify potential factors influencing their distribution. The Sabellida diversity varied significantly among stations and was higher at 5 m depth. No relation with the protection regime was found. Among environmental variables, only sedimentation appeared related, suggesting that local trophic features might have influenced the observed pattern. Among habitat formers, only the macroalga Halimeda tuna significantly explained part of the observed variation, probably due to its role as a basibiont for some Sabellida taxa. Other predictor variables of Sabellida distribution were the abundances of some invertebrate taxa, especially Syllidae and some filter feeders such as Sabellariida and Cirripedia, probably due to shared ecological requirements, rather than a direct effect on Sabellida distribution. The relation with the Syllidae remains obscure so far, albeit some kind of interaction (including predator/prey interactions) between these two taxa cannot be excluded. Sabellida should be taken into account when analyzing patterns of biodiversity of hard-bottom environments.

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Depth-related distribution patterns of subtidal macrobenthos in a well-established marine protected area

Marine Biology ◽

10.1007/s00227-016-2816-z ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 163 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

E. R. Heyns ◽

A. T. F. Bernard ◽

N. B. Richoux ◽

A. Götz

Keyword(s):

Protected Area ◽

Marine Protected Area ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Related Distribution

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The effects of fish feeding by visitors on reef fish in a Marine Protected Area open to tourism

Biota Neotropica ◽

10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2017-0339 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yuri Cruz de Paula ◽

Alexandre Schiavetti ◽

Cláudio L. S. Sampaio ◽

Emiliano Calderon

Keyword(s):

Reef Fish ◽

Protected Area ◽

Marine Protected Area ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Fish Behavior ◽

Experimental Conditions ◽

Fish Feeding ◽

Human Presence ◽

Video Footage ◽

In Situ Experiments

Abstract: Coral reef-based tourism has risen sharply across the globe, coupled with an increase in fish feeding by visitors. Studies indicate that fish feeding is one of the leading causes of changes in distribution patterns, abundance, the structure of marine fish communities, and fish behavior. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of human presence and fish feeding on the behavior of reef fish by conducting in situ experiments in tide pools in a Marine Protected Area located at the northern limit of the Abrolhos Bank in the South Atlantic Ocean. Eight feeding sessions were conducted and filmed, resulting in a total of 160 minutes of video footage. Each filming session recorded four different experimental conditions alternating between human presence, human absence, and fish feeding. Our findings suggest that fish feeding may cause changes in fish behavior, such as habituation to human presence, conditioning to fish feeding, increased aggressiveness, attacks on humans, and short-term changes in species distribution. The continuation of fish feeding over time can cause an increase in the size of the populations of species that consume food provided during feeding and consequently trigger changes in the structure of communities.

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Spatial Distribution Patterns of Appendicularians in the Drake Passage: Potential Indicators of Water Masses?

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d13070286 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 286

Author(s):

Marcin Kalarus ◽

Anna Panasiuk

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Drake Passage ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Polar Front ◽

South American ◽

Factors Influencing ◽

Filter Feeders ◽

The Antarctic ◽

Subantarctic Front

Appendicularians are one of the most common animals found within zooplankton assemblages. They play a very important role as filter feeders but are, unfortunately, inconsistently reported in the Antarctic literature. The present paper attempts to describe the zonal diversity of appendicularians and the main environmental factors influencing their communities in the Drake Passage. Samples were collected during Antarctic summer in 2009–2010. A total of eight species of larvaceans were identified. Fritillaria borealis was the species found in the highest numbers in almost the entire studied area, and was observed at all sampling stations. The distributions of other taxa were limited to specific hydrological zones and hydrological conditions. F. fraudax and Oikopleura gaussica were typical of the areas between the Polar Front and the Subantarctic Front zones, and their distributions were significantly correlated with temperature and salinity, likely making them good indicator species. The F. fusiformis distribution was strictly related to South American waters. In summary, temperature was the strongest environmental factor influencing the larvacean community structure in the Drake Passage, and we also found that testing environmental factors on larvaceans as a whole group did not give entirely reliable results.

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