Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Mediterranean Shallow Coastal Fish Communities along a Gradient of Marine Protection

Anthony R Marshak,Aaron Macy,Crystal L Hightower,Shanna Madsen,Kenneth L Heck,José-Luis Sánchez-Lizaso,Just Cebrian,Trey Spearman,Andrea M Kroetz

doi:10.3390/w12061537

Anthony R Marshak, Aaron Macy + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/w12061537

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Abstract

The importance of habitat factors in designing marine reserves and evaluating their performance over time has been regularly documented. Over three biennial sampling periods, we examined the effects of vegetated coverage and habitat diversity (i.e., patchiness) on fish density, community composition, and species-specific patterns along a gradient of protection from harvest in the shallow Spanish southern Mediterranean, including portions of the Tabarca marine reserve. With the exception of two herbivores (Sarpa salpa and Symphodus tinca), vegetated cover did not significantly affect fish densities, while habitat diversity was an influential factor across all three sampling periods. Overall, fish density was more positively associated with more continuous vegetated or unvegetated habitats, and was greatest in areas of highest protection (Tabarca II – Isla Nao site). These patterns were usually observed for four abundant fish species (Boops boops, Chromis chromis, Oblada melanura, and S. salpa). Fish community composition was distinct in the most protected portion of the Tabarca reserve, where it was also most stable. Our findings align with previous investigations of the Tabarca reserve and its surrounding areas, and demonstrate its continued effectiveness in conserving fish biomass and habitat. Together with effective management, marine reserves can facilitate greater species abundance, more stable biological communities, and resilient ecosystems.

Highlights

Marine reserves can be effective for conserving marine species, enhancing fishery populations, and protecting essential habitats [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]
A total of 40 fish species were observed among sites, with the majority present in P. oceanica or rock bottom habitats at sites T2 and T3, which were within the Tabarca marine reserve (Table S1)
Post-hoc comparisons showed higher total densities occurring at T2 than at Santa Pola (SP) during all years when accounting for percent vegetated cover (Figure 2 and Figure S1), and during 2009 and 2011 when accounting for bottom habitat diversity (Figure 3 and Figure S2)

Summary

Introduction

Marine reserves can be effective for conserving marine species, enhancing fishery populations, and protecting essential habitats [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. Some investigations have found no significant difference in response variables within and outside marine protected areas (MPAs) [46,47,48,49,50,51,52], only partial predatory biomass buildup as a result of longer generation times, larger associated territories, and species-specific traits [2,7,8,11,53,54,55], as well as varying cascading effects to multiple trophic levels in marine reserves [55,56,57,58,59,60,61] These studies illustrate the importance of scale as it affects reserve performance [2,46,50]. Continued investigation of the effects of habitat as related to the effectiveness of MPAs remains a priority, in coastal and nearshore areas subject to high human pressures [62,63,64,65]

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