Elasmobranch spatial segregation in the western Mediterranean

Authors

  • Adam Gouraguine Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears - University of Glasgow, Division of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
  • Manuel Hidalgo Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo
  • Joan Moranta Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears
  • David M. Bailey University of Glasgow, Division of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
  • Francesc Ordines Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears
  • Beatriz Guijarro Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears
  • María Valls Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears
  • Carmen Barberá Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears
  • Aina De Mesa Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanogràfic de les Balears

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2011.75n4653

Keywords:

Elasmobranch, Balearic Islands, GAM, MDS, community descriptors, species distribution, bathymetric patterns, spatial segregation, fishing impact

Abstract


Basic information on the distribution and habitat preferences of ecologically important species is essential for their management and protection. This study focuses on the depth related trends and the geographic patterns that shape the community of the elasmobranch species in the Balearic Islands (Mediterranean Sea) using data collected from 2001 to 2009. Non-metric Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS) ordination was used to detect zonation patterns in the community. Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) were applied to analyse spatial and temporal variation in elasmobranch community descriptors (abundance, biomass, mean fish weight, number of species and diversity), as well as the abundance and mean length of the four individual species (S. canicula, G. melastomus, R. clavata, R. miraletus). Depth was the main factor determining the assemblage composition, and the MDS analysis identified four main groups with 60% of the similarity found to correspond to the continental shelf, shelf break, upper slope and middle slope of the surveyed area. GAM analysis identified spatial patterns that were independent of the bathymetric distribution preference. Although depth was a strong predictor for all the analyses performed, the geographic variation in the elasmobranch abundance was also important. The results also show a reduction in the mean length of the elasmobranch species in the areas with high fishing intensity. Our study evidences a clear spatial segregation of the main species throughout the ontogeny because the geographic and bathymetric effects were highly size dependent, with clear differences between the bathymetric distributions of juveniles and adults but no clear spatial overlapping. This study sheds new light on the spatial distribution of the elasmobranch species off the Balearic Islands, which is essential information for protecting marine organisms along with their habitats and promoting ecosystem based management.

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Published

2011-12-30

How to Cite

1.
Gouraguine A, Hidalgo M, Moranta J, Bailey DM, Ordines F, Guijarro B, Valls M, Barberá C, De Mesa A. Elasmobranch spatial segregation in the western Mediterranean. Sci. mar. [Internet]. 2011Dec.30 [cited 2024Mar.19];75(4):653-64. Available from: https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/1289

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