Defining the role of Sabellaria alveolata reefs as nursery areas for juvenile fish: first evidence from drone-based imagery and underwater visual census data

Author:

Ventura D1,Dubois SF2,Cardella E1,Colloca F3,Tiralongo F4,Rakaj A5,Bonifazi A5,Jona Lasinio G6,Mancini E7,Bertocci I8,Casoli E1,Mancini G1,Valente T1,Belluscio A1,Ardizzone G1,Gravina MF5

Affiliation:

1. Department of Environmental Biology, University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, V. le dell’Università 32, 00185 Rome, Italy

2. IFREMER, DYNECO-LEBCO, Centre de Bretagne, Technopole Brest-Iroise, 1625 route de Sainte-Anne, CS 10070, Plouzane 29280, France

3. Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 00198 Rome, Italy

4. Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, 95129 Catania, Italy

5. Department of Biology, University of Rome ‘Tor Vergata’, Via della Ricerca Scientifica s.n.c., 00133, Rome, Italy

6. Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, V. le dell’Università 32, 00185 Rome, Italy

7. Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, DiSTeBA, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy

8. University of Pisa, CoNISMa, Via Derna 1, 56126 Pisa, Italy

Abstract

The biogenic reefs built by the honeycomb worm Sabellaria alveolata constitute priority habitats along Atlanto-Mediterranean coastal areas. Despite their wide extent and important ecological role, the nursery value of S. alveolata reefs remains unclear, and more information is needed to define how such structured habitats affect juvenile fish assemblages. In this study, habitat use by juveniles of 7 fish species was investigated by underwater visual census (UVC) at 3 study sites representing a gradient of complexity of Sabellaria reef habitats, spanning from a large and uniform reef to patchy and isolated small reef formations. Sabellaria reef metrics derived by drone-based cartography and GIS analysis were used to quantitatively monitor the seasonal structural changes occurring due to the natural dynamics of the reefs. We also tested the potential effect of Sabellaria habitats on the growth and relative condition factor (Kn) of white seabream Diplodus sargus juveniles. Five of the 7 surveyed species, especially sparid fishes, showed a clear preferential association with Sabellaria formations. Generalized additive modelling revealed a significant effect of the compactness ratio on estimated fish densities at high and low index values. The juvenile fish sampled on Sabellaria reefs exhibited higher values of Kn than those sampled on rocky habitats, supporting the hypothesis that structural complexity positively affected their condition. We provide evidence on habitat use by juveniles, suggesting that the presence of the Sabellaria reef may act as a nursery and affect local fish density in Mediterranean coastal waters.

Publisher

Inter-Research Science Center

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