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Coralligenous assemblage dominated by Paramuricea clavata along the Eastern Adriatic Coast

Coralligenous assemblages are hotspots of biodiversity in the Mediterranean that exhibit great structural complexity, provide habitat for several species of commercial interest and offer a diving attraction. These ecologically, aesthetically and economically valuable bioconstructions are facing major threats and have been identified as a priority habitat type “1170 Reefs“ by the EU Habitat Directive (92/43/EEC). However, coralligenous assemblages in the Adriatic Sea have been understudied and there is a lack of knowledge on the patterns of their variability over different spatial and temporal scales. Such information is crucial for the effective management and conservation of this valuable habitat. In this study, we carried out photographic sampling at 9 sites on three locations (Kvarner, Kornati and Vis) along 250 km of the Eastern Adriatic Coast and have examined structure and biodiversity of sessile macrobenthos within one of the most representative facies of coralligenous habitat, a Paramuricea clavata assemblage. Our results reveal significant variability in taxa composition and abundance at all spatial scales examined, but similar structural complexity within location. On the basin scale, adoption of common methodological approaches would enable direct intra- and inter-regional comparisons and thus, it would propulse immensely our understanding of the coralligenous biodiversity.

coralligenous assemblage, Paramuricea clavata, Adriatic Sea, community ecology, marine biodiversity

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