Naslov
Seascape context and local predators drive fish community structure of Posidonia oceanica meadows

Autori
Zubak Čižmek, Ivana

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Ocjenski radovi, doktorska disertacija

Fakultet
Sveučilišni odjel za studije mora

Mjesto
Split

Datum
15.07

Godina
2020

Stranica
123

Mentor
Schultz, Stewart

Ključne riječi
Adriatic Sea ; community structure ; fish ; lure assisted visual census ; Mediterranean Sea ; Posidonia oceanica ; predation ; seagrass ; seascape

Sažetak
Marine underwater habitats dominated by seagrass Posidonia oceanica play an important role in the assembly of fish communities, affecting taxonomic and functional diversity, abundance, and fish behavior. In order to identify the relative importance of different seascape contexts of P. oceanica meadows as a habitat for fishes, fish communities associated with the seagrass P. oceanica were investigated in the Croatian Adriatic Sea, using SCUBA lure-assisted visual census. To test for the effect of predators on fish community structure, existing literature data on fish assemblages associated with P. oceanica meadows in the Mediterranean was assembled and a meta-analysis was performed. The results show: I) There is a significant effect of different arrangement of seascape elements on fish community structure -- fragmented mosaic meadows with P. oceanica growing directly on and between rocky-algal reefs had significantly higher fish abundances compared to both types of continuous meadows (bordering rock and bordering sand) ; and II) Total predator abundance and abundance of resident predators had a significant effect on the prey fish community -- a higher abundance of resident predator species was associated with an overall lower number of prey species. This thesis provides evidence that alternative structured habitats within close proximity to seagrass beds may affect the community structure of associated fish assemblages and that the presence of predators reduces the value of P. oceanica meadows as a refuge habitat for potential prey species. The dissertation aims at highlighting the need for the consideration of the seascape context of P. oceanica meadows in conservation management and experimental design for fish community structure while acknowledging the importance of resident predators when evaluating the relative value of this important seagrass as a habitat for the Mediterranean fish assemblages.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Biologija, Interdisciplinarne prirodne znanosti, Poljoprivreda (agronomija), Biotehnologija, Interdisciplinarne biotehničke znanosti

POVEZANOST RADA