Hostname: page-component-cb9f654ff-fg9bn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-08-07T06:01:05.485Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Sublittoral soft bottom assemblages within a Marine Protected Area of the northern Alboran Sea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2015

Pablo Marina ,
José L. Rueda ,
Javier Urra ,
Carmen Salas ,
Serge Gofas ,
J. Enrique García Raso ,
Francina Moya ,
Teresa García ,
Nieves López-González  and
Raúl Laiz-Carrión
...Show all authors
Pablo Marina
Affiliation:
Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain
José L. Rueda*
Affiliation:
Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain
Javier Urra
Affiliation:
Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain
Carmen Salas
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29071 Málaga, Spain
Serge Gofas
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29071 Málaga, Spain
J. Enrique García Raso
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos s/n, 29071 Málaga, Spain
Francina Moya
Affiliation:
Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain
Teresa García
Affiliation:
Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain
Nieves López-González
Affiliation:
Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain
Raúl Laiz-Carrión
Affiliation:
Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain
Jorge Baro
Affiliation:
Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: J.L. Rueda, Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain email: jose.rueda@ma.ieo.es
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The composition and structure of sublittoral faunal assemblages inhabiting soft bottoms (15–72 m depth) within the Marine Protected Area ‘Acantilados y Fondos Marinos de Calahonda-Castell de Ferro’ in southern Spain (North Alboran Sea, Mediterranean) have been studied in relation to sediment and water column variables. Three assemblages were identified and corresponded to mixed bottom, unstable bottom and coastal detritic bottom assemblages, based on Pérès & Picard's (1964) benthic classification. A total of 14,318 individuals were collected and 218 species identified, molluscs being the best represented group (141 species). Species richness displayed significant differences with depth and transect, with the highest values observed in the medium to very fine sand and muddy bottoms with bioclasts located at the shallowest sampling stations. The presence of some rare and poorly known invertebrates that are scarce in other areas of the Mediterranean Sea is remarkable, such as the crustacean decapods Bythocaris cosmetops and Pagurus mbizi, Atlantic species with no records in the Mediterranean Sea, and the bathyal molluscs Poromya granulata and Alvania testae, collected at shallow depths. The spatial distribution of faunal assemblages was mainly related to depth and percentage of gravel and clay according to the canonical correspondence analysis. The geographic location of the area, the heterogeneity of soft bottoms and the presence of upwellings in the area may favour the high biodiversity found in the studied soft bottoms. This study increases the scarce knowledge of the circalittoral fauna of sedimentary habitats of the Alboran Sea, providing a baseline for the management of this interesting SCI and for the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

Keywords

molluscsdecapodsbenthic communitiessoft bottomscircalittoralMarine Protected AreaAlboran Sea

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 95 , Issue 5 , August 2015 , pp. 871 - 884
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Abad, E., Preciado, I., Serrano, A. and Baro, J. (2007) Demersal and epibenthic assemblages of trawlable grounds in the northern Alboran Sea (western Mediterranean). Scientia Marina 71, 513–524.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Abdulla, A., Gomei, M., Hyrenbach, D., Notarbartolo-di-sciara, G. and Agardy, T. (2008) Challenges facing a network of representative marine protected areas in the Mediterranean: prioritizing the protection of underrepresented habitats. ICES Journal of Marine Science 66, 22–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anker, A. and Ahyong, S.T. (2007) Description of two species in the alpheid shrimp genus Athanas Leach, 1814, with remarks on A. amazone Holthuis, 1951 (Decapoda, Caridea). Zootaxa 1563, 17–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baro Domínguez, J., Fernández-Salas, L.M., García García, A., García Jiménez, T., García Martinez, M.C., Láiz Carrión, R., López González, N., Marina, P., Moya Ruiz, F., Serra Tur, M. and Zunino Rodríguez, P. (2011). Estudio previo para la protección, ordenación y determinación de una reserva de pesca en el área marítima de los términos municipales de Calahonda y Castell de Ferro, en la provincia de Granada. Instituto Español de Oceanografía. Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga. Technical Report.Google Scholar
Bayed, A. and Bazairi, H. (2008) Inter-annual variations of soft bottom benthic macrofauna of the Oued Laou bay (Alboran Sea, Morocco). Travaux de l'Institut Scientifique, Rabat 5, 99–106.Google Scholar
Bellan-Santini, D., Lacaze, J.C. and Poizat, C. (1994) Les biocénoses marines et littorales de Méditerranée, synthèse, menaces et perspectives. Paris: Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Collection Patrimoines naturels: Série Patrimoine ecologique, 19.Google Scholar
Bianchi, C.N. and Morri, C. (2000) Marine biodiversity of the Mediterranean sea: situation, problems and prospects for future research. Marine Pollution Bulletin 40, 367–376.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bolam, S.G., Eggleton, J., Smith, R., Mason, C., Vanstaen, K. and Rees, H. (2008) Spatial distribution of macrofaunal assemblages along the English Channel. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 88, 675–687.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bourcier, M. (1978) Production de matière organique de quelques espèces macrobenthiques dans les fonds détritiques côtiers de la région de Cassis. Téthys 8, 339–343.Google Scholar
Bray, J.R. and Curtis, J.T. (1957) An ordination of upland forest communities of southern Wisconsin. Ecological Monographs 27, 325–349.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cacabelos, E., Gestoso, L. and Troncoso, J.S. (2008) Macrobenthic fauna in the Ensenada de San Simón (Galicia, north-western Spain). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 88, 237–245.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Camiñas, J.A., Baro, J. and Abad, R. (2004) La pesca en el Mediterráneo andaluz. Málaga: Fundación UNICAJA.Google Scholar
Cebrián, E. and Ballesteros, E. (2004) Zonation patterns of benthic communities in an upwelling area from the western Medierranean (La Herradura, Alboran Sea). Scientia Marina 68, 69–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clarke, K.R. and Green, R.H. (1988) Statistical design and analysis for a ‘biological effects’ study. Marine Ecology Progress Series 46, 213–226.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clarke, K.R. and Warwick, R.M. (1994) Change in marine communities: an approach to statistical analysis and interpretation. Plymouth Marine Laboratory. Bournemouth: Bourne Press.Google Scholar
Coll, M., Piroddi, C., Steenbeek, J., Kaschner, K., Ben Rais Lasram, F., Aguzzi, J., Ballesteros, E., Bianchi, C.N., Corbera, J., Dailianis, T., Danovoro, R., Estrada, M., Froglia, C., Galil, B.S., Gasol, J.M., Gertwagen, R., Gil, J., Guilhaumon, F., Kesner-Reyes, K., Kitsos, M.-S., Koukouras, A., Lampadariou, N., Laxamana, E., López-Re De La Cuadra, C.M., Lotze, H.K., Martin, D., Monillot, D., Oro, D., Raicevich, S., Rius-Barile, J., Saiz-Salinas, J.I., San Vicente, C., Somot, S., Templado, J., Turon, X., Vafidis, D., Villanueva, R. and Voultsiadou, E. (2010) The biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea: estimates, patterns and threats. PloS ONE 5, e11842. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0011842.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Consejería de Medio Ambiente (2007) Valores naturales de los acantilados y fondos marinos de Calahonda- Castell de Ferro y área de Cambriles-Castillo de Baños (Granada). Junta de Andalucia: Consejería de Medio Ambiente.Google Scholar
Constable, A.J. (1999) Ecology of benthic macro-invertebrates in soft-sediment environments: a review of progress towards quantitative models and predictions. Australian Journal of Ecology 24, 452–476.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dauvin, J.C. (1988) Structure et organisation trophique du peuplement des sables grossiers à Amphioxus lanceolatus-Venus fasciata de la baie de Morlaix (Manche occidentale). Cahiers de Biologie Marine 29, 163–185.Google Scholar
Dauvin, J.C. (1997) Les biocénoses marines et littorales françaises des côtes Atlantique, Manche et Mer du Nord: synthèse, menaces et perspectives. Paris: Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Collection Patrimoines naturels: Série Patrimoine ecologique, 28.Google Scholar
Del Castillo Y Rey, F. and Macías Rivero, J.C. (2006) Zonas de interés para el desarrollo de la acuicultura en el litoral andaluz. Sevilla: Dirección General de Pesca y Acuicultura, Consejería de Agricultura y Pesca, Junta de Andalucía.Google Scholar
Desbruyéres, D., Guille, A. and Ramos, J.M. (1972) Bionomie benthique du plateau continental de la cote catalane espagnole. Vie et Milieu 23, 335–366.Google Scholar
Ekman, S. (1953) Zoogeography of the sea. London: Sidgwick and Jackson.Google Scholar
Field, J.G., Clarke, K.R. and Warwick, R.M. (1982) A practical strategy for analysing multispecies distribution patterns. Marine Ecology Progress Series 8, 37–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Folk, R.L. (1954) The distinction between grain size and mineral composition in sedimentary rock nomenclature. Journal of Geology 62, 344–359.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Froglia, C. and Atkinson, R.J.A. (1988) Association between Athanas amazone (Decapoda: Alpheidae) and Squilla mantis (Stomatopoda: Squiitjdae). Journal of Crustacean Biology 18, 529–532.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frontier, S. and Pichod-Viale, D. (1993) Ecosystèmes. Structure, fonctionnement, évolution. Paris: Masson.Google Scholar
Gambi, M.C. and Fresi, E. (1981) Ecology of soft-bottom macrobenthos along the coast of southern Tuscany (Parco Naturale della Maremma). Rapport Commission Internationale pour l'Exploration Scientifique de la mer Méditerranée 27, 123–125.Google Scholar
García, T., Báez, J.C., Baro, J., García, A., Giráldez, A. and Macías, D. (2012) La pesca en el Mar de Alborán. Technical Report, Instituto Español de Oceanografía.Google Scholar
García Muñoz, J.E., Manjón-Cabeza, M.E. and García Raso, J.E. (2008) Decapod crustacean assemblages from littoral bottoms of the Alborán Sea (Spain, west Mediterranean Sea): spatial and temporal variability. Scientia Marina 72, 437–449.Google Scholar
García Raso, E., Marina, P. and Baro, J. (2011) Bythocaris cosmetops (Decapoda: Caridea: Hippolytidae) in the western Mediterranean Sea. Marine Biodiversity Records 4, e52.Google Scholar
García Raso, E., Salmerón, F., Baro, J., Marina, P. and Abelló, P. (2014) The tropical African hermit crab Pagurus mbizi (Crustacea, Decapoda, Paguridae) in the Western Mediterranean Sea: a new alien species or filling gaps in the knowledge of the distribution? Mediterranean Marine Science 15, 172–178.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
García Raso, J.E. (1988) Consideraciones generales sobre las taxocenosis de crustáceos decápodos de fondos de concrecionamiento calcáreo superficial del alga Mesophyllum lichenoides (Ellis & Sol.) Lemoine (Corallinacea) del mar de Alborán. Investigación Pesquera 52, 245–264.Google Scholar
García Raso, J.E. (1990) Study of a Crustacea Decapoda Taxocoenosis of Posidonia beds from the Southeast of Spain. Marine Ecology, PSZN 11, 309–326.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
García Raso, J.E. (1993) New record of other African species of Crustacea Decapoda, Cycloes cristata (Brulle), from European and Mediterranean waters. Bios: Scientific Annals of the School of Biology 1, 215–221.Google Scholar
García Raso, J.E. (1996) Crustacea Decapoda (excl. Sergestidae) from Ibero-Moroccan waters. Results of Balgim-84 Expedition. Bulletin of Marine Science 58, 730–752.Google Scholar
García Raso, J.E., Gofas, S., Salas Casanova, C., Manjón-Cabeza, M.E., Urra, J. and García Muñoz, J.E. (2010) El mar más rico de Europa: Biodiversidad del litoral occidental de Málaga entre Calaburras y Calahonda. Sevilla: Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Medio Ambiente.Google Scholar
García Raso, J.E. and Manjón-Cabeza, M.E. (2002) An infralittoral decapod crustacean community of southern Spain affected by anthropogenic disturbances. Journal of Crustacean Biology 22, 83–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Giráldez, A. and Alemany, F. (2002) The small pelagic fisheries in the South-Mediterranean Region (Western Mediterranean Sea): past and present state. In GGFCM-SAC. Sub-Committee of Stock Assessment. Working Group on Small Pelagic Species, Rome, Italy, 20–22 March 2002.Google Scholar
Glémarec, M. (1964) Bionomie benthique de la partie orientale du Golfe de Morbihan. Cahiers de Biologie Marine 5, 33–96.Google Scholar
Gofas, S., Moreno, D. and Salas, C. (2011) Moluscos marinos de Andalucía. Málaga: Servicio de Publicaciones e Intercambio Científico, Universidad de Málaga.Google Scholar
Heiri, O., Lotter, A.F. and Lemcke, G. (2001) Loss on ignition as a method for estimating organic and carbonate content in sediments: reproducibility and comparability of results. Journal of Paleolimnology 25, 101–110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holte, B., Eivind, O. and Salve, D. (2005) Soft-bottom fauna and oxygen minima in sub-arctic north Norwegian marine sill basins. Marine Biology Research 1, 85–96.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kaiser, M.J., Attrill, M.J., Jennings, S., Thomas, D.N., Barnes, D.K.A., Brierley, A.S., Polunin, N.V.C., Raffaelli, D.G. and Williams, P.J.L.B. (2005) Marine ecology: processes, systems, and impacts. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Kelleher, G. (1999) Guidelines for marine protected areas. Gland and Cambridge: IUCN Publications Services Unit.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Krebs, C.J. (1989) Ecological methodology. New York, NY: Harper & Row.Google Scholar
Labrune, C., Grémare, A., Amouroux, J.M., Sardá, R., Gil, J. and Taboada, S. (2008) Structure and diversity of shallow soft bottom benthic macrofauna in the Gulf of Lions (NW Mediterranean). Helgoland Marine Research 62, 201–214.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lenihan, H.S. and Micheli, F. (2001) Soft sediment communities. In Bertness, M., Hay, M.E. and Gaines, S.D. (eds) Marine community ecology. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates, pp. 253–287.Google Scholar
Lourido, A., Gestoso, L. and Troncoso, J.S. (2006) Assemblages of the molluscan fauna in subtidal soft bottoms of the Ría de Aldán (north-western Spain). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 86, 129–140.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Luque, Á.A. (1983) Contribución al conocimiento de los Gasterópodos de las costas de Málaga y Granada I, Opistobranquios. Iberus 3, 51–74.Google Scholar
Luque, Á.A. (1986) Contribución al conocimiento de los Gasterópodos de las costas de Málaga y Granada II, Prosobranquios. Iberus 6, 79–94.Google Scholar
Maldonado, M. and Uriz, M.J. (1995) Biotic affinities in a transitional zone between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean: a biogeographical approach based on sponges. Journal of Biogeography 22, 89–110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martínez, J.L. and Peñas, A. (1996) Fauna malacológica de Caleta, Mijas Costa, Málaga. Malakos 5, 73–92.Google Scholar
Martins, R., Sampaio, L., Quintino, V. and Rodrigues, A.M. (2014) Diversity, distribution and ecology of benthic molluscan communities on the Portuguese continental shelf. Journal of Sea Research 93, 75–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mateo Ramírez, Á. and García Raso, J.E. (2012) Temporal changes in the structure of the crustacean decapod assemblages associated with Cymodocea nodosa meadows from the Alboran Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea). Marine Ecology 33, 302–316.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Minas, H.J., Coste, B., Lecorre, P., Minas, M. and Raimbault, P. (1991) Biological and geochemical signatures associated with the water circulation through the Strait of Gibraltar and in western Alboran Sea. Journal of Geophysical Research 96, 8755–8771.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moreira, J., Quintas, P. and Troncoso, J.S. (2005) Distribution of the Molluscan Fauna in subtidal soft bottoms of the Ensenada de Baiona (NW Spain). American Malacological Bulletin 20, 75–86.Google Scholar
Morin, J.G., Kastendiek, J.E., Harrington, A. and Davis, N. (1985) Organization and patterns of interactions in a subtidal sand community on an exposed coast. Marine Ecology Progress Series 27, 163–185.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Myers, N., Mittermeier, R.A., Mittermeier, C.G., Da Fonseca, G.A.B. and Kent, J. (2000) Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 403, 853–858.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parrilla, G. and Kinder, T.H. (1987) Oceanografía física del mar de Alborán. Boletín del Instituto Español de Oceanografía 41, 133–165.Google Scholar
Pérès, J.M. and Picard, J. (1964) Nouveau manuel de bionomie benthique de la Méditerranée. Recueil des Travaux de la Station Marine d'Endoume 31, 1–137.Google Scholar
Pielou, E.C. (1969) An introduction to mathematical ecology. New York, NY: Wiley-Interscience.Google Scholar
Pubill, E., Abelló, P., Ramón, M. and Baeta, M. (2011) Faunistic assemblages of a sublittoral coarse sand habitat of the northwestern Mediterranean. Scientia Marina 75, 189–196.Google Scholar
Ramirez-Llodra, E., Tyler, P.A., Baker, M., Bergstad, O.A., Clark, M.R., Escobar, E., Levin, L., Rowden, A., Smith, C.R. and Van Dover, C.L. (2011) Man and the last great wilderness: human impact on the deep sea. PLoS ONE 6, 1–25.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robles, R., Rodríguez, J., Nachite, D., Berraho, A., Najih, M., Camiñas, J. A., Baro, J., Alcántara, A., Jeudy De Grissac, A., Simard, F., De Loyola, I. and Bouillon, F.X. (2010) Conservación y desarrollo sostenible del mar de Alborán/Conservation et développment durable de la mer d'Alboran. Gland and Málaga: IUCN.Google Scholar
Rodríguez, J.M. (1990) Contribución al conocimiento del ictioplancton del mar de Alborán. Boletín del Instituto Español. Oceanografía 6, 1–20.Google Scholar
Rodriguez, V., Bautista, B., Blanco, J.M., Figueroa, F.L., Cano, N. and Ruiz, J. (1994) Hydrological structure, optical characteristics and size distribution of pigments and particles at a frontal station in the Alboran Sea. Scientia Marina 58, 31–41.Google Scholar
Rueda, J.L. and Gofas, S. (1999) Sinum bifasciatum (Récluz, 1851) (Gastropoda: Naticidae) confirmed in Mediterranean fauna. Journal of Conchology 36, 81–82.Google Scholar
Rueda, J.L., Gofas, S., Urra, J. and Salas, C. (2009) A highly diverse molluscan assemblage associated with eelgrass beds (Zostera marina L.) in Europe: micro-habitat preference, feeding guilds and biogeographical distribution. Scientia Marina 73, 679–700.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rueda, J.L. and Salas, C. (1998) Modiolus lulat (Dautzenberg, 1891): a tropical West African bivalve recorded from South European coasts. Journal of Conchology 36, 80.Google Scholar
Rueda, J.L. and Salas, C. (2003) Temporal dynamics of molluscan assemblages from soft and bioclastic bottoms in the Strait of Gibraltar. Cahiers de Biologie Marine 44, 237–248.Google Scholar
Rueda, J.L., Salas, C. and Gofas, S. (2000) A molluscan community from coastal bioclastic bottoms in the Strait of Gibraltar area. Iberus 18, 95–123.Google Scholar
Rufino, M.M., Gaspar, M.B., Pereira, A.M., Maynou, F. and Monteiro, C.C. (2010) Ecology of megabenthic bivalve communities from sandy beaches on the south coast of Portugal. Scientia Marina 74, 163–178.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sánchez-Moyano, J.E., Estacio, F.J., García-Adiego, E.M. and García-Gómez, J.C. (2000) The molluscan epifauna of the alga Halopteris scoparia in southern Spain as a bioindicator of coastal environmental conditions. Journal of Molluscan Studies 66, 431–448.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sanvicente-Añorve, L., Leprêtre, A. and Davoult, D. (2002) Diversity of benthic macrofauna in the eastern English Channel: comparison among and within communities. Biodiversity and Conservation 11, 265–282.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sarhan, T., García-Lafuente, J., Vargas, J.M. and Plaza, F. (2000) Upwelling mechanisms in the northwestern Alboran Sea. Journal of Marine Systems 23, 317–331.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Seitz, R.D., Wennhage, H., Bergström, U., Lipcius, R.N. and Ysebaert, T. (in press) Ecological value of coastal habitats for commercially and ecologically important species. ICES Journal of Marine Science, doi:10.1093/icesjms/fst152.Google Scholar
Snelgrove, P. (1999) Getting to the bottom of marine biodiversity: sedimentary habitats – ocean bottoms are the most widespread habitat on Earth and support high biodiversity and key ecosystem services. Bioscience 49, 129–138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Snelgrove, P.V. and Butman, C.A. (1994) Animal-sediment relationships revisited: causes versus effect. Oceanography and Marine Biology: an Annual Review 32, 111–177.Google Scholar
Somaschini, A., Martini, N., Gravina, M.F., Belluscio, A., Corsi, F. and Ardizzone, G.D. (1998) Characterization and cartography of some Mediterranean soft-bottom communities (Ligurian Sea, Italy). Scientia Marina 62, 27–36.Google Scholar
Spalding, M.D., Fox, H.E., Allen, G.R., Davidson, N., Ferdana, Z.A., Finlayson, M., Halpern, B.S., Jorge, M.A., Lombana, A., Lourie, S.A., Martin, K.D., McManus, E., Molnar, J., Recchia, C.A. and Robertson, J. (2007) Marine ecoregions of the world: a bioregionalization of coastal and shelf areas. Bioscience 57, 573–582.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Templado, J., Calvo, M., Moreno, D., Flores, A., Conde, F., Abad, R., Rubio, J., López-Fe, C. and Ortiz, M. (2006) Flora y Fauna de la Reserva Marina y la Reserva de Pesca de la Isla de Alborán. Madrid: Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, Secretaria General de Pesca Marítima.Google Scholar
Templado, J., Guerra, A., Bedoya, J., Moreno, D., Remón, J.M., Maldonado, M. and Ramos, M.A. (1993) Fauna marina circalitoral del sur de la Península Ibérica. Resultados de la campaña Oceanográfica “Fauna I”. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, 1–135.Google Scholar
Ter Braak, C.J.F. (1986) Canonical correspondence analysis: a new eigenvector technique for multivariate direct gradient analysis. Ecology 67, 1167–1179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tomarken, A.J. and Serlin, R.C. (1986) Comparison of ANOVA alternatives under variance heterogeneity and specific noncentrality structures. Psychological Bulletin 99, 90–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Troncoso, J.S., Moreira, J. and Urgorri, V. (2005) Soft-bottom mollusc assemblages in the Ría de Ares-Betanzos (Galicia, NW Spain). Iberus 23, 25–38.Google Scholar
Urra, J. and Gofas, S. (2009) New records of Bela powisiana (Dautzenberg, 1887) (Gastropoda: Conidae) in Southern Europe. Journal of Conchology 40, 1–4.Google Scholar
Urra, J., Gofas, S., Rueda, J.L. and Marina, P. (2011) Molluscan assemblages in littoral soft bottoms of the Alboran Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea). Marine Biology Research 7, 27–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Urra, J., Mateo Ramírez, Á., Marina, P., Salas, C., Gofas, S. and Rueda, J.L. (2013a) Highly diverse molluscan assemblages of Posidonia oceanica meadows in northwestern Alboran Sea (W Mediterranean): seasonal dynamics and environmental drivers. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 117, 136–147.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Urra, J., Rueda, J.L., Gofas, S., Marina, P. and Salas, C. (2012) A species-rich molluscan assemblage in a coralligenous bottom of the Alboran Sea (Southwestern Mediterranean): intra-annual changes and ecological considerations. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 92, 665–677.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Urra, J., Rueda, J.L., Mateo Ramírez, Á., Marina, P., Tirado, C., Salas, C. and Gofas, S. (2013b) Seasonal variation of molluscan assemblages in different strata of photophilous algae in the Alboran Sea (western Mediterranean). Journal of Sea Research 83, 83–93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Hoey, G., Degraer, S. and Vincx, M. (2004) Macrobenthic community structure of soft-bottom sediments at the Belgian Continental Shelf. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 59, 599–613.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wentworth, C.K. (1922) A scale of grade and class terms for clastic sediments. Journal of Geology 30, 377–392.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wildish, D.J. (1977) Factors controlling marine and estuarine sublittoral macrofauna. Helgolander Wissenschaftliche Meeresuntersuchungen 30, 445–454.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, W.H. (1991) Competition and predation in marine soft-sediment communities. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 21, 221–241.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zavodnik, D., Vidakovic, J. and Amoureux, L. (1985) Contribution to sediment macrofauna in the area of Rovinj (North Adriatic Sea). Cahiers de Biologie Marine 26, 431–444.Google Scholar
Zenetos, A., Christianidis, S., Pancucci, M.A., Simboura, N. and Tziavos, C. (1996) Oceanologic study of an open coastal area in the Ionian Sea with emphasis on its benthic fauna and some zoogeographical remarks. Oceanologica Acta 20, 437–451.Google Scholar