Zonation patterns of benthic communities in an upwelling area from the western Medierranean (La Herradura, Alboran Sea)
Species composition and distribution of marine benthic communities from La Herradura (Alboran Sea, western Mediterranean) are described to characterise its rocky and sedimentary bottoms bionomically. Rocky bottoms were studied by means of several underwater transects and soft bottoms with fixed stat...
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Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
2004-03-01
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doaj-3005e5c700b74b10b1d91dfd26762b272021-05-05T13:49:46ZengConsejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasScientia Marina0214-83581886-81342004-03-01681698410.3989/scimar.2004.68n169342Zonation patterns of benthic communities in an upwelling area from the western Medierranean (La Herradura, Alboran Sea)Emma Cebrián0Enric Ballesteros1Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CSIC)Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CSIC)Species composition and distribution of marine benthic communities from La Herradura (Alboran Sea, western Mediterranean) are described to characterise its rocky and sedimentary bottoms bionomically. Rocky bottoms were studied by means of several underwater transects and soft bottoms with fixed stations along a bathymetric gradient. The study of the floristic and faunistic composition of the rocky benthic communities highlights depth as the main axis of variation. Factorial Correspondence Analysis segregates deep-water communities below 25 m depth (circalittoral communities) from shallower communities (axis I), and communities thriving between 5 and 25 m depth (lower infralittoral communities) from communities thriving close to the surface (shallow infralittoral communities) (axis II). The study of the sedimentary bottoms also suggests that depth, together with physical sedimentary properties, is the main axis of variation in species distribution. Floristic and faunistic records show the particular composition of La Herradura benthic communities, compared to Mediterranean and Atlantic ones. Mixing of Mediterranean and Atlantic waters, together with deep water upwelling episodes typical of this area, probably determine the peculiar composition of the benthic communities.http://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/346zonation patternsbenthic communitiesrocky and sedimentary bottomsspecies distributionalboran sea |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Emma Cebrián Enric Ballesteros |
spellingShingle |
Emma Cebrián Enric Ballesteros Zonation patterns of benthic communities in an upwelling area from the western Medierranean (La Herradura, Alboran Sea) Scientia Marina zonation patterns benthic communities rocky and sedimentary bottoms species distribution alboran sea |
author_facet |
Emma Cebrián Enric Ballesteros |
author_sort |
Emma Cebrián |
title |
Zonation patterns of benthic communities in an upwelling area from the western Medierranean (La Herradura, Alboran Sea) |
title_short |
Zonation patterns of benthic communities in an upwelling area from the western Medierranean (La Herradura, Alboran Sea) |
title_full |
Zonation patterns of benthic communities in an upwelling area from the western Medierranean (La Herradura, Alboran Sea) |
title_fullStr |
Zonation patterns of benthic communities in an upwelling area from the western Medierranean (La Herradura, Alboran Sea) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Zonation patterns of benthic communities in an upwelling area from the western Medierranean (La Herradura, Alboran Sea) |
title_sort |
zonation patterns of benthic communities in an upwelling area from the western medierranean (la herradura, alboran sea) |
publisher |
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas |
series |
Scientia Marina |
issn |
0214-8358 1886-8134 |
publishDate |
2004-03-01 |
description |
Species composition and distribution of marine benthic communities from La Herradura (Alboran Sea, western Mediterranean) are described to characterise its rocky and sedimentary bottoms bionomically. Rocky bottoms were studied by means of several underwater transects and soft bottoms with fixed stations along a bathymetric gradient. The study of the floristic and faunistic composition of the rocky benthic communities highlights depth as the main axis of variation. Factorial Correspondence Analysis segregates deep-water communities below 25 m depth (circalittoral communities) from shallower communities (axis I), and communities thriving between 5 and 25 m depth (lower infralittoral communities) from communities thriving close to the surface (shallow infralittoral communities) (axis II). The study of the sedimentary bottoms also suggests that depth, together with physical sedimentary properties, is the main axis of variation in species distribution. Floristic and faunistic records show the particular composition of La Herradura benthic communities, compared to Mediterranean and Atlantic ones. Mixing of Mediterranean and Atlantic waters, together with deep water upwelling episodes typical of this area, probably determine the peculiar composition of the benthic communities. |
topic |
zonation patterns benthic communities rocky and sedimentary bottoms species distribution alboran sea |
url |
http://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/346 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT emmacebrian zonationpatternsofbenthiccommunitiesinanupwellingareafromthewesternmedierraneanlaherraduraalboransea AT enricballesteros zonationpatternsofbenthiccommunitiesinanupwellingareafromthewesternmedierraneanlaherraduraalboransea |
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1721460806720159744 |