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Deepwater corals biodiversity along roche du large ecosystems with different habitat complexity along the south Sardinia continental margin (CW Mediterranean Sea)

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Abstract

Rocky pinnacles arising from soft bottoms of the circa-littoral zone may host oases of deepwater coral biodiversity: Engineer species that enhance ecosystem’s three-dimensional complexity often acting as shelter for associated fauna that can comprise commercially relevant species. Although variations in beta diversity of these coral oases were recently documented at different spatial scales, information on the role of geomorphogical features of rocky outcrops can be considered mostly an unaddressed issue. To comply with this task, five rocky pinnacles showing different geomorphological features (average slope, ruggedness, sediment accumulation), dwelling between 120 and 170 m depth along south Sardinia continental margin, were investigated by means of ROV imaging. We tested the null hypothesis that coral abundance and diversity [estimated using four black corals (Antipatharia) and seven gorgonians (Alcyonacea) as target species] did not differ among investigated sites. Overall, total coral abundance varied from 1.35 to 7.23 col m2; Callogorgia verticillata, followed by Eunicella cavolinii and Corallium rubrum were the most abundant gorgonians, while Antipathella subpinnata and Parantipathes larix were the most abundant black corals. Through uni- and multivariate analyses, significant differences in corals biodiversity were identified, allowing us to reject the null hypothesis, emphasizing a remarkable variability in beta diversity, apparently following variations in geomorphological features of investigated pinnacles. Moreover, a visual census of anthropogenic debris revealed that lost fishing gears represented the most frequently observed debris, stressing the need to identify further and more focused strategies of conservation to protect these oases of coral biodiversity.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the crew and researchers of R/V Astrea for the priceless help during ROV operations. This study was conducted in the framework of two projects focused on the investigation of coralligenous habitats and red coral, financed by the Ministry of Instruction, University and Research (MIUR; Grant 2010Z8HJ5M_011 PRIN 2010–2011) and Autonomous Region of Sardinia (RAS), respectively. Moreover, Alessandro Cau gratefully acknowledges Sardinia Regional Government for the financial support of their PhD scholarship (P.O.R. Sardegna F.S.E. Operational Programme of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, European Social Fund 2007–2013—Axis IV Human Resources, Objective l.3, Line of Activity l.3.1.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze della vita e dell’ambiente, Università di Cagliari, Via Tommaso Fiorelli 1, 09126, Cagliari, Italy

    Alessandro Cau, M. Cristina Follesa, Davide Moccia, Andrea Alvito, Flavio Sacco & Rita Cannas

  2. Dipartimento per lo Studio del Territorio e delle sue Risorse, Università degli Studi di Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132, Genoa, Italy

    Marzia Bo

  3. Dipartimento III Tutela degli Habitat e della Biodiversità Marina, CRA 15, ISPRA, Via Vitaliano Brancati 60, 00144, Rome, Italy

    Michela Angiolillo & Simonepietro Canese

  4. Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università di Cagliari, Via Trentino 51, 09127, Cagliari, Italy

    Enrico M. Paliaga & Paolo E. Orrù

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  1. Alessandro Cau
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  2. M. Cristina Follesa
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  3. Davide Moccia
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  4. Andrea Alvito
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  5. Marzia Bo
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  7. Simonepietro Canese
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  8. Enrico M. Paliaga
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  10. Flavio Sacco
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Correspondence to Alessandro Cau.

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Cau, A., Follesa, M.C., Moccia, D. et al. Deepwater corals biodiversity along roche du large ecosystems with different habitat complexity along the south Sardinia continental margin (CW Mediterranean Sea). Mar Biol 162, 1865–1878 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-015-2718-5

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