Bottom trawling has direct impacts on benthic communities. These impacts are modified by the environmental context in which they occur. Communities that occur in habitats subjected to low levels of natural disturbance are considered to be the most vulnerable to bottom trawling. The present study examined the impact of otter trawl fisheries on epifaunal assemblages of the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Central Mediterranean Sea), across the continental shelf and down to the meso-bathyal plain. Using a long time-series of non-target epifaunal species collected by experimental otter trawl surveys, differences in assemblage structure and composition were detected among areas that experienced different levels of fishing intensity relative to Fishery Exclusion Zones. Areas that experienced the highest levels of trawling had a significantly lower abundance of crinoids and ophiuroids; the former are important structuring fauna. The epifauna assemblage composition in the areas that had been subjected to the heaviest levels of fishing activity were characterised by a greater number of scavenging species that are resilient to the effects of fishing. Although the heavily trawled areas had higher diversity than the less heavily fished areas, this was associated with the absence of K-selected species such as crinoids and dominance by r-selected scavenging biota.

Evidence of trawl disturbance on mega-epibenthic communities in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea

MANGANO, MARIA CRISTINA;PORPORATO, ERIKA MARIA;SPANO', Nunziacarla
2013-01-01

Abstract

Bottom trawling has direct impacts on benthic communities. These impacts are modified by the environmental context in which they occur. Communities that occur in habitats subjected to low levels of natural disturbance are considered to be the most vulnerable to bottom trawling. The present study examined the impact of otter trawl fisheries on epifaunal assemblages of the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Central Mediterranean Sea), across the continental shelf and down to the meso-bathyal plain. Using a long time-series of non-target epifaunal species collected by experimental otter trawl surveys, differences in assemblage structure and composition were detected among areas that experienced different levels of fishing intensity relative to Fishery Exclusion Zones. Areas that experienced the highest levels of trawling had a significantly lower abundance of crinoids and ophiuroids; the former are important structuring fauna. The epifauna assemblage composition in the areas that had been subjected to the heaviest levels of fishing activity were characterised by a greater number of scavenging species that are resilient to the effects of fishing. Although the heavily trawled areas had higher diversity than the less heavily fished areas, this was associated with the absence of K-selected species such as crinoids and dominance by r-selected scavenging biota.
2013
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11570/2505022
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 41
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 40
social impact