sea ones as commented previously. There is still not enough information on the
composition and structure of the communities associated with intertidal rocky
shores, some infralittoral and circalittoral macroalgal beds (e.g. Cystoseira, kelp
forests), coralligenous and maërl/rhodolith bottoms and circalittoral and bathyal
sedimentary and hard-bottom habitats. In some habitats, the information is adequate
for some parts (e.g. Posidonia oceanica beds of northeastern Alboran Sea) but scarce
for other parts (e.g. P. oceanica beds of southern Alboran Sea). The information on
the associated biota is still scarce for some key deep-sea habitats of the Alboran Sea
such as the cold-water coral banks, the sponge aggregations and those sedimentary
habitats colonized by octocorals (e.g. bamboo coral beds, sea pen communities,
etc.).
Information on the temporal variation of the associated community of different
habitats is extremely scarce and only available for specific groups (e.g. molluscs,
crustaceans, fishes) and for infralittoral soft bottoms or some vegetated habitats
(e.g. seagrass beds, infralittoral macroalgal beds). This information is even absent
for habitats that are known to display significant seasonal and interannual changes in
other parts of the Mediterranean Sea (e.g. intertidal habitats on rocky shores).
Annual monitoring of habitats and benthic communities in the Alboran Sea is mostly
available for the littoral areas of the northern Alboran Sea in relation to the Water
Framework Directive and also to the Andalusian regional authority through the
Sustainable Management of the Andalusian Marine Environment Program. Some
MPAs also develop some annual monitoring in threatened habitats, but there is a lack
of a standardized methodology that could be useful for contrasting results between
MPAs, especially between the northern and southern sectors of the Alboran Sea. The
MEDITS expeditions have also developed a monitoring sampling scheme, but, in
this case, the information is only available for large macrobenthic species of
trawlable grounds which can generally be collected with an otter trawl. Studies on
the interannual changes are generally just available for some faunistic components of
circalittoral and sedimentary habitats (results of MEDITS expeditions) or for threatened species (e.g. Patella ferruginea). Day and night variation of the associated
community has only been studied in some seagrass beds, and this represents an
important factor to take into account for further studies in other vegetated habitats
(e.g. macroalgal beds). Moreover, studies on growth and development of habitatforming species are null, even for those species that are endemic of the Mediterranean Sea and have their distribution limits in this basin (e.g. Posidonia oceanica)
and may display significant differences due to the stressing conditions of being at the
distribution limit (e.g. lower growth rate, lower reproductive output). The role of
environmental variables in the distribution or temporal patterns of the fauna has been
mostly analysed in macroalgal beds, seagrass beds and some sedimentary habitats.
There are very few data on the interrelation between communities of different
bottoms, during the annual cycle and movements related to reproduction and
development. Finally, there is almost null information on the effects of the human
activities in the communities associated with the majority of habitats of the
Alboran Sea.
344
J. L. Rueda et al.
composition and structure of the communities associated with intertidal rocky
shores, some infralittoral and circalittoral macroalgal beds (e.g. Cystoseira, kelp
forests), coralligenous and maërl/rhodolith bottoms and circalittoral and bathyal
sedimentary and hard-bottom habitats. In some habitats, the information is adequate
for some parts (e.g. Posidonia oceanica beds of northeastern Alboran Sea) but scarce
for other parts (e.g. P. oceanica beds of southern Alboran Sea). The information on
the associated biota is still scarce for some key deep-sea habitats of the Alboran Sea
such as the cold-water coral banks, the sponge aggregations and those sedimentary
habitats colonized by octocorals (e.g. bamboo coral beds, sea pen communities,
etc.).
Information on the temporal variation of the associated community of different
habitats is extremely scarce and only available for specific groups (e.g. molluscs,
crustaceans, fishes) and for infralittoral soft bottoms or some vegetated habitats
(e.g. seagrass beds, infralittoral macroalgal beds). This information is even absent
for habitats that are known to display significant seasonal and interannual changes in
other parts of the Mediterranean Sea (e.g. intertidal habitats on rocky shores).
Annual monitoring of habitats and benthic communities in the Alboran Sea is mostly
available for the littoral areas of the northern Alboran Sea in relation to the Water
Framework Directive and also to the Andalusian regional authority through the
Sustainable Management of the Andalusian Marine Environment Program. Some
MPAs also develop some annual monitoring in threatened habitats, but there is a lack
of a standardized methodology that could be useful for contrasting results between
MPAs, especially between the northern and southern sectors of the Alboran Sea. The
MEDITS expeditions have also developed a monitoring sampling scheme, but, in
this case, the information is only available for large macrobenthic species of
trawlable grounds which can generally be collected with an otter trawl. Studies on
the interannual changes are generally just available for some faunistic components of
circalittoral and sedimentary habitats (results of MEDITS expeditions) or for threatened species (e.g. Patella ferruginea). Day and night variation of the associated
community has only been studied in some seagrass beds, and this represents an
important factor to take into account for further studies in other vegetated habitats
(e.g. macroalgal beds). Moreover, studies on growth and development of habitatforming species are null, even for those species that are endemic of the Mediterranean Sea and have their distribution limits in this basin (e.g. Posidonia oceanica)
and may display significant differences due to the stressing conditions of being at the
distribution limit (e.g. lower growth rate, lower reproductive output). The role of
environmental variables in the distribution or temporal patterns of the fauna has been
mostly analysed in macroalgal beds, seagrass beds and some sedimentary habitats.
There are very few data on the interrelation between communities of different
bottoms, during the annual cycle and movements related to reproduction and
development. Finally, there is almost null information on the effects of the human
activities in the communities associated with the majority of habitats of the
Alboran Sea.
344
J. L. Rueda et al.