2009). Middle Pleistocene fossil beaches, with Strombus shells, also occur in
specific areas (e.g. mouth of the seasonal river of the Amoladeras) (IGME 1983).
The salt pans located close to Gata Cape, on an old natural coastal lagoon that was
transformed by humans, are still of importance for the salt industry. They house a
high biodiversity of birds (Castro 1993), including the black-winged stilt
(Himantopus himantopus), pied avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), Kentish plover
(Charadrius alexandrinus) and the greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), all
included in Annex I of the BD.
A wide variety of habitats occur in this MPA, with sedimentary bottoms (Habitat
1110 of the HD), hard bottoms (1170), seagrass meadows, mostly of P. oceanica
(1120) and some marine caves (8330) (Fig. 25.5), among others. Regarding fauna,
several cetaceans included in directives (Annexes II–V of HD) and catalogues
inhabit the waters of this MPA (e.g. the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), the
common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), the bottle-nosed dolphin (Tursiops
truncatus)). Some threatened invertebrates are the vermetid Dendropoma lebeche
(Vulnerable), Patella ferruginea (Endangered), Astroides calycularis (Vulnerable)
(Fig. 25.5), Charonia lampas (Vulnerable) and Pinna nobilis (Critically Endangered) (Moreno and Barrajón Domenech 2008a; Moreno and De la Rosa 2008;
Mateo-Ramírez et al. 2021). The latter, as already mentioned by Templado et al.,
(Chap. 11 of this book), suffered a mass mortality event in 2016 (Vázquez-Luis et al.
2017), and no live specimens have been currently detected here and in the northern
Alboran Sea (Junta de Andalucía 2008–2019).
Regarding seagrass meadows, the most extensive ones are those of P. oceanica
(Fig. 25.5), especially in the northern zone, with some meadows on hard bottoms in
the southern zone (García Raso et al. 1992). Cymodocea nodosa meadows are also
well represented in the MPA, and there are specific sites with presence of Zostera
noltei (Luque and Templado 2004). In the mesolittoral rock, ribbed Mediterranean
limpet is nowadays scarce, but it was probably more abundant in the past as
witnessed by the archaeological sites in the mountains (Moreno 1992; Moreno and
Arroyo 2008, Arroyo et al. 2011). One of the most characteristic formations of this
MPA is the vermetid reefs of D. lebeche which are the most important ones in the
northern Alboran Sea (García Raso et al. 1992; Moreno 2008; Junta de Andalucía
2008–2019). In shallow rocky bottoms, there is great diversity of photophilous
algae, including different species of Cystoseira (e.g. C. mediterranea,
C. tamariscifolia) as well as Padina pavonica, Halopteris scoparia and
Acetabularia acetabulum (Ballesteros and Catalán 1984). Some zooxanthellate
scleractinians, such as the pillow coral (Cladocora caespitosa) (Moreno et al.
2008a; Junta de Andalucía 2008–2019) and Oculina patagonica (Zibrowius and
Ramos 1983; Moreno 2010; Junta de Andalucía 2008–2019) as well as the rough
pen shell (Pinna rudis) (Moreno and Barrajón Domenech 2008b), also inhabit these
shallow rocky bottoms. In the sciaphilous rock walls, there is a wide diversity of
macroalgae (Peyssonnelia spp., Flabellia petiolata, Codium bursa, Cystoseira
zosteroides and Dictyopteris polypodioides), bryozoans (e.g. Myriapora truncata)
and tunicates (e.g. Clavelina dellavallei), among other invertebrates (García Raso
et al. 1992; Ballesteros and Pinedo, 2004). Important precoralligenous habitats also
25 Marine Protected Areas and Key Biodiversity Areas of the Alboran Sea and. . .
841
specific areas (e.g. mouth of the seasonal river of the Amoladeras) (IGME 1983).
The salt pans located close to Gata Cape, on an old natural coastal lagoon that was
transformed by humans, are still of importance for the salt industry. They house a
high biodiversity of birds (Castro 1993), including the black-winged stilt
(Himantopus himantopus), pied avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), Kentish plover
(Charadrius alexandrinus) and the greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), all
included in Annex I of the BD.
A wide variety of habitats occur in this MPA, with sedimentary bottoms (Habitat
1110 of the HD), hard bottoms (1170), seagrass meadows, mostly of P. oceanica
(1120) and some marine caves (8330) (Fig. 25.5), among others. Regarding fauna,
several cetaceans included in directives (Annexes II–V of HD) and catalogues
inhabit the waters of this MPA (e.g. the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), the
common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), the bottle-nosed dolphin (Tursiops
truncatus)). Some threatened invertebrates are the vermetid Dendropoma lebeche
(Vulnerable), Patella ferruginea (Endangered), Astroides calycularis (Vulnerable)
(Fig. 25.5), Charonia lampas (Vulnerable) and Pinna nobilis (Critically Endangered) (Moreno and Barrajón Domenech 2008a; Moreno and De la Rosa 2008;
Mateo-Ramírez et al. 2021). The latter, as already mentioned by Templado et al.,
(Chap. 11 of this book), suffered a mass mortality event in 2016 (Vázquez-Luis et al.
2017), and no live specimens have been currently detected here and in the northern
Alboran Sea (Junta de Andalucía 2008–2019).
Regarding seagrass meadows, the most extensive ones are those of P. oceanica
(Fig. 25.5), especially in the northern zone, with some meadows on hard bottoms in
the southern zone (García Raso et al. 1992). Cymodocea nodosa meadows are also
well represented in the MPA, and there are specific sites with presence of Zostera
noltei (Luque and Templado 2004). In the mesolittoral rock, ribbed Mediterranean
limpet is nowadays scarce, but it was probably more abundant in the past as
witnessed by the archaeological sites in the mountains (Moreno 1992; Moreno and
Arroyo 2008, Arroyo et al. 2011). One of the most characteristic formations of this
MPA is the vermetid reefs of D. lebeche which are the most important ones in the
northern Alboran Sea (García Raso et al. 1992; Moreno 2008; Junta de Andalucía
2008–2019). In shallow rocky bottoms, there is great diversity of photophilous
algae, including different species of Cystoseira (e.g. C. mediterranea,
C. tamariscifolia) as well as Padina pavonica, Halopteris scoparia and
Acetabularia acetabulum (Ballesteros and Catalán 1984). Some zooxanthellate
scleractinians, such as the pillow coral (Cladocora caespitosa) (Moreno et al.
2008a; Junta de Andalucía 2008–2019) and Oculina patagonica (Zibrowius and
Ramos 1983; Moreno 2010; Junta de Andalucía 2008–2019) as well as the rough
pen shell (Pinna rudis) (Moreno and Barrajón Domenech 2008b), also inhabit these
shallow rocky bottoms. In the sciaphilous rock walls, there is a wide diversity of
macroalgae (Peyssonnelia spp., Flabellia petiolata, Codium bursa, Cystoseira
zosteroides and Dictyopteris polypodioides), bryozoans (e.g. Myriapora truncata)
and tunicates (e.g. Clavelina dellavallei), among other invertebrates (García Raso
et al. 1992; Ballesteros and Pinedo, 2004). Important precoralligenous habitats also
25 Marine Protected Areas and Key Biodiversity Areas of the Alboran Sea and. . .
841