occur in shallow areas (down to depth of 6 m) with the presence of chalice coral
colonies (García Raso et al. 1992), a species that has its main Spanish populations in
the Alboran Sea westwards of Gata Cape (Moreno et al. 2008b), and the purple sea
star (Ophidiaster ophidianus) (Moreno and Pérez-Ruzafa 2008). Interesting
rhodolith beds occur in the MPA (Luque and Templado 2004), but coralligenous
communities are not well developed and are characterized by some hardy gorgonians
and small kelp such as Phyllariopsis purpurascens, which is just occasional in some
years (Moreno et al. 2005). There is a good knowledge on the marine flora and fauna
of this MPA, at least regarding mega- and macrofauna, and it can be considered a
biodiversity hotspot for the Mediterranean Sea (Barea-Azcón et al. 2008). García
Raso et al. (1992) listed more than 1400 species, later on updated and increased by
Luque et al. (1999) and Moreno (2003). In summary, ca. 265 species of macroalgae
(168 red algal species), more than 50 sponges, 60 cnidarians, 5 ctenophores,
ca. 175 polychaete annelids, ca. 375 molluscs, 120 crustaceans, 17 lophophorians,
32 echinoderms, 46 tunicates, more than 150 fish, 2 marine turtles, ca. 30 seabirds
(Guirado et al. 1997a) and at least 8 cetaceans have been recorded so far in this MPA.
Unfortunately, the monk seal (Monachus monachus) has not been detected since the
mid-twentieth century when it was considered very rare. Nevertheless, it certainly
lived in the area because several places were named in relation to the monk seals
(e.g. Arrecife de las sirenas (Sirens reef), Torre y Colina de los Lobos—hill and
tower of the Wolves).
The ichthyofauna of the artificial reefs installed in the integral reserve has been
monitored for more than 20 years in summer and winter. An increase of 72 fish
species has been detected, as well as an evolution of the typical soft bottom fish
assemblages (dominating Pagellus acarne and Mullus surmuletus) to more stable
and typical hard bottom fish assemblages with large predators (e.g. dusky grouper
and goldblotch grouper (Epinephelus costae)) and some pelagic species (e.g. Seriola
dumerili) that benefit from the reef environment (Moreno et al. 2006). Several
fishing nets hooked on the reefs were removed during monitoring, confirming the
effectiveness of this passive method against bottom trawling (Junta de Andalucía
2008–2019) (Fig. 25.5). Similar monitoring was carried out for shallow rocky
bottoms inside and outside the maximum protection areas for testing the “reserve
effect” in coordination with other MPAs of south-eastern Spain (Moreno 1995;
García-Charton et al. 2004). In all these MPAs, the dusky grouper was more
abundant within maximum protection areas than outside them, and smaller serranids
than this grouper (e.g. goldblotch grouper, Serranus cabrilla, Serranus scriba) were
more abundant in Cabo de Gata-Níjar than in other MPAs (García-Charton et al.
2004).
The Andalusian administration has also done big efforts in increasing the knowledge and conservation of seagrass meadows of this MPA, with projects for mapping
P. oceanica meadows of the coasts along Almería (the largest meadows in the
Andalusian coasts) in 1995–1996 by the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
(Luque et al. 2004). Recently, further mapping was carried out with the EU LIFE+
Posidonia Andalucía project between 2011 and 2016 (Mendoza et al. 2014; Arroyo
et al. 2015). The project also carried out numerous divulgation actions and promoted
the definitive establishment of a monitoring network for P. oceanica (POSIMED)
842
Á. Mateo-Ramírez et al.
colonies (García Raso et al. 1992), a species that has its main Spanish populations in
the Alboran Sea westwards of Gata Cape (Moreno et al. 2008b), and the purple sea
star (Ophidiaster ophidianus) (Moreno and Pérez-Ruzafa 2008). Interesting
rhodolith beds occur in the MPA (Luque and Templado 2004), but coralligenous
communities are not well developed and are characterized by some hardy gorgonians
and small kelp such as Phyllariopsis purpurascens, which is just occasional in some
years (Moreno et al. 2005). There is a good knowledge on the marine flora and fauna
of this MPA, at least regarding mega- and macrofauna, and it can be considered a
biodiversity hotspot for the Mediterranean Sea (Barea-Azcón et al. 2008). García
Raso et al. (1992) listed more than 1400 species, later on updated and increased by
Luque et al. (1999) and Moreno (2003). In summary, ca. 265 species of macroalgae
(168 red algal species), more than 50 sponges, 60 cnidarians, 5 ctenophores,
ca. 175 polychaete annelids, ca. 375 molluscs, 120 crustaceans, 17 lophophorians,
32 echinoderms, 46 tunicates, more than 150 fish, 2 marine turtles, ca. 30 seabirds
(Guirado et al. 1997a) and at least 8 cetaceans have been recorded so far in this MPA.
Unfortunately, the monk seal (Monachus monachus) has not been detected since the
mid-twentieth century when it was considered very rare. Nevertheless, it certainly
lived in the area because several places were named in relation to the monk seals
(e.g. Arrecife de las sirenas (Sirens reef), Torre y Colina de los Lobos—hill and
tower of the Wolves).
The ichthyofauna of the artificial reefs installed in the integral reserve has been
monitored for more than 20 years in summer and winter. An increase of 72 fish
species has been detected, as well as an evolution of the typical soft bottom fish
assemblages (dominating Pagellus acarne and Mullus surmuletus) to more stable
and typical hard bottom fish assemblages with large predators (e.g. dusky grouper
and goldblotch grouper (Epinephelus costae)) and some pelagic species (e.g. Seriola
dumerili) that benefit from the reef environment (Moreno et al. 2006). Several
fishing nets hooked on the reefs were removed during monitoring, confirming the
effectiveness of this passive method against bottom trawling (Junta de Andalucía
2008–2019) (Fig. 25.5). Similar monitoring was carried out for shallow rocky
bottoms inside and outside the maximum protection areas for testing the “reserve
effect” in coordination with other MPAs of south-eastern Spain (Moreno 1995;
García-Charton et al. 2004). In all these MPAs, the dusky grouper was more
abundant within maximum protection areas than outside them, and smaller serranids
than this grouper (e.g. goldblotch grouper, Serranus cabrilla, Serranus scriba) were
more abundant in Cabo de Gata-Níjar than in other MPAs (García-Charton et al.
2004).
The Andalusian administration has also done big efforts in increasing the knowledge and conservation of seagrass meadows of this MPA, with projects for mapping
P. oceanica meadows of the coasts along Almería (the largest meadows in the
Andalusian coasts) in 1995–1996 by the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
(Luque et al. 2004). Recently, further mapping was carried out with the EU LIFE+
Posidonia Andalucía project between 2011 and 2016 (Mendoza et al. 2014; Arroyo
et al. 2015). The project also carried out numerous divulgation actions and promoted
the definitive establishment of a monitoring network for P. oceanica (POSIMED)
842
Á. Mateo-Ramírez et al.