Hotspots of predation persist outside marine reserves in the historically fished Mediterranean Sea

• Published in: Biological conservation Vol. 191; pp. 67 - 74
• Main Authors: Boada, Jordi, Arthur, Rohan, Farina, Simone, Santana, Yaiza, Mascaró, Oriol, Romero, Javier, Alcoverro, Teresa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2015
• Subjects: Canopy height; coasts; Diplodus sargus; Echinoidea; Fish; Fishing; Habitats; herbivores; Hot spots; macroalgae; Macroalgal communities; Marine; Mediterranean Sea; natural resources conservation; overfishing; overgrazing; Paracentrotus lividus; Posidonia oceanica; predation; Predators; Predator–prey interactions; Refugia; Reserves; Rhizome layer; seagrasses; MED, Western Mediterranean; MED; Mediterranean Sea; Diplodus sargus; Refugia; Macroalgal communities; Paracentrotus lividus; Canopy height; Posidonia oceanica; Rhizome layer; Predator–prey interactions

The Mediterranean Sea has sustained historically high levels of fishing since pre-Roman times. This once-abundant sea has witnessed major declines in apex predators, now largely restricted to isolated pockets within marine reserves. This depletion could critically impact macrophyte communities that...