Modelling of European hake nurseries in the Mediterranean Sea: an ecological niche approach

Type Article
Date 2015-01
Language English
Author(s) Druon Jean-Noel1, Fiorentino Fabio2, Murenu Matteo3, Knittweis Leyla4, Colloca Francesco2, Osio Chato1, Merigot Bastien5, Garofalo Germana2, Mannini Alessandro6, Jadaud AngeliqueORCID7, Sbrana Mario8, Scarcella Giuseppe9, Tserpesi George10, Peristeraki Panagiota10, Carlucci Roberto11, Heikkonen Jukka12
Affiliation(s) 1 : European Commiss, Joint Res Ctr, Inst Protect & Secur Citizen, Maritime Affairs Unit, I-21027 Ispra, VA, Italy.
2 : CNR, Inst Coastal Marine Environm IAMC, I-91026 Mazara Del Vallo, TP, Italy.
3 : Univ Cagliari, Dept Life & Environm Sci, I-09126 Cagliari, Italy.
4 : Univ Malta, Fac Sci, Dept Biol, MSD-2080 Msida, Malta.
5 : Univ Montpellier 2, UMR Exploited Marine Ecosyst EME 212, CRH, F-34203 Sete, France.
6 : Univ Genoa, Dept Sci Earth Environm & Life DISTAV, I-16132 Genoa, Italy.
7 : IFREMER, Stn Sete, F-34203 Sete, France.
8 : Consorzio Ctr Interuniv Biol Marina & Ecol Applic, I-57128 Livorno, Italy.
9 : CNR, Inst Marine Sci ISMAR, I-60125 Ancona, Italy.
10 : Hellen Ctr Marine Res, Inst Marine Biol Resources & Inland Waters, Iraklion 71003, Greece.
11 : Univ Bari, Dept Biol, I-70125 Bari, Italy.
12 : European Commiss, Joint Res Ctr, Inst Protect & Secur Citizen, I-21027 Ispra, VA, Italy.
Source Progress In Oceanography (0079-6611) (Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd), 2015-01 , Vol. 130 , P. 188-204
DOI 10.1016/j.pocean.2014.11.005
WOS© Times Cited 71
Abstract An ecological niche modelling (ENM) approach was developed to model the suitable habitat 36 for the 0-group European hake, Merluccius merluccius L., 1758, in the Mediterranean Sea. 37 The ENM was built combining knowledge on biological traits of hake recruits (e.g. growth, 38 settlement, mobility and feeding strategy) with patterns of selected ecological variables 39 (chlorophyll-a fronts and concentration, bottom depth, sea bottom current and temperature) 40 to highlight favourable nursery habitats. The results show that hake nurseries require stable 41 bottom temperature (11.8-15.0oC), low bottom currents (< 0.034 m.s-1) and a frequent 42 occurrence of productive fronts in low chlorophyll-a areas (0.1-0.9 mg.m-3) to support a 43 successful recruitment. These conditions mostly occur recurrently in outer shelf and shelf 44 break areas. The prediction explains the relative balance between biotic and abiotic drivers 45 of hake recruitment in the Mediterranean Sea and the primary role of unfavourable 46 environmental conditions on low recruitment in specific years (i.e. 2011). The ENM outputs 47 particularly agree spatially with biomass data of recruits, although processes such as fishing 48 and natural mortality are not accounted for. The seasonal mapping of suitable habitats 49 provides information on potential nurseries and recruitment carrying capacity which are 50 relevant for spatial fisheries management of hake in the Mediterranean Sea.
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Druon Jean-Noel, Fiorentino Fabio, Murenu Matteo, Knittweis Leyla, Colloca Francesco, Osio Chato, Merigot Bastien, Garofalo Germana, Mannini Alessandro, Jadaud Angelique, Sbrana Mario, Scarcella Giuseppe, Tserpesi George, Peristeraki Panagiota, Carlucci Roberto, Heikkonen Jukka (2015). Modelling of European hake nurseries in the Mediterranean Sea: an ecological niche approach. Progress In Oceanography, 130, 188-204. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2014.11.005 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00228/33947/