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Protected and threatened components of fish biodiversity in the mediterranean sea
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 16:48 authored by Mouillot, D, Albouy, C, Guilhaumon, F, Ben Rais Lasram, F, Coll, M, Devictor, V, Meynard, CN, Pauly, D, Tomasini, JA, Troussellier, M, Velez, L, Reginald WatsonReginald Watson, Douzery, EJP, Mouquet, NThe Mediterranean Sea (0.82% of the global oceanic surface) holds 4%-18% of all known marine species (∼17,000), with a high proportion of endemism [1, 2]. This exceptional biodiversity is under severe threats [1] but benefits from a system of 100 marine protected areas (MPAs). Surprisingly, the spatial congruence of fish biodiversity hot spots with this MPA system and the areas of high fishing pressure has not been assessed. Moreover, evolutionary and functional breadth of species assemblages [3] has been largely overlooked in marine systems. Here we adopted a multifaceted approach to biodiversity by considering the species richness of total, endemic, and threatened coastal fish assemblages as well as their functional and phylogenetic diversity. We show that these fish biodiversity components are spatially mismatched. The MPA system covers a small surface of the Mediterranean (0.4%) and is spatially congruent with the hot spots of all taxonomic components of fish diversity. However, it misses hot spots of functional and phylogenetic diversity. In addition, hot spots of endemic species richness and phylogenetic diversity are spatially congruent with hot spots of fishery impact. Our results highlight that future conservation strategies and assessment efficiency of current reserve systems will need to be revisited after deconstructing the different components of biodiversity. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.
History
Publication title
Current BiologyVolume
21Issue
12Pagination
1044-1050ISSN
0960-9822Department/School
Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesPublisher
Cell PressPlace of publication
United StatesRepository Status
- Restricted