Visual faunistic exploration of geomorphological human-impacted deep-sea areas of the north-western Mediterranean Sea

This study reports the composition and distribution of demersal megafauna from various north-western Mediterranean submarine areas such as canyons, seamounts and landslides between 60-800 m depth, based on remotely operated vehicle (ROV) observations. From a total of 30 h of video, 4534 faunistic ob...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Mecho Lausac, Ariadna, Aguzzi, Jacopo, De Mol, Ben, Lastras Membrive, Galderic, Ramirez-Llodra, Eva, Bahamon Rivera, Nixon, Company Claret, Joan Baptista, Canals Artigas, Miquel
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2018
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/167517
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/167517
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Fauna marina
Valls submarines
Geomorfologia
Ecologia marina
Mediterrània (Mar : nord-oest)
Marine fauna
Submarine valleys
Geomorphology
Marine ecology
Mediterranean Sea (northwest)
Descripción
Sumario:This study reports the composition and distribution of demersal megafauna from various north-western Mediterranean submarine areas such as canyons, seamounts and landslides between 60-800 m depth, based on remotely operated vehicle (ROV) observations. From a total of 30 h of video, 4534 faunistic observations were made and analysed in relationship to environmental factors (i.e. topography, substrate type and depth). In addition, anthropogenic impact was quantified by grouping observations in four categories: fishing nets, longlines, trawl marks and other litter. The different targeted environments showed similarities in faunal composition according to substrate, depth and topography. Our results also indicated the presence of anthropogenic impact in all the sampled areas in which litter and trawl marks were the most observed artefacts.