Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Geographical distribution of parasite species can provide insights into the evolution and diversity of parasiticcommunities. Biogeography of marine parasites is poorly known, especially because it requires anunderstanding of host-parasite interactions, information that is rare, especially over large spatial scales.Here, we have studied the biogeographical patterns of dactylogyrid parasites of chaetodontids, one of themost well-studied fish families, in the tropical Indo-west Pacific region. Dactylogyrid parasites were collectedfrom gills of 34 butterflyfish species (n = 560) at nine localities within an approximate area of62 million km2. Thirteen dactylogyrid species were identified, with richness ranging from 6 to 12 speciesat individual localities. Most dactylogyrid communities were dominated by Haliotrema angelopterum orHaliotrema aurigae, for which relative abundance was negatively correlated (q = !0.59). Parasite richnessand diversity were highest in French Polynesia and the Great Barrier Reef (Australia) and lowest in Palau.Three biogeographic regions were identified based on dactylogyrid dissimilarities: French Polynesia,characterised by the dominance of H. angelopterum, the western Pacific region dominated by H. aurigae,and Ningaloo Reef (Australia), dominated by Euryhaliotrema berenguelae. Structure of host assemblageswas the main factor explaining the dissimilarity (turnover and nestedness components of the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity and overall Bray-Curtis dissimilarity) of parasite communities between localities,while environment was only significant in the turnover of parasite communities and overall dissimilarity.Spatial structure of localities explained only 10% of the turnover of parasite communities. The interactionof the three factors (host assemblages, environment and spatial structure), however, explained the highestamounts of variance of the dactylogyrid communities, indicating a strong colinearity between the factors.Our findings show that spatial arrangement of chaetodontid dactylogyrids in the tropical Indo-westPacific is primarily characterised by the turnover of the main Haliotrema spp., which is mainly explainedby the structure of host assemblages.
ISSN: 0020-7519

hal-01562156
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01562156
DOI : 10.1016/j.ijpara.2017.01.006

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
With only a narrow opening through the Gibraltar and Suez Canals, the Mediterranean Sea is one of thelargest semi-enclosed seas. The marine flora and fauna are some of the richest in the world, relative to itssize, particularly in the coastal habitats, which are also characterized by numerous endemic speciesalthough the introduction of non-indigenous species threatens its rich and unique biodiversity. Followingthe opening of the Suez Canal, and in combination with shipping and aquaculture activities, nonindigenousspecies (NIS) introduction has had measurable impacts on the Mediterranean. Lagoon ecosystemsalong the French coastline, with approx. 100 NIS identified, are considered hot-spot areas forthese species. Rapid assessment sampling for sessile benthic species together with DNA barcoding is arapid, easy and cheap method to detect non-indigenous species. Two nearby and different ecosystemswere sampled for invertebrate species: Saint-Nazaire lagoon, a Special Protection Area within the Natura2000 Network and Canet port, a marina in a small village. The DNA barcoding tool for species identificationwas used for confirming the taxonomy. This showed that, despite the Saint-Nazaire Lagoonclassification within the Natura 2000 network, it is already contaminated with a single NIS that wasfound in high densities and is clearly beginning to dominate the system. It is proposed that a rapidassessment of the sampled environment and the DNA barcode approach are efficient and can providesufficient information on the new target species to be used in conservation planning and ongoingmanagement efforts.
ISSN: 0272-7714

hal-01488926
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01488926
DOI : 10.1016/j.ecss.2017.02.004

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
While the fire coral Millepora platyphylla is an important component of Indo-Pacific reefs,where it thrives in a wide range of environments, the ecological and biological processesdriving its distribution and population structure are not well understood. Here, we quantifiedthis species' population structure in five habitats with contrasting hydrodynamic regimes inMoorea, French Polynesia; two in the fore reef: mid and upper slopes, and three in thelagoon: back, fringing and patch reefs. A total of 3651 colonies of fire corals were mappedand measured over 45,000 m2 of surveyed reef. Due to the species' sensitivity to fragmentationin response to strong water movement, hydrodynamic conditions (e.g. waves, pass andlagoonal circulation) corresponded to marked differences in colony size distributions, morphologyand recruitment dynamics among habitats. The size structure varied among reefhabitats with higher proportions of larger colonies in calm nearshore reefs (fringing andpatch reefs), while populations were dominated by smaller colonies in the exposed forereefs. The highest densities of fire corals were recorded in fore reef habitats (0.12±0.20 n.m-2) where the proportion of recruits and juveniles was higher at mid slope populations(49.3%) than on the upper slope near where waves break (29.0%). In the latter habitat, mostcolonies grew as vertical sheets on encrusting bases making them more vulnerable to colonyfragmentation, whereas fire corals were encrusting or massive in all other habitats. Thelowest densities of M. platyphylla occurred in lagoonal habitats (0.02±0.04 n.m-2) characterizedby a combination of low water movement and other physical and biological stressors.This study reports the first evidence of population structure of fire corals
ISSN: 1932-6203

hal-01561659
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01561659
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01561659/document
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01561659/file/millepora%20platyphylla.pdf
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0173513

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Laboratoire Arago
Résumé : International audience
Within all plankton surveys, teleostean eggs are collected together with the plankton, but their identification is generally not considered because of the lack of knowledge in descrip- tive taxonomic key. nevertheless, they can provide relevant information on biology and ecology of species, as well as on the condition of fishing stock in respect to fishery sciences. In the pres- ent work, we are proposing, for the first time, a determination key for fish eggs, based on quali- tative, quantitative and ecological features to identify teleostean eggs of many species occurring in the Mediterranean Sea. Descriptors where followed and established while keeping alive eggs until hatching, since it get nearly always possible to determine the species or the genus to which they belong at the hatching stage and get back then to look for specific characteristics of the eggs.
ISSN: 0240-8759

hal-01160066
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01160066

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Nature Publishing Group
Résumé : International audience
Tropical cyclone (TC) waves can severely damage coral reefs. Models that predict where to find such damage (the 'damage zone') enable reef managers to: 1) target management responses after major TCs in near-real time to promote recovery at severely damaged sites; and 2) identify spatial patterns in historic TC exposure to explain habitat condition trajectories. For damage models to meet these needs, they must be valid for TCs of varying intensity, circulation size and duration. Here, we map damage zones for 46 TCs that crossed Australia's Great Barrier Reef from 1985–2015 using three models – including one we develop which extends the capability of the others. We ground truth model performance with field data of wave damage from seven TCs of varying characteristics. The model we develop (4MW) out-performed the other models at capturing all incidences of known damage. The next best performing model (AHF) both under-predicted and over-predicted damage for TCs of various types. 4MW and AHF produce strikingly different spatial and temporal patterns of damage potential when used to reconstruct past TCs from 1985–2015. The 4MW model greatly enhances both of the main capabilities TC damage models provide to managers, and is useful wherever TCs and coral reefs co-occur.
ISSN: 2045-2322

Droits : http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
hal-01330362
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01330362
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01330362/document
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01330362/file/srep26009.pdf
DOI : 10.1038/srep26009

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : National audience
La Phytothérapie Européenne

hal-01197430
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01197430

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Wiley
Résumé : International audience
Coral bleaching events threaten coral reef habitats globally and cause severe declines of local biodiversity and productivity.Related to high sea surface temperatures (SST), bleaching events are expected to increase as a consequenceof future global warming. However, response to climate change is still uncertain as future low-latitude climatic conditionshave no present-day analogue. Sea surface temperatures during the Eocene epoch were warmer than forecastedchanges for the coming century, and distributions of corals during the Eocene may help to inform models forecastingthe future of coral reefs. We coupled contemporary and Eocene coral occurrences with information on their respectiveclimatic conditions to model the thermal niche of coral reefs and its potential response to projected climate change.We found that under the RCP8.5 climate change scenario, the global suitability for coral reefs may increase up to 16%by 2100, mostly due to improved suitability of higher latitudes. In contrast, in its current range, coral reef suitabilitymay decrease up to 46% by 2100. Reduction in thermal suitability will be most severe in biodiversity hotspots, especiallyin the Indo-Australian Archipelago. Our results suggest that many contemporary hotspots for coral reefs,including those that have been refugia in the past, spatially mismatch with future suitable areas for coral reefs posingchallenges to conservation actions under climate change.
ISSN: 1354-1013

hal-01145464
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01145464
DOI : 10.1111/gcb.12868

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Wiley
Résumé : International audience
AimBiological invasions are major contributors to global change and native biodiversity decline. However, they are overlooked in marine conservation plans. Here, we examine for the first time the extent to which marine conservation planning research has addressed (or ignored) biological invasions. Furthermore, we explore the change of spatial priorities in conservation plans when different approaches are used to incorporate the presence and impacts of invasive species.LocationGlobal analysis with a focus on the Mediterranean Sea region.MethodsWe conducted a systematic literature review consisting of three steps: (1) article selection using a search engine, (2) abstract screening and (3) review of pertinent articles, which were identified in the second step. The information extracted included the scale and geographical location of each case study as well as the approach followed regarding invasive species. We also applied the software Marxan to produce and compare conservation plans for the Mediterranean Sea that either protect, or avoid areas impacted by invasives, or ignore the issue. One case study focused on the protection of critical habitats, and the other on endemic fish species.ResultsWe found that of 119 papers on marine spatial plans in specific biogeographic regions, only three (2.5%) explicitly took into account invasive species. When comparing the different conservation plans for each case study, we found that the majority of selected sites for protection (ca. 80%) changed in the critical habitat case study, while this proportion was lower but substantial (27%) in the endemic fish species case study.Main conclusionsBiological invasions are being widely disregarded when planning for conservation in the marine environment across local to global scales. More explicit consideration of biological invasions can significantly alter spatial conservation priorities. Future conservation plans should explicitly account for biological invasions to optimize the selection of marine protected areas.
ISSN: 1366-9516

hal-01431351
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01431351
DOI : 10.1111/ddi.12491

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Nature Publishing Group
Résumé : International audience
Marine biological invasions threaten biodiversity worldwide. Here we explore how Marine Protected areas, by reducing human use of the coast, confer resilience against the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS), using two very different Pacific islands as case studies for developing and testing mathematical models. We quantified NIS vectors and promoters on Vancouver (Canada) and Moorea (French Polynesia) islands, sampled and barcoded NIS, and tested models at different spatial scales with different types of interaction among vectors and between marine protection and NIS frequency. In our results NIS were negatively correlated with the dimension of the protected areas and the intensity of the protection. Small to medium geographical scale protection seemed to be efficient against NIS introductions. The likely benefit of MPAs was by exclusion of aquaculture, principally in Canada. These results emphasize the importance of marine protected areas for biodiversity conservation, and suggest that small or medium protected zones would confer efficient protection against NIS introduction.
ISSN: 2045-2322

hal-01381251
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01381251
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01381251/document
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01381251/file/rate%20of%20biological%20invasions.pdf
DOI : 10.1038/srep33013

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Dudley et al. [9] commented on our paper [11], arguing that the current IUCN objective-based categorization ofprotected areas, which is also used in marine protected areas (MPAs), should not be abandoned and replaced bythe new regulation-based classification system [11]. Here we clarify that we do not advocate replacing thecurrent IUCN categories, but highlight the benefits of using both the objective-based IUCN categories and thenew regulation-based classification when applied to MPAs. With an increasing number of MPA types beingimplemented, most of them multiple-use areas zoned for various purposes, assessing ecological and socioeconomicbenefits is key for advancing conservation targets and policy objectives. Although the IUCN categoriescan be used both in terrestrial and marine systems, they were not designed to follow a gradient of impacts andthere is often a mismatch between stated objectives and implemented regulations. The new regulation-basedclassification system addresses these problems by linking impacts of activities in marine systems with MPA andzone classes in a simple and globally applicable way. Applying both the IUCN categories and the regulationbasedclasses will increase transparency when assessing marine conservation goals.
ISSN: 0308-597X

hal-01469541
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01469541
DOI : 10.1016/j.marpol.2016.11.025

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Paris : Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
Résumé : International audience
The present study aimed to identify the Aetobatus species present in French Polynesia using DNA barcoding. Our study contributesto a better understanding of the distribution of species in the Aetobatus complex, which is necessary for a correct evaluation of the conservation status of the different species.
ISSN: 0399-0974

hal-01325811
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01325811

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD United Nations, Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea
Résumé : International audience
First Global Integrated Marine Assessment (First World Ocean Assessment)

hal-01299315
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01299315

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Annex Publishers
Résumé : International audience
Introduction: Shark-based ecotourism is significantly developing around the world, often without appropriate management of risk. This activity involves a risk of accidental bites on divers that can be quite severe or even fatal. Objectives: To determine if ecotourism companies' liability can be engaged in the context of bites on scuba divers in presence of hand-feeding practices, supporting the legitimacy of financial compensation for the victims. Methods: We analyzed the development from the mid-eighties to 2010 of shark-based ecotourism through artificial provisioning practices in Moorea Island (French Polynesia) and more specifically the features and motivation of two bites on divers by Sicklefin Lemon sharks. Results: The specific practice of hand-feeding can be considered as a facilitating factor for accidental bites on divers, potentially involving the diving operator's responsibility. Conclusions: Our findings should support the technical work of experts that might be called in such cases.
ISSN: 2348-9804

hal-01238771
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01238771
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01238771/document
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01238771/file/3502-Determining-the-Role-of-Hand-Feeding-Practices-in-Accidental-Shark-Bites-on-Scuba-Divers.pdf

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD MDPI
Résumé : International audience
ISSN: 2072-4292

hal-01429052
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01429052
DOI : 10.3390/rs4103244

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier Masson
Résumé : International audience
Symbioses with the dinoflagellate Symbiodinium are widespread among marine invertebrates and protists, especially in nutritionally demanding habitats, such as tropical coral reefs, where they play a major role in ecosystem survival. Moreover, apart from corals and sea anemones, many of the Symbiodinium species and clades involved in these partnerships remain to be characterized. This study provides new insights into nudibranch and sponge associations with Symbiodinium by sequencing regions of the Symbiodinium 28S rDNA and the host mitochondrial COI oxidase. Specimens were sampled between 2011 and 2013 from locations around the islands of Moorea and Tahiti, French Polynesia. Our results revealed that some of the sponges and nudibranchs harbored typical Symbiodinium from clade B or C while others harbored new, undescribed Symbiodinium-like dinoflagellates. A detailed analysis of the different life stages of the nudibranch Phestilla lugubris and of its specific coral prey, Porites rus, suggests a prey-predator horizontal transfer of the symbiont and its vertical inheritance from the parent to the eggs.
Les symbioses à zooxanthelles, dinoflagellés du genre Symbiodinium, sont largement répandues chez les invertébrés marins et les protozoaires, notamment dans les eaux oligotrophes, où ils jouent un rôle important dans la survie des récifs coralliens. De plus, excepté chez les coraux et les anémones, les différentes espèces et clades de Symbiodinium impliqués dans ces associations restent à être caractérisés. Notre étude, grâce à l’utilisation des marqueurs génétiques 28S ADNr des Symbiodinium et la sous-unité 1 de la cytochrome oxydase mitochondriale (COI) de l’hôte, procure de nouvelles données quant aux associations des éponges et des nudibranches avec les Symbiodinium. L’échantillonnage a eu lieu autour de Moorea et de Tahiti (Polynésie française), entre 2011 et 2013. Nos résultats révèlent que certaines espèces d’éponges et de nudibranches possèdent les clades B et C communément retrouvés, chez les coraux notamment, alors que d’autres présentent de nouveaux dinoflagellés « Symbiodinium-like ». Une analyses détaillée des Symbiodinium à différents stades du cycle de vie du nudibranche corallivore Phestilla lugubris et de son corail hôte Porites rus suggèrent l’existence d’un transfert horizontal de Symbiodinium proie–prédateur et un transfert vertical du parent P. lugubris à ses œufs.
ISSN: 1631-0691

hal-01145518
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01145518
DOI : 10.1016/j.crvi.2015.01.005

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Nature Publishing Group
Résumé : International audience
Despite the unique nature of endemic species, their origin and population history remain poorly studied. We investigated the population history of 28 coral reef fish species, close related, from the Gambier and Marquesas Islands, from five families, with range size varying from widespread to small-range endemic. We analyzed both mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data using neutrality test and Bayesian analysis (EBSP and ABC). We found evidence for demographic expansions for most species (24 of 28), irrespective of range size, reproduction strategy or archipelago. The timing of the expansions varied greatly among species, from 8,000 to 2,000,000 years ago. The typical hypothesis for reef fish that links population expansions to the Last Glacial Maximum fit for 14 of the 24 demographic expansions. We propose two evolutionary processes that could lead to expansions older than the LGM: (a) we are retrieving the signature of an old colonization process for widespread, large-range endemic and paleoendemic species or (b) speciation; the expansion reflects the birth of the species for neoendemic species. We show for the first time that the demographic histories of endemic and widespread reef fish are not distinctly different and suggest that a number of processes drive endemism.
ISSN: 2045-2322

hal-01469339
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01469339
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01469339/document
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01469339/file/population%20expansions.pdf
DOI : 10.1038/srep40519

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
Understanding how communities respond to natural disturbances is fundamental to assess the mechanisms of ecosystem resistance and resilience. However, ecosystem responses to natural disturbances are rarely monitored both through space and time, while the factors promoting ecosystem stability act at various temporal and spatial scales. Hence, assessing both the spatial and temporal variations in species composition is important to comprehensively explore the effects of natural disturbances. Here, we suggest a framework to better scrutinize the mechanisms underlying community responses to disturbances through both time and space. Our analytical approach is based on beta diversity decomposition into two components, replacement and biomass difference. We illustrate this approach using a 9-year monitoring of coral reef fish communities off Moorea Island (French Polynesia), which encompassed two severe natural disturbances: a crown-of-thorns starfish outbreak and a hurricane. These disturbances triggered a fast logistic decline in coral cover, which suffered a 90% decrease on all reefs. However, we found that the coral reef fish composition remained largely stable through time and space whereas compensatory changes in bio-mass among species were responsible for most of the temporal fluctuations, as outlined by the overall high contribution of the replacement component to total beta diversity. This suggests that, despite the severity of the two disturbances, fish communities exhibited high resistance and the ability to reorganize their compositions to maintain the same level of total community biomass as before the disturbances. We further investigated the spatial congruence of this pattern and showed that temporal dynamics involved different species across sites; yet, herbivores controlling the proliferation of algae that compete with coral communities were consistently favored. These results suggest that compensatory changes in bio-mass among species and spatial heterogeneity in species responses can provide further
ISSN: 1932-6203

hal-01212344
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01212344
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01212344/document
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01212344/file/journal.pone.0138696.pdf
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0138696

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Résumé : International audience
This study provides a baseline describing natural small scale variability of Symbiodinium density in the sentinel coral Acropora globiceps during the summer, under non-bleaching conditions. Spatial scales investigated range from the colony scale (1-10 cm, i.e. among branches of the same colony) to the reef scale (1-10 km, i.e. among stations distributed over several locations and depths), at Moorea Island, French Polynesia. The coral-Symbiodinium symbiosis is a key process in scleractinian coral physiology, and Symbiodinium density provides an easy-to-measure and inexpensive biomarker of this symbiosis health. Spatial variability of three major environmental factors: light intensity, sedimentation and water motion was also assessed to evaluate their potential link with Symbiodinium density. Density of Symbiodinium did not significantly differ within colonies or among colonies within a station. However, a marked depth gradient was observed, showing increasing density with increasing depth and decreasing light intensity. These observations provide an interesting reference for forthcoming comparisons with disturbed conditions, such as bleaching events.
ISSN: 0025-3154

hal-00905942
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00905942
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00905942/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00905942/file/Ladriereetal2014.pdf
DOI : 10.1017/S0025315413001252

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD International Phycological Society
Résumé : International audience
We studied a group of monoraphid diatom species (Bacillariophyceae, Achnanthidiaceae) found in the marine coastal environment of tropical islands of the Caribbean Sea, western Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, South Pacific Ocean, the Adriatic Sea and the Black Sea. Based on light and electron microscope examination, Madinithidium was formally described as a genus new to science with the generitype defined as Madinithidium undulatum. The characteristic features of the valve structure are a strongly developed sternum and raphe sternum, transapical striae formed by a single areola (macroareolae) positioned in small depressions, elevated virgae and coaxial internal central raphe endings. Furthermore, the striae of both raphe and sternum valves are closed by finely perforated hymenes. Madinithidium and Achnanthidium species are difficult to identify correctly with light microscopy since their valves are small and finely structured. Four species recently described from the western Indian Ocean and assigned to Achnanthidium sensu lato – Achnanthidium capitatum, A. flexuistriatum, A. pseudodelicatissimum and A. scalariforme – possessed morphological features permitting their placement into Madinithidium gen. nov. The above-mentioned species were formally transferred to the new genus.
ISSN: 2330-2968

hal-01333391
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01333391
DOI : 10.2216/14-21R2

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Wiley
Résumé : International audience
AimEcological connectivity is currently considered to be essential to enhance biodiversity conservation efforts and benefit adjacent areas. We evaluate the spatial structure of vulnerable marine benthic invertebrate populations based on connectivity to improve the placement of marine protected areas.LocationGulf of Lions, NW Mediterranean Sea.MethodsWe used a spatially explicit metapopulation model to explore how larval dispersal affects marine benthic invertebrate dynamics at local and regional scales. Minimum recruitment success (the proportion of larvae that settle in a site and survive between spawning and first reproduction, which is required to ensure species persistence) is proposed as a measure of vulnerability. Three contrasting simulations were constructed: closed versus connected populations, habitat loss versus recruitment failure disturbances and varying patterns of oceanographic connectivity. The rescue factor (the ratio of minimum recruitment success in connected and closed populations) quantified the decrease in vulnerability because of oceanographic connectivity.ResultsIn the Gulf of Lions, connectivity reduced population vulnerability by a rescue factor of 5.3. The minimum recruitment success for regional persistence decreased from 3% to 0.2% when species' life expectancies increased from 2 to 50 years. Connectivity enabled the spread of individuals over the entire region, but there were higher densities in sink sites, where low retention rates do not allow for local persistence (western tip of the gulf). Source sites, defined as those sites bringing metapopulation resistance to recruitment failure and stresses from habitat loss, were located in the centre of the gulf.Main conclusionsConnectivity drives the spatial structure of population density distribution and population vulnerability in the absence of any other structuring factor. In the Gulf of Lions, marine protected areas are located in population sinks; however; if protection measures were taken in the central part, populations would benefit throughout the region via the rescue effect.
ISSN: 1366-9516

hal-01341743
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01341743
DOI : 10.1111/ddi.12254