Spatial distribution of crustacean demersal assemblages in trawl grounds off Galician and Cantabrian shelf
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1
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Spain
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2
Instituto Español de Oceanografia, Centro Oceanográfico de Gijon, Spain
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3
Instituto Español de Oceanografia, Centro Oceanográfico de Santander, Spain
Studies on the spatial distribution patterns of decapods crustacens in the Galician and Cantabrian continental shelf are scarce. Decapods are the second group in abundance after fish in the area, and it is a target group in fisheries. In the framework of the Ecosystem approach fisheries management, it is necessary to increase knowledge on the ecological aspects of these species at a regional scale.
The study area includes the Galician and Cantabrian continental shelf and slope. Data come from IEO surveys carried out on the oceanographic vessel “Cornide de Saavedra” from 2007 to 2014 in autumn.
A total of 800 trawling hauls were sampled. Sampler used was an otter trawl “Baca” type (mesh size of 60 mm in the net and 20 mm in the cod end). The sampling unit was a 30-minute haul during daytime at a speed of 3 knots in a randomly stratified scheme by depth with 3 strata among 70 and 500 m (special hauls higher than 500 m have also been included). Crustacean abundance data were fourth-root transformed and subjected to cluster analysis using the Bray-Curtis similarity index to characterize crustacean assemblages in soft bottoms. SIMPER analysis was use to identify species typifying each group and a non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis was carried out. Ecological indices per cluster group were also obtained.
As a result of a hierarchical classification analysis three assemblages were detected:
I) Shelf assemblage with a medium depth of 135 m.
II) Upper slope assemblage with a medium depth of 235 m.
III) Middle slope assemblage with a medium depth of 525 m.
Depth appears to be the most important factor in structuring assemblages, just like in the entire demersal and epibenthic communities in the study area.
Keywords:
distribution,
Crustacea,
Decapoda,
Fisheries,
Ecology
Conference:
XIX Iberian Symposium on Marine Biology Studies, Porto, Portugal, 5 Sep - 9 Sep, 2016.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
4. FISHERIES, AQUACULTURE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
Citation:
Abad
E,
Valeiras
J,
Velasco
E,
Serrano
A and
Punzon Merino
A
(2016). Spatial distribution of crustacean demersal assemblages in trawl grounds off Galician and Cantabrian shelf.
Front. Mar. Sci.
Conference Abstract:
XIX Iberian Symposium on Marine Biology Studies.
doi: 10.3389/conf.FMARS.2016.05.00126
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Received:
15 May 2016;
Published Online:
03 Sep 2016.
*
Correspondence:
PhD. Esther Abad, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Vigo, 36390, Spain, esther.abad@vi.ieo.es