Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T18:25:47.019Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Classification and Interpretation of the Established Mediterranean Biocoenoses Based Solely on Bivalve Molluscs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

Argyro Zenetos
Affiliation:
Zoological Laboratory, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, GR-157 84, Greece.

Extract

Based on the bivalve fauna known from an extensively studied zone, along the infralittoral in the Patras Gulf, a biotope approach was attempted using numerical taxonomy methods. The efficiency of various combinations of similarity measures and clustering techniques is discussed for this type of data (single group – binary). Four main station groups were delimited which were further assigned to the biotopes of known Mediterranean biocoenoses. The four groups correspond to: (a) the biotope of the Posidonia beds (HP) and that of coarse sands and fine gravels under the influence of bottom currents (SGCF). The limits of these two biocoenoses are not clear-cut, (b) The biotope of the coastal detritic bottoms (DC) usually occurring in deeper areas but met in the infralittoral under environmental stress, (c) A transitional zone where degenerating Posidonia meadows are gradually replaced by Cymodocea and Zostera, facies of the muddy sand in sheltered areas biocoenoses (SVMC). This degradation can be attributed to various disturbing factors including natural environmental changes, (d) The biotope of fine well-sorted sands (SFBC). A typical malacofauna is present with the addition of some species. Regardless of the differences, Pérès & Picard's (1964) scheme is more appropriate in the Mediterranean ecosystems than any other northern European scheme.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ansell, A.D., 1960. Observations on predation of Venus striatula (Da Costa) by Natica alderi (Forbes). Proceedings of the Malacological Society of London, 34, 157164.Google Scholar
Aschan, M., 1990. Changes in soft-bottom macrofauna communities along environmental gradients. Annales Zoologici Fennici, 27, 329336.Google Scholar
Augier, H., 1982. Inventory and classification of marine benthic biocenoses of the Mediterranean. Strasbourg: Council of Europe. [Nature and Environment Series no. 25.]Google Scholar
Bellan, G., 1967. Pollution et peuplements benthiques de substrat meubles dans la région de Marseille. Le secteur de Cortiou. Revue Internationale d'Oceanographie Médicale. Nice, 6–7, 5387.Google Scholar
Bellan, G., 1983. Indicateurs biologiques dans deux zones Mediterranéennes perturbées l'une par des pollutions domestiques et l'autre par des pollutions industrielles Actes de Colloaues Indices Biotiques, 15–17, 97110.Google Scholar
Bellan, G. & Bellan-Santini, D., 1988. Evolution à long terme des peuplements benthiques au large du débouché en mer de l'émissaire de Marseille Cortiou. Journal de Recherche Océanographique, 13, 2831.Google Scholar
Bellan-Santini, D., 1968. Influence de la pollution sur les peuplements benthiques. Revue Internationale d'Océanographie Médicale. Nice, 10, 2753.Google Scholar
Biagi, V. & Corselli, C., 1978. Contributo alia conoscenza della malacofauna di un fondo SGCF (Pérès-Picard, 1964). Conchiglie. Milano, 14, 122.Google Scholar
Biagi, V. & Corselli, C., 1984. Contributo alia conoscenza della malacofauna di un fondo SFBC (Pérès & Picard, 1964). Bolletino Malacologico. Milano, 20, 117130.Google Scholar
Bourcier, M., 1980. Evolution récente des peuplements Macrobenthiques entre la Ciotat et les iles des Embiez (Côtes de Provence). Processus de contamination du Benthos entre bassins côtiers voisins. Tethys, 9, 197206.Google Scholar
Bourcier, M., 1982. Evolution au cours des quinze dernières années, des biocoenoses benthiques et de leurs faciès dans une baie Méditerranéenne soumise a l'action lointaine de deux émissaires urbains. Tethys, 10, 303313.Google Scholar
Clifford, H.T. & Stephenson, W., 1975. An introduction to numerical classification. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Coleman, N. & Cuff, W., 1980. The abundance, distribution and diversity of the molluscs of Western Port, Victoria, Australia. Malacologia, 20, 3562.Google Scholar
Dauvin, J.C., 1988. Structure et organisation trophique du peuplement des sables grossiers a Amphioxus lanceolatus – Venus fasciata de la baie de Morlaix (Manche occidentale). Cahiers de Biologie Marine, 29, 163185.Google Scholar
Drago, N. & Albertelli, G., 1978. Etude faunistique et bionomique du littoral de Cogoleto (Golfe de Gênes). Tethys, 8, 203212.Google Scholar
Eleftheriou, A. & Robertson, M.R., 1988. The intertidal fauna of sandy beaches: a survey of the east Scottish coast. Scottish Fisheries Research Report, 38, 152.Google Scholar
Field, J.G., Clarke, K.R. & Warwick, R.M., 1982. A practical strategy for analysing multispecies distribution patterns. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 8, 3752.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gage, J., 1972. A preliminary survey of the benthic macrofauna and sediments in Lochs Etive and Creran, sea-lochs along the west coast of Scotland. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 52, 237276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gray, J.S., 1989. Effects of environmental stress on species rich assemblages. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society of London, 37, 1932.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gray, J.S., Aschan, M., Carr, M.R., Clarke, K.R., Green, R.H., Pearson, T.H., Rosenberg, R. & Warwick, R.M., 1988. Analysis of community attributes of the benthic macrofauna of Frierfjord/Langesundfjord and in a mesocosm experiment. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 46, 151156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holme, N.A., 1971. Macrofauna sampling. In Methods for the study of marine benthos (ed. N.A., Holme and A.D., Mclntyre), pp. 80150. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications.Google Scholar
Hrs-Brenko, M. & Legac, M., 1991. A review of bivalve species in the eastern Adriatic Sea. I. Protobranchia (Solemyidae, Nuculidae, Nuculanidae). Acta Adriatica, 32, 655670.Google Scholar
Jackson, D.A., Somers, K.M. & Harvey, H.H., 1989. Similarity coefficients, measures of co-occurrence and association or simply measures of occurrence? American Naturalist, 133, 436453.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marano, G., Pastorelli, A.M., De Zio, V., Rositani, I. & Vaccarella, R., 1989. Comunita’ a Chamelea gallina (L.) nell'Adriatico Pugliese. Oebalia (New Series), 15, 169182.Google Scholar
Massé, H., 1970. Contribution á l'étude de la macrofaune de peuplements des sables fins infralittoraux des côtes de Provence. I. La baie de Bandol. Tethys, 2, 783820.Google Scholar
Massé, H., 1971a. Etude quantitative de la macrofaune de peuplements des sables fins infralittoraux. II. La baie du Prado (Golfe de Marseille). Tethys, 3, 113158.Google Scholar
Massé, H., 1971b. Contribution á l'étude de la macrofaune de peuplements des sables fins infralittoraux des côtes de Provence. III. L'anse de Verdon. IV. L'anse de Saint-Gervais (Golfe de Fos). Tethys, 3, 283319.Google Scholar
Massé, H., 1971c. Contribution á l'étude de la macrofaune de peuplements des sables fins infralittoraux des côtes de Provence. V. La côte de Camargue. Tethys, 3, 539568.Google Scholar
Massé, H., 1972. Quantitative investigations of sand-bottom macrofauna along the Mediterranean north-west coast. Marine Biology, 15, 209220.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moore, P.G., 1971. Ecological survey strategy. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2, 3739.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newell, R.C., Maughan, D.W., Trett, M.W., Newell, P.F. & Seiderer, L.J., 1991. Modification of benthic community structure in response to acid-iron waste discharge. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 22, 112118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nicolaidou, A., Zenetos, A., Pancucci, M.A. & Simboura, N., 1993. Comparing ecological effects of two different types of pollution using multivariate techniques. Marine Ecology, 14, 113128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nodot, C., Bourcier, M., Jeudy De Grissac, A., Heusner, S., Regis, J. & Tine, J., 1984. Répartition des biocoenoses benthiques en fonction des substrats sédimentaires de la rade de Toulon (France). 2. La grande Rade. Tethys, 11, 141153.Google Scholar
Orel, G. & Mennea, B., 1969. I popolamenti bentonici di alcuni tipi di fondo mobile del Golfo di Trieste. Pubblicazioni delta Stazione Zoologica di Napoli I, 37, supplement 2, 261276.Google Scholar
Orford, J.D., 1976. Implementation of criteria for partitioning a dendrogram. Mathematical Geology, 8, 7584.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pancucci, M.A. & Zenetos, A., 1989. Infralittoral macrobenthos of the Patras Gulf and Ionian Sea. II. Echinodermata. Cahiers de Biologie Marine, 30, 217226.Google Scholar
Pearson, T.H. & Rosenberg, R., 1978. Macrobenthic succession in relation to organic enrichment and pollution of the marine environment. Oceanography and Marine Biology. Annual Review. London, 16, 229311.Google Scholar
Pérès, J.M., 1967. The Mediterranean benthos. Oceanography and Marine Biology. Annual Review. London, 5, 449533.Google Scholar
Pérès, J.M., 1982. Major benthic assemblages. In Marine ecology (ed. O., Kinne), pp. 373522. Chichester: J. Wiley and Sons.Google Scholar
Pérès, J.M. & Picard, J., 1964. Nouveau manuel de Bionomie benthique de la mer Méditerranée. Recueil des Travaux de la Station Marine d'Endoume, 31(47), 3137.Google Scholar
Picard, J., 1965. Recherches qualitatives sur les biocoenoses marines des substrats meubles dragables de la région marseillaise. Recueil des Travaux de la Station Marine d'Endoume, 52(36), 1160.Google Scholar
Picard, J., 1983. Réflexions sur le benthos Méditerranéen des substrats meubles de hauts-niveaux dans l'etage infralittoral. Rapports et Procès-Verbaux des Réunions. Commission Internationale pour l'Exploration Scientifique de la Mer Méditerranée, 28, 179183.Google Scholar
Poulicek, M., 1985. Les mollusques des biocenoses á algues photophiles en Méditerranée. II. Analyse du peuplement. Cahiers de Biologie Marine, 26, 127136.Google Scholar
Romano, J.-C., 1979. Etude des peuplements benthiques de substrats meubles au large du débouché en mer du grand collecteur de Marseille. I. Données générales sur le milieu et les peuplements. Tethys, 9, 113121.Google Scholar
Ros, J.D., Romero, J., Ballesteros, E. & Gili, J.M., 1985. Diving in blue water. The Benthos. In Western Mediterranean (ed. R., Margalef), pp. 233295. Oxford: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
Salen-Picard, C., 1981. Evolution d'un peuplement de vase terrigéne côtière soumis á des rejets de dragages, dans le Golfe de Fos. Tethys, 10, 8388.Google Scholar
Salvat, B., 1967. Mollusques des plages océaniques et semi-arbitées du bassin d'Arcachon. Bulletin du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Série 2, 39(60), 11771191.Google Scholar
Sneath, P.H.A., 1957. The application of computers to taxonomy. Journal of General Microbiology, 17, 201226.Google ScholarPubMed
Sokal, R.R. & Michener, C.D., 1958. A statistical method for evaluating systematic relationships. University of Kansas Science Bulletin, 38, 14091438.Google Scholar
Solis, V., 1975. Etude des peuplements benthiques des fonds de décantation des parages de Marseille. These, 3e cycle, Spécialite océanographie, Université de Aix-Marseille II.Google Scholar
Sorensen, T., 1948. A method of establishing groups of equal amplitude in plant sociology based on similarity of species content and its application to analyses of the vegetation of Danish commons. Biologiske Skrifter, 5, 134.Google Scholar
Stirn, J., 1971. Modifications of some Mediterranean communities due to marine pollution. Thalassia Jugoslavica, 7, 401413.Google Scholar
Thompson, T.E., Jarman, G.M. & Zenetos, A., 1985. Infralittoral macrobenthos of the Patras Gulf and Ionian sea: opisthobranch molluscs. Journal of Conchology, 32, 7195.Google Scholar
Wishart, D., 1978. Clustan lc. Users manual. Edinburgh: Programme Library Unit, University of Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Wolff, W.J., 1971. Changes in intertidal benthos communities after an increase in salinity. Thalassia Jugoslavica, 7, 429434.Google Scholar
Zenetos, A., 1986. Systematics, ecology and distribution of Bivalvia (Mollusca) of the Patraikos Gulf. PhD thesis, University of Athens.Google Scholar
Zenetos, A., 1991. Re-evaluation of numerical classification methods for delimiting biofacies and biotopes in an estuarine environment. Lethaia, 24, 1326.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zenetos, A., 1993. Infralittoral macrobenthos of the Patras Gulf and Ionian Sea. Bivalvia, Mollusca. Malacological Review, 26, 5162.Google Scholar
Zenetos, A. & Bratits, C., 1986. On the Prosobranchia (Mollusca, Gasteropoda) of the infralittoral zone along the Patras Gulf. Biologia Gallo -Helenica, 12, 167172.Google Scholar
Zenetos, A., Papathanassiou, E. & Van Aartsen, J.J., 1991. Analysis of benthic communities in the Cyclades Plateau (Aegean Sea) using ecological and paleoecological data sets. Marine Ecology, 12, 123137.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed