Realm: Marine
Climate: Temperate/Tropical
Biome: Temperate Shelf and seas ecoregions
Central latitude: 32.783939
Central longitude: 34.974482
Duration: 5 years, from 2015 to 2023

9358 records

76 distinct species

Across the time series Thalassoma pavo is the most frequently occurring species

Methods

Sampling effort was set to approximately represent the habitat within each MPA so larger MPAs with more diverse depths received higher sampling intensity. MPAs differed in their level of protection, also across the years, as enforcement measures changed throughout the surveys. We classified the protection level according to the regulation-based classification system for MPAs by Costa et al. (2016). Rosh Hanikra Achziv was classified as level 4 protection highly regulated ex-traction”. Shikmona as was classified as level 8 unregulated extraction” in 2015 and since 2016 the entire MPA was classified as level 4 highly regulated extraction”. Dor-Habonim was classified until 2016 as level 8 Unregulated extraction” and since 2016 as level 5 Moderately regulated extraction”.Gdor was classifies until 2017 as level 5 Moderately regulated” and since 2018 as level 4 highly regulated extraction”. In the data provided, there is no seperation among the MPAs. Within each sampling campaign we sampled in 24 (±3 SD) sites within and 19 (± 3 SD) sites outside the MPAs. In each site, between 2-8 belt transects were performed. In each transect, fish were recorded along 25X6m belt transects, up to a height of approx. 5m above the substrate. For each transect we used the following protocol: After descending along a rope tied to a pre-deployed buoy,the divers attached a measuring tape to the rope and started swimming. The documentation of the fish started only after 5m of swimming to reduce the interruption caused by the diver descent and preparations for sampling. The two divers documented fish identity and abundance, and estimated fish total length. Fish were identified to species level (excluding Mugilidae, Clupidae and Atherinidae, which are difficult to identify to species level underwater). Although species from the families Gobiidae, Blenniidae and Tripterygiidae are common on rocky substrate they are underestimated in visual surveys and thus omitted from the data.Biomass was calculated using the parameters of the length-weight relationship (W=aLb), where a and b were extracted from studies in Fishbase website (Froese & Pauly, 2000), using studies conducted as close as possible to the study area, with a preference for Eastern Mediterranean values. Biomass values are in grams. NO: Sample descriptor contains info for protection(NP = not protected, PA = protected area). Sampling campaigns were conducted bi-annually during 2015 (April & November), 2017 (June & October), 2019 (April & November), 2021 (April, May, September, October) and 2023 (April & November).

Citation(s)

@Article{BioTIME_cit664, Study_id = {798}, Citation_id = {664}, Author = {Frid, Ori and Lazarus, Mai and Malamud, Shahar and Belmaker, Jonathan and Yahel, Ruthy}, Journal = {Mediterranean Marine Science}, Pages = {157-190}, Title = {Effects of marine protected areas on fish communities in a hotspot of climate change and invasion}, Volume = {23}, Year = {2021}, Doi = {10.12681/mms.26423}, Language = {English} }