Departament de recursos
marins renovables

Export flux in the ocean is primarily driven by the transport of dissolved organic carbon, sinking particles, and active flux. During the last decade, we have devoted an important effort to unmask the mechanisms involved in the active flux due to interzonal migrants. We observed that this flux could account for about half of the total export flux, mainly due to micronekton vertical migrants (a gap in our sampling of the ocean). The assessment of the total active flux (zooplankton plus micronekton) is of importance in the study of the downward transport of organic matter in the sea and it is rather unknown at the global scale. The present project seeks to study the total active flux in different areas of the Atlantic Ocean as a first evaluation of this flux at the large-scale. We also seek to study the effect of an increased productivity in the upper layers of the ocean on the increase of backscatters recently observed in the bathypelagic zones of the equatorial areas of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. We hypothesize that the increase in productivity due to the upwelling near the equator unveils the development of the so-called Ladder of Migration in the ocean. The migrant community descending from the shallower and more productive layers serves as food for the populations of the depths, and the species feeding on migratory forms can descend to even greater depths and also serve as food for the more deep-sea animals. In this way, organic matter from surface layers is actively transferred downward increasing the efficiency of the biological pump. Thus, the objectives of the project include (1) to assess the active flux due to zooplankton and micronekton, and identification of the main responsible species, (2) to assess the effect of upper ocean productivity on the zooplankton and micronekton active fluxes, (3) to assess the importance of neustonic assemblage on the feeding by meso- and bathypelagic organisms, and (4) to quantify the metabolic end products of this fauna and the enhancement of dissolved organic carbon and bacterial activity at depth. In order to achieve those objectives, the Project also seeks to innovate the sampling at the meso- and bathypelagic depths by improving acoustics, image processing and net sampling. This study will gather a multidisciplinary group of researchers and will provide a privileged and unique set of data about the, at present, poorly known active flux. If total active flux is confirmed as an important number, their assessment will be of paramount importance to the knowledge of the biological pump in the ocean.

Oceanic squids reach the higher cephalopod biomass worldwide and their fishery represents half of the total world cephalopod captures. However, present knowledge of their embryonic and larval stages is very poor. The main challenge of this research project is the culture of oceanic squid paralarvae, objective still not reached by any research team in the world. The attainment of this objective would allow the study under controlled conditions of the growth, behaviour and morphologic adaptations to the environment of oceanic squid paralarvae and will open the possibilities for their aquaculture. Embryos and paralarvae will be obtained using wild collected squids and in vitro fertilization techniques already used by this research team. We also aim to determine the maternal effects that will influence the subsequent egg and larval quality as well as to identify useful characters for rapid discrimination of the quality of hatchling individuals to be used in cultures. The species selected is the broadtail shortfin squid Illex coindetii, the main oceanic squid species fished in Iberian waters. This species belongs to the family Ommastrephidae, the most important fishery resource of oceanic squid worldwide Key words: cephalopods, squid, marine resources, larvae, nutrition

Ecosystem ecology is nowadays one of the most important scientific tools that have direct applications for management and conservation of marine ecosystems. Within this context, the project ECOTRANS aims at studying the trophic relations between different compartments of the pelagic ecosystem in the Western Mediterranean Sea, with a special attention to the dynamics and ecological role of small pelagic fish (SPF), and the transfer of energy canalized by these species. SPF species, mainly anchovy and sardine, are key organisms of Mediterranean marine ecosystems due to their ecological and economic role. However, there are still fundamental aspects of their biology and ecology that remain practically unknown. Within ECOTRANS we will combine different methodological approaches such as the stable isotope analysis (δ15N & δ13C), the analysis of lipids and fatty acids, and the study of stomach contents and reproductive aspects, with bioenergetics and ecological parameters and models based on trophic flows. In particular, (i) we will investigate in detail the trophic relationships between the main species of the pelagic compartment, focusing on European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus), European sardine (Sardina pilchardus), and round sardinella (Sardinella aurita) (being dominant species in terms of biomass and production), and horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus and T. mediterraneus), and mackerel (Scomber spp.) (being species at similar trophic levels than the last ones, but showing competition and predation on them at some ontogeny phases). For the main pelagic fish species identified above, we will study their trophic relationships (using stomach contents, stable isotopes and fatty acids) with special attention to juvenile and adult stages. We will then study (ii) their relation with predators of the pelagic and demersal compartments. The demersal compartment will include the European hake (Merluccius merluccius), anglerfish (Lophius spp.) and starry ray (Raja stellaris), and pelagic organisms such as bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and seabirds (Larus audouinii and L. michahellis). Afterwards, we will also analyze (iii) the indicators of physiological condition and energetic content (condition indicators, caloric content) in SPF. These indicators, together with estimates of caloric content of various tissues (reserves, structural and reproductive) will allow us to analyze the seasonal energetic cycle of each species, its reproductive strategy and the percentage of energy/biomass from intermediate trophic levels available to upper trophic levels. The main objective of this task will be to integrate the main patterns of energy distribution between reproduction and growth of SPF into a dynamic bioenergetic prototype model. Finally (iv) we will integrate all the new data in an available ecological model build with the Ecopath-with-Ecosym (EwE) approach, which represents an ecosystem of the North-Western Mediterranean Sea. We will update this model, especially regarding new knowledge of the pelagic compartment and reproductive and trophic aspects, and when the model is updated we will develop simulations of changes in the dynamics of pelagic and demersal species in relation to management decisions and climatic and anthropogenic effects.

CREAM will establish an effective collaboration network among key role players in Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries research and management. The participants in the project include national research institutes from Mediterranean and Black Sea countries with a long history and active participation in fisheries research and assessment, who provide advice to national, regional and international fisheries management organisms. The project will seek the active collaboration of regional and international fisheries management organisms as external participants in the project, in order to identify the gaps (in terms of data, knowledge, training, coordination) which hamper at present the full application of the Ecosystem Approach in the management of Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries. The project will have a strong training and capacity building component in order to help harmonize data collection and methodologies used in fisheries assessment and management in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. The project will serve to establish the guidelines for the application of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, both in EU member states and third countries.

In a previous project, during the study of the of influence of ambient temperature on fish sex ratios, we discovered an epigenetic mechanism linking temperature with aromatase enzyme activity -esponsible for estrogen synthesis and a key element in sex differentiation. Epigenetic mechanisms refer to those modifications of DNA that, nevertheless, do not imply changes in its nucleotide sequence. These alterations, mainly DNA methylation and histone modification, result in long-lasting changes in gene expression that, in addition, can be inherited. The objective of this project is to investigate the influence of environmental conditions on sex ratios, focusing on three main aspects: 1) characterization of the effects of changes in developmental rates, modified either by variations in temperature or diet, on the gonadal transcriptome during the critical period of sex differentiation, 2) analysis of DNA methylation patterns in the sea bass under different environmental conditions, also comparing wild vs. farmed fish, and 3) study of the underlying mechanisms implicated in DNA methylation. To the best of our knowledge, the planned studies have never been carried out in the context of research for aquaculture and, therefore, represent a novel approach. This project will provide new data on how the environment typical of intensive farming, and in critical stages during early development, can result in long-lasting influences on various aspects of the physiology of fish and, therefore, on their ultimate quality.

En los últimos años, las proliferaciones de medusas han aumentado sensiblemente en diversas regiones del mundo. Estos incrementos van, en general, asociados a un descenso de la biomasa de peces, lo que sugiere que las interacciones entre ambos grupos de organismos afectan a la superviencia, crecimiento y distribución de los peces. El objetivo general del presente proyecto de investigación es determinar el efecto de las proliferaciones de medusas en los sistemas costeros. Para ello nos centraremos en el estudio de las interacciones biológicas entre peces y medusas en la costa Catalana (Mediterráneo occidental). Para alcanzar este objetivo general se plantean los siguientes objetivos específicos: i) determinar la distribución de mesoescala y abundancia de huevos y larvas de peces, medusas y ctenóforos y el posible solapamiento espacial de ambos grupos ii) analizar la distribución vertical de huevos y larvas de peces, medusas y ctenóforos y la posible compartimentación del habitat del zooplancton gelatinoso y el ictioplancton iii) estudiar las interacciones tróficas (depredación de huevos y larvas por medusas y ctenóforos y competencia por el alimento entre ambos grupos de organismos) iv) estudiar las asociaciones beneficiosas entre juveniles de peces y medusas v) determinar los efectos de las proliferaciones de medusas en las poblaciones de peces y en las pesquerías mediterráneas

El objetivo del proyecto DEPURAMAR es establecer la relación existente entre los vertidos antropogénicos, canalizados a través de los ríos y las depuradoras de aguas residuales, con alteraciones a diversos niveles de organización biológica (bioquímico, histológico, fisiológico) en especies marinas que viven en zonas próximas a la desembocadura de ríos. Para ello se escoge una especie de pez bentónica de amplía distribución y presente en medios costeros y estuarinos, de fácil manejo en el laboratorio y de la que se conoce su biología, fisiología y reproducción, y que además tiene interés en acuicultura, como es el lenguado senegalés, Solea senegalensis. El proyecto comprende tres partes o enfoques: (A) Un estudio de campo en la zona costera Mediterránea sometida a la acción de vertidos humanos en diferente grado. Se contrastarán las respuestas biológicas analizadas con los datos de contaminantes orgánicos e inorgánicos en el sedimento. Las respuestas biológicas consideradas abarcan varios aspectos de la bioquímica y fisiología de la especie escogida como centinela y proporcionan información complementaria. Estas son: (1) biomarcadores de exposición: actividades de enzimas antioxidantes, del sistema de oxidasas de función mixta (CYP1A1, CYP3A4), carboxilesterasas (CbEs), enzimas de conjugación (GST, UDPGT), indicadores de neurotoxicidad (AChE) y metalotioneínas (MT); (2) biomarcadores de efecto: nivel de peroxidación lipídica (LP), daño histológico; (3) alteraciones endocrinas: niveles de hormonas esteroideas y de vitelogenina en plasma, y (4) indicadores de estrés general: proteínas de estrés (HSP70), variables fisiológicas relacionadas con la osmoregulación y con el sistema inmunitario. (B) Caracterización in vitro de las propiedades cinéticas a corto, medio y largo plazo y en relación con la temperatura, de algunos enzimas implicados en la desintoxicación de xenobióticos (CAT, CbE y GST). Además, se considerarán parámetros de estrés fisiológico (niveles de cortisol, glucosa y lactato) y niveles proteínas de estrés (HSPs). Este objetivo se llevará a cabo con ejemplares juveniles de lenguado senegalés aclimatados a diferentes temperaturas en condiciones de laboratorio. (C) Influencia de la temperatura de aclimatación en la respuesta de los mecanismos de desintoxicación y estrés fisiológico ante la exposición in vivo y por inyección a “contaminantes emergentes” relevantes en los ejemplares juveniles previamente aclimatados durante dos meses en el laboratorio. La información proporcionada por los estudios de campo (A) y de laboratorio (B y C) supondrá un avance importante en el conocimiento del impacto que los agentes estresantes ambientales provocan de forma combinada sobre procesos fisiológicos en organimos marinos, y por otra parte, ayudará al desarrollo de herramientas útiles para el bioseguimiento del efecto de los xenobióticos en un contexto de cambio climático.

The fish otoliths are calcified structures of the Teleostean inner ear, very useful to estimate the fish age. Additonaly, the otoliths have a specific morphology that can be studied to identify species and determine the predators diet from their stomach contents. Since 2002, the ICM-CSIC and the UPC University have collaborated in the development of the image analyses and database framework AFORO (http://aforo.cmima.csic.es/) to give solutions for the otoliths species and populations automatic identification that have generated web based species recognition tools (with accuracy over 70%). The main objective of the project AFORO3D is to develop three dimensional morphological analysis tools targeted to otoliths surfaces. These tools can increase the efficiency in the automatic identification of species, population and ages. AFORO3D will be developed in two subprojects, that include researchers from the technological and biological fields (Technical University of Catalonia, Universitat de Vic, Marine Science Institute of Barcelona – CSIC, and Argomaris foundation). The project have two main objetives. 1. The research on the suitable morphological descriptors obtained from a multiscale / multiresolution analyis of the otoliths used in fish growth and functional morphology, and the development of a computer based taxonomy system. 2. To develop the AFORO database (http://aforo.cmima.csic.es.) to include numerical descriptors and information of the three dimensional otolith surfaces, analysis tools and a classifier. This system will serve to the study of trophic relationships and fisheries management and will generate web based implementations to be used by other researches in Marine Sciences.

Stock or biodiversity assessments are usually carried out in continental margin areas (shelves and slopes) without a proper reference to the time of the day. However, the activity rhythms of species within targeted communities occur during rhythmic displacements in a three-dimensional marine environment. Such activity directly affects all scientific observations, since there is a strict relationship between behavior and catchability (defined as the possibility to retrieve animals during trawl sampling).
For these reasons, it is important to study the rhythmic patterns of behavioral, physiological and molecular regulation of biorhythms in relation to the fluctuations of select habitat variables (geophysical cycles in light intensity and hydrodynamism). Also, it is important to develop non-invasive observational technology as an alternative to bottom-destructive trawling, to study marine communities in a remote and real-time manner. For this purpose, the use of video cameras in permanent demersal multi-sensory stations may be an effective tool for the observation of marine ecosystems without the need for trawling.
In this context, the present study aims to examine non-photic tidal and inertial behavioral (burrow emergence), physiological (melatonin and serotonin), and molecular (the expression of the arthropod gene Clock) rhythms in the Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus (L.), which is a prototypical deep water and deep-sea species. These biological rhythms will be studied under different light intensity conditions that simulate shelf and slope depths. In addition, we will also consider other more variable ecological conditions, such as social interactions and aliment or live prey presence. Our research will be accompanied by field studies that will be conducted under the hypothesis that technology for the observation of deep water and deep-sea communities can be developed as an alternative to trawling. For this purpose, we will remotely monitor biorhythms in wild marine populations using the existing Spanish multi-sensory platform (OBSEA), which will be equipped with embedded technology derived from adapted open-source software to automatically process digital images in real-time. Species classification, animal tracking, and counting will be performed to create a long-term (months) time series of observations that can account for the diel and seasonal variations in behavioral rhythms of species that reside in the local community.

En el presente Proyecto Coordinado, DOS MARES, convergen tres grupos de investigación de prestigio, el GRC en Geociencias Marinas de la Universidad de Barcelona, el Grupo de Ecología de Sistemas Acuáticos de la Universidad de Oviedo, y el GRC de Recursos Marinos Renovables del Instituto de Ciencias del Mar del CSIC en Barcelona, especializados, respectivamente, en el estudio de las transferencias de materia y energía en el océano y en procesos físicos del fondo marino, en biología pelágica y oceanografía, y en biología bentónica y recursos vivos. Además, cada uno de estos grupos cuenta con destacados investigadores asociados, pertenecientes a instituciones nacionales y extranjeras, que incrementan las capacidades, la visibilidad y el valor añadido del proyecto. El objetivo general del proyecto es doble. En primer lugar, se trata de entender los efectos de las teleconexiones existentes entre el Mar Cantábrico y el Mar Mediterráneo nor-occidental y sus impactos sobre el ecosistema profundo, tanto pelágico como bentónico. Y en segundo lugar, conocer cómo la transferencia de la señal de los forzamientos externos hacia el ecosistema profundo determina la estructura de la comunidad y la dinámica de poblaciones, afectando así a los recursos vivos de mayor interés comercial. Entendemos que no existen precedentes en la investigación en Ciencias Marinas en España con el planteamiento y el alcance geográfico del proyecto DOS MARES. El proyecto se organiza en torno a tres Ejes de Actividad (1: Caracterización de forzamientos externos y condiciones abióticas; 2: Relación entre condiciones abióticas, poblaciones y recursos pelágicos y bentopelágicos; y 3: Relación entre condiciones abióticas, poblaciones y recursos bentónicos) e identifica dos áreas de trabajo: los cañones submarinos de Avilés y de Blanes, en el Cantábrico y en el Mediterráneo, respectivamente, y los taludes continentales adyacentes. Desde el punto de vista físico, se investigará sincrónicamente en ambas áreas el efecto de los forzamientos externos y las transferencias de materia y energía hacia el ecosistema profundo. Desde el punto de vista biológico, en el Cantábrico se priorizará la investigación del ecosistema pelágico y los recursos vivos asociados (incluyendo los bentopelágicos como M. merluccius), mientras que en el Mediterráneo se priorizará la investigación del ecosistema bentónico y los recursos vivos asociados. Se espera que el proyecto genere fuertes sinergias entre los grupos participantes y que resulte altamente beneficioso para el conocimiento integral de los mares que rodean la Península Ibérica.

El proyecto “INDEMARES Bancos Atlánticos” tiene como objetivo el estudio de las zonas de Montañas submarinas (Seamounts) oceánicas (Banco de Galicia, Bancos Canarios) y del Cañón de Avilés. Se pretende así avanzar en el conocimiento del funcionamiento de estos ecosistemas y tener más argumentos si cabe para plantear medidas de protección de estas zonas vulnerables. En el marco del proyecto INDEMARES, cuyo principal objetivo es contribuir a la protección y uso sostenible de la biodiversidad en los mares españoles mediante la identificación de espacios de valor para la Red Natura 2000, este proyecto se encarga de analizar la diversidad de organismos pertenecientes a la megafauna (captada por fotografía submarina) y el suprabentos/macroplancton (fauna retenida por redes de 1 mm), así como de los factores ambientales (fisicos y biológicos) que la controlan. Objetivos del estudio son la identificación y catalogación de las especies de los grupos arriba citados y la determinación de patrones en su distribución en el espacio (p. ej. entre 600 y 1800 m en el Banco de Galicia) y en el tiempo (2009-2011), así como la identificación de las posibles causas (masas de agua, producción superficial) que determinen los cambios en la diversidad de las distintas comunidades a la escala muestreada.

A management Plan for the Catalonian \"sonsera\" (boat seine) is carried out in order to allow the use of this fishing gear. The Co-management Committee of the “sonsera” was formally created with the specific mission to ensure a sustainable activity of the fishery. ICM-CSIC is carried out the scientific study to accurately evaluate the state of the stock and its impact on the ecosystem. The analysis of the fishery data is expected to provide a first assessment of the status of exploitation of the target species of the boat seine fishery (sad eel and the dominant gobid species). The methodologies will include at least pseudocohort analysis and depletion model for the cpue data. The spatial distribution of fishing effort during the sand eel and gobids fishing seasons will also be analyzed. Evaluation of the impact of the fishing gear at ecosystem level. Technical measures will be defined based on the diagnosis, for the sand eel and gobids fisheries. The economic impact of the measures on these fisheries will be evaluated.

Los calamares oceánicos representan la mayor biomasa de cefalópodos a nivel mundial y su explotación pesquera representa el 62% del total de capturas mundiales de cefalópodos. Aún así, el conocimiento existente sobre sus fases embrionarias y larvarias es muy limitado. El presente proyecto pretende obtener los protocolos de laboratorio necesarios para el estudio del desarrollo de sus embriones y larvas en condiciones experimentales y conocer en la medida de lo posible su morfología y comportamiento. La obtención de material embrionario y larvario en laboratorio se realizará a partir de la recolección de gametos procedentes de calamares salvajes maduros recolectados del medio natural, utilizando técnicas de criopreservación de esperma y técnicas de fecundación in vitro. El principal reto de proyecto es conseguir cultivar larvas de calamares oceánicos, objetivo todavía no alcanzado por ningún equipo investigador a nivel mundial. La consecución de este objetivo permitiría el futuro estudio bajo condiciones controladas del crecimiento, comportamiento y adaptaciones morfológicas al medioambiente de larvas de calamares oceánicos y abriría las puertas a su maricultura. Para realizar el estudio se ha seleccionado la familia Ommastrephidae, el grupo de calamares oceánicos de mayor importancia pesquera a nivel mundial y las especies objeto de estudio son: Illex coindetii, Todarodes sagittatus y Todaropsis eblanae, principales especies de ommastréfidos capturados y comercializados en aguas ibéricas. Así mismo, se pretende analizar las paralarvas de este grupo procedentes de campañas oceanográficas realizadas en años recientes y contrastarlas con el material cultivado. Palabras clave: cefalópodos, calamar, recursos marinos, larvas, nutrición

Structure and dynamics of the benthopelagic slope ecosystem in two oligotrophic zones of the western Mediterranean: a multidisciplinary approach at different temporal scales in the Balearic Islands (acronym: IDEADOS) The overall objective of the present project consists of determining the relationships between environmental conditions and the nektobenthic slope communities in two oligotrophic areas of the western Mediterranean (the Balearic Islands and Algerian subbasins), with different geomorphologic and hydrodynamic characteristics. It will put special emphasis on the study of the trophic coupling of the organisms in these communities and the populations of the meso - and bathypelagic domain. In addition, different temporal scales and different levels of organization (population, community and ecosystem) will be analyzed. The project will simultaneously approach the study of the pelagic domain (micro-, meso - and macrozooplankton, micro - and macronekton), and the populations and epibenthic slope communities, within the context of the hydrodynamics of the areas.

The sex ratio is a fundamental parameter in biology that significantly determines the reproductive potential of all sorts of populations. The sex ratio is established by the processes of sex determination (genetic or environmental determination of the gender of and individual) and sex differentiation (the development of a gonadal primordium and its transformation into an ovary or a testis). The study of the processes leading to the sex ratio has both basic interest (evolution of sex determining mechanisms, speciation, mating behavior) as well as applied interest (control of sex ratios for aquaculture, restocking, control of invasive species, etc.). The overall objective of this project is to contribute to the still poorly understood processes sex determination and differentiation in fish, both under normal conditions and as a consequence of thermal variations, by looking at the underlying molecular mechanisms; in particular, to determine how the environment that the animals experience in early life determines subsequent gene function. To achieve this, the specific objectives are: 1) To study the whole transcriptome of zebrafish after being exposed to different temperatures for different periods of time during early development by using a specific oligo-based microarray. This will contribute to understand the effects of temperature on development in general. 2) To study the gonadal transcriptome of zebrafish after being exposed to different temperatures for different periods of time during early development by using a RT-PCR macroarray containing up to 96 genes involved in sex determination and differentiation. This will help to understand the effects of temperature specifically on genes currently known to be involved in sex determination and differentiation. 3 To study the whole transcriptome of zebrafish after being exposed to DNA methylation inhibitors for different periods of time during early development by using a specific oligo-based microarray. This will help to understand the importance of epigenetic mechanisms operating during early development. The area of study of this project is: Developmental biology > Sex determination and differentiation > Environmental epigenetics. The subject of study of this project is the zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism very suitable for research on the effects of environmental on sex ratios because it has a polygenic system of sex determination with environmental (temperature) influences on sex ratios. This is the same combination as the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), which is one of the most important species for European (mainly Mediterranean) aquaculture, where in many species there are undesirable effects of the high temperatures used to accelerate growth in modern fish farming.

Es bien conocido que la pesca de arrastre (toda pesca que se lleva a cabo utilizando redes que se arrastran por el fondo marino) causa daños importantes en organismos y comunidades marinas: influye de forma directa sobre los recursos y de forma indirecta sobre los organismos que habitan sobre el fondo (bentos), ya sea de forma fija (esponjas, cnidarios, etc..) o desplazándose (cangrejos, estrellas de mar, etc..) y en general sobre los hábitats.
A los efectos de la pesca sobre los fondos y sobre la preservación de su biodiversidad, se suma la amenaza de la basura marina, y muy especialmente de los plásticos, que acaban favoreciendo a un tipo de organismos frente a otros.

El proyecto COMSOM nace de la necesidad urgente de desarrollar herramientas apropiadas para una evaluación eficaz de estos impactos sobre las comunidades y sus hábitats.
Su principal objetivo es construir unos modelos que expliquen los cambios que tienen lugar en las comunidades de fondos blandos de caladeros de pesca de arrastre, en función de la actividad pesquera. Al mismo tiempo, se pretende evaluar el impacto de la basura marina sedimentada. Se prevé que los modelos obtenidos daran lugar a la selección de indicadores capaces de representar el estado de perturbación de los organismos y de las comunidades en relación a distintos niveles de esfuerzo pesquero y densidad de basura marina, asi como su interacción.

La finalidad de este proyecto es facilitar la recuperación de la biodiversidad marina, de los caladeros de pesca para que los organismos alcancen una condición de vida mejor: para esto, se necesita plantear claramente un tipo de gestión que reduzca la perturbación antropogénica y proteja estos ecosistemas bentónicos.

The objective of the research under ECOFUN is to quantify how the structure of marine food-webs has changed due to past biodiversity changes and develop an understanding of how these changes have impacted ecosystem functioning. To accomplish this objective we are using an interdisciplinary approach applying meta-analysis of historical and recent data on species loss and ecosystem changes, food-web modelling and laboratory experiments. This first trial run approach may provide complementary information on how biodiversity loss resulting from different anthropogenic disturbances, such as fisheries exploitation and climate change, has affected the network structure and functioning of marine food-webs at different temporal and spatial scales.

Project coordinates by Marta Coll (mcollicm [dot] csic [dot] es)

The aim of this project, performed in collaboration with the Univertsity of Barcelona, is to relate population traits (size structure, reproductive features, morphology, genetics) with latitudinal clines and oceanographic structures in representative crustaceans of the continental shelf and upper slope exploited communities of the Atlanto-Mediterranean region. In this sense, the knowledge of the biology and spatial distribution of key species within fishery-exploited ecosystems constitutes a basic step towards understanding the impact of fishing and hence to develop an efficient management strategy. Atlantic water flows into the Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltar. The interaction between lighter Atlantic water and higher density Mediterranean water generates two main oceanographic fronts, which may affect dispersion of marine organisms and connectivity among populations. The Almeria-Oran front is a semi permanent boundary between surface water masses formed by the convergence of Atlantic waters and modified Mediterranean waters. It has been shown to act as a barrier to gene flow in several species. Atlantic water also forms episodical eddies that detach northwards, reaching the Balearic Islands and forming a second density front when encountering the Catalano-Balearic basin, which may also restrict population connectivity. The study of population biology and genetic features of characteristic species of exploited bottoms will allow the comparative study of their life history strategies. We have selected phylogenetically-close species as well as some additional characteristic species of the following communities: (a) continental shelf (<200 m): Liocarcinus depurator (Portunidae), Macropodia longipes (Majidae), Pagurus excavatus (Paguridae); (b) upper slope (300-400 m): Macropipus tuberculatus (Portunidae), Munida intermedia (Galatheidae), Pasiphaea sivado (Pasiphaeidae), and (c) middle slope (500-700 m): Munida tenuimana (Galatheidae), Pagurus alatus (Paguridae), Pasiphaea multidentata (Pasiphaeidae), Polycheles typhlops (Polychelidae). Except for Pasiphaeidae, which show benthopelagic habits with daily migrations into the pelagic environment (with a probable higher dispersion in the adult phase), the rest of species show epibenthic habits with restricted adult dispersal. Some information on their population biology and genetic structure, collected in previous projects and trawl surveys, is already available. Given the abundance of Liocarcinus depurator on the continental shelf, this species will be studied in more detail. It is a predator crab common on the continental shelf and upper slope of the north-east Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea, where it occupies a central role in the maintenance of community structure in continental shelf muddy bottoms. The study of temporal variability in its population biology will provide useful information for understanding its life history. There are also some evidences showing a decrease of its populations along the last decades. This, coupled with the winter reproduction pattern in the Mediterranean, makes it a suitable candidate for its populations to be negatively affected by global warming. We aim to study the variability in its life history population features, namely population dynamics, morphological and genetic characteristics, in relation with the available geographical and interanual information, and obtaining the newly required data needed to put it into the global change context.