A study recently published in Ecological Indicators by the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn reveals the crucial role of sandy seabeds in the functional diversity of Mediterranean coastal fish. Link to the scientific article below.
By sampling 62 sites and analysing data on over 70 species along the coast of Calabria, the research team assessed functional diversity — that is, the variety of ecological roles played by the species — in the three most common habitats: sandy seabeds, rocky seabeds and Posidonia oceanica meadows.
The results show that each habitat is home to fish communities with distinct ecological characteristics, linked to environmental factors such as seabed temperature, depth and the intensity of human pressure.
In particular, although sandy seabeds support a lower level of functional richness, they are essential for maintaining overall functional heterogeneity (β-diversity), making a particularly significant contribution to the variety of ecological strategies present at a regional scale.
These findings highlight how even the most seemingly ‘barren’ habitats play a key role in the resilience of coastal ecosystems and suggest that there is an urgent need to include sandy seabeds in the management and planning strategies for Marine Protected Areas.
Photo by Domenico Roscigno
