Acronym MAREMATING
Category
Fisheries
Title Competition for mating at high density in a marine reserve Programme National Programme
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source National Coordinator NA Coordinator email NA
Coordinator institution
IEO - Spanish Institute of Oceanography (Spain)
Institutions involved
NA
Start year 2017 End year 2020 Funding (€) € 187,550 Website http://www.ba.ieo.es/es/investigacion/grupos-de-investigacion/resmarieo/proyectos/1872-maremating-competition-for-mating-at-high-density-in-a-marine-reserve-2017-2020 Summary "Marine protected areas (MPAs) are being increasingly implemented throughout the world as fisheries management and nature conservation tools. Lobsters are commercially valuable species subject to high fishing pressure, which along with their limited mobility and association with specific habitats, make them particularly suitable to spatial protection measures. Competitive, sex and size dependent behavior and movements have been observed in a number of lobster species. Interactions should amplify as density increases in MPAs, underlying population responses to protection and competition processes.
The european spiny lobster Palinurus elephas is the most sought after spiny lobster species in the NE Atlantic and Mediterranean and its populations are depleted throughout its range, causing its listing as threatened vulnerable by the IUCN. The Columbretes islands marine reserve (MPA) has been closed to lobster fishery for 25 years, a period close to the estimated lifespan of the species. In 1997, we launched a long-term study on the evolution of the P. elephas in the MPA and in the neighboring open fishing areas and we have documented the recovery of biomass to levels up to 20 times those in fished areas, as well as emigration contributing to replenishing the adjacent fished areas. In 2009, the MPA was expanded to encompass vulnerable benthic communities subject to intense fishing in what until then were the grounds adjacent to the boundary (2009 MPAs). Lobster density in the new MPA areas assessed during 2012-2015 (years 3 to 6 without fishing) indicated a predominance of males in contrast to a balanced sex-ratio in the 1990 MPA. It is hypothesized that strong selection on males to compete for females resulting in male-male aggression is enhanced in high density conditions such as in the 1990 mpa. In this proposal, we take advantage of the conditions offered by the 25 year-old MPA to advance knowledge of density-dependent competition processes affecting the functioning and efficacy of MPAs and the ecology of species at high density conditions nowadays only found in mature, well protected MPAs.
The objective of this proposal is to investigate intrasexual selection (with special focus in male-male competition) under conditions of high density within the 1990 MPA. We will do that by typifying intrasexual aggressive interactions during mating, assessing male dominance and fertilization success and characterizing migrants (sex and size) from the 1990 MPA to areas with lower density, both the 2009 MPA and the adjacent areas that continue to be fished. We will combine baited underwater video, parental assignment and mark-recapture methods. In this study P. elephas is used as a model organism. As other spiny lobsters, it is particularly suitable for spatial management because of their restricted adult mobility and hence propensity for depensation if populations are reduced below critical levels. It also allows sex identification with slight manipulation and obtention of genetic egg samples without damage.
The existence of a 25 year old MPA constitutes a unique manmade experiment that offers an exceptional opportunity to shed light on competition processes in high and low density adjacent areas not available for any species or MPA in Spain."
Keywords
Crustacean;
Lobster;
MPA;
Shellfish;
Fisheries management;
Biology;
Population structure;
Marine Region
76
Not associated to marine areas
0
Marine Region Map
