Líffræðifélag Íslands - biologia.is
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2021
Erindi/veggspjald / Talk/poster V27
Höfundar / Authors: Michelle Valliant (1,2), Ragnar Edvardsson (1), Guðbjörg Ásta Ólafsdóttir (1)
Starfsvettvangur / Affiliations: 1. Rannsóknasetur Háskóla Íslands á Vestfjörðum (Research Centre of the University of Iceland in the Westfjords), 2. Háskólasetur Vestfjarða (University Centre of the Westfjords)
Kynnir / Presenter: Michelle Valliant
Maerl beds are a type of habitat that consists of calcified red algae (Corallinales sp.). Previous studies have shown that maerl beds are favourable nursery grounds for several species, including juvenile gadoid fish, such as Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). In the presented study, underwater scuba diving surveys and GoPro video recordings were used to estimate the abundance of fish and species richness of maerl patches' inner and fragmented exterior regions in the Westfjords of Iceland. Three maerl beds were surveyed and compared to two reference areas of little to no maerl coverage (<25%). The interior of all maerl patches had a higher number of gadoid fish than the exterior areas of the patches, suggesting edge effects. Overall, these results support the importance of continuous maerl habitats as nursery grounds highlighting their importance for marine conservation.