Pubblicazione
OUT OF THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE: IS PROTECTION HARMFUL TO SEA URCHINS HIDDEN IN SEAGRASS MEADOWS?
15/06/2016
I. Guala, l. Magnani, S. Farina, l. Piazzi, S. Oliva, R. Pires Da Silva, G. Ceccherelli
Abstract
Survival of Paracentrotus lividus subjected to predation was evaluated in two different
habitats and two zones with different levels of protection in the Marine Protected Area Tavolara Punta
Coda Cavallo (Sardinia). Predation was higher in zones with stronger protection (B zone). However, this
result was not due to predation by fish, that looks steady in the two conditions of protection, but rather
to the stronger impact of bottom predators (namely gastropods), particularly in Posidonia oceanica
beds, where sea urchins are able to evade visual attacks, not chemotactic predation.
