Browsing by Author "Maruri Diaz, Irati"
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- Baited remote underwater video (BRUV) surveys show threatened ichthyofauna associated with marine vegetation in the largest marine protected area of West Africa, the national park of the banc d´arguinPublication . Maruri Diaz, Irati; Serrão, EsterMarine Protected Areas (MPAs) play a crucial role safeguarding marine ecosystems and their diversity. A major challenge in MPA management is efficient monitoring of biodiversity inside MPAs, and if it is linked local habitat structure. Diverse low impact ecosystem monitoring methods have been used in the recent decades, including underwater visual censuses, fishing surveys, and Baited Remote Underwater Video surveys (BRUVs). In the face of declining demersal fish populations, to understand their association to structural benthic habitats, this research undertakes a pioneering investigation within the Banc d'Arguin National Park (PNBA), Mauritania, employing BRUV surveys to comprehensively assess fish biodiversity and abundance across various habitats. A total of 62 fish species were identified, significantly more during daylight hours and in the autumn season, potentially linked to sampling effort and environmental factors. Vegetated habitats, particularly seagrass meadows, demonstrated higher fish abundance and diversity. The use of bait was needed to detect rare predatory species, but also induced biases towards carnivore-rich communities, preventing quantitative comparison of trophic level abundances. Most identified species are classified as Least Concern (IUCN), but local-scale assessments of potential population shifts are missing. Elasmobranchs featured prominently, emphasizing their conservation significance within this dynamic marine park, and their role in ecosystem stability. Finally, observed spatial differences in fish abundance and biodiversity suggested and influence of habitat type and protection level on demersal fish assemblages. This study thus contributes valuable insights into the ecology of demersal fish communities in the PNBA, emphasizing the need for adaptive conservation strategies and further research to ensure sustainable fisheries and species preservation in this critical marine environment.