Characterisation of the nursery areas for YOY Sparidae fi sh species in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon (SE Iberian Peninsula)

The present study investigates the spatial variation in the total abundance of YOY Sparidae fispecies ( Sparus aurata, Sarpa salpa, Diplodus puntazzo and D. sargus sargus) between 13 sampling sites located in littoral and shallow areas of the Mar Menor coastal lagoon. A stepwise multiple regression model indicated that submerged vegetation volume and submerged vegetation cover had a positive effect and accounted for most of the variation in YOY Sparidae abundance between sampling sites. This abundance pattern also seemed to be related with the shoreline development, the more altered and artifi cial beaches (due to anthropogenic disturbances) presenting scarce submerged vegetation development with a corresponding low abundance of YOY Sparidae fispecies.

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