A study by the University of Barcelona has analysed the ability of red gorgonians (Paramuricea clavata), a key species for the Mediterranean marine ecosystem, to resist and recover after marine heatwaves.
A study by the University of Barcelona has analysed the ability of red gorgonians (Paramuricea clavata), a key species for the Mediterranean marine ecosystem, to resist and recover after marine heatwaves. The results, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, show that the increased frequency and intensity of these extreme weather events — one of the consequences of climate change — will make these populations more vulnerable to future disturbances, beyond global warming and heatwaves, raising their risk of extinction. This negative impact would have a serious effect on marine ecosystems, according to experts.
“Paramuricea clavata is a species that plays an essential role in a type of community endemic to the Mediterranean Sea, the coralligenous. These communities have a high associated diversity and represent approximately 10% of Mediterranean species. Therefore, a decrease in the resilience of these species, or even their extinction, can lead to major changes in the structure and functioning of the Mediterranean seabed”, warns Professor Pol Capdevila, from the Faculty of Biology and researcher at the UB’s Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio), first author of the article. IRBio researchers Yanis Zentner, Graciela Rovira, Alba Medrano and Cristina Linares, together with Joaquim Garrabou, from the CSIC Institute of Marine Sciences, have also participated in the study.
Read more at: University of Barcelona
After a heatwave, shallower populations of P. clavata are less able to withstand and recover from other disturbances. (Photo Credit: Graciel·la Rovira)
