Habitat features, spatial distribution and demography of the Madrepora oculata populations in the Cap de Creus Canyon (Northwestern Mediterranean)

4th ISDSC Deepsea Coral Symposium, 1-5 December 2008, Wellington, New Zealand.-- 1 pageThe Cap de Creus canyon in the Northwestern Mediterranean shelter populations of Deep corals (dominated by Madrepora oculata), which present different scenarios. During an oceanographic cruise (carried out in September 2007 on board of the RV García del Cid) we performed underwater video transects by using the man submersible JAGO (IFM-GEOMAR). The recorded images allow us to characterize the habitat and to perform a study of population’s structure and distribution of Madrepora oculata along the southern wall of the canyon. Furthermore we quantify the density of colonies inside the populations as well as the demographic structure of them. Results of the analysed video transects revealed different population structures which reflect different features in the study locations at small scale, presenting very variable patterns (from predominance of well developed three-dimensional colonies – 40 cm height – to predominance of two-branches colonies of few cm.) at short distances (few meters) and patchy distribution (from minimal values of 1 col.m-2 to 5 col m-2). At the light of our results, we discuss the possible reasons for these different distribution and demographic patterns in such a short distance trying to understand the dynamic of these benthic systems dominated by coralsPeer Reviewe