Habitat constraints and self-thinning shape Mediterranean red coral deep population structure: implications for conservation practice.

ABSTRACT: The Mediterranean red coral, Corallium rubrum, is one of the most precious corals worldwide. Below 50 m depth, C. rubrum populations are generally characterised by large and sparse colonies, whereas shallow populations (above 50 m depth) show high densities of small colonies. We show here instead that populations dwelling between 80 and 170 m depth exhibited a continuous range of population density (from 2 to 75 colonies per 0.25 m(2)), with less than 1% of variance explained by water depth. An inverse relationship between maximum population density and mean colony height was found, suggesting that self-thinning processes may shape population structure. Moreover, demographically young populations composed of small and dense colonies dominated along rocky vertical walls, whereas mature popu

SUBMITTER: Cau A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4796916 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature