Unexpected Refuge for Threatened Species Revealed by A Prolonged Low-Sea-Level Phase

Abstract

The Sicily coast of Messina Strait (Central Mediterranean) is characterized by a rare beach rock formation, whose biotic features are poorly known. Situated near an amphidromic tidal point, the formation is not affected by tidal oscillations allowing the connected rocky pools to offer a relatively stable and suitable refuge for subtidal organisms. This environment, in February 2023, was affected by exceptional low sea levels caused by a prolonged high atmospheric pressure. The local fauna, not pre-adapted to such an unpredictable event, experienced a mass mortality episode that revealed an unexpectedly high biodiversity. Exclusively considering the megabenthic fauna, 63 species have been detected. Between them, species of great conservation interest, are the gastropods Naria spurca, Luria lurida, Vermetus triquetrus, and Talisman scrobilator, the bivalve Pinna rudis, and the echinoderm Ophidiaster ophidianus, which were reported for the first time from such formations. These records show that beach rock is a habitat worth conserving and one that is vulnerable to the effects of ongoing climate change.

Keywords

• beach rock
• threatenedspecies
• habitat conservation
• mass mortality
• climate change

Uzun Süreli Düşük Deniz Seviyesi Süreciyle Ortaya Çıkan Tehdit Altındaki Türler İçin Beklenmedik Sığınak

Abstract

Messina Boğazı'nın (Orta Akdeniz) Sicilya kıyıları, biyotik özellikleri az bilinen nadir bir sahil kaya oluşumuyla karakterizedir. Amfidromlu bir gelgit noktasının yakınında bulunan bu oluşum, gelgit dalgalanmalarından etkilenmemekte, bu da bağlantılı kayalık havuzların subtidal organizmalar için nispeten istikrarlı ve elverişli bir sığınak sunmasını sağlamaktadır. Bu çevre, Şubat 2023'te uzun süreli yüksek atmosferik basınç nedeniyle meydana gelen olağanüstü düşük deniz seviyelerinden etkilenmiştir. Yerel fauna, böyle öngörülemeyen bir olaya önceden adapte olmamış olduğundan, kitlesel bir ölüm olayı yaşamış ve bu durum beklenmedik derecede yüksek bir biyoçeşitliliği ortaya çıkarmıştır. Yalnızca megabentik fauna dikkate alındığında 63 tür tespit edilmiştir. Bu türler arasında büyük koruma önemi taşıyan gastropodlar Naria spurca, Luria lurida, Vermetus triquetrus ve Talisman scrobilator, çift kabuklular Pinna rudis ve derisidikenliler Ophidiaster ophidianus yer almaktadır ve ilk kez bu oluşumlarda kaydedilmiştir. Bu kayıtlar, sahil kaya habitatlarının korunmaya değer olduğunu ve devam eden iklim değişikliğinin etkilerine karşı savunmasız olduğunu göstermektedir.

Keywords

• Sahil kayaları
• Tehdit altındaki türler
• Yaşam alanlarının korunması
• Kitlesel ölümler
• Iklim değişikliği

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