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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 59(6)

Abundance, spatial distribution and habitat relationships of echinoderms in the Cabo Verde Archipelago (eastern Atlantic)

Laura Entrambasaguas A , Ángel Pérez-Ruzafa A , Jose A. García-Charton A D , Ben Stobart B and Juan José Bacallado C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Departamento de Ecología e Hidrología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, E-30100 Murcia, Spain.

B Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Aptdo. 291, E-07015 Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

C Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Islas Canarias, Spain.

D Corresponding author. Email: jcharton@um.es

Marine and Freshwater Research 59(6) 477-488 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF07109
Submitted: 24 April 2007  Accepted: 5 March 2008   Published: 19 June 2008

Abstract

The analysis of spatial variability in distribution and abundance of echinoderms may help in identifying the range of processes that can explain the observed patterns of this important component of benthic communities. The distribution and abundance of the echinoderm assemblage inhabiting the shallow rocky reefs at the Cabo Verde archipelago (where few studies other than descriptive ones have been performed until now) was quantified at three spatial scales (among islands, between locations within islands, and among replicates), at two depth strata, and related to fine-scale variation of habitat structure. Total echinoderm abundance and the abundance of the sea urchins Diadema antillarum and Eucidaris tribuloides, and the holothurian Euapta lappa were heterogeneous at the largest considered scale. Most species and habitat descriptors exhibited spatial variability at finer scales. There were significant relationships between habitat architecture and depth and both assemblage parameters and species abundances. Although the effects of habitat structure were species-specific, the probability of occurrence of Asteroidea, Ophiuroidea and Holothuroidea species was higher in heterogeneous habitats. Meanwhile Echinoidea and Holothuroidea species showed higher correlations to complex habitats. The observed spatial patterns are inferred to reflect behavioural responses to fine-scale microhabitat complexity, as well as broad-scale oceanic variables and recruitment dynamics.

Additional keywords: geographical distribution, habitat structure, multi-scale study, structural complexity.


Acknowledgements

We wish to thank very specially Dr C. Marcos for her support and help. Dr A. Brito provided helpful discussions. Dr L. Moro actively participated in the field sampling operations. Thanks are also due to the crew of the vessel ‘Corvette’ for their essential support during the field work. Dr P. Sánchez-Jerez provided advice with statistical analysis. We greatly thank three anonymous reviewers, whose comments improved the quality of the manuscript. The present study was supported by a University of Murcia Fellowship to L.E. and by funds from the project ‘Macaronesia 2000’ of the Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain).


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