| From July 1988 to September 1992, Scuba divers used a non-destructive sampling method to study the fish communities of rocks and Posidonia oceanica seagrass beds, in Scandola Marine Reserve. Sites were established in the integral reserve (protection of the marine environment), in the non-integral reserve (partial protection) and outside the reserve (no protection). Average density and biomass of the sampled population in P. oceanica seagrass beds showed no significant difference between the sites in the integral reserve and the others. Only the integrally-protected shallow and deep water zones showed considerably reduced seasonal variations. For rocky substrata, the integral reserve site demonstrated higher density and biomass than the other sites. The... |
