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Seabed Status, Mapping and Assessing Posidonia oceanica in the Edough Mountains MPA, Annaba (Northeastern Algeria): A Baseline for Spatio-Temporal Monitoring

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Last updated: 01 Jan 2025

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Abstract

In the Mediterranean region, the number of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) has been steadily increasing, though their distribution remains uneven between the northern and southern coastlines. Algeria has shown a growing commitment to protecting its coastal ecosystems. Despite Posidonia oceanica being the most significant and extensively studied seagrass species in the Mediterranean, efforts to compile and analyze comprehensive spatial data on its distribution across the basin are still limited. This study aimed to map the current distribution of P. oceanica meadows in the newly established MPA of the Edough Mountains in Annaba, located in northeastern Algeria. In 2023, the surface water quality in the area was found to be satisfactory, with an average temperature of 22°C, a pH of 8.09, salinity of 37, a dissolved oxygen concentration of 6.9 mg/l, and a total suspended solids concentration of 0.21 mg/l. The upper limits of P. oceanica meadows, along with surrounding soft and rocky habitats, were surveyed using GPS over a 37km stretch, from Cap de Garde to Roche Axine, covering half of the MPA. The survey, which included 278 stations, identified 97 seagrass beds in good conservation status, with minimal epiphyte presence, at depths ranging from -1.5 to -24 meters. These initial findings will serve as a reference for future spatio-temporal monitoring of the growth and health of these meadows.

DOI

10.21608/ejabf.2024.400590

Keywords

Marine protected area, Posidoniaceae, Geolocation, Western Mediterranean Sea

Authors

First Name

Lebdjiri

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et al.

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Volume

28

Article Issue

6

Related Issue

51371

Issue Date

2024-11-01

Receive Date

2024-12-28

Publish Date

2024-11-01

Page Start

2,261

Page End

2,278

Print ISSN

1110-6131

Online ISSN

2536-9814

Link

https://ejabf.journals.ekb.eg/article_400590.html

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https://ejabf.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=400590

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122

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Journal

Publication Title

Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries

Publication Link

https://ejabf.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Seabed Status, Mapping and Assessing Posidonia oceanica in the Edough Mountains MPA, Annaba (Northeastern Algeria): A Baseline for Spatio-Temporal Monitoring

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Article

Created At

30 Dec 2024