title: Diel activity and variability in habitat use of white sea bream in a temperate marine protected area.
abstract: Fish populations are often comprised of individuals that use habitats and associated resources in different ways. We placed sonic transmitters in, and tracked movements of, white sea bream (Diplodus sargus sargus) in the no-take zone of a Mediterranean marine protected area: the Torre Guaceto marine protected area, (Adriatic Sea, Italy). Tagged fish displayed three types of diel activity patterns in three different habitats: sand, rocky reefs and "matte" of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica. Individuals were more active during the day than at night. Overall, white sea bream displayed a remarkable behavioural plasticity in habitat use. Our results indicate that the observed behavioural plasticity in the marine protected area could be the result of multiple ecological and environmental drivers such as size, sex and increased intra-specific competition. Our findings support the view that habitat diversity helps support high densities of fishes.
authors.affiliation: CNR-IAMC, U.O. di Mazara del Vallo, Via Vaccara 61, 91026 Mazara del Vallo, TP, Italy. Electronic address: manfredi.dilorenzo@libero.it.
authors.forename: Manfredi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Lorenzo
authors.affiliation: CNR-IAMC, U.O. di Mazara del Vallo, Via Vaccara 61, 91026 Mazara del Vallo, TP, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Tomás Vega
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.affiliation: CNR-IAMC, Sede di Castellammare del Golfo, Via G. da Verrazzano 17, 91014, Castellammare del Golfo, TP, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Badalamenti
authors.affiliation: Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, FRE 3729 ECOMERS, Parc Valrose 28, Avenue Valrose, 06108, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guidetti
authors.affiliation: Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Sea Grant Extension Program, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA; University of California, Sea Grant Extension Program, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA.
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Starr
authors.affiliation: CNR-IAMC, U.O. Capo Granitola, Via del Mare 3, 91021, Torretta Granitola, TP, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo Maximiliano
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Giacalone
authors.affiliation: Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, FRE 3729 ECOMERS, Parc Valrose 28, Avenue Valrose, 06108, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Franco
authors.affiliation: CNR-IAMC, Sede di Castellammare del Golfo, Via G. da Verrazzano 17, 91014, Castellammare del Golfo, TP, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Anna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D017753:Ecosystem; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D017440:Photoperiod; D021541:Sea Bream / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Acoustic telemetry; Behavioural plasticity; Daily rhythm; Diplodus sargus sargus; Niche expansion; Torre Guaceto MPA