Two “pillars” of cold-water coral reefs along Atlantic European margins: Prevalent association of Madrepora oculata with Lophelia pertusa, from reef to colony scale
Authors
Arnaud-Haond, S. (Sophie); Van-de-Beld, I.M.J. (Inge); Becheler, R. (Ronan); Orejas, C. (Covadonga); Menot, L. (Lenoît); Frank, N. (Norbert); Grehan, A. (Anthony); Bourillet, J.F. (Jean-François)Date
2015-07-23Type
articleKeywords
Lophelia pertusaMadrepora oculata
Fals-chimaera colonies
Cold-water corals (CWC)
Bay of Biscay
Ireland
Iceland
Abstract
The scleractinian coral Lophelia pertusa has been the focus of deep-sea research since the recognition of the vast extent of coral reefs in North Atlantic waters two decades ago, long after their existence was mentioned by fishermen. These reefs where shown to provide habitat, concentrate biomass and act as feeding or nursery grounds for many species, including those targeted by commercial fisheries. Thus, the attention given to this cold-water coral (CWC) species from researchers and the wider public has increased. Consequently, new research programs triggered research to determine the full extent of the corals geographic distribution and ecological dynamics of “Lophelia reefs”. The present study is based on a systematic standardised sampling design to analyze the distribution and coverage of CWC reefs along European margins from the Bay of Biscay to Iceland. Based on Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) image analysis, we report an almost systematic occurrence of Madrepora oculata in ...
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