08A3
Cystoseira spp. on exposed to waves infralittoral bedrock and boulders
Relationships with habitat classifications. EUNIS: A3.151 Cystoseira spp. on exposed infralittoral bedrock and boulders; Pal. class.: 11.24 Sublittoral rocky seabeds and kelp forests; HD 92/43: 1170 Reefs.
Conservation status. BDA, BC, HD.
Category. Endangered [EN – A1, 2 D2 E2 F2 G2 H2 L2].
General characteristics. The habitat occurs on open or semi-open, horizontal, slanting and well lit vertical, rocky and stony, infra-littoral bottom, at 0,5–15 m depth. Its specificity is defined by the brown algae Cystoseira barbata and C. crinita, which are edificators. Communities dominated by C. barbata and Ulva rigida prevail in the eutrophic areas, while the communities of C. barbata, C. crinita and Dylophus fasciola are typical for pure waters with high transparency. Various fauna (bottom invertebrates and fishes) and flora (micro- and macro-epiphytes) are associated with Cystoseira spp. The latter is used by the community as a substrate for attachment, trophic basis, shelter and place for reproduction and growing.
Characteristic taxa.
- Plants: Algae – Rhodophyta: Callithamnion granulatum, Ceramium elegans, Corallina granifera, Dermatolithon cystoseirae, Dipterosiphonia rigens, Erythrotrichia bertoldii, Gelidiella antipai, Laurencia paniculata, Osmundea hybrida, Polysiphonia elongata, P. opaca, P. sanguinea, Pterocladia pinnata, Rhodochorton velutinum; Phaeophyta: Cladostephus spongiosus, Corynophlaea flaccida, C. umbellate, Cystoseira barbata, C. crinita, Dylophus fasciola, Ectocarpus siliculosus, Feldmannia caespitula, Myriactula rivularie, Punctaria plantaginea, P. tenussima, Sphacelaria cirrhosa, Stilophora rhizodes;Chlorophyta: Pseudoprihgsheimia confluens, Ulva rigida.
- Animals: Hydrozoa: Aglaophenia pluma, Coryne sp. Lucernaria sp.; Bryozoa: Electra pilosa; Mollusca: Bittium reticulatum, Mytilaster lineatus, Rissoa splendida, Tricolia pulus; Crustacea: Athanas nitescens, Clibanarius erythropus, Eriphia verrucosa, Hippolyte leptocerus, Palaemon adspersus, P. elegans, Pilumnus hirtellus;Actinopterygii: Gaidropsarus mediterraneus, Aidablennius sphinx, Chelon labrosus, Coryphoblennius galerita, Dicentrarchus labrax, Diplodus annularis, D. puntazzo, D. sargus, D. vulgaris, Gobius cobitis, G. niger, G. paganellus, Hippocampus guttulatus, Lisa aurata, L. saliens, Mesogobius batrachocephalus, Mugil cephalus, Neogobius cephalargoides, N. melanostomus, N. platyrostris, N. ratan, Nerophis ophidion, Parablennius sanguinolentus, P. tentacularis, P. zvonimiri, Pomatoschistus marmoratus, P. minutus, Salaria pavo, Scorpaena porcus, Symphodus cinereus, S. ocellatus, S. roissali, S. tinca, Syngnathus abaster, S. tenuirostris, S. typhle, S. variegates.
Distribution in Bulgaria. The whole Black Sea coast, in places with rocky seabed, not deeper than 0,5 – 15 m.
Conservation importance. The following species of national and international conservation importance occur in the habitat: Aidablennius sphinx, Coryphoblennius galerita,Cystoseira barbata, C. crinita, Diplodus annularis,Eriphia verrucosa, Gobius cobitis, Hippocampus guttulatus, Mesogobius batrachocephalus, Neogobius ratan, Nerophis ophidion, Pilumnus hirtellu, Pomatoschistus minutus, Salaria pavo, Scorpaena porcus, Symphodus ocellatus, S. tinca, Syngnathus abaster, S. tenuirostris, S. typhle.
Threats. The major threat for the habitat is the eutrophication that makes the seawater opaque. This reduces the light penetration and restricts the distribution of the edificators from the genus Cystoseira. The industrial, chemical and household pollution of the coastal waters, pollution with petrol and solid wastes also have negative impacts on the habitat. The increase of the biogenic and organic elements in the coastal zone as a consequence from the intensive tourism in the summer leads to eutrophication, and deterioration of the ecological conditions. The building of hydro-technical constructions (embankments, yacht ports, etc.) deteriorates also the quality of the habitat because it causes changes in the hydrological regime in the coastal area (rough waters, coastal streams, etc.) and smothers the rocky bottom. Another threat is the long periods of cold weather that cause overcooling and freezing of the coastal zone. The extraction of brown algae can cause reduction in their resources and loss of biodiversity.
Conservation measures taken. The habitat is included in Annex № 1 of the national Biodiversity Act. A very small part of the habitat is within Kaliakra Strict Nature Reserve and in sites of the European Ecological Network NATURA 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Decrease of the eutrophication and pollution of the coastal zone; increase of the number and area of marine protected areas encompassing the habitat; investigations and monitoring of the habitat aiming at the registration of the area, fragmentation, depth of distribution, percentage cover of Cystoseira spp.,as well as the state, composition and structure of the communities in that habitat.
References. Dimitrova-Konaklieva 1981, 2000; Georgiev 1964; Kalugina-Gutnik 1975; Kaneva-Abadzhieva & Marinov 1977; Karapetkova & Zhivkov 2006; Petrova-Karadzhova 1975; Stoyanov & al. 1963; Vasilev et al. 2005; Vassilev & Pehlivanov 2005; Zhivkov et al. 2005.
Authors: Valentina Todorova, Marina Panayotova
