Recovery after exploitation of stalked barnacles is facilitated by the presence of conspecifics: a study of post-harvest gap recolonization dynamics in SW Europe
Abstract We have followed the recovery of gaps produced either by harvesters or by scientists in stands of stalked barnacle ( Pollicipes pollicipes ) during two years in four regions of Europe (SW Portugal, Galicia and Asturias in Spain and Brittany in France; n = 423 gaps), which was extended to four years in Asturias (n = 252 gaps). The presence of adult conspecifics in the margins of the gaps increased by at least four times the probability of initiation of their recovery. After two years of follow-up in the four regions, 90% of the gaps with adjacent conspecifics had initiated recolonization as opposed to only 60% in gaps with no adjacent adults. These figures remained stable after three years of follow up in Asturias, pointing to a large fraction of gaps which are recalcitrant to recolonization. Once initiated, the median rate of recovery after latency was 0.47 cm 2 /month in the four regions and 0.61 cm 2 /month in Asturias, increasing from 0.5 to 2.5 cm 2 /month for a 0 to 25 cm increase of perimeter in contact with adults, which is consistent with heavy recruitment on the stalks of conspecifics. The median estimated time to full recovery of gaps which initiated recovery was 2.65 years, thus recolonization is a slow process. Our results point to the main recommendations that a barnacle clump should never be removed entirely, so that the remaining adults serve as recruitment nuclei for the population, and that a maximum scraper width of 3.5 cm should be set to limit accessory capture of non-target individuals.
Authors
- Joana N. Fernandes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6356-2524)
- Gonzalo Macho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0836-0065)
- C. Fernández
- Salvador Román (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0201-2868)
- Asier Herrero (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2932-5194)
- David Jacinto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7475-9579)
- Lucile Perrier
- José Luis Acuña (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3306-7212)
- Dominique Davoult (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8678-3998)
- Elsa Vázquez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0782-4734)
- João J. Castro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7468-5220)
- Teresa Cruz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8242-475X)
- Alba Aguión (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5429-2227)
- Julio Arrontes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3240-2373)
- David Mateus (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1583-9733)
- José M. Rico (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6253-257X)
- Yago Iván-Baragaño
- Teresa Silva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3524-5270)
- Éric Thiébaut (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2416-6270)
- Jorge Sostres
- Caroline Broudin
- Katja Geiger (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1356-3737)
- Víctor Gómez‐del Campo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9899-7657)
- Carlos Guardado (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3647-9854)
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Universidad de Oviedo (ES)
- University of Évora (PT)
- Station Biologique de Roscoff (FR)
- Sorbonne Université (FR)
- Universidade de Vigo (ES)
- Island Conservation Society (SC)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries
- Published
- 2024-11-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-024-09900-z
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.96
Funders
- Gobierno del Principado de Asturias
- Biodiversa+
- Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad
- Universidad de Oviedo
- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
- Agencia Estatal de Investigación
- Spanish National Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation