Cold-water coral Dendrophyllia ramea as a habitat-forming species in shallow coastal waters: Its role in a vulnerable ecosystem and anthropogenic impacts

Abstract

The importance of habitat-forming species, particularly cold-water corals like Dendrophyllia ramea, cannot be overstated as they provide crucial physical structures that offer shelter, food, and breeding habitat for a range of other species. We studied the spatial distribution and abundance of D. ramea, its associated species and the impact of human activities in a population of the Herradura, Granada in the western Mediterranean. Video transects were conducted at different depths, and epibiont samples were collected to describe the coral assemblage and the diversity of associated organisms. Dendrophyllia ramea presented high abundances at an unusually shallow depth in the Mediterranean, ranging from 30 to 48 m, despite typically being found between 50 and 500 m, with recordings indicating occurrences as deep as 1000 m, and hosting a high number of epibionts and macro-benthic organisms associated with coral reefs. Bryozoans showed a close relationship with D. ramea as they are important components of both the reef and the epibiont community. This study identified 63 new species and 15 new genera associated with cold-water corals. This study showed the importance of D. ramea as a nursery site, even for other habitat-forming species. The major threat to this community is human activity (fishing, littering and free anchoring), with the most abundant types of waste being rubber, glass/ceramics, and plastic polymers, and many fishing lines and nets damaging the corals. Overall, this study emphasises the urgent need to protect cold-water corals and their associated species and reduce the impact of human activities on marine ecosystems.