Fishes in Lagoons and Estuaries in the Mediterranean 1 Diversity, Bioecology and Exploitation

Lagoons and estuaries are transition spaces between earth and sea. Beyond their expanse, geographic repartition, geomorphological, hydroclimatic and ecobiological diversity and biodiversity, they play an important role in regional economies and are some of the ecosystems most vulnerable to global change.

Reinforced by numerous references, this book studies Mediterranean lagoonal and estuarine fishes whose diversity largely depends on the composition of neighboring marine and continental ichtyofauna. The authors describe their morphological, biological, ecological and behavioral characteristics by evoking their distinctive features and differences with their marine or freshwater homologues. Their adaptation strategies, elucidated thanks to recent advances in morphology, genetics and molecular biology, are recognized as a major advantage in the context of climate change.

This book is for natural environment managers, engineers, teachers, students and researchers.

Mohamed Hichem Kara (Sc.D.) is Professor at the University of Annaba, Algeria, where he manages the marine bioresource laboratory, founded in 2003. He is a founding member of the Algerian Academy of Science and Technology, and a member of the French Ichtyological Society.

Jean-Pierre Quignard (Sc.D.) is Honorary Professor at the University of Montpellier, France, where he manages the Mediterranean ichtyological laboratory. He is a member of the Montpellier Académie des sciences et lettres and of the French Ichthyological Society.

Foreword ix

Preface xi

Introduction xiii

Chapter 1. Mediterranean Lagoons and Estuaries 1

1.1. What is a lagoon and what is an estuary? 2

1.2. Lagoons and estuaries of the Mediterranean: characteristics,inventory and classification 8

1.3. Some recurrent preconceived ideas and problems concerning lagoons 14

1.4. Geological, geographic and physicochemical types of lagoon 15

1.4.1. According to their geological origin 15

1.4.2. According to their connections with the sea 16

1.4.3. According to their physical chemistry 17

1.4.4. According to their haline system 17

1.4.5. According to their nutrient content 18

1.4.6. According to their geographic position and connection with the sea 19

1.5. Lagoon hydroclimate and hydrodynamics 19

1.6. Some features of lagoon ichthyoecobiology 21

1.7. Production in lagoons and trophic chains 26

1.8. Lagoon habitats 30

Chapter 2. Ecology and Behavior 33

2.1. Origin and originality 38

2.2. Ecology and behavior 43

2.2.1. Sedentaries 44

2.2.2. Migrators 47

2.2.3. Intermittent residents 50

2.3. Sea–lagoon/lagoon–sea fish interaction: the phenology of migrations 51

2.3.1. Inmigration 51

2.3.2. Outmigrations 55

2.4. Ecological valence 58

2.5. Lagoons and invasions: the presence of exotic species 59

2.6. Structure of fish assemblages 62

2.6.1. Natural factors in spatiotemporal distribution 63

2.6.2. Assemblages and anthropization 66

2.6.3. Utilization of ichthyological indicators 69

Chapter 3. Biology and Genetics 71

3.1. Sexuality 72

3.2. Reproduction 77

3.2.1. Nest building, gestation and fecundity 78

3.2.2. Reproductive success and gamete management 82

3.2.3. Reproductive particularities in Blenniidae, Gobiidae and Labridae 85

3.2.4. Reproductive particularities in Syngnathidae 86

3.2.5. Other aspects of nest building and parental care 93

3.2.6. Other aspects of reproduction in migrators 104

3.3. Feeding and energy transfer 105

3.3.1. Alimentary guilds and competition 105

3.3.2. Cannibalism 107

3.3.3. Feeding behavior 108

3.4. Age and growth 112

3.5. Intra- and interspecific communication 118

3.5.1. Visual functions 119

3.5.2. The olfactory functions 121

3.5.3. Auditive and mechanoreceptive functions 123

3.6. Ecological genetics 126

3.6.1. Sedentary species 126

3.6.2. Migratory species 129

3.6.3. Other structural factors 130

Chapter 4. Fisheries and Aquaculture 137

4.1. Fishing in lagoons 138

4.1.1. Advantages of lagoons for fisheries 138

4.1.2. Fishing methods and techniques 140

4.1.3. Fisheries production and yield 152

4.1.4. Interaction between marine and lagoon fisheries 161

4.2. Aquaculture in lagoons 163

4.3. Fisheries–aquaculture interactions in the lagoons 166

Chapter 5. Anthropization and Climate Change 169

5.1. Threats to lagoon and estuarine systems and their ichthyological populations 169

5.2. On the need for an integrated approach to lagoon ichthyology 179

5.3. Toward a best knowledge of lagoons: the contribution of the Mediterranean “lagoon–estuarine networks” 180

Appendix 183

Glossary 191

References 199

Index of Scientific Names and Common Words 257

Index by Country: Lagoons, Lakes, Ponds, Delta and Estuaries 263

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