Tidal variation in a rocky inter‐tidal fish population: the case of white seabream Diplodus sargus juveniles |
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| Authors: | Ana Ribeiro Gonçalves Liliana de Sousa Pedro Duarte‐Coelho Vitor Carvalho Almada |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Unidade de Investiga??o em Eco‐Etologia, ISPA – Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal;2. Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Porto, Portugal |
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| Abstract: | The rocky inter‐tidal habitat is a harsh and fluctuating environment, subject to frequent disturbances. Field observations of juvenile white seabream Diplodus sargus in inter‐tidal rocky habitats were conducted to analyse the spatial distribution and feeding activity of this species in relation to the tidal cycle. The depth at which fish were observed did not change in most tidal phases while feeding activity changed with tidal level, showing the occurrence of tidal migrations and that feeding may be limited by habitat availability in shallow waters and thus be dependent on tidal changes. The present results show the exploitation of available feeding areas in the rocky inter‐tidal by juvenile white seabream, which corroborates the importance of these habitats for the first developmental stages of this fish species. |
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| Keywords: | Feeding inter‐tidal environment migrations rocky shores Sparidae |
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