Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/21502
Title: Litter as a source of habitat islands on deepwater muddy bottoms
Authors: Pace, Roberta
Dimech, Mark
Camilleri, Matthew
Schembri, Patrick J.
Keywords: Marine debris -- Malta
Marine biodiversity -- Malta
Marine ecology -- Malta
Issue Date: 2007
Publisher: Commission Internationale Pour L'Exploration Scientifique De La Mer Mediterranee
Citation: Pace, R., Dimech, M., Camilleri, M., & Schembri, P. J. (2007). Litter as a source of habitat islands on deepwater muddy bottoms. Rapport du Congres de la Commission Internationale pour l'Exploration Scientifique de la Mer Mediterranee, 38, 567.
Abstract: Certain types of marine litter, usually considered as pollutants, may also be a resource, serving as artificial reefs on sedimentary bottoms. In order to study this aspect, marine debris was collected by bottom trawl from muddy bottoms (depths of 45-700m) in the waters around the Maltese islands, during July 2005. The associated fauna was identified and quantified. Litter was found to support a higher abundance of organisms than the surrounding sediment, but a lower species richness. However, the suite of epifaunal species on the debris was different from the infauna of the surrounding substratum. Thus litter was found to increase the overall biodiversity of particular areas.
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/21502
Appears in Collections:Scholarly Works - FacSciBio

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