Caracterização da ictiofauna de intertidal rochoso na costa sul de Portugal

Dissertação mest., Biologia Marinha, Universidade do Algarve, 2009

Fishes that live on the intertidal rocky shores have to cope with an extreme and dynamic environment, inhabiting the rockpools that exist on the intertidal shores at low tide. The purpose of this study was to characterize the intertidal fish community of small (<0,5 m2) and medium ( 0,5 m2) sized rock pools of three intertidal rocky shores in the South of Portugal (Algarve) and try to understand which factors regulate and influence them. Sampling occurred between 2006 and 2007. No anaesthetics were used and the fish were returned to their original rockpools. Size, algal cover, elevation and the fauna inhabiting the rock pools were some of the characteristics taken in account. The structure and composition of the communities were similar with others already studied along the Portuguese coasts and confirmed some the factors that influence some of the resident species, as Lipophrys pholis and Coryphoblennius galerita, such as the rockpools’s bottom, structural complexity and the presence of sea urchins. However, the study of different rocky shores should be carried on as different plattforms and locations can add some variability to these communities.