@article {387,
	title = {Immediate and delayed effects of a mass mortality event on gorgonian population dynamics and benthic community structure in the NW Mediterranean Sea},
	journal = {Marine Ecology Progress Series},
	volume = {305},
	year = {2005},
	abstract = {<p>In the boreal summer of 1999, many invertebrates of hard-bottom  communities in the NW Mediterranean Sea suffered mass mortality. Our  study assessed the population of the temperate octocoral Paramuricea  clavata before the event and monitored the population over the following  4 yr. Spatial patterns showed decreasing mortality with increasing  depth between 0 and 50 m, as well as high local variability. The  temporal pattern was characterized by a sharp decrease in biomass (58\%)  shortly after the event caused by the combined effect of colony death  (9\% of the population) and an increase in the extent of colony injury  (from 9\% before the event to 52\% shortly after it). After 4 yr of  monitoring, our results indicated a large delayed effect of the event.  Population density decreased continuously after November 1999, and by  the completion of the study in November 2003 the accumulated density  decrease was 48\% of the initial population. This decrease was mainly due  to the death of colonies subjected to extensive injury, and because  recruitment did not offset mortality. After November 1999, biomass  continued to decrease at a slow rate, becoming almost constant after  November 2001. Overall, the delayed effect of the event accounted for a  70\% loss in P. clavata biomass. The fact that a stabilization of the  density and biomass of this species was observed during the last year of  our study suggests that the delayed impact of the 1999 mass mortality  event may be nearing its end. Nevertheless, given the low dynamics of P.  clavata and its role as a habitat former, the delayed effect of the  mass mortality event indicates the relevant role that disturbance can  play on the population dynamics of this species and as a community  structuring force on the coralligenous community.</p>},
	keywords = {benthos, biodiversit{\'e}, biodiversity, climate change, community structure, corallig{\`e}ne, coralligenous community, dynamic, dynamique, dynamique des populations, France, gorgonaire, gorgonian, habitat, hard bottom, Ile de Port-Cros, impact, injury, invertebrate, invert{\'e}br{\'e}, mass mortality, Mediterranean sea, M{\'e}diterran{\'e}e nord-occidentale, M{\'e}diterrann{\'e}e occidentale, Mer M{\'e}diterran{\'e}e, monitoring, mortalit{\'e} massive, mortality, north-western Mediterranean, Paramuricea clavata, population density, population dynamic, Port-Cros Island, Provence, structure des communaut{\'e}s, western Mediterranean},
	author = {C. Linares and R. Coma and D. Diaz and M. Zabala and B. Hereu and L. Dantart}
}
