Assessing the benefits of the marine protected area of Punta Coles,southern Peru (south-east Pacific) on productivity of conspicuous benthic species using pre-image population analysis |
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| Authors: | Alex Tejada Danny Baldarrago Ruslan Pastor Marco Ortiz |
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| Institution: | 1. Laboratorio Costero de Ilo - Instituto del Mar del Peru (IMARPE), Peru;2. Área Funcional de Investigaciones Marino Costera, Dirección General de Investigaciones en Acuicultura - Instituto del Mar del Peru (IMARPE), Peru;3. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile |
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| Abstract: | - The coastal marine protected ecosystem at Punta Coles (as a part of the Reserva Nacional de Islas, Islotes y Puntas Guaneras) is located in a highly exploited area in southern Peru and contains several commercial, bioengineering and other benthic species.
- Pre-image population analysis was used to estimate the transient values of intrinsic growth rate (r) based on biomass and density time series as a proxy of productivity to assess the effectiveness of protection.
- The outcomes obtained showed that the gastropods Concholepas concholepas, Fissurella latimartiginata and the tunicate Purya chilensis showed a reduction of productivity during recent years, whilst the sea urchin Loxechinus albus, the barnacle Balanus laevis and the bivalve Semimytilus algosus showed an opposite pattern. Several species exhibited a chaotic dynamic, coinciding with the highest productivity values. In 2016 and 2017, several species exhibited a reduction of their abundance which could be delayed responses explained by changes in oceanographic conditions (reduction of coastal upwelling), La Niña event and illegal harvest.
- The above notwithstanding, the results suggest that effective protection of benthic species in the protected ecosystem of Punta Coles have been partially accomplished. Therefore, this work could be considered a baseline study, permitting the subsequent monitoring of productivity of the main species inhabiting the coastal area of Punta Coles.
- Pre-image population analysis could be used as a complimentary analytical tool since it enables the evaluation of transient population parameters (e.g. productivity) thus aiding population management, conservation and monitoring decisions.
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| Keywords: | conservation marine protected area monitoring programme population dynamics time series of abundance |
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