Module 1.
Large-scale assessment of fish species nursery grounds along the middle Adriatic coast
- Analysing the availability and suitability of microhabitats (location, abundance) with potential nursery role along the middle Adriatic coast,
- Identifying the spatio-temporal usage of identified nurseries per specific fish species, genus, families Analysing latitudinal limits of settler's distribution
- Determining larval supply (settlement rates) per specific nursery grounds and specific fish species
- Estimating the survival of settlers (recruitment level) across the specific nursery grounds and specific fish species
- Determining differences in species segregation and overlap within and amongst certain nursery habitat types
- Determining inter-annual variability in juvenile densities and year-class strength for certain economically important and exploited fish species
Module 2.
Insights into connectivity between estuarine and coastal habitats through otolith elemental fingerprints
- Analysing the otoliths chemical composition of selected juvenile and adult fish species
- Accurate identifying the estuarine origin of selected species or nursery habitat
- Analysing spatial differences in chemical composition of otoliths of selected species
- Determining the relative contributions of individual nursery to the coastal population of selected species
- Assessing connectivity in 2 distinct year classes to evaluate the generality of nursery contributions over time Determining whether the most important estuarine nurseries were similar between years
Module 3.
Temporal changes in the structure of littoral juvenile fish assemblages: shifts, challenges and threats
- Analysing spatio-temporal changes in structure of juvenile fish assemblage using new data (2017) and those from scientific monitoring conducted by IOF in period 1998-2016 and correlation with environmental parameters (temperature, salinity) Providing baseline of diversity metrics
- Characterizing the change in taxonomic community composition through time
- Determining whether there has been an increase in warm-water affinity species relative to their cold water affinity counterparts Determining eventual higher incidence of pelagic, planktivorous species
- Identifying the most vulnerable and most successful fish species, genus, family based on abundance and biomass trends
- Identifying the potential bioindicator species for juvenile fish assemblage composition and structure related to anthropogenic influence
- Identifying drivers of temporal and spatial variations in juvenile fish assemblages
- Estimating the consequences of habitat transformations