Eutrophication-induced shifts in fish assemblages from a Mediterranean coastal lagoon

Zamora López, Antonio; Guerrero Gómez, Adrián; Torralva Forero, María del Mar; Zamora Marín, José Manuel; Oliva Paterna, Francisco José

Publication:
Eutrophication-induced shifts in fish assemblages from a Mediterranean coastal lagoon

dc.contributor.author	Zamora López, Antonio
dc.contributor.author	Guerrero Gómez, Adrián
dc.contributor.author	Torralva Forero, María del Mar
dc.contributor.author	Zamora Marín, José Manuel
dc.contributor.author	Oliva Paterna, Francisco José
dc.contributor.department	Zoología y Antropología Física
dc.contributor.other	Facultad de Biología
dc.date.accessioned	2026-01-21T08:30:50Z
dc.date.available	2026-01-21T08:30:50Z
dc.date.copyright	© 2025, Published by Elsevier B.V.
dc.date.issued	2025-10-24
dc.description.abstract	Eutrophication remains a critical threat affecting estuarine and coastal lagoon ecosystems, largely driven by intensified anthropogenic pressures and exacerbated by climate change. Understanding the impacts of eutrophic processes on biological communities is essential to ensure effective conservation and management of these vulnerable environments. This study investigates the ecological consequences of eutrophication-induced algal blooms and hypoxia-mediated mass mortality events on fish communities in the Mar Menor coastal lagoon (Western Mediterranean Sea). We assessed temporal changes in fish assemblage structure and composition across three different periods: a baseline reference period (2002–2004), an algal bloom period (2018–2019), and a mass mortalities period (2020–2021). For that purpose, multiple community metrics were assessed, including species richness, abundance, biomass, β-diversity, functional guilds, and species dominance. Significant disturbances in fish abundance and biomass in response to critical eutrophic events were found, though species richness remained stable. Community similarity decreased during warmer seasons of eutrophic periods, but β-diversity values remained constant. Species-specific responses highlighted a marked decline of benthic taxa closely associated with bottom habitats, while zooplanktivores and planktivores became dominant, suggesting the emergence of top-down trophic control mechanisms. Additionally, during hypoxic events, large macrobenthivorous species appeared to seek refuge in shallow and more oxygenated areas, thus leading to evident shifts in fish assemblage composition. These findings provide robust evidence of structural and functional disruption in fish assemblages under eutrophic stress conditions. Our study underscores the relevance of long-term biological monitoring and adaptive management strategies in transitional systems, particularly under future climate and nutrient enrichment scenarios.
dc.format	application/msword
dc.format.extent	14
dc.identifier.citation	Science of the Total Environment 1004 (2025) 180765
dc.identifier.doi	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180765
dc.identifier.eissn	1879-1026
dc.identifier.issn	0048-9697
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10201/189669
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation	Part of this research was supported by the Environmental Service and Mar Menor Service of the Government of the Autonomous Community of Murcia (CARM, Spain). Additional financial support was provided by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MCIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and FEDER, EU through project PID2023-146173NB-C21. J.M. Z-M. is supported by a postdoctoral grant funded by the Generalitat Valenciana and the European Social Fund Plus (CIAPOS/2023/129).
dc.relation.publisherversion	https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969725024052?via%3Dihub
dc.rights.accessRights	info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess
dc.subject	Transitional waters
dc.subject	Fish kill
dc.subject	Die-offs
dc.subject	Fish community
dc.subject	Top-down
dc.subject	Mar Menor
dc.subject	Eutrophic waters
dc.subject.ods	No relacionado con ningún objetivo de desarrollo sostenible
dc.title	Eutrophication-induced shifts in fish assemblages from a Mediterranean coastal lagoon
dc.type	info:eu-repo/semantics/article
dc.type.version	info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
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