Maerl beds thus constitute “biodiversity hotspots” hosting highly diverse and abundant benthic fauna communities characterized by a mixture of hard- and soft-substrata species 5– 8 as well as rich algal communities 9. The structural complexity of this habitat noticeably involves the creation of numerous ecological niches for fauna and flora within interstitial spaces between algal branches 4, 5. Maerl beds refer to free-living (or unattached) non-geniculate corralline algae (Corallinophycidae, Rhodophyta), also called rhodoliths, accumulating on soft sediment seafloor to form highly 3D complex structured biogenic benthic habitats 1– 3. It suggests that direct and indirect disturbances induced by dredging are not acting at the same spatial scale, and can thereby differentially affect the ecosystem functions linked to vitality and habitat complexity. SPI imaging techniques also allowed for an assessment of changes in spatial heterogeneity that dredging created on several aspects of the structure and vitality of maerl beds. Fishing with dredges caused maerl mortality, substratum compaction, and decreasing habitat complexity. Declines in the proxies of maerl vitality and habitat complexity were measured across the gradient, and were associated with significant changes in the vertical distribution of live and dead maerl as well as of interstitial space.

We quantified maerl beds structure and vitality across a fine scale quantified dredging intensity gradient through the acquisition of in-situ images of beds cross-section using Sediment Profile Imaging system (SPI). We here investigated the effects of dredge-fishing on maerl in the bay of Brest (France). Disturbances associated with extraction and/or fishing activities using mobile bottom-contacting gears such as clam-dredges induce the most severe and long-term effects on these fragile habitats. Maerl beds form complex biogenic benthic habitats, characterized by high productivity as well as diverse biological communities.

Small scale dredging habitat project