Page 5 - Cocito2_alii_2015

Monaci West (CMw) the 7 of September. Counting of Results
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P. oceanica shoots were made by one non-experienced
MPA diver and one experienced ENEA diver within the Training activity
same 15 replicate quadrats in each locality (Figure 2). P. oceanica shoot counts in the quadrats showed no
Visual estimation of both P. oceanica leaf canopy cover and significant differences (P>0,05) between experienced
fish abundance was carried out in pair along the transects. and non-experienced divers, although these latter showed
Paired t-tests were used to compare the data acquired in tendency to underestimate the number of shoots per
September 2012 and analyze the differences between quadrat (Figure 3).
divers. Monitoring activities were then carried out by MPA Data on visual estimation of P. oceanica canopy cover
divers in May-June 2013 (before the AR deployment) and showed differences (P<0.05) between divers in the first
in February 2014 (after the AR deployment). three localities monitored, but in the following period the

FIGURE 3 Mean number of Posidonia oceanica shoots counted
by experienced (ex) and non-experienced (nex) divers
in five replicate quadrats at each sampling locality.
Standard deviations are indicated by bars
FIGURE 1 Map of the 6 localities around Favignana Island chosen
for long-term monitoring (© Google Earth)

FIGURE 4 Mean percentage cover of P. oceanica evaluated
by one experienced (ex) and one non-experienced
(nex) diver in five replicates at each sampling locality.
FIGURE 2 Counting of P. oceanica shoots performed during training Asterisks (*) show differences (T-test for dependent
by one non-experienced MPA diver and one experienced samples, P<0,05) between observers. Standard
ENEA diver within the 1 m² reference quadrat deviations are indicated by bars

EAI Energia, Ambiente e Innovazione 4/2015
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