Site fidelity of fish on a rocky intertidal in the south of Portugal

The short-term site fidelity of intertidal fish species was studied in a rocky intertidal zone in southern Portugal using visible implant elastomer tagging. Eleven fish species were caught, tagged and released, seven of which were recaptured. The larger tide pool with the highest complexity level and located at a lower position in the shore level did not have recaptures, while in others the individual fish species recaptured rate ranged from 11.1 to 38.9%, suggesting that the shore height is a dominant factor influencing site fidelity. Although the breeding season seems not to be the only explanation for the recapture rate, the higher mean recapture rates of Parablennius sanguinolentus, Lipophrys pholis and Gobius cobitis may be related to the parental behaviour of these species during that period. Site fidelity of juveniles of Scorpaena porcus in tidepools is reported for the first time, showing the importance of this habitat as a nursery ground.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evidencias de explotación de recursos marinos en la orilla norteafricana del estrecho de Gibraltar por sociedades del Pleistoceno en el Abrigo de Benzú (Ceuta)

Artículo sobre la utilización de recursos marinos por parte de los grupos prehistóricos en el abrigo de Benzú (Ceuta)

Lipophrys pholis is larger, grows faster and is in better condition in protected than in unprotected rocky shores

Intertidal fish are a key component of littoral food webs, contributing to the diets of birds and commercial fish species. Ascertaining their growth and condition can therefore help understand the health status of local communities. Lipophrys pholis is a fish of the rocky intertidal with a wide distribution throughout the North-eastern Atlantic (NE Atlantic) that has been recommended for use as an indicator in the environmental biomonitoring of marine ecosystems. However, it is unclear yet if this species is sensitive to the reserve effect. In this study, the size, growth and body condition of specimens caught at protected and unprotected rocky shores of two contrasting marine provinces of the NE Atlantic were analysed to address whether L. pholis is sensitive to the reserve effect. L. pholis were larger, grew faster in weight and were in better condition in the protected shores of both provinces. A faster growth rate was observed in the populations of the warmer province. Inshore waters of unprotected sites in the Northern European Seas sampled in this study have recently been incorporated into a protected area. Thus, these results can help assess the success of the marine conservation programme and the time L. pholis needs to improve its population's health at these shores. Regulating access to shores to avoid trampling and harvesting is a protection measure that can help enhance the health and conservation of L. pholis populations

Middle Paleolithic Mode 3 lithic technology in the rock shelter Benzú (North Africa) and its inmediate enviromental relationships

Artículo sobre la tecnología de Modo 3 en Benzú y su relación con el ecosistema adyacente

Marine resources exploitation by Palaeolithic hunter-fisher-gatherers and Neolithic tribal societies in the historical region of the Strait of Gibraltar

The Strait of Gibraltar is a geographic region between the south of Europe and the north of Africa. On the basis of the geological, geographical and ecological evidence, this is considered a historical region. Prehistoric societies that lived during the Pleistocene and Holocene on both sides of the Strait left behind very similar archaeological records. Marine resource exploitation is recorded in the African zone of the Strait, where malacofauna is found in the Middle Pleistocene levels at Benzú rock shelterdated at 254 ka. To the north of the strait, the Cadiz coast has shell midden sites associated with Mousterian technology. Continuity in the technological records related to the Upper Palaeolithic is present in this area and on both slopes of the Strait, as in Nerja Cave (Spain), Gibraltar caves (UK) and the caves in the Tangier area (Morocco). Although some variability in the technological and cultural sequences has been observed on both sides of the strait the marine resources exploitation suggests similar ways of life. During the Holocene, continuity appears among agricultural groups. An increase in the fishing and shellfish collection by the Neolithic societies is a further interesting aspect of this region, as is shown in Tetouan Caves (Gar Cahal and Kaf That el Ghar) and Benzú Cave (Ceuta) on the southern side of the Strait, and Embarcadero Rio Palmones and Retamar (Cádiz) on the north side. The new data collected during recent years demonstrates a deeper antiquity of the shell midden deposits and in the exploitation of marine resources in this area for hunter-gatherer societies with Mousterian technology. A new vision also emerged for the economy of the Neolithic societies of the Strait of Gibraltar, with marine resources exploitation representing as a very important activity

Marine resources exploitation by hunter-gatherer and handfishing and tribal communities societies, in the historical region of the strait of Gibraltar

Desde la denominada Arqueología Social abordamos un análisis de la explotación de los recursos marinos por las formaciones sociales con modo de producción basado en la caza, recolección, pesca y marisqueo y por sociedades tribales comunitarias en la región histórica del Estrecho de Gibraltar. Su análisis nos acerca a los modos de vida y modos de trabajo de las sociedades desde el Pleistoceno Medio hasta el Holoceno Inicial en el sur de la Península Ibérica y Norte de África. Los avances de la investigación en los últimos años están arrojando resultados arqueomalacológicos de gran interés en esta área, evidenciándose la importancia de la pesca y el marisqueo como actividades básicas en el sustento alimenticio desde sociedades vinculadas a tecnología Modo III-Musteriense hasta los grupos tribales, cuando se definen verdaderos modos de vida de pesca y marisqueo.From so-called Social Archaeology boarded an analysis of the exploitation of marine resources for hunter-gatherer-shellfish and tribal community mode social formations in the historic region of the Gibraltar Strait. His analysis brings us closer to the lifestyles and ways of working of the societies from the Medium Pleistocene to the Early Holocene of the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa. Advances in recent year’s research are showing archaeo-malacological results of great interest in this area, demonstrating the importance of fishing and shelling such as activities of great importance in the alimentary sustenance from societies linked to a technology of Mode III- Mousterian, to tribal groups, when real lifestyles of fishing and shellfish are defining

Oysters, mussels and the piscina loculata in the villa maritima of Cape Trafalgar (Barbate): new challenges

Recientemente se ha retomado el estudio de la villa maritima romana y de la problemática arqueológica del Cabo Trafalgar, el antiguo Promontorium Iunonis (Barbate, Cádiz), con el objetivo fundamental de caracterizar su piscina de acuicultura, única hasta la fecha en Baetica. Se presenta en este trabajo un avance de la campaña de marzo de 2021, que ha deparado múltiples novedades: nos centramos en el estudio del denominado Conchero Oriental, algunos de cuyos restos malacológicos quizás se correspondan con las especies engordadas en estas instalaciones: ostras (Ostrea edulis) y mejillones (Mytilus galloprovincialis). También se ha documentado en detalle el vivero, avanzando en su definición y en su posible carácter compartimentado (piscina loculata). Relevante ha sido también la identificación de piletas para la elaboración de garum y de salazones, lo que permite confirmar la convivencia de acuicultura y conservas piscícolas en este singular yacimiento de la costa del conventus Gaditanus

El abrigo de Benzú (Ceuta). Aportaciones al conocimiento de las sociedades con tecnología de Modo III en la región histórica del Estrecho de Gibraltar

El abrigo de Benzú se encuentra situado próximo a la ciudad de Ceuta, en el (norte) de África. Trabajamos en estos momentos en una fase final de la memoria científica de las actividades realizadas los últimos años. Por ello damos un balance, que todavía no es definitivo, de los datos geológicos, estratigráficos, cronológicos, ecológicos y de los recursos utilizados por las sociedades prehistóricas. Incidimos en datos tecnológicos de los productos arqueológicos y en los modos de vida. Las bases geológicas y paleoecológicas de la región histórica del Estrecho de Gibraltar ofrecen grandes semejanzas entre la orilla norteafricana y la europea. abrigo de Benzú cuenta con una secuencia de 7 estratos con tecnología muy definida en el concepto de Modo III. Las similitudes con los conjuntos del sur de la Península Ibérica son manifiestas. Destacamos también la explotación de recursos marinos por sociedades cazadoras-recolectoras desde el inicio de la secuencia en el Pleistoceno Medio. Con estas bases arqueológicas y el contexto de estudios recientes en la región norteafricana valoramos las posibles relaciones y contactos entre las sociedades de las dos orillas de la región histórica del Estrecho de Gibraltar