Location of study sites.

<p>Location of study sites.</p

Infralittoral barrens at 10 m depth near Kas, Turkey, May 2008.

<p>Note the absence of erect algae and sea urchins.</p

School of thousands of juvenile <i>Siganus luridus</i> at Kas, Turkey, after a massive recruitment event in September 2009.

<p>School of thousands of juvenile <i>Siganus luridus</i> at Kas, Turkey, after a massive recruitment event in September 2009.</p

Biomass of fish trophic groups (g m⁻²; mean ± S.E., n = 6) and percentage of total fish biomass at the three study sites.

<p>Biomass of fish trophic groups (g m⁻²; mean ± S.E., n = 6) and percentage of total fish biomass at the three study sites.</p

Appendix J. Principal components analysis.

Principal components analysis

An exclusion cage at Kas in August 2009, five months after the beginning of the experiment.

<p>Inside the cage there is a well-developed algal assemblage, in contrast to the surroundings where only a few <i>Padina pavonica</i> stand out.</p

Appendix C. Major benthic algal species in the study assemblage.

Major benthic algal species in the study assemblage

Appendix E. Monthly average data of nutrient concentration and temperature, and estimated irradiance at 5 m depth at Medes Islands Marine Reserve during the study period.

Monthly average data of nutrient concentration and temperature, and estimated irradiance at 5 m depth at Medes Islands Marine Reserve during the study period

Evolution of total algal biomass inside the fish exclusion cages and controls (mean ± S.E., n = 12) at the three study sites.

<p>Evolution of total algal biomass inside the fish exclusion cages and controls (mean ± S.E., n  = 12) at the three study sites.</p

Appendix A. Location of study sites, inside Medes Islands protected area, northeast Spain, and northwest Mediterranean Sea.

Location of study sites, inside Medes Islands protected area, northeast Spain, and northwest Mediterranean Sea