Ecology and Conservation of limpets (Patella spp.) in the Azores

Gustavo M. Martins

Post-doc Researcher at cE3c (Island Biodiversity, Biogeography and Conservation Group)

Arguably,the largest anthropogenic impact in the Azorean intertidal is the overexploitation of the keystone patellid limpets.Heavy exploitation of limpets for human consumption over more than 30 years has caused extensive declines of these populations.Experimental work on the importance of top-down control by intertidal grazers throughout NW Europe strongly suggest that patellid exploitation is likely to have a strong impact also on the structure and functioning of Azorean rocky shores.Here I presente na overview of the work that has been done over the past 10 years and that includes investigating: the community level effects of chronic exploitation, the effects (or lack of) of marine reserves, the quality of limpets for human consumption, the role of limpets as habitats, coastal engineer as a tool to enhance limpet stocks, the level of molecular differentiation among islands as well as the impacts of climate change on limpet phenology.We have now gathered a considerable body of knowledge that allows to forward strategies that foster the sustainable exploitation of limpets but also the conservation the Azorean rocky intertidal as a whole.

Thursday, 2^nd June 2016

Ponta Delgada (Azores) – 11.00h-12.00h – Room SInf2

This conference will be broadcasted live via videoconference to:

FCUL (C6 Building) – 12.00h-13.00h – Room 6.2.51

Angra do Heroísmo - 11.00h-12.00h -PUrze1