Ruolo trofico della barriera artificiale di Cesano-Senigallia nei confronti di alcune specie ittiche

The trophic relationship between the Cesano-Senigallia artificial reef and three fish species (Sciaena umbra, Umbrina cirrosa, Diplodus annularis) commonly recorded at the reef were investigated through the analysis of the gut contents and the study of the benthic communities settled on the man-made structures, in the surrounding soft bottom as well as at a control site without hard substrates. The results showed that all the three species feed preferably both on hard substrate species and on sand-muddy bottom species living on the artificial structures and/or in the bottom close to them. This trophic relationship is particularly strict for S. umbra whereas U. cirrosa and D. annularis integrate their diet feeding also on organisms living in the original sand-muddy bottom outside the reef.