Fatty acids as trophic markers and indicators of the quality of benthic habitats: The example of maerl and crinoid beds in the Northwestern Mediterranean

Highly productive and vulnerable habitats such as maerl crinoid beds are subject to severe impacts from trawling in Mediterranean Sea. One of the most valuable target species that inhabit these is red mullet, Mullus barbatus, which can achieve there optimum feeding conditions based on infauna, provide some Fatty Acids (FAs) Polyunsaturated (PUFAs) essential shaping life history traits growth reproduction. This study first one evaluating how habitat type affect FA profile mullet their prey (infauna). The analysis was carried out both (maerl beds) compared muddy bottom, common trawl fishing ground. In muscle or beds, we observed a higher concentration PUFAs omega 3 6 C22:6n-3 (docosahexaenoic acid, DHA), C18:3n-3 (alfa-linolenic ALA) C18:2n-6 (linoleic acid) than bottoms. On other hand, MUFAs C18:1cn-9 (oleic presented concentrations bottoms habitat. Regarding infauna's FAs, between 30% 35% dissimilarity respectively. addition, differences found were very similar M. barbatus when with habitats. Our results support idea using FAs an indicator quality trophic marker sensitive benthic habitats, contribute assess good environmental status (GES) goods services they provide.