Connectivity Patterns for Direct Developing Invertebrates in Fragmented Marine Habitats: Fish Farms Fouling as Source Population in the Establishment and Maintenance of Local Metapopulations

Artificial structures can be considered as high spatially structured habitats in the marine pelagic system, where patch connectivity would strongly dependent on exchange of larvae or dispersing individuals. Fish-farms located offshore may alter ecological connectivity, modifying trophic resources, and species dispersal among patches. High population densities invertebrates found associated with fish-farm fouling communities, which act a seed source, contributing to patterns through individuals between subpopulations sink populations. A field experiment was performed analyse role fish-farms colonisation new uninhabited (floating experimental units) at different positions relative fish farm main current, containing artificial without feed pellets similar those used farm. Amphipods were example direct developing for studying from habitats. The richest most abundant populations this study close downstream farm, surpassing 1,000 amphipods their maximum. Moreover, some floating more than 2 km colonised only 15 days. Thus, farms has been shown extend beyond ‘stepping-stones’ effect dispersal, have an additional by increasing sizes acting source. Our aims provide recommendations coastal zone management order predict potential spread other platforms future promote solutions related interactions consequences within facilities.