Population and habitat status of two endemic sand gobies in lagoon marshes – Implications for conservation

Ensuring biodiversity, through the conservation of natural habitats, such as wetlands, and of their wild flora and fauna, is the main objective of the Habitat and Species Directive 92/43/EC. Within this framework, two species of Community interest, Pomatoschistus canestrinii and Knipowitschia panizzae (Gobiidae, Osteichthyes), endemisms of the Northern Adriatic lagoons, were considered. The population structure, reproductive effort, somatic growth and production of such species were investigated in marsh habitats of the Venice lagoon, as indicators of the status of the populations and their habitats. The lagoon marsh habitats hosted abundant and well structured populations, functioning also as breeding areas for these species. A certain spatial variability was also observed, possibly related to the shelter conditions of different marsh sub-habitats (e.g. marsh creeks vs. adjacent mudflats). These results were discussed in the light of the available ecological knowledge on the two species, with a particular attention to the conservation priority focused on the protection of biodiversity and of key habitats.