The mesophotic coralligenous outcrops dominated by Corallium rubrum are among the most diverse marine benthic communities in the Mediterranean. To assess the potential impacts of perturbations associated to global change on these communities robust baselines are urgently needed. Here, we analyzed decadal trends on composition and diversity indices associated to Corallium rubrum communities in the NW-Mediterranean. Our results demonstrate the extremely low variability of the descriptors of the community in terms of similarity, species richness, diversity indices and evenness over one decade. Thus, this study provides baseline data to detect potential effects due to global change.

Depth range
0- 0 m

Mesophotic “mentions”
5 x (total of 673 words)

Classification
* Presents original data
* Focused on 'mesophotic' depth range
* Focused on 'temperate mesophotic ecosystem'

Fields
Biodiversity
Community structure

Focusgroups
Overall benthic (groups)

Locations
Italy - Mediterranean
France - Mediterranean Sea