The Cystoseira ericaefolia group is conformed by three species: C. tamariscifolia, C. mediterranea and C. amentacea.
These species are among the most important habitat forming species of the upper sublittoral rocky shores of the
Mediterranean Sea and adjacent Atlantic coast. This species group is sensitive to human pressures and therefore
is currently suffering important losses. This study aimed to assess the influence of anthropogenic pressures,
oceanographic conditions and local spatial variability in assemblages dominated by C. ericaefolia in the Alboran
Sea. The results showed the absence of significant effects of anthropogenic pressures or its interactions with environmental
conditions in the Cystoseira assemblages. This fact was attributed to the high spatial variability,
which is most probably masking the impact of anthropogenic pressures. The results also showed that most of
the variability occurred on at local levels. A relevant spatial variability was observed at regional level, suggesting
a key role of oceanographic features in these assemblages.
