European Ocean Biodiversity Information System

Sampling was conducted through non-destructive underwater photographic surveys of fixed-area quadrats. Two permanent transects were established in each study area (Alykes and Elounda) and sampled at five depths (1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 meters) during spring seasons of 2008, 2009, and 2024. At each depth, five photographic quadrats (either 25×25 cm or 100×100 cm) were positioned along the transects on hard substrates. Each image was later analysed using a stratified point count method with 100 randomly distributed points per photo to estimate the percent cover of sessile macrobenthic taxa.

The study was conducted in northern Crete, specifically in the coastal areas of Alykes and Elounda. Sampling took place during the spring seasons of 2008, 2009, and 2024, with two transects surveyed per site each year across five depth zones (1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 meters). The study focuses on hard substrate habitats and is representative of typical rocky reef environments in the eastern Mediterranean.