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- Title
Adaptation of macroalgal indexes to evaluate the ecological quality of coastal waters in oceanic islands with subtropical influence: the Azores (Portugal).
- Authors
Gabriel, Daniela; Micael, Joana; Parente, Manuela I.; Costa, Ana C.
- Abstract
Due to their sedentary characteristic and the sensibility of certain taxa to excessive nutrients or toxic substances, the benthic macroalgal assemblage of a given locality reflects the effects of long-term exposure to pollution. For this reason, seaweeds have been used to assess the environmental condition of coastal communities. Since the Water Framework Directive from the European Union (WFD/EU) was launched, several ecological indexes have been developed for ecological quality assessment and monitoring. Those indexes are based on different features that can be easily observed and combined into a single value, which in turn is translated to stakeholders as an ecological status. In the present study, four of the main indexes based on macroalgal abundance and composition were used to classify the coastal waters of the Azorean islands: the Greek EEI (Ecological Evaluation Index), the British RSL (Reduced Species List Rocky Shore Tool), the Spanish CFR (Quality of Rocky Bottoms Index) and the Portuguese MarMAT (Marine Macroalgae Assessment Tool). The metrics established in those tools were adapted to allow their application in this archipelago of subtropical influence. All the applied indexes resulted in at least a "GOOD" ecological status for the majority of the sampled sites. The differences in metrics and efficiencies of the indexes are discussed, with the most recent tools proving to be more precise and in accordance with other indicators. The increase of different sampling sites as well as the comparison with areas more impacted by human activities is still necessary to reinforce and validate the preliminary results presented here.
- Subjects
AZORES; ALGAE; MARINE algae; POLLUTION; BIOINDICATORS; ARCHIPELAGOES
- Publication
Journal of Integrated Coastal Zone Management / Revista de Gestão Costeira Integrada, 2014, Vol 14, Issue 2, p175
- ISSN
1646-8872
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.5894/rgci465