Characterization of the ecological quality of the coastal Gulf of Lions (NW Mediterranean). A comparative approach based on three biotic indices

The ecological quality of the Gulf of Lions coast was assessed using three biotic indices ( H′, AMBI and BQI). The three indices correlated positively. The positive correlation between AMBI and BQI was surprising and was mostly due to the fact that the dominant species Ditrupa arietina featured a lo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine pollution bulletin 2006, Vol.52 (1), p.34-47
Main Authors: Labrune, Céline, Amouroux, Jean Michel, Sarda, Rafael, Dutrieux, Eric, Thorin, Sébastien, Rosenberg, Rutger, Grémare, Antoine
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Applied ecology
Biodiversity
Biological and medical sciences
Biotic indices
Conservation of Natural Resources - methods
Ditrupa arietina
Ecological quality
Ecosystem
Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution
Environmental Monitoring - methods
Environmental Monitoring - statistics & numerical data
France
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Invertebrates - classification
Macrofauna
Marine
Marine and brackish environment
Marine Biology - methods
Marine Biology - statistics & numerical data
Mediterranean Sea
Ocean, Atmosphere
Physical disturbances
Polychaeta
Sciences of the Universe
Seawater
Serpulidae
Spain
Time Factors
Water framework directive
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Summary:The ecological quality of the Gulf of Lions coast was assessed using three biotic indices ( H′, AMBI and BQI). The three indices correlated positively. The positive correlation between AMBI and BQI was surprising and was mostly due to the fact that the dominant species Ditrupa arietina featured a low ES50 0.05 but was classified in GI by AMBI. Both H′ and BQI were efficient in distinguishing impacted from un-impacted sites but AMBI was not. Differences between H′ and BQI were mainly due to the scale used to translate indices in terms of EcoQ. The three indices were able to detect the major changes in macrofauna composition, which occurred in the Bay of Banyuls-sur-Mer during the last 40 years. However, the interpretations of such changes in terms of EcoQ differed between indices. These results are discussed relative to the characteristics of the tested indices.
ISSN:0025-326X
1879-3363
DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2005.08.005