Macroalgal assemblages have been used as a quality element for the assessment of the ecological status classes (ESCs) in coastal water bodies for the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC). To assess the suitability of this quality element in the coastal waters off Algiers, seven sampling sites with five (5) replications covering a wide range of anthropogenic pressures were studied during spring and summer 2015. Coverage data for the macroalgae at each sampling site were analyzed at the biological levels of species, i.e., structural (species number, nMDS, clustering, K-dominance and Simper analysis based on Bray-Curtis similarity), and ecological status groups, i.e., functional (nMDS, clustering, K-dominance, ecological evaluation index/EEI-c). Key water variables (temperature, salinity and pH) along with the anthropogenic stress index MALUSI were also estimated. The obtained results revealed a significant effect of anthropogenic stress on the macroalgal assemblages. The structural analysis showed the following: (1) species richness of 86 taxa in total; (2) dominance of Cystoseira amentacea var. stricta (late-successional) associated with Lithophyllum incrustans and Jania rubens at nonimpacted sites and with Ulva rigida, Ulva intestinalis and Caulerpa cylindracea (opportunistic) species at impacted sites; and (3) a higher proportion of low-abundance species in polluted communities than in less polluted communities. The functional analysis showed the following: (1) classification of sites based on multivariate and K-dominance analyses into four groups, three in agreement with the water degradation information and one in agreement with a low salinity influence; (2) classification of sites into "bad", "high", "moderate" and "good" ESCs based on the EEI-c index; and (3) a strong nonlinear relationship (R²=0.85) of the EEI-c index with the MALUSI index. Therefore, the EEI-c index will be a suitable tool to implement a national monitoring program within the scope the WFD along Algerian coasts.

Maritime transport is considered to be one of the main factors to transfer non-indigenous species (NIS), through biofouling of ships’ hulls and ballast water. Therefore, ports and marinas constitute hot spots for the introduction of species carried by international shipping and therefore are important sites for initiating biological monitoring. In this study, the port of Arzew (Algeria, Southern Mediterranean) was surveyed for the presence of NIS and cryptogenic species. The fouling communities of floating submerged structures and the hull of a fishing vessel were sampled with a scraper blade. After fixing and separating, the organisms were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level. The results revealed the presence of 10 NIS and cryptogenic species, including: 1 Ascidiacea, 2 Bryozoa, 3 Crustacea, 1 Mollusca 1 Porifera, and 2 Polychaeta. Five species are reported for the first time from the Algerian coast. This study contributes to the knowledge of non-native species on the Algerian coast and in the Southern Mediterranean and establishes a baseline dataset for future assessments of NIS in ports of Algeria.

No abstract