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A model to estimate the ecological status and identify restoration targets of transitional and coastal waters was developed. Marine benthic macrophytic species (seaweeds, seagrasses) were used to indicate shifts in the aquatic ecosystem from the pristine state with late-successional species (Ecological State Group I) to the degraded state with opportunistic (ESG II) species. The first group comprises species with a thick or calcareous thallus, low growth rates and long life cycles (perennials), whereas the second group includes sheet-like and filamentous species with high growth rates and short life cycles (annuals). Seagrasses were included in the first group, whereas Cyanophyceae and species with a coarsely branched thallus were included in the second group.The evaluation of ecological status into five categories from high to bad includes a cross comparison in a matrix of the ESGs and a numerical scoring system (Ecological Evaluation Index). The model could allow comparisons, ranking and setting of priorities at regional and national levels fulfilling the requirements of the EU Water Frame Directive. A successful application of the model was realized in selected lagoons of the Macedonian and Thrace region (North Greece) and in the Saronic Gulf coastal ecosystems (Central Greece).

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The self-life, quality and safety of refrigerated sardine fillets (Sardina pilchardus) were determined at 3• C in atmospheric air, vacuum and modified atmosphere (50% CO 2 /50% N 2 ) packaging conditions. Microbiological, physico-chemical and sensory parameters were utilised as quality indicators. The microbial flora of sardine comprised -according to order of occurrence -Shewanella putrefaciens, pseudomonads, Brochothrix thermosphacta, lactic acid bacteria and, finally, Enterobacteriaceae. Bacteria grew most quickly in sardines stored in air, followed by those in vacuum packaging, and the lowest counts were found in modified atmosphere packaging. The concentrations of moisture, ash, protein, fat and polyunsaturated fatty acids were not affected during the storage period compared to the pH values and the concentrations of lactate and ammonia that showed significant differences. INTRODUCTIONSeafood is highly perishable, generally spoils faster than other muscle foods and is also more susceptible to post-mortem texture deterioration than other meats.

Pollution with copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni) heavy metals of the surface sediments collected from three semi-closed East Mediterranean Gulfs, namely Kavala, Strymonikos, and Ierissos Gulfs, North Aegean Sea, Greece, was investigated to evaluate potential benthic ecological risks. The mean concentrations of the studied metals decrease according to the order: Zn > Pb > Cr > Ni > Cu (176.50, 166.23, 127.41, 43.12, and 33.64 mg kg−1 dry weight). Quality indicators and possible ecological risks for metals in surface sediments were evaluated at 60 sampling sites of these three gulfs using the contamination factor (CF), the contamination degree (CD), the pollution load index (PLI), the geoaccumulation index (Igeo), the potential risk factor (PRFi), and the potential ecological risk index (PERI). Based on Igeo, the Ierissos Gulf sampling sites IER 2, 3, 7, and 9 exhibit moderate Pb pollution, whereas the sampling sites IER 6 and 8 show moderate to strong and strong Pb pollution, respectively. Based on the PRFi and PERI, the studied heavy metals did not pose any significant environmental risks for most of the investigated sites except IER 6 and 8 sampling sites, which may pose considerable environmental risk for Pb. To evaluate potential sources for each metal, multivariate techniques including hierarchical cluster analysis and ANOVA were used.

In this study, chemical composition and growth responses of chia plants (Salvia hispanica L.) to inoculation with an arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM, Glomus mosseae, Nicol. & Gerd.) fungal inoculum (namely MC10) under the influence of soil pH were investigated. The experiment project included six treatments, i.e., control-non-arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (NAMF, pH 7.1), control-arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF, pH 7.1), acid-NAMF (pH 5.1), acid-AMF (pH 5.1), alkaline-NAMF (pH 8.2), and alkaline-AMF (pH 8.2). Stunted growth and leaf chlorosis were noticed mainly in plants grown in soil with acidic pH. An increase in fresh biomass was attained in plants amended with AM fungi in alkaline soil pH. Alkaline sandy soil with low levels of available P stimulated AMF colonization of chia roots, which subsequently enhanced P uptake and translocation in plant tissues. Total proteins, carbohydrates, and total fat content in leaves increased in AMF-inoculated plants in neutral and alkaline soil pH, while only fat content enhanced under acidic soil pH. MC10 inoculum resulted in reduced levels of total phenolics under alkaline conditions, whereas under acidic soil resulted in increased levels compared to the non-inoculated plants. The predominant fatty acids of chia leaves were palmitic (18.3 %), a-linolenic (17.1 %), pentadecenoic (11.0 %), linoleic (7.5 %), oleic (7.5 %), and stearic (6.3 %). Higher concentration of stearic, oleic, linoleic, and a-linolenic acids was observed in the leaves of chia plants grown on control (neutral pH) and alkaline soil in the presence of the MC10 inoculum. Alkaline soil combined with AM inoculation enhanced the nutritional value of chia leaves.