A critical analysis on the response of macroinvertebrate communities along disturbance gradients: description of MEDOCC (MEDiterranean OCCidental) index

Pinedo, Susana; Jordana, Esther; Ballesteros, Enric

doi:10.1111/maec.12126

Cited by 21 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 77 publications

(186 reference statements)

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“…The future of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) therefore does not lie in a unified integrative index, but rather in a combined set of indices, each one providing information regarding a given problem, parameter and/or ecosystem, at a given scale. For instance, the CARLIT index provides information on the ecological status of large water bodies and shallow habitats (Ballesteros et al, 2007), the EBQI Posidonia oceanica assesses the functioning of a pivotal ecosystem resulting from multiple pressures, including overfishing Giakoumi et al, 2015), the MEDOCC index (MEDiterranean OCCidental index) assesses the ecological status of macroinvertebrate assemblages inhabiting soft substrates, in relation to organic pollution (Pinedo et al, 2015, the ALEX index (ALien Biotic Index) assesses the pressure of biological invasions on hard substrate assemblages (Piazzi et al, 2015), the LIMA index conveys the environmental interest and quality of the seascape formed by the Mediterranean benthos (Gobert et al, 2014), and the OCI (Overall Complexity Index) measures the ecological complexity of coastal marine ecosystems (Paoli et al, 2016). Both managers and scientists are now well aware that looking for a single, unified index would be equivalent to hunting the snark (Bond, 2001).…”

Section: Baseline For Future Prospectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An ecosystem-based approach to assess the status of Mediterranean algae-dominated shallow rocky reefs

Thibaut

Blanfuné

Boudouresque

et al. 2017

Marine Pollution Bulletin

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A conceptual model was constructed for the functioning the algae-dominated rocky reef ecosystem of the Mediterranean Sea. The Ecosystem-Based Quality Index (reef-EBQI) is based upon this model. This index meets the objectives of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. It is based upon (i) the weighting of each compartment, according to its importance in the functioning of the ecosystem; (ii) biological parameters assessing the state of each compartment; (iii) the aggregation of these parameters, assessing the quality of the ecosystem functioning, for each site; (iv) and a Confidence Index measuring the reliability of the index, for each site. The reef-EBQI was used at 40 sites in the northwestern Mediterranean. It constitutes an efficient tool, because it is based upon a wide set of functional compartments, rather than upon just a few species; it is easy and inexpensive to implement, robust and not redundant with regard to already existing indices.

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Section: Baseline For Future Prospectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An ecosystem-based approach to assess the status of Mediterranean algae-dominated shallow rocky reefs

Thibaut

Blanfuné

Boudouresque

et al. 2017

Marine Pollution Bulletin

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“…In fact, the presence of amphipods that were considered as stress-tolerant organisms could produce discrepancies between the calculated indices and other biotic indicators that take into account the differences in tolerance level among amphipod species (Pinedo et al, , 2014. There was also a debate among benthic community experts.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Polychaete/amphipod ratios: An approach to validating simple benthic indicators

Dauvin

Andrade

de-la-Ossa-Carretero

et al. 2016

Ecological Indicators

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a b s t r a c tAmong the macro-invertebrates used for the assessment of soft-bottom communities, most polychaetes are classified as tolerant/opportunistic to pollution while amphipods are considered as sensitive. These taxa have been used in several ecological indices, such as the simple abundance ratio between Polychaeta and Amphipoda or the Benthic Opportunist Annelids Amphipods (BO2A) index, to assess the Ecological Quality Status -EcoQs-of soft-bottom communities. In terms of Taxonomic Sufficiency (TS), the polychaete/amphipod ratio (i.e. at the level of the class/order) has been proved to be effective in identifying major changes in benthic communities following disturbances. However, an underlying issue is to assess the acceptable TS limit value needed to state accurately the quality of the benthic environment. We tested three indices using 18 series of observations carried out in five north-eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean zones impacted by oil spills, oil and gas production, brine and urban sewage, harbours and aquaculture farms within impacted and control areas. Similar results to BO2A were obtained when limiting the TS at the level of Polychaete opportunistic families, which required a lower degree of taxonomic expertise, and classifying all amphipods as sensitive taxa. In such a way that the EcoQs given by the BPOFA (Benthic Polychaete Opportunistic Families Amphipods) was very similar to those given by the BO2A (Benthic Opportunistic Annelids Amphipods).

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“… For multi-pressure methods, the relationship to pressures has been demonstrated mainly with combined pressure indices ( Harrison and Kelly, 2013 ; Poikane et al, 2016 , Poikane et al, 2017 ), multiple regressions or more complex statistical procedures ( Breine et al, 2015 ; Mondy et al, 2012 ). In many other cases, relationships have been validated only against catchment land use ( Kuhar et al, 2011 ; Pinedo et al, 2015 ), or have not been validated at all (e.g., Padisak et al, 2006 ). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In many other cases, relationships have been validated only against catchment land use ( Kuhar et al, 2011 ; Pinedo et al, 2015 ), or have not been validated at all (e.g., Padisak et al, 2006 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

European aquatic ecological assessment methods: A critical review of their sensitivity to key pressures

Poikāne

Herrero

Kelly³

et al. 2020

Science of The Total Environment

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The European Union has embarked on a policy which aims to achieve good ecological status in all surface waters (i.e. rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters). In theory, ecological status assessment methods should address the effects of all relevant human pressures. In this study, we analyze the degree to which methods European countries use to assess ecological status tackle various pressures affecting European waters. Nutrient pollution is by far the best-covered pressure for all four water categories. Out of total of 423 assessment methods, 370 assess eutrophication and pressure-specific relationships have been demonstrated for 212 of these. “General degradation” is addressed by 238 methods, mostly validated by relationships to combined pressure indices. Other major pressures have received significantly less effort: hydromorphological degradation is assessed by 160 methods and pressure-specific relationships have been demonstrated for just 40 of these. Hydromorphological pressures are addressed (at least by one BQE) only by 25% countries for coastal waters and 70–80% for lakes and transitional waters. Specific diagnostic tools (i.e. single-pressure relationships) for hydromorphology have only been developed by a few countries: only 20% countries have such methods for lakes, coastal and transitional waters and less than half for rivers. Toxic contamination is addressed by 90 methods; however, pressure-specific relationships have been demonstrated for just eight of these. Only two countries have demonstrated pressure-specific acidification methods for rivers, and three for lakes. In summary, methods currently in use mostly address eutrophication and/or general degradation, but there is not much evidence that they reliably pick up the effects of other significant pressures such as hydromorphology or toxic contamination. Therefore, we recommend that countries re-examine: (1) those pressures which affect different water categories in the country; (2) relevant assessment methods to tackle those pressures; (3) whether pressure-response relationships have been developed for each of these.

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A critical analysis on the response of macroinvertebrate communities along disturbance gradients: description of MEDOCC (MEDiterranean OCCidental) index

Cited by 21 publications

References 77 publications

An ecosystem-based approach to assess the status of Mediterranean algae-dominated shallow rocky reefs

An ecosystem-based approach to assess the status of Mediterranean algae-dominated shallow rocky reefs

Polychaete/amphipod ratios: An approach to validating simple benthic indicators

European aquatic ecological assessment methods: A critical review of their sensitivity to key pressures

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