Preprint volume - SIBM

Pre-print Volume – Posters
Topic 3: INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT
Three descriptors have been considered: ecological values of organisms (values
attributed at each sample correspond to values of the organism with the highest
sensitivity level present in the sample), number of organisms/groups, heterogeneity of
assemblages (calculated through PERMDISP analysis; Anderson, 2006). Values of
Environmental Quality (EQV) calculated from these three descriptors were divided
from reference values (values obtained from Montecristo Island) to obtain the
Environmental Quality Ratio (EQR’). The EQR of the water bodies was evaluated as
the mean of the three EQR’. According to the European Water Framework Directive,
five ecological status classes were defined (0-0.4 bad, 0.4-0.55 poor, 0.55-0.7
moderate, 0.7-0.85 good, 0.85-1.0 high).
Results – The application of the proposed method to the 4 locations sampled along the
coast of Tuscany, showed that Monte Argentario resulted in high condition, while the
other locations resulted in good condition (Tab. 2).
Tab. 2 - Results of application of the new method to 4 locations of Tuscany coasts.
Risultati dell'applicazione del nuovo metodo (E.S.C.A.) nelle quattro località toscane.
Location EQR’
sensitivity
level
EQR’
Number of
taxa/group
EQR’
heterogeneity
41 st S.I.B.M. CONGRESS Rapallo (GE), 7-11 June 2010
171
EQR Ecological
status
Argentario Month 0.97 (high) 0.99 (high) 0.79 (good) 0.92 High
Vada Shoal 0.92 (high) 0.89 (good) 0.66 (moderate) 0.83 Good
Meloria Shoal 0.90 (high) 0.82 (good) 0.61 (moderate) 0.78 Good
Calafuria (LI) 0.90 (high) 0.77 (good) 0.54 (moderate) 0.74 Good
Conclusions – The proposed method allowed to clearly separate the studied locations,
in agreement with results obtained with other methods already used in monitoring
programs (eg. CARLIT). The three selected descriptors sowed similar patterns in the
attributing ecological values at the five locations. The widest range of EQR values was
related to the level of heterogeneity, that seems to represent a valid descriptor of
ecological quality of coralligenous assemblages. The proposed method shows the
advantages that it is not a destructive method, it does not require highly specialized
taxonomists and it considers different ecological aspects of the assemblages. However,
this method needs to be tested on a large set of data, in order to evaluate its
effectiveness and to highlighted possible differences related to geographic areas.
References
ANDERSON M.J. (2006) - Distance-based test for homogeneity of multivariate dispersions.
Biometrics, 62: 245-253.
BALATA D., PIAZZI L., CECCHI E., CINELLI F. (2005) - Variability of Mediterranean
coralligenous assemblages subject to local variation in sediment deposits. Mar. Environ. Res.,
60: 403-421.
BALLESTEROS E. (2006) - Mediterranean coralligenous assemblages: a synthesis of present
knowledge. Oceanog. Mar. Biol. Annu. Rev., 44: 123-195.
PIAZZI L., BALATA D., CECCHI E., CINELLI F., SARTONI G. (2010) - Species composition and
patterns of diversity of macroalgal coralligenous assemblages in the north-western
Mediterranean Sea. J. Nat. Hist., 44: 1-22.