Proceedings of the Second Mediterranean Symposium on Marine

The Ecological Evaluation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> area resulted in three different quality classes: low for
<strong>the</strong> station in Rhodes port (R3), high for <strong>the</strong> recreational Ladikon bay (R8) and good for
all intermediate stations (R4, R5 and R7) as shown in Fig. 4.
Fig. 4: Ecological Evaluation <strong>of</strong> sampling locations by <strong>the</strong> appliance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> EEI on visual phytobenthic data.
Similar results derived by <strong>the</strong> appliance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> EEI on phytobenthic data found in <strong>the</strong>
literature (Diannelidis et al., 1977). In spite <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fact that <strong>the</strong>se data were collected by
<strong>the</strong> conventional destructive method, a similar classification was observed ranging from
low at stations near town to good at stations in Kalli<strong>the</strong>a bay (R7 in this study).
O<strong>the</strong>r authors describe Ladikon beach as a site <strong>of</strong> high ecological and aes<strong>the</strong>tic value,
especially characterized by <strong>the</strong> dominance <strong>of</strong> large Cystoseira communities (Jeudy De
Grissac et al., 1991). This was also confirmed in this study, as highest values in terms <strong>of</strong>
biodiversity and ecological evaluation were found at station R8 in Ladikon bay.
CONCLUSIONS
Although visual sampling methods are known to result in a considerable loss <strong>of</strong>
taxonomic information, this might not be <strong>the</strong> case when it comes to <strong>the</strong> ecological quality
assessment. Many researchers have already shown that identification to taxonomic levels
higher than species (e.g. genera or families) can efficiently detect changes related to
anthropogenic disturbances (Warwick, 1988a; 1988b; Urkiaga-Alberdi et al., 1999;
Pagola-Carte et al., 2002; Terlizzi et al., 2003).
In this study, <strong>the</strong> appliance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ecological Evaluation Index on phytobenthic data
collected by both destructive and non-destructive sampling resulted in a similar
ecological evaluation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> study area. Both methods reflected properly <strong>the</strong> existing
pollution gradient along <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>astern coasts <strong>of</strong> Rhodes Island, <strong>the</strong> visual method
being by far less laborious and time-consuming.
The combination <strong>of</strong> visual sampling with <strong>the</strong> Ecological Evaluation Index seems to
constitute a fast and efficient tool for <strong>the</strong> classification <strong>of</strong> coastal areas in terms <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
WFD Quality Classes. However, much fur<strong>the</strong>r replication in space and time is yet requisite
before we can confirm <strong>the</strong> method’s actual consistency to both scientific and policy
demands.
ACTES DU DEUXIEME SYMPOSIUM MEDITERRANEEN SUR LA VEGETATION MARINE (ATHENES, 12-13 DECEMBRE 2003)
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