Implementation of a new index to assess intertidal seaweed communities as bioindicators for the European Water Framework Directory

Type Article
Date 2016-01
Language English
Author(s) Ar Gall E1, 2, Le Duff M.1, 2, Sauriau P. -G.3, de Casamajor Marie-NoelleORCID4, Gevaert F.5, Poisson E.6, Hacquebart P.7, Joncourt Y.7, Barille Anne-Laure8, Buchet Remi9, Breret M.3, Miossec Laurence10
Affiliation(s) 1 : Univ Brest UBO UEB, Lemar UMR6539, F-29280 Plouzane, Brittany, France.
2 : Univ Brest UBO UEB, UMS 3113, IUEM, F-29280 Plouzane, Brittany, France.
3 : Univ Rochelle, CNRS, LIENSs, F-17000 La Rochelle, France.
4 : IFREMER HGS LRHA UFR Cote Basque, F-64600 Anglet, France.
5 : Univ Lille 1, CNRS UMR LOG 8187, F-62930 Wimereux, France.
6 : CSLN, F-76600 Le Havre, France.
7 : GEMEL Normandie, CREC, F-14530 Luc Sur Mer, France.
8 : BIO LITTORAL, CS 80693, F-44306 Nantes 3, Brittany, France.
9 : Univ Nantes, Fac Sci & Tech, Mer Mol Sante EA 2160, F-44322 Nantes 03, Brittany, France.
10 : Serv Valorisat Informat Gest Integree & Surveilla, IFREMER, Dept Dynam Environm Cotier, F-44311 Nantes 03, Brittany, France.
Source Ecological Indicators (1470-160X) (Elsevier Science Bv), 2016-01 , Vol. 60 , P. 162-173
DOI 10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.06.035
WOS© Times Cited 33
Keyword(s) Water Framework Directory, Macroalgal communities, Intertidal seaweeds, Quality index, Coastal water bodies
Abstract An index CCO (cover, characteristic species, opportunistic species) has been developed for the implementation of the European Water Framework Directory (WFD) in coastal waters, using intertidal macroalgal communities as bio-indicator (Biological Quality Element). CCO is based on the calculation of three metrics corresponding to the global cover of macroalgal communities (metric 1), the number of characteristic species per topographic level/seaweed community (metric 2) and the cover of opportunistic species (metric 3). The final rating is obtained by pooling the scores of the three metrics. Results are given for 32 sites in 29 water bodies, grouped into four biogeographic regions along the Channel–Atlantic coasts of France. Over the six-year study, most of sites were sampled twice each (every three years). CCO index revealed that 25 coastal water bodies of both the Channel and the Bay of Biscay were in good or high ecological quality status (EQS), whereas only 4 of them were moderate and none in poor to bad status. However, significant differences have been found between sites and between geographic regions, water bodies located in Brittany obtaining the best EQS. No significant change occurred between the three-year sampling sets. A significant correlation has been established between a three-component anthropogenic pressure index and CCO ratings, showing the accuracy of CCO to evaluate the impact of anthropic activities on the structure and development of macroalgal communities as indicator of the ecological quality of coastal water bodies.
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Ar Gall E, Le Duff M., Sauriau P. -G., de Casamajor Marie-Noelle, Gevaert F., Poisson E., Hacquebart P., Joncourt Y., Barille Anne-Laure, Buchet Remi, Breret M., Miossec Laurence (2016). Implementation of a new index to assess intertidal seaweed communities as bioindicators for the European Water Framework Directory. Ecological Indicators, 60, 162-173. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.06.035 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00273/38445/