Ecological reference conditions and quality states of marine macroalgae sensu Water Framework Directive: An example from the intertidal rocky shores of the Portuguese coastal waters
- 作者：Rui Gaspar ; rui.miguel.m@gmail.com ; Leonel Pereira ; Joã ; o M. Neto
- 关键词：Macroalgae ; Reference conditions ; Ecological quality ; Coastal waters ; Water Framework Directive ; Intertidal rocky shores
- 刊名：Ecological Indicators
- 出版年：2012
- 期刊代码：22_1470160x
- 类别：env
- 出版时间：August, 2012
- 卷：19
- 期：Complete
- 页码：24-38
- 文件大小：1324 K
摘要
Under the scope of the Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC), ecological reference conditions and quality states were established for the biological quality element of macroalgae. The work combined both historical and current monitoring data from northern Portuguese coastal waters (Portuguese 鈥楢5 typology鈥? matching the European 鈥楴EA1 typology鈥?. Representative intertidal rocky shore sites were selected to: (1) have a robust variability in macroalgal communities within the water body type and (2) cover a gradient of anthropogenic pressure to understand the communities鈥?changes due to disturbance. First, a 鈥榬educed taxa list鈥?(RTL) was developed by selecting and grouping macroalgal taxa common in the study area, in proportion to the naturally occurring macroalgal taxonomic groups (Chlorophyta, Phaeophyceae - Heterokontophyta and Rhodophyta) and comprising taxa that require a moderate level of taxonomical identification expertise. Second, based on the RTL, the metrics of composition, i.e., species richness; the number and proportion of Chlorophyta, Phaeophyceae and Rhodophyta; the number and proportion of opportunists; ecological status groups (ESG) I, and ESG II; the ratios ESG I/ESG II, the number of opportunists/ESG I and the number of opportunists/ESG II; plus an abundance metric coverage of opportunists were studied to understand their behaviour under different levels of disturbance. The thresholds between the five quality conditions (鈥榟igh鈥? 鈥榞ood鈥? 鈥榤oderate鈥? 鈥榩oor鈥?and 鈥榖ad鈥? similar to those required by the WFD to calculate the ecological quality status) were defined for the above macroalgal metrics in compliance with the WFD. Hence, reference conditions - pristine situations that exist or would exist with no or very minor disturbances from anthropogenic pressures - were established together, since this class of excellent quality is included in the 鈥榟igh鈥?quality condition.