Monitoring transitional waters using reduced benthic assemblages.
In this study, the use of reduced assemblages of benthic invertebrate taxa is proposed to describe similarity relationships between samples from transitional environments. A data set from four different studies, made up of 641 samples for a total 203 species, was analysed using permutation randomisation tests in order to extract a pool of taxa able to approximate the full set of species. The identified "operational set", comprising 19 taxa, was capable of adequately reproduce similarity relationships between samples (Rho>0.90, p<0.001). All selected taxa were easily extractable from the samples and easy identifiable by non-specialised technicians; these characteristics were considered appropriate for the development of rapid and cost-effective monitoring procedures based on benthic invertebrate assemblages.
Tagliapietra
Davide
D
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Venice, Campo della Celestia 2737/b, I-30123 Venice, Italy. davide.tagliapietra@ismar.cnr.it
Cornello
Michele
M
Volpi Ghiradini
Annamaria
A
Ghirardini
Annamaria Volpi
AV
D000818:Animals; D002947:Cities; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007558:Italy; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012623:Seawater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical