Ecological status in the Ligurian Sea: the effect of coastline urbanisation and the importance of proper reference sites.
The assessment of the ecological status, as required by the Water Framework Directive (WFD), plays an important role in coastal zone management, but only a small number of ecological indices are applicable on rocky bottoms. In this study, we apply a previously defined ecological quality index based on the cartography of littoral and upper-sublittoral rocky-shore communities (CARLIT), based on the sensitivity of algae dominated communities to anthropogenic impacts along a moderate urban gradient. We also apply this index in four Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), proposed as reference sites at a regional scale. After comparing the outputs with water variables and other quality indices, we can affirm that (1) the CARLIT index is suitable to detect different kinds of anthropogenic pressures, that (2) the choice of proper reference sites is a focal point in the fulfilment of the WFD (Water Framework Directive) and that (3) historical data are important to define reference conditions and the degradation of ecological status.
Mangialajo
Luisa
L
Dip.Te.Ris., Università degli Studi di Genova, C.so Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy. luisama@dipteris.unige.it
Ruggieri
Nicoletta
N
Asnaghi
Valentina
V
Chiantore
Mariachiara
M
Povero
Paolo
P
Cattaneo-Vietti
Riccardo
R
D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000254:growth & development*; D005843:Geography; D007558:Italy; D008386:Marine Biology / Q000379:methods*; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D011156:Population Density; D012016:Reference Values; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014507:Urbanization / Q000639:trends*