Assessment of marine benthic quality change in gradients of disturbance: comparison of different Scandinavian multi-metric indices.
Three multi-metric benthic macrofauna indices were used to assess marine benthic ecological quality status (EcoQS) according to the European Water Framework Directive, in seven pollution gradients mainly, western Scandinavia. The impacts included organic load, hypoxia, metals, urban effluents and physical disturbance. The indices responded in a similar threshold fashion, irrespective of impact factor identity. Usually, the border between Good and Moderate EcoQS (G/M), is determined as some deviation from a reference situation. References, however, are difficult to find. An alternative procedure is described to estimate the G/M border, not requiring reference data. Thresholds, where faunal structure deterioration commences, were identified from non-linear regressions between indices and impact factors. Index values from the less impacted side of the thresholds were assumed to come from environments of Good and High EcoQS, and the 5th percentile of these data, was defined as the G/M border. Estimated G/M borders compared well with previous studies.
Josefson
Alf B
AB
Department of Marine Ecology, National Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark. aj@dmu.dk
Blomqvist
Mats
M
Hansen
Jørgen L S
JL
Rosenberg
Rutger
R
Rygg
Brage
B
D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D004777:Environment; D005068:Eutrophication; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis; D007448:Invertebrates; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D007220:Industrial Waste; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014873:Water Pollutants; D010758:Phosphorus; D007854:Lead; D003300:Copper; D009532:Nickel; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D009584:Nitrogen