title: Ecological status assessment and response of benthic communities to environmental variability: the Valli di Comacchio (Italy) as a study case.
abstract: The Valli di Comacchio is one of most representative choked (not influenced by the tidal regime) lagoons in the Mediterranean and Europe. We compared the ecological status (ES) classification (sensu European Water Framework Directive, 2000/60/EC) of the Valli obtained through supporting physicochemical elements and biotic indices. The variability of water parameters was investigated through 1997-2002 at 4 permanent sampling stations. During the six years of investigation, macrobenthic data were collected to identify the response of several biological indices (taxonomic, functional and ecological). ES classification through supporting physicochemical elements resulted in discordant patterns. Nor taxonomic neither functional measures were able to add more information than that given by univariate biodiversity measures. Gaps and bias of the indices used were identified. Due to the absence of well defined environmental gradients, taxonomic and functional measures loose most of their usefulnesses. ES classification through ecological indices (M-AMBI and BITS) resulted in quite a concordant pattern, although BITS underestimated ES when there was a strong dominance of one opportunist family in the benthic community.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Evolution, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Munari
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mistri
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000032:analysis; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D004777:Environment; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000502:physiology; D007558:Italy; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D054712:Salinity; D012621:Seasons; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D000641:Ammonia; D010100:Oxygen