title: An index based on the biodiversity of cetacean species to assess the environmental status of marine ecosystems.
abstract: The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires the assessment of the environmental status in relation to human pressures. In this study the biodiversity of the cetacean community is proposed as MSFD descriptor of the environmental status and its link with anthropogenic pressures is investigated. Functional groups are generally favoured over indicator species since they are thought to better reflect to anthropogenic stressors. Cetaceans are in many situations the most well known component of pelagic ecosystems. Their habitat requirements are known and can be used to evaluate the theoretical biodiversity that should be expected in a certain area. The deviations between the theoretical biodiversity and the actual biodiversity may be used to detect the impacts of human activities. Based on this analysis fishery resulted to be by far the most significant of the existing pressures. Among all the species, bottlenose dolphin was found the most correlated with the fishery sector dynamics.
authors.affiliation: Politecnico di Milano, DICA, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133 Milano, Italy; Tethys Research Institute, viale Gadio, 2, 20121 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: arianna.azzellino@polimi.it.
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azzellino
authors.affiliation: Dpt. of Physical, Earth and Environ. Sciences, University of Siena, Via PA Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fossi
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Biologia, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 0019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gaspari
authors.affiliation: Politecnico di Milano, DICA, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133 Milano, Italy; Tethys Research Institute, viale Gadio, 2, 20121 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lanfredi
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Brancati, 60, 00144 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lauriano
authors.affiliation: Dpt. of Physical, Earth and Environ. Sciences, University of Siena, Via PA Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marsili
authors.affiliation: Tethys Research Institute, viale Gadio, 2, 20121 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panigada
authors.affiliation: Museum of Natural History of Milan, C.so Venezia 55, 20121 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Podestà
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D002591:Cetacea / Q000502:physiology*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005062:European Union; D005398:Fisheries
keywords: Anthropogenic pressures; Biodiversity; Genetic markers; Good Environmental Status; MSFD