title: Long-term (1998-2010) large-scale comparison of the ecological quality status of gulf of lions (NW Mediterranean) benthic habitats.
abstract: A comprehensive Mediterranean data set has been used to address 3 questions associated with the use of sensitivity/tolerance based biotic indices to infer the Ecological Quality status (EcoQs) of benthic habitats. Our results showed: (1) a significant effect of the reference database on derived sensitivity/tolerance measure (ES500.05) as well as associated Benthic Quality Index values and derived EcoQs; (2) a lack of correlation neither between BQI and AZTI Marine Biotic Index values nor between BQI and Multivariate-AZTI Marine Biotic Index values; (3) a lack of correlation between the values of the Benthic Habitat Quality Index (index derived from Sediment Profile Imagery) and those of either of the 3 tested biotic indices; and (4) a general agreement between the 3 tested biotic indices in describing the lack of global trend for the EcoQs of the Gulf of Lions despite the occurrence of significant changes in benthic macrofauna composition between 1998 and 2010.
authors.affiliation: Université Bordeaux, CNRS, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33120 Arcachon, France. Electronic address: a.romero-ramirez@epoc.u-bordeaux1.fr.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romero-Ramirez
authors.affiliation: Université Bordeaux, CNRS, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33120 Arcachon, France; Université Paris 6, CNRS, LECOB, UMR 8222, F-66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer, France.
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bonifácio
authors.affiliation: Université Paris 6, CNRS, LECOB, UMR 8222, F-66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer, France.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Labrune
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Carrer d'accés a la Cala Sant Francesc 14, F-17300 Blanes, Spain.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sardá
authors.affiliation: Université Paris 6, CNRS, LECOB, UMR 8222, F-66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer, France.
authors.forename: Jean Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Amouroux
authors.affiliation: Université d'Aix-Marseille, OSU-Institut Pythéas IMBE Station marine d'Endoume, Chemin de la Batterie des Lions, F- 13007 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bellan
authors.affiliation: Université Bordeaux, CNRS, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33120 Arcachon, France.
authors.forename: Jean Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Duchêne
authors.affiliation: Université d'Aix-Marseille, OSU-Institut Pythéas IMBE Station marine d'Endoume, Chemin de la Batterie des Lions, F- 13007 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hermand
authors.affiliation: Marine Ecology Laboratory, University of Crete, Vasilika Vouton, Heraklion 70013, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Karakassis
authors.affiliation: Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Athens Sounio, Anavyssos Attiki 19013, Greece.
authors.forename: Costas
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dounas
authors.affiliation: Université Bordeaux, CNRS, EPOC, UMR 5805, F-33120 Arcachon, France.
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grémare
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000502:physiology*; D044822:Biodiversity; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004463:Ecology; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D060753:Water Quality
keywords: AMBI; BHQ; BQI; Biotic indices; ES50(0.05); M-AMBI; Sediment profile imaging