title: Structuring factors of the spatio-temporal variability of macrozoobenthos assemblages in a southern Mediterranean lagoon: How useful for bioindication is a multi-biotic indices approach?
abstract: The authors investigated the impact of the extension of the El Kantra Channel on the composition and structure of macrobenthic assemblages in Boughrara Lagoon (Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia along with the use of 4 biotic indices (AMBI, BENTIX, M-AMBI and TUBI). Thirteen stations were sampled seasonally in 2012-2013. Forty-one species were found in 2012-2013 not recorded in 2009-2010, including 20 species of polychaetes belonging to the trophic groups of deposit-feeders and carnivores which are expected to increase in areas disturbed by organic pollution. During the survey, we recorded a high fish mortality, essentially caused by the development of harmful algal blooms (HAB) which increased organic matter deposition, thus inducing polychaete development. This seems to weaken the bio-indicating power of biotic indices used here which, paradoxically, classified all sampled stations at a high ecological status. A review of these indices and their applicability to all marine environments is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biodiversité et Biotechnologies Marines, Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer, 28 rue du 2 mars 1934, 2025 Salammbô, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Khedhri
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biodiversité et Biotechnologies Marines, Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer, 28 rue du 2 mars 1934, 2025 Salammbô, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Afli
authors.affiliation: Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Laboratoire de Chrono-Environnement, UMR CNRS 6249, Besançon, France. Electronic address: lotfi.aleya@univ-fcomte.fr.
authors.forename: Lotfi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aleya
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D004141:Dinoflagellida / Q000502:physiology; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005068:Eutrophication; D005399:Fishes; D020387:Food Chain; D007448:Invertebrates; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D012621:Seasons; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis; D014416:Tunisia
keywords: Benthic macrofauna; Biotic indices; Boughrara lagoon; Ecological status; Spatio-temporal variability; Trophic structure