title: Environmental variability and heavy metal concentrations from five lagoons in the Ionian Sea (Amvrakikos Gulf, W Greece).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Coastal lagoons are ecosystems of major importance as they host a number of species tolerant to disturbances and they are highly productive. Therefore, these ecosystems should be protected to ensure stability and resilience. The lagoons of Amvrakikos Gulf form one of the most important lagoonal complexes in Greece. The optimal ecological status of these lagoons is crucial for the well-being of the biodiversity and the economic prosperity of the local communities. Thus, monitoring of the area is necessary to detect possible sources of disturbance and restore stability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The environmental variables and heavy metals concentrations, from five lagoons of Amvrakikos Gulf were measured from seasonal samplings and compared to the findings of previous studies in the area, in order to check for possible sources of disturbance. The analysis, showed that i) the values of the abiotic parameters vary with time (season), space (lagoon) and with space over time; ii) the variability of the environmental factors and enrichment in certain elements is naturally induced and no source of contamination is detected in the lagoons.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Department of Biology, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vasileiadou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Department of Biology, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium, Department of Microbial Ecophysiology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pavloudi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kalantzi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Eugenia T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Apostolaki
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Giorgos
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chatzigeorgiou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chatzinikolaou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pafilis
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Nafsika
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papageorgiou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fanini
authors.affiliation: Amvrakikos Management Body, Arta, Greece.
authors.forename: Spyridon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Konstas
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fragopoulou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arvanitidis
keywords: Amvrakikos Gulf; environmental variables; heavy metals; lagoons