title: An ecosystem-based approach to assess the status of Mediterranean algae-dominated shallow rocky reefs.
abstract: A conceptual model was constructed for the functioning the algae-dominated rocky reef ecosystem of the Mediterranean Sea. The Ecosystem-Based Quality Index (reef-EBQI) is based upon this model. This index meets the objectives of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. It is based upon (i) the weighting of each compartment, according to its importance in the functioning of the ecosystem; (ii) biological parameters assessing the state of each compartment; (iii) the aggregation of these parameters, assessing the quality of the ecosystem functioning, for each site; (iv) and a Confidence Index measuring the reliability of the index, for each site. The reef-EBQI was used at 40 sites in the northwestern Mediterranean. It constitutes an efficient tool, because it is based upon a wide set of functional compartments, rather than upon just a few species; it is easy and inexpensive to implement, robust and not redundant with regard to already existing indices.
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille University, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), CNRS/INSU, IRD, UM 110, Campus universitaire de Luminy, case 901, 13288 Marseille cedex 09, France. Electronic address: thierry.thibaut@univ.-amu.fr.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thibaut
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille University, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), CNRS/INSU, IRD, UM 110, Campus universitaire de Luminy, case 901, 13288 Marseille cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blanfuné
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille University, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), CNRS/INSU, IRD, UM 110, Campus universitaire de Luminy, case 901, 13288 Marseille cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Charles F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Boudouresque
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille University, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), CNRS/INSU, IRD, UM 110, Campus universitaire de Luminy, case 901, 13288 Marseille cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Personnic
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille University, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), CNRS/INSU, IRD, UM 110, Campus universitaire de Luminy, case 901, 13288 Marseille cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ruitton
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes - CSIC, 17300 Blanes, Spain.
authors.forename: Enric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ballesteros
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille University, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie (IMBE), UMR 7263, Station Marine d'Endoume, rue de la batterie des lions, 13007 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bellan-Santini
authors.affiliation: DiSTAV, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e della Vita, Università di Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo Nike
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.affiliation: Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, FRE 3729 ECOMERS, Parc Valrose, 28 avenue Valrose, 06108 Nice cedex 02, France.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bussotti
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes - CSIC, 17300 Blanes, Spain.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cebrian
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille University, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), CNRS/INSU, IRD, UM 110, Campus universitaire de Luminy, case 901, 13288 Marseille cedex 09, France; Université de Perpignan, CNRS, Via Domitia, Centre de Formation et de Recherche sur les Environnements Méditerranéens, UMR 5110, 66860 Perpignan cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Adrien
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cheminée
authors.affiliation: Office de l'Environnement de la Corse, Riserva Naturali di i Bucchi di Bunifaziu, Rundinara, 20169 Bonifacio, Corsica, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Culioli
authors.affiliation: Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Station Marine de Concarneau, 29900 Concarneau, France.
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Derrien-Courtel
authors.affiliation: Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, FRE 3729 ECOMERS, Parc Valrose, 28 avenue Valrose, 06108 Nice cedex 02, France.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guidetti
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille University, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), CNRS/INSU, IRD, UM 110, Campus universitaire de Luminy, case 901, 13288 Marseille cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Mireille
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harmelin-Vivien
authors.affiliation: Departament d'Ecologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Bernat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hereu
authors.affiliation: DiSTAV, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e della Vita, Università di Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morri
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille University, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), CNRS/INSU, IRD, UM 110, Campus universitaire de Luminy, case 901, 13288 Marseille cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Poggiale
authors.affiliation: Aix-Marseille University, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), CNRS/INSU, IRD, UM 110, Campus universitaire de Luminy, case 901, 13288 Marseille cedex 09, France.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verlaque
mesh_terms: D058448:Biota; D057894:Coral Reefs; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D008954:Models, Biological; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012624:Seaweed
keywords: Biological indicator; Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD); Mediterranean Sea; Photophilic algae