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Assessment of ecological quality status of rocky shores in South Portugal and implementation of water framework directive
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Abstract(s)
Como foi estipulado pela Directiva Quadro da Água da União Europeia, a riqueza específica de macroalgas, a composição e a cobertura de espécies oportunistas na zona intertidal em costas rochosas, foram usados para avaliar o estado de qualidade ecológica (EQS) em águas costeiras do sul de Portugal. A ferramenta P-MarMAT foi desenvolvida para as condições em Portugal e uma lista reduzida de espécies (RSL) definida para a zona sul do país, que foi usada para definir o EQS em termos de rácio de qualidade ecológica (EQR). Como as costas rochosas do sul de Portugal não foram estudadas durante o exercicio de intercalibração, três locais de estudo, nomeadamente, Castelejo, Ingrina, e Lagos foram seleccionados para avaliar o EQS em costas rochosas.
Através da metodologia P-MarMAT e da análise de componentes principais (PCA), pode-se justificar que o estado de qualidade ecológica do Castelejo e Ingrina é compativel com o gradiente ambiental. Somente para duas das amostras da Ingrina (Dezembro 2007 e Janeiro de 2008), não foi possível obter uma correlação entre o EQR e o gradiente ambiental dado pelos parâmetros físico-químicos e os elementos de qualidade biológica desta massa de água costeira. Uma forte contribuição positiva da riqueza específica e uma forte resposta negativa da cobertura de algas oportunistas para o EQR foi dominante. A proporção de algas verdes e de oportunistas demonstram um comportamento negativo semelhante enquanto a proporção de algas vermelhas mostra uma relação positiva. A inclusão da descrição da costa rochosa não melhora significativamente 0 EQR.
Como o Castelejo é um local com pouca perturbação, os valores limite das métricas pode ter de ser afinada, para que o seu EQS mude de moderado para bom. Os valores limite para a descrição da costa rochosa também deveria ser modificada, ou um sistema diferentes de pontuação deveria ser aplicado para corrigir o EQR para a natural variação ambiental.
As stipulated in the European Union Water Framework Directive, macroalgal species richness, composition and coverage of the opportunists on intertidal rocky shores were used to assess the ecological quality status (EQS) of coastal waters of south Portugal. P-MarMAT tool developed for the conditions of Portugal and the reduced species list (RSL) established for the south coast of Portugal were used for assessing the EQS in terms of ecological quality ratio (EQR). As the rocky shores of south Portugal have not been studied during the intercalibration exercise, three study sites namely, Castelejo, Ingrina and Lagos bay were selected for assessing the EQS of rocky shores. From the P-MarMAT methodology and PCA analysis, it can be justified that the ecological quality status of Castelejo and Lagos are compatible with the enviromnental gradient. Only in case of two samples of Ingrina (December 2007 and January 2008), it was not possible to correlate the EQR with the environmental gradient given by physico-chemical and biological elements of this coastal water body. A strong positive contribution from species richness and strong negative response from the coverage of opportunists to the final EQR were dominant. The proportion of green and opportunists are showing a similar negative behaviour while the proportion of red shows comparatively positive relationship. However, the relationship between the ESG ratio and EQR does not provide proper relationship. The incorporation of shore description as a correction factor does not improve the EQR significantly. As Castelejo is an undisturbed site, the boundary values of metrics may have to be refined so that the ecological quality status of Castelejo would shift from moderate to good. The boundary values for the shore description also should be modified or a different scoring system should be applied to correct EQR for natural enviromnental variability.
As stipulated in the European Union Water Framework Directive, macroalgal species richness, composition and coverage of the opportunists on intertidal rocky shores were used to assess the ecological quality status (EQS) of coastal waters of south Portugal. P-MarMAT tool developed for the conditions of Portugal and the reduced species list (RSL) established for the south coast of Portugal were used for assessing the EQS in terms of ecological quality ratio (EQR). As the rocky shores of south Portugal have not been studied during the intercalibration exercise, three study sites namely, Castelejo, Ingrina and Lagos bay were selected for assessing the EQS of rocky shores. From the P-MarMAT methodology and PCA analysis, it can be justified that the ecological quality status of Castelejo and Lagos are compatible with the enviromnental gradient. Only in case of two samples of Ingrina (December 2007 and January 2008), it was not possible to correlate the EQR with the environmental gradient given by physico-chemical and biological elements of this coastal water body. A strong positive contribution from species richness and strong negative response from the coverage of opportunists to the final EQR were dominant. The proportion of green and opportunists are showing a similar negative behaviour while the proportion of red shows comparatively positive relationship. However, the relationship between the ESG ratio and EQR does not provide proper relationship. The incorporation of shore description as a correction factor does not improve the EQR significantly. As Castelejo is an undisturbed site, the boundary values of metrics may have to be refined so that the ecological quality status of Castelejo would shift from moderate to good. The boundary values for the shore description also should be modified or a different scoring system should be applied to correct EQR for natural enviromnental variability.
Description
Keywords
Macroalgas Elementos da qualidade biológica Lista reduzida de espécies Directiva quadro da água Estado de qualidade ecológico Zona intertidal costas rochosas