Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5757665 | Marine Pollution Bulletin | 2017 | 10 Pages |
Abstract
A new method based on photographic sampling coupled with in situ observations was applied to 53 stations along the French Mediterranean coast, to assess the integrity of coralligenous reefs affected by different levels of anthropogenic pressure. The conservation state of the assemblages characterizing these habitats was then assessed by an index - the INDEX-COR - that integrates three metrics: (i) the sensitivity of the taxa to organic matter and sediment deposition, (ii) the observable taxonomic richness, and (iii) the structural complexity of the assemblages. The sensitivity of INDEX-COR was tested and showed good correlation with the Level of Pressure calculated for each station according to expert judgment and field observations.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Oceanography
Authors
Stéphane Sartoretto, Thomas Schohn, Carlo Nike Bianchi, Carla Morri, Joaquim Garrabou, Enric Ballesteros, Sandrine Ruitton, Marc Verlaque, Boris Daniel, Eric Charbonnel, Sylvain Blouet, Romain David, Jean-Pierre Féral, Giulia Gatti,