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Specific Viruses Present in Polluted Groundwater Are Indicative of the Source of Nitrates and Faecal Contamination in Agricultural Areas Read chapter Read first chapter

2016 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

Assessing the Environmental Quality in Heavily Modified Transitional Waters: The Application of MEDOCC (MEDiterranean OCCidental) Index in Ebre Delta Bays

Authors : Esther Jordana, Susana Pinedo, Enric Ballesteros

Published in: Experiences from Ground, Coastal and Transitional Water Quality Monitoring

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

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Abstract

The assessment of ecological quality in the frame of the Water Framework Directive has been performed in Ebre Delta bays (Alfacs and Fangar) using MEDOCC (MEDiterranean OCCidental) index. Results demonstrate the applicability of the index in heavily modified transitional water bodies and its response to pressures (mainly agricultural activities) affecting macroinvertebrate assemblages inhabiting soft bottoms. According to previous studies and the organic matter enrichment and heavy metal gradients inside the bays, three different Transitional Waters (TW) have been distinguished, but only two of them are assigned to Heavily Modified Water Bodies (HMWB). Two different reference conditions have been considered depending on the acting pressures: a Maximum Ecological Potential (MEP) for the areas highly affected by the pressures (i.e., HMWB) and a Reference Condition (RC) for non-modified waters from the southern shelf of Alfacs Bay where the effect of agricultural activity is scarce. A good Ecological Potential/Status (EP/ES) was always achieved in the surveys.

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previous chapter Using MEDOCC (MEDiterranean OCCidental) Index to Evaluate the Ecological Status of Catalan Coastal Waters (Northwestern Mediterranean Sea) Over Time and Depths
next chapter First Report on the Distribution and Impact of Marine Alien Species in Coastal Benthic Assemblages Along the Catalan Coast
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Metadata
Title
Assessing the Environmental Quality in Heavily Modified Transitional Waters: The Application of MEDOCC (MEDiterranean OCCidental) Index in Ebre Delta Bays
Authors
Esther Jordana
Susana Pinedo
Enric Ballesteros
Copyright Year
2016
Book
Experiences from Ground, Coastal and Transitional Water Quality Monitoring

Print ISBN: 978-3-319-23903-3

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-319-23904-0

Copyright Year: 2016

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2015_373