Ecological indicators in coastal and estuarine environmental quality assessment: a user friendly guide for practitioners

Cover
Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra / Coimbra University Press, 01.12.2006 - 165 Seiten

 Experience demonstrates that none of the available measures regarding biological effects of pollution can be considered ideal, which is due to the complexity inherent in assessing the environmental quality of a system. In fact, it is always preferable to combine a suite of indices providing complementary information. This book aims at helping researchers and students, as well as managers and authorities of coastal areas in selecting the most suitable ecological indicators for each case, taking into account the type of disturbance they want to assess and the data available to do it. A user friendly guide is proposed, accounting different theoretical approaches and discussing the results of its application in different geographical areas. Recommendations are provided regarding the most adequate application of different indices, illustrating for instance in what situations their use is recommendable, or on the contrary not advisable, depending on the characteristics of the disturbance, the type of data, or the level of taxonomic identification of the organisms.

 

Inhalt

Chapter 1 Introduction
9
Chapter 2 Review of ecological indicators and their characteristics
15
Chapter 3 Decision tree for selecting ecological indicators based on benthic invertebrate fauna data sets
79
Chapter 4 Decision tree for selecting adequate indices or ecological indicators examples of application
89
Chapter 5 Combining indicators to characterise a system ́s ecological quality status
143
References
149
Urheberrecht

Häufige Begriffe und Wortgruppen

Autoren-Profil (2006)

Fuensanta Salas Herrero é Doutorada em Biologia pela Universidade de Murcia (Espanha) com a tese sobre avaliação dos indicadores de enriquecimento orgânico na gestão do ambiente marinho. Entre 2002 e 2004 foi investigadora no IMAR (Instituto do Mar), na Universidade de Coimbra. Participou em numerosos projetos científicos e foi autora e co-autora de diversos trabalhos sobre o desenvolvimento e validação dos indicadores ecológicos publicados em jornais internacionais, assim como em vários capítulos de livros. Atualmente é investigadora da Universidade de Murcia continuando a  colaborar ativamente com o IMAR. Os seus interesses de investigação incluem o estudo dos ecossistemas marinhos e estuários, indicadores ecológicos e gestão ambiental.

 

She holds a Doctorate in Biology from the Universiy of Murcia, Spain with a thesis on organic enrichment indicators in marine environmental management. Between 2002 and 2004, she was a researcher at IMAR (Institute of the Sea) at the University of Coimbra; she has participated in numerous scientific projects, and has been author and co-author of a wide variety of work on the development and validation of ecological indicators, published in international journals, as well as many book chapters. She is currently a researcher at the University of Murcia, where she continues to collaborate with IMAR. Her principal scientic research areas include the study of estuary and marine eco-systems, ecological indicators and environmental management.

 

Joana M. Patrício é Doutorada em Biologia pela Universidade de Coimbra. De entre os seus trabalhos mais recentes podem-se encontrar títulos sobre ecologia teórica, desempenho de indicadores ecológicos e análise de rede trópica. Como investigadora de pós-doutoramento, integra o IMAR – Instituto do Mar. Neste âmbito a sua investigação visa contribuir para uma decisão política mais fundamentada relativamente à gestão da qualidade ambiental dos ecossistemas das águas costeiras e transfronteiriças. Além disso, desde 2000 tem lecionado, como professora convidada, cursos sobre Hidrobiologia, aplicação de indicadores ecológicos e avaliação de qualidade ecológica, tanto em Portugal como no estrangeiro. Atualmente está envolvida em diversos projetos de investigação nacionais e europeus, principalmente com a implementação da Decisão-Quadro da Água.


She holds a Doctorate in Biology from the University of Coimbra. Among her most recent work the following titles can be found: theoretical ecology, performance of ecological indicators and tropical network analysis. As a post-doctoral researcher, she currently works as a member of IMAR – the Sea Institute. In this field her work focuses on contributing to better political decision-making with regard to of environmental quality management of ecosytems in coastal and cross-border waters. In addition to this, since 2000 she has taught as Guest Professor giving courses in hydrobiology, application of ecological indicators and ecological quality assessment, both in Portugal and abroad. She is currenly involved in many national and international research projects, mainly in the area of the implementation of the Water Quality Directive.

 

João Carlos de Sousa Marques é Professor Catedrático no Departamento de Zoologia da Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra (FCTUC). Foi Vice-Reitor para a Investigação Científica na Universidade de Coimbra e Presidente da Comissão Científica do Departamento de Zoologia da FCTUC. Os seus interesses científicos incidem, sobretudo, na Investigação sobre processos biológicos e ecológicos dos ecossistemas marinhos e estuários e ecologia de sistemas. Destacam-se entre as suas publicações: "Analysis of the properties of exergy and biodiversity along an estuarine gradient of eutrophication. Ecological Modelling", Marques, J. C., M. A. Pardal, S. N. Nielsen & S. E. Jørgensen, 102:155-167, 1997; "Three selected ecological observations interpreted at the light of a thermodynamic hypothesis. A contribution to a general ecological theoretical network. Ecological Modelling", Marques, J. C. & S. E. Jørgensen158: 213-221, 2002; "Impact of eutrophication and river anagement within a framework of ecosystem theories. Ecological Modelling", Marques, J. C., S. N. Nielsen, M. A. Pardal & S. E. Jørgensen, 166 (1-2): 147-168, 2003; "Comparison of Talitrus saltator (Amphipoda, Talitridae) biology, dynamics, and secondary production in Atlantic (Portugal) and Mediterranean (Italy and Tunisia) populations. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science", Marques, J. C., S. C. Gonçalves, M. A. Pardal, L. Chelazzi, I. Colombini, M. Fallaci, M. F. Bouslama, M. El Gtari, F. Charfi-Cheikhrouha & F. Scapini, 58 S : 127-148, 2003; "Application of ecological indicators to assess environmental quality in coastal zones and transitional waters. Two case studies", Marques, J. C., F. Salas, J. M. Patrício, and M. A. Pardal. In S.E. Jørgensen, R. Costanza & X. Fu-Liu (eds) Handbook of ecological indicators for assessment of ecosystem health. CRC Press, pp 67-104, 2005.


He is Full Professor at the Department of Zoology at the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra. He was Vice-President for Scientific Research of the University of Coimbra and and President of the Scientific Commission of the Zoology Department of the same institution. His academic interests include mainly research into biological and ecological processes of marine and estuary eco-systems and the ecology of systems. Particularly noteworthy amongst his published work are the following: "Analysis of the properties of exergy and biodiversity along an estuarine gradient of eutrophication. Ecological Modelling", Marques, J. C., M. A. Pardal, S. N. Nielsen & S. E. Jørgensen, 102:155-167, 1997; "Three selected ecological observations interpreted at the light of a thermodynamic hypothesis. A contribution to a general ecological theoretical network. Ecological Modelling", Marques, J. C. & S. E. Jørgensen158: 213-221, 2002; "Impact of eutrophication and river management within a framework of ecosystem theories. Ecological Modelling", Marques, J. C., S. N. Nielsen, M. A. Pardal & S. E. Jørgensen, 166 (1-2): 147-168, 2003; "Comparison of Talitrus saltator (Amphipoda, Talitridae) biology, dynamics, and secondary production in Atlantic (Portugal) and Mediterranean (Italy and Tunisia) populations. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science", Marques, J. C., S. C. Gonçalves, M. A. Pardal, L. Chelazzi, I. Colombini, M. Fallaci, M. F. Bouslama, M. El Gtari, F. Charfi-Cheikhrouha & F. Scapini, 58 S : 127-148, 2003; "Application of ecological indicators to assess environmental quality in coastal zones and transitional waters. Two case studies", Marques, J. C., F. Salas, J. M. Patrício, and M. A. Pardal. In S.E. Jørgensen, R. Costanza & X. Fu-Liu (eds) Handbook of ecological indicators for assessment of ecosystem health. CRC Press, pp 67-104, 2005.

Bibliografische Informationen