Rafael Sardá

Assessing coastal benthic macrofauna community condition using best professional judgement - Developing consensus across North America and Europe

Benthic indices are typically developed independently by habitat, making their incorporation into large geographic scale assessments potentially problematic because of scaling inequities. A potential solution is to establish common scaling using expert best professional judgment (BPJ). To test if experts from different geographies agree on condition assessment, sixteen experts from four regions in USA and Europe were provided species-abundance data for twelve sites per region. They ranked samples from best to worst condition and classified samples into four condition (quality) categories. Site rankings were highly correlated among experts, regardless of whether they were assessing samples from their home region. There was also good agreement on condition category, though agreement was better for samples at extremes of the disturbance gradient. The absence of regional bias suggests that expert judgment is a viable means for establishing a uniform scale to calibrate indices consistently across geographic regions.

Seasonal evolution of beach waste and litter during the bathing season on the Catalan coast

Beach waste and litter composition and evolution on popular urban (located in the main nucleus of the municipality) and urbanized (located in residential areas outside the main nucleus) beaches of the Costa Brava (Catalan coast) were assessed during the bathing season. Waste and litter production (amount and composition) were affected by urbanization and varied during the summer. Urban beaches had higher densities of waste deposition and lower percentages of organic, domestic and other miscellaneous waste than urbanized beaches. Litter characteristics were also influenced by type of beach, and varied during the season as a consequence of beach use and cleaning practices, but not environmental factors. Urbanized beaches obtained higher scores for aesthetic quality of sand than urban beaches, and small-sized litter tended to accumulate during the season in the beach of Lloret Centre. The most important problems are management of recyclable materials, litter left by users on the sand, and separation of sand from litter. In addition, current efficiency of mechanical cleaning is low, especially in the withdrawal of cigarette butts. These analyses highlight problems that should be addressed in future management of area beaches.

Seasonal dynamics of macroinfaunal key species inhabiting shallow soft-bottoms in the Bay of Blanes (NW Mediterranean)

Abstract Within the frame of a wider research project on the littoral ecosystem of the Bay of Blanes (NW Mediterranean), the dynamics of shallow soft-bottom macroinfaunal assemblages of medium-to-fine-sand sediment communities of Spisula subtruncata have been followed since March 1992. These assemblages exhibited a very predictive annual cycle. Abundance and biomass rose sharply during spring, followed by a striking drop through summer showing lower values during autumn and winter. These cycles were consistent with the temporal variation of key macroinfaunal species in these shallow habitats: Spisula subtruncata, Owenia fusiformis, Ditrupa arietina, Lucinella divaricata, Echinocardium mediterraneum, Spio decoratus, Chone infundibuliformis, Paradoneis armata, Mediomastus fragilis, Protodorvillea kefersteini, Branchiostoma lanceolatum, Glycera cf. capitata and Callista chione. These species were included in ecological groups based on the trends observed during the 4 years of seasonal dynamics which are presented.

Spatial changes in sublittoral soft-bottom polychaete assemblages due to river inputs and sewage discharges

Spatial changes in species composition and structure of sublittoral soft-bottom polychaete assemblages along a transect parallel to the shoreline off the Barcelones and Maresme regions on the Spanish Catalan coast (NW Mediterranean sea) are described. The transect (20 m mean depth) covers 30 km through an area affected by both water sewage discharges and river outflow. These effluents generate a spatial gradient of both silt and organic enrichment, according to the prevailing southerly currents in the zone. South of the effluents, eutrophized sediments supported a macrofaunal assemblage which was typical of polluted bottoms, characterized by the massive presence of Capitella capitata and Malacoceros fuliginosus, high abundance and biomass, low values of species richness, and a simplified trophic structure dominated by surface and subsurface-deposit feeders. North of the effluents, both the mud and organic matter content in sediment decreased drastically and the polychaete assemblages described were progressively less affected with distance. Thus, a clear change in species composition, as well as low values of abundance and biomass, increases in species richness, and a more complex trophic structure on the polychaete assemblages was observed north rather than south of the effluents.

Populations of Streblospio (Polychaeta: Spionidae) in temperate zones: demography and production

The life cycle, seasonal dynamics and production of two populations of Streblospio species (Annelida: Polychaeta), S. benedicti Webster, 1879, from muddy sediments of the Great Sippewissett Salt Marsh (southern New England, USA), and S. shrubsolii (Buchanan, 1890), from muddy areas of the Alfacs Bay (north-eastern Spain), were studied from November 1986 to September 1988. Both species have life-cycles shorter than one year. The American population showed a unimodal distribution most of the year while in the European population polymodal distributions were common. Average density of S. benedicti over the two-year period ranged from 24,086 to 677 individuals m −2 (annual average 4,554). The observed numbers of S. shrubsolii ranged from 65,668 to 2,579 individuals m −2 (average 35,311). The biomass of the American population ranged from 2·1 to 0·04g dry weight m −2 (average 0·5). The values obtained for the European population ranged from 5·9 to 0·1 g dry weight m −2 (average 4·1). Secondary production was higher in the European population (15·65 g dry weight m −2 y 1 ) than in the American population (3·0 g dry weight m −2 y −1 ). Production to mean biomass ratios were 4·4 y −1 for S. shrubsolii and 5·4 y −1 for S. benedicti. Population densities are compared with previously published data for other Streblospio populations.

Proposal for an Integral Quality Index for Urban and Urbanized Beaches

A composite index, based on function analysis and including thirteen sub-indices, was developed to assess the overall quality of urban and urbanized beaches in the Mediterranean area. The aggregation of components and sub-indices was based on two questionnaires completed by beach users and experts. Applying the new Beach Quality Index (BQI) demonstrated that the quality of beaches could be improved. In general, the strongest aspects of the beaches assessed were those related to short-term user demand, and the weakest were those related to the consequences of human pressure on the area, in particular, erosion problems. The composite index is intended to be used together with Environmental Management Beach Systems (EMBs) as a hierarchical management scorecard and in monitoring programs. This new tool could also make planning more proactive by synthesizing the state of the most important beach processes.

Beyond performance assessment measurements for beach management: Application to Spanish Mediterranean beaches

Performance assessment measures have traditionally been used by beach managers to guarantee beach quality. In order to know effectiveness of the ones applied to the Mediterranean coast and assess how functions assigned to beaches are covered, fourteen beach management criteria were selected. We studied how one standard (the Blue Flag award) and three rating systems (the ACA, CEDEX, and Cantabria indexes) covered those criteria and the results of their application to six beaches of the Costa Brava (Catalan Coast). No single assessment measurement considers all selected criteria and some general weaknesses were revealed. Of the analyzed tools, the CEDEX index proved to be the best for monitoring beach processes. The characteristics of Environmental Management Systems applied for Beach Management processes (EMSBs) were also assessed. The way in which those managerial frameworks are established has not been extensively considered, but the results suggest a need for its further development. This new tool will allow a general management framework to be adopted. Current standards/rating systems can be partially adapted and included within EMSBs.

Distribution patterns and trophic structure of soft-bottom polychaete assemblages in a North-Western Mediterranean shallow-water bay

Abstract This study describes the spatial distribution and trophic structure of the polychaetes inhabiting the soft-bottoms of Alfacs Bay, a semi-enclosed, shallow-water area (Ebro Delta, north-western Mediterranean). The hydrographic regime is basically marine, with a combination of sea-water renewal and continental runoff causing permanent stratification. The Bay was affected by anthropogenic activities (viz. influx of irrigation waters, large-scale aquaculture, and periodical dredging at the mouth). 41 samples were taken during summer (July 1987 and September 101 polychaete species were identified, with an average density and biomass of 6370(650-23700) ind.m-2 and 7.52(0.87-66) DWgm-2, respectively. Nine assemblages were identified: shelf (stressed, confined, typical), boundary, deep central basin (inner, typical, seaward) and marine (typical, navigation channel). The trophic structure was dominated by deposit-feeding polychaetes (mainly Pseudomastus deltaicus, Heteromastus filiformis, Notomastus latericeus, Mastobranchus trinchesii, Eudymene oerstedii, Clymenura clypeata, Streblospio shrubsolii, Monticellina heterochaeta and Ampharete acutifrons). An increase in the ecological weight of carnivorous polychaetes (mostly Lumbrineris latreilli) from the shelf towards the marine assemblages was also noticed. The analysis of the polychaete taxo-coenosis provides key items to understand the functioning of the semi-enclosed, shallow-water system under study.

Steps toward a shared governance response for achieving Good Environmental Status in the Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean region is of fundamental importance to Europe given its strategic position. The responsibility for its overall ecosystem integrity is shared by European Union Member States (EU-MS) and other Mediterranean countries. A juxtaposition of overlapping governance instruments occurred recently in the region, with the implementation of both the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) for EU-MS and the Ecosystem Approach Strategy (ECAP) for all Mediterranean countries, including EU-MS. Both MSFD and ECAP are structured around vision-driven processes to achieve Good Environmental Status and a Healthy Environment, respectively. These processes have clear ecosystem-based, integrated policy objectives to guarantee the preservation and integrity of Mediterranean marine ecosystem goods and services. However, adoption of these instruments, especially those related to the new EUMS directives on marine policy, could result in a governance gap in addition to the well-known economic gap between the EU and the non-EU political blocs. We identify two complementary requirements for effective implementation of both MSFD and ECAP that could work together to reduce this gap, to ensure a better alignment between MSFD and ECAP and better planning for stakeholder engagement. These are key issues for the future success of these instruments in a Mediterranean region where discrepancies between societal and ecological objectives may pose a challenge to these processes.

A proposed ecosystem-based management system for marine waters: linking the theory of environmental policy to the practice of environmental management

New coastal and marine management strategies have recently been developed in many countries and regions. From an ecosystem approach perspective, the aim of such strategies is the maintenance of ecosystem integrity while enabling the sustainable use of ecosystem goods and services. There is, however, a need for harmonized definitions and standardized processes to deal not only with the interjurisdictional and multidisciplinary complexities that are associated with such strategies but also with the extensive timelines and resources implicated in the planning and implementation of these strategies. The ecosystem-based management system proposed here is based on three pillars that facilitate the integration of an ecosystem approach to coastal and oceans policy development, regardless of the ecosystem or administrative scales. The managerial pillar is based on classical risk-management systems that incorporate environmental considerations and objectives within a continuous improvement cycle of adaptive management. The managerial pillar is supported by governance structures that provide oversight and thereby ensure that planning and implementation activities adhere to modern environmental principles. The information pillar ensures that data and scientific advice are based on current knowledge, and the participation pillar brings together communication and consultation requirements as indicated by the principles of the ecosystem approach.