Development of a fish-based index to assess the ecological quality of transitional waters: The case of French estuaries

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 60; no. 6; pp. 908 - 918
• Main Authors: Delpech, C., Courrat, A., Pasquaud, S., Lobry, J., Le Pape, O., Nicolas, D., Boët, P., Girardin, M., Lepage, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Anthropogenic disturbances; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; Biodiversity; Biodiversity and Ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Ecological quality status; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental Sciences; Estuaries; Exact sciences and technology; Feeding Behavior - physiology; Fishes; France; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Generalized linear models; Linear Models; Marine and brackish environment; Multimetric fish index; Natural water pollution; Pollution; Population Density; Rivers - chemistry; Seawater - chemistry; Seawaters, estuaries; Water Pollution - analysis; Water treatment and pollution; France; Europe; Ecological quality status; Estuaries; Multimetric fish index; Generalized linear models; Anthropogenic disturbances; Status; Brackish water environment; Generalized linear model; Perturbation; Marine environment; Aquatic environment; Vertebrata; Pisces; Water pollution; Environmental monitoring; Anthropogenic factor; Environment quality; ESTUAIRE; MODELE STATISTIQUE; DIRECTIVE CADRE EUROPEENNE SUR L'EAU; POISSON; INDICATEUR ECOLOGIQUE; QUALITE DE L'EAU; EAU DE TRANSITION
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.01.001

The Water Framework Directive requires the assessment of the ecological status of transitional waters considering the fish component. An original methodology, based on a pressure-impact approach, was established to develop a multimetric fish-based index to characterize the ecological quality of French estuaries. An index of contamination, based on the chemical pollution affecting aquatic systems, was used as a proxy of anthropogenic pressure. The fish metric selection was based on their response to disturbances tested via statistical models (generalized linear models) taking into account sampling strategy and estuarine features. Four metrics, for which discriminating responses to level of pressure were demonstrated, were retained to constitute the estuarine multimetric fish index. This new tool appeared particularly relevant to detect the contamination effects on fish communities in estuaries. It could help managers to take decisions in order to maintain or reach the good status required by the Water Framework Directive for 2015.