Using attached macroalgae to assess ecological status of British estuaries for the European Water Framework Directive

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 55; no. 1; pp. 136 - 150
• Main Authors: Wilkinson, Martin, Wood, Paul, Wells, Emma, Scanlan, Clare
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2007
• Subjects: Brackish; Ecosystem; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental Monitoring - standards; Environmental Monitoring - statistics & numerical data; Estuaries; Geography; International Cooperation - legislation & jurisprudence; Ireland; Macroalgae; Phaeophyceae - growth & development; Population Density; Reference Standards; Rivers; Seawater; Seaweeds; Species Specificity; United Kingdom; Water Framework Directive; British Isles; ANE, British Isles; Europe; Estuaries; Water Framework Directive; Seaweeds; Macroalgae

The EC Water Framework Directive requires that ecological quality be assessed in transitional waters using the abundance and species composition of macroalgae. In estuaries, which form the majority of transitional waters, species composition is not a suitable measure. This arises from two features:...