FIRST ASSESSMENT OF THE ECOLOGICAL STATUS
IN SEAGRASS RESTORATION SITES OF THE NORTHERN VENICE LAGOON:
APPLICATION OF MACROPHYTE, MACROZOOBENTHOS AND FISH INDICES
PRIMA VALUTAZIONE DELLO STATO ECOLOGICO IN SITI DI RIPRISTINO DI PRATERIE DI FANEROGAME NELLA LAGUNA NORD DI VENEZIA:
APPLICAZIONE DI INDICI BASATI SU MACROFITE, MACROZOOBENTHOS E FAUNA ITTICA
Scapin L. , Facca C. , Zucchetta M. , Bonometto A. , Oselladore F. , Boscolo R. , Franzoi P. , Sfriso A.
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2
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1
CEMAS - Center for Estuarine, coastal and MArine Sciences c/o DAIS - Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics,
Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia, Castello 2737/b - 30122 Venezia, Italy.
[email protected]
2
Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, ISPRA.
1
Macrophyte-, macrozoobenthos- and fish-based indices were applied at eight newly-recreated seagrass sites
in the northern lagoon of Venice according to the requirements of the Water Framework Directive
(2000/60/EC). Here the results of the ecological status assessment during the first year of restoration under
the project LIFE12 NAT/IT/000331 “SeResto” are presented.
The LIFE project N° LIFE12 NAT/IT/000331 “SeResto” INDICES APPLIED
started in 2014 aiming at restoring seagrass meadows in
the northern basin of Venice lagoon (Facca et al., Sfriso et
al., this congress), and enhancing the overall ecological
status (sensu WFD; Dir. 2000/60/EC) of the area.
The aim of this study was to assess the ecological status
during the first year of restoration by applying three
WFD-compliant indices: the Macrophyte Quality Index
(MaQI) (Sfriso et al., 2014), the Multivariate-Azti Marine
Biotic Index (M-AMBI) (Muxika et al., 2007) and the
Habitat Fish Bioindicator Index (HFBI) (Zucchetta et al.,
in preparation).
Biological samplings were carried out in spring, few weeks
after the transplantations, and in autumn 2014. Eight
stations, selected for their representativeness of the whole
project area, were considered.
Venice Lagoon
Venice Lagoon
Northern basin
8
Valle Lanzoni Nord
7
6
5
Valle Ca’ da Riva
1
Palude della Rosa
4
10
Palude Maggiore
Vecchia stazione Ca’ Zane
9
11
16
15
2
3
17
13
Canale del Colpo
MaQI
12
Canale S. Lorenzo sud
14
Seagrass restoration
monitoring stations
Land
Saltmarshes
Natural seagrass meadows
Shallow waters
Other seagrass restoration stations
High
Good
M-AMBI
Channels
M-AMBI - Based on bottom grab sampling of
macrozoobenthos. Species richness and
abundance are considered, yelding one annual
M-AMBI score (ISPRA, 2008).
HFBI - Based on seine net sampling of fish
fauna (Franco et al., 2006). Richness, diversity
and biomass of species functional groups are
considered, yelding two seasonal HFBI scores
(Zucchetta et al., in preparation).
ECOLOGICAL STATUS
The ecological status as assessed by MaQI ranged between “High” and
“Poor”, showing a higher spatial variability as compared to M-AMBI and
HFBI scores, which ranged between “Good” and “Poor”. While the
trophic status and water turbidity are likely a major cause of differences
in MaQI scores between stations (Facca et al., Sfriso et al., this congress),
the generally lower scores of M-AMBI and HFBI suggest a more
mediated response of consumers. Faunal colonisation of restored
seagrass meadows can indeed be slow (Bell et al., 2008).
The first assessment of ecological status at newly restored seagrass
sites represents an important benchmark for the evaluation of the
recovery success. The future application of these indices may allow to
detect the faunal response to the ongoing habitat recovery process, as
well as to assess the overall effectiveness of the LIFE restoration project.
Ecological Status
Classification
Lio Piccolo
MaQI - Based on visual census and collection
of macroalgae and aquatic
angiosperm species. Species richness, percent
cover and abundance are considered, yelding
one annual MaQI score (Sfriso et al., 2014).
HFBI
spring
autumn
Moderate
Poor
Bad
REFERENCES
BELL S.S., TEWFIK A., HALL M.O., FONSECA M.S. (2008) - Evaluation of seagrass planting and monitoring techniques:
Implications for assessing restoration success and habitat equivalency. Restor. Ecol., 16: 407-416.
FACCA C., BONOMETTO A., BOSCOLO R., BUOSI A., CENTANNI E., PARRAVICINI M., PONIS E., RAMPAZZO F., SFRISO A. (2015)
- Interventi di ricolonizzazione di angiosperme acquatiche: risultati del primo anno di trapianti nell'ambito del progetto
Life SeResto (LIFE12 NAT/IT/000331). This congress.
FRANCO A., FRANZOI P., MALAVASI S., RICCATO F., TORRICELLI P., MAINARDI D. (2006) - Use of shallow water habitats by fish
assemblages in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon. Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci., 66: 67–83.
ISPRA (2008) - Protocolli per il campionamento e la determinazione degli elementi di qualità biologica e fisico-chimica
nell’ambito dei programmi di monitoraggio ex 2000/60/CE delle acque di transizione. Documenti tecnici ISPRA 2008,
Roma: 37 pp.
MUXIKA I., BORJA A., BALD J. (2007) - Using historical data, expert judgement and multivariate analysis in assessing
reference conditions and benthic ecological status, according to the European Water Framework Directive. Mar. Pollut.
Bull., 55: 16–29.
SFRISO A., FACCA C., BONOMETTO A., BOSCOLO R. (2014) - Compliance of the macrophyte quality index (MaQI) with the
WFD (2000/60/EC) and ecological status assessment in transitional areas: The Venice lagoon as study case. Ecol. Indic., 46:
536–547.
SFRISO A., FACCA C., BUOSI A., CENTANNI E., BERTO D., RAMPAZZO F., GION C., BONOMETTO A., BOSCOLO R. (2015) - Stato
trofico e stato ecologico dell'area settentrionale della laguna veneta. This congress.
The project is funded by European Union's LIFE+ financial instrument and contributes to the
environmental recovery of a Natura 2000 site (SIC IT3250031 - Northern Venice Lagoon).
www.lifeseresto.eu
Life SeResto
Graphics: Luca Scapin