Towards the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Mediterranean transitional waters: the use of macroinvertebrates as biological quality elements

摘要: During the last decade Water Framework Directive (WFD) has driven scientific community endeavours towards development of assessment tools to determine Ecological Quality Status (EQS) for all surface waters, including transitional waters (TWs). Macroinvertebrates being used as Biological Elements encouraged distinct multimetric and multivariate indices, initially based on taxonomic approaches. Those indices were mostly developed marine environment applied extensively TWs. The main discrepancies in ecological quality status arise TWs, partially due difficulty discriminating effects natural stress from anthropogenic impact. As a response, following functional approaches are assessing EQS these environments. Next, validation intercalibration metrics well settlement reference conditions additional sources variability inherent any assessment...