Assessing ecological health in areas with limited data by using biological traits. (August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hewitt, Judi; Gammal, Johanna; Ellis, Joanne
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 181(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-08
• Subjects: Macrofauna -- BQI -- Video -- Core -- Sensitivities -- Suspended sediment; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113900
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: A multitude of biotic indices that represent environmental status have been developed over the past decades making status comparisons difficult. However, transferring an existing index to a new region can be problematic due to differing stressors, ecosystem components and lack of knowledge on regional species sensitivities. Here we assess whether calculating species sensitivities to specific stressors based on biological traits offers a solution. We use biological traits of macrofaunal species to assess sensitivity to suspended sediment concentrations and calculated the Benthic Quality Index (BQI) at 47 sites across a suspended sediment gradient. This trait-based modification of the BQI was well correlated (0.82) to suspended sediment. Problems previously highlighted, relating to trait plasticity and differential weightings of indifferent and beneficial species, were investigated but did not strongly affect results. A trait-based approach has the additional benefit that the data could be easily converted to evaluate ecosystem function. Highlights: Biological traits can be used to modify indices based on species sensitivities. This allows indices to be calculated for new regions even when empirical data on species responses are limited. The modification was validated using BQI and a suspended sediment gradient. The result is a stressor-specific index. Through biological traits the index can be related to ecological functionality.