Comparison of Four Foraminiferal Biotic Indices Assessing the Environmental Quality of Coastal Mediterranean Soft Bottoms

Coastal environments are exposed to numerous pressures that potentially affect marine soft bottom faunas. Among these pressures, organic matter enrichment is very frequent. Several indices based on living (Rose Bengal-stained) foraminiferal communities have recently been developed assess the induced impact and determine environmental quality of environments. Here, we use an open waters Mediterranean Sea data set test benefits drawbacks four indices: (1) effective number species (exp(H’bc)), (2) Tolerant Species Index for (TSI-Med), (3) Foraminifera AMBI (Foram-AMBI), (4) Foram Stress (FSI). These all intend measure response enrichment, therefore, their results should be similar. We found diversity-based index, exp(H’bc), was not suitable evaluate our coastal settings, as it had a non-monotonic relationship with gradient. The three groups indicator (TSI-Med, Foram-AMBI, FSI) yielded fairly similar results. For using only assigned calculate proportions partly avoided misinterpret In TSI-Med, correction sediment grain size applied distinguish between natural anthropogenic enrichment. Such could also added Foram-AMBI FSI. limits Ecological Quality Status (EQS) classes used macrofauna were adapted Foram-AMBI. propose new EQS class follows: good: 0 ? x < 1.4; 1.4 2.4; moderate: 2.4 3.4; poor: 3.4 4.4; bad: 4.4 6. evolve in future become available, especially poor bad quality.