@article {LeGuen2019, title = {Assessing the ecological status of an estuarine ecosystem: linking biodiversity and food-web indicators}, journal = {Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science}, volume = {228}, year = {2019}, note = {cited By 0}, publisher = {Academic Press}, abstract = {During the last decades, the highly-anthropized Seine estuary has been impacted by modification of its habitats (building of a major extension of Le Havre harbour, i.e. Port2000) and a significant natural decrease in freshwater discharge. A Before/After analysis, using a toolbox of indicators, was applied to characterize the effects of both events on the estuarine ecosystem status. We selected from existing tool boxes several indicators derived from food web modelling or community composition data, such as biodiversity indicators, a guild-based index (i.e. Estuarine and Lagoon Fish Index ELFI) and ecological network analysis (ENA) indices. ENA and biodiversity indicators were applied on six spatial boxes describing the Seine estuary and its outlet. Results showed an increase in taxonomic and functional richness over time, mainly due to marinisation, and significant changes in food-web properties in relation to Port2000. ENA indices appeared as a promising method in ecological status assessment, especially for estuaries considered as inherently disturbed. {\textcopyright} 2019 Elsevier Ltd}, keywords = {Biodiversity, bioindicator, community composition, ecological approach, ecological modeling, ecosystem function, ecosystem health, environmental assessment, estuarine ecosystem, food web, France, habitat management, health status, human activity, Le Havre, Normandie, Seine Estuary, Seine Maritime}, issn = {02727714}, doi = {10.1016/j.ecss.2019.106339}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272771419300484}, author = {Le Guen, Camille and Samuele Tecchio and Jean-Claude Dauvin and De Roton, G. and Lobry, Jeremy and Lepage, Mario and Morin, Jocelyne and G{\'e}raldine Lassalle and Raoux, Aurore and Nathalie Niquil} } @article {6741, title = {Changes in marine phytoplankton diversity: Assessment under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive}, journal = {Ecological Indicators}, volume = {102}, year = {2019}, pages = {265 - 277}, abstract = {The Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires EU Member States to assess the Good Environmental Status (GES) of their marine waters in a coherent and strategic manner. For the regional assessment of biodiversity, the OSPAR Intersessional Coordination Group of Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring (ICG-COBAM) provides substantial advice. Through expert working groups, phytoplankton indicators are currently being developed to measure the state and the change in pelagic diversity, to quantify food web dynamics and to measure the extent of eutrophication impacts. We developed a multi-metric indicator that is compliant with the common OSPAR indicator {\textquotedblleft}Changes in plankton diversity{\textquotedblright} (PH3). The aim was to describe the structure of the phytoplankton community (alpha diversity) and to detect significant temporal changes (beta diversity) to evaluate the health of pelagic habitats. In this pilot study, we used three coastal time-series in the Western Channel and the north of the Bay of Biscay (North Atlantic, France) to test the efficiency and the performance of several existing diversity indices. We validated two alpha diversity indices, namely the Menhinick Index (D) and the Hulburt Index (δ), based on their complementary ecological information, their strong relationship with habitat characteristics, and their relative ease of interpretation for stakeholders. Temporal shifts or rate of change in community structure were detected by the Local Contributions to Beta Diversity index (LCBD; a beta diversity measure). For the years where significantly high LCBD values were found, the Importance Value Index (IVI) was calculated to potentially identify the taxa (genus) responsible for the {\textquotedblleft}unusual{\textquotedblright} community structure. For example, at the Ouest Loscolo site in 2008, an elevated LCBD (0.45) coincided with a high dominance value (Hulburt{\textquoteright}s Index) caused by the occurrence of a monospecific bloom of Leptocylindrus spp. (IVI = 73\%) in July (2.22 {\texttimes} 106 cells L-1) and October (8 {\texttimes} 106 cells L-1). In this way, PH3 informs on different aspects of phytoplankton diversity from a community to a genus level. At the current stage of development, however, PH3 acts as a {\textquotedblleft}surveillance{\textquotedblright} rather than an operational indicator since the relationship to GES is not directly tracked. In the future, by additional testing of PH3 and extending the geographical scope, the robustness of the assessment could be further determined across the OSPAR Maritime Area.}, keywords = {community composition, Good environmental status, Indicators, Marine policy, MSFD, OSPAR, Pelagic habitat, Plankton}, issn = {1470-160X}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.02.009}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X19301190}, author = {Rombouts, I. and Nathalie Simon and Anais Aubert and T. Cariou and Eric Feunteun and Laurent Guerin and M. Hoebeke and A. McQuatters-Gollop and F. Rigaut-Jalabert and Luis Felipe Artigas} } @article {3325, title = {Biogenic reefs affect multiple components of intertidal soft-bottom benthic assemblages: the Lanice conchilega case study}, journal = {Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science}, volume = {152}, year = {2015}, month = {01/2015}, pages = {44-55}, abstract = {

Biogenic reefs composed of the tube-building polychaete Lanice conchilega are important from a conservation point of view because they noticeably increase the biodiversity in otherwise species poor
environments. However, up to now, little or no attention has been paid to the intertidal epi- and hyperbenthic communities associated with the reefs. Therefore, this is the first study which focuses on
the effect of L. conchilega reefs on the entire bentho-pelagic community at two different locations. Environmental variables were measured and macro-, epi- and hyperbenthic communities were sampled
within a L. conchilega reef and a control area at two locations in France: the bay of the Mont Saint-Michel (BMSM) and Boulogne-sur-Mer (Boulogne). The effect of the reef presence on the benthic community
was studied with a 3-factor (Reef, Location and Period) Permanova. In addition, the relationship between the benthic community and the environmental variables was investigated using Distance-based linear
models (DistLM). Most collected organisms were sampled in the reef area (macrobenthos: 91\%, epibenthos: 81\% and hyperbenthos: 78.5\%) indicating that, independent of the location, the L. conchilega
reefs positively affect all three associated benthic communities. However, the extent of the effect seems to be most pronounced for the macrobenthos and less distinct in case of the hyperbenthos. The macro-,
and epibenthos are mainly structured by biotic variables (L. conchilega density and macrobenthic food availability respectively), while the hyperbenthos is rather structured by environmental variables. In
general, L. conchilega reefs do not only affect abundances and diversity but they substantially steer the structure of the intertidal benthic sandy beach ecosystem.

}, keywords = {beaches, benthos, biogenic reefs, community composition, Lanice conchilega, tidal flats}, doi = {doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2014.11.002}, author = {De Smet, Bart and D{\textquoteright}Hondt, An Sophie and Pieterjan, Verhelst and J{\'e}r{\^o}me Fournier and Laurent Godet and Nicolas Desroy and Rabaut, Marijn and Magda, Vincx and Jan, Vanaverbeke} }