Abstract
A multivariate approach was used to test the value of intertidal communities as a bioindicator of environmental conditions at Algeciras Bay, southern Spain. The study area is located in the Strait of Gibraltar and it is subjected to a variety of anthropic impacts. Eight localities (5 inside and 3 outside the bay) were selected, and four transects were undertaken in each locality to characterise the fauna and flora. The spatial distribution of the intertidal species reflected the physico-chemical conditions of Algeciras Bay. The stations located outside the bay, characterised by high hydrodynamism and dissolved oxygen and low sedimentation and turbidity, had a higher diversity and species richness than the inner stations. According to the BIO-ENV procedure and CCA, water turbidity was the factor which best correlated with the intertidal assemblages. SIMPER showed that the molluscs Chtamalus stellatus, Mytilus cf edulis, Littorina neritoides and Balanus perforatus, and the algae Gelidium pusillum, Corallina elongata, Asparagopsis armata, Colpomenia sinuosa and Fucus spiralis were the species that most contributed to the dissimilarity between internal and external sites. The present study, based on the spatial distribution of intertidal taxa, yielded similar results to those previously obtained in the area with costly physico-chemical analysis based on complex matrices of subtidal epifaunal communities. Consequently, the intertidal sampling method proposed in this study is presented here as a quick, effective alternative strategy, and can be useful in environmental monitoring programs, since these communities are easily accessible and amenable to sample, and the sessile nature of the majority of the species makes future, long-term monitoring relatively simple.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aversano, F. R.: 1986, ‘Esperimento di insediamento artificiale di Patella ferruginea Gmelin, 1791 nelle acque del Golfo di Arzachena (Sardegna settentrionale)’, Boll. Malacol. 22, 169–170.
Bray, J. R. and Curtis, J. T.: 1957, ‘An ordenation of the upland forest communities of Southern Wisconsin’, Ecol. Monogr. 27, 325–349.
Cai, L. Z., Tam, N. F. Y., Wong, T. W. Y., Ma, L., Gao, Y. and Wong, Y. S.: 2003, ‘Using benthic macrofauna to assess environmental quality of four intertidal mudflats in Hong Kong and Shenzhem’, Acta Oceanol. Sinica 22, 309–319.
Carballo, J. L., Naranjo, S. A. and García-Gómez, J. C.: 1996, ‘Use of marine sponges as stress indicators in marine ecosystems at Algeciras Bay (southern Iberian Peninsula)’, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 135, 109–122.
Clarke, K. R.: 1993, ‘Non-parametric multivariate analyses of changes in community structure’, Aust. J. Ecol. 18, 117–143.
Clarke, K. R. and Ainsworth, M.: 1993, ‘A method of linking multivariate community structure to environmental variables’, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 92, 205–219.
Clarke, K. R. and Gorley, R. N.: 2001, Primer v5: User Manual/Tutorial. Primer-E, Plymouth, pp. 1–91.
Conradi, M., López-González, P. J. and García-Gómez, J. C.: 1997, ‘The Amphipod community as a bioindicator in Algeciras Bay (Southern Iberian peninsula) based on a spatio-temporal distribution’, P.S.Z.N.: Mar. Ecol. 18, 97–111.
Cretella, M., Scillitani, G., Toscano, F., Turella, P., Picariello, O. and Cataudo, A.: 1994, ‘Relationships between Patella ferruginea Gmelin, 1791 and the other Tyrrhenian species of Patella (Gastropoda: Patellidae)’, J. Moll. Stud. 60, 9–17.
Dixon, W. J.: 1983, BMDP Statistical Sofware. University California Press, Berkeley.
Fa, D. A.: 1990, A diversity-based comparative study of the rocky coasts of Gibraltar, Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis, St. Mary's College, Twickenham, UK.
Fa, D. A., Finlayson, C., García-Adiego, E., Sánchez-Moyano, J. E. and García-Gómez, J. C.: 2002, ‘Influence of some environmental factors on the structure and distribution of the rocky shore macrobenthic communities in the Bay of Gibraltar: Preliminary reults’, Almoraima 28, 73–88.
Fischer-Piette, E.: 1959, ‘Contribution à l'ecolologie intercotidale du Détroit de Gibraltar’, Bull. L'Inst. Ocean. 1145, 1–32.
Frenkiel, L.: 1975, ‘Contribution à l'étude des cycles de reproduction des Patellidae en Algérie’, P. S. Z. N. 39, 153–189.
García-Gómez, J. C.: 1983, ‘Estudio comparado de las tanatocenosis y biocenosis malacológicas del Estrecho de Gibraltar y áreas próximas’, Iberus 3, 75–90.
Guerra-García, J. M. and García-Gómez, J. C.: 2001, ‘The spatial distribution of Caprellidea (Crustacea: Amphipoda): A stress bioindicator in Ceuta (North Africa, Gibraltar area)’, P. S. Z. N. Mar. Ecol. 22, 357–367.
Guerra-García, J. M., González-Vila, F. J. and García-Gómez, J. C.: 2003, ‘Aliphatic hydrocarbon pollution and macrobenthic assemblages in Ceuta harbour: A multivariate approach’, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 263, 127–138.
Guerra-García, J. M., Corzo, J., Espinosa, F. and García-Gómez, J. C.: 2004a, ‘Assesing habitat use of the endangered marine mollusc Patella ferruginea (Gastropoda, Patellidae) in northern Africa: Preliminary results and implication for conservation’, Biol. Conserv. 116, 319–326.
Guerra-García, J. M., Corzo, J., Espinosa, F., Fa, D. A. and García-Gómez, J. C.: 2004b, ‘Extinction risk and harbours as marine reserves?’, J. Moll. Stud. 70, 96–98.
Jones, W. E., Bennell, S. J., Beveridge, C., McConnell, B, Mack-Smith, S., Mitchel, J. and Fletcher, A.: 1980, ‘Methods of data collection and processing in rocky intertidal monitoring’, in: J. H. Pryce, D. E. G. Irvine and W. F. Farnham (eds), The Systematics Association Special Volume. The Shore Environment: Methods, Academic Press, London, England, pp. 137–170.
Laborel-Deguen, F. and Laborel, J.: 1991a, ‘Statut de Patella ferruginea Gmelin en Méditerranée’, in: C. F. Boudouresque, M. Avon and V. Gravez (eds), Les spèces marines à protéger en Méditerranée, GIS Posidonie Publishers, Marseille, pp. 91–103.
Laborel-Deguen, F. and Laborel, J.: 1991b, ‘Nouvelles observations sur la population de Patella ferruginea Gmelin de corse’, in: C. F. Boudouresque, M. Avon and V. Gravez (eds.), Les spèces marines à protéger en Méditerranée, GIS Posidonie Publishers, Marseille, pp. 119–128.
McCune, B. and Mefford, M. J.: 1997, PC-ord. Multivariate Analysis of Ecological Data, Mjm Software Design, Gleneden Beach, USA, pp. 1–47.
Moreno, D.: 1992, ‘Presencia de Patella ferruginea Gmelin, 1971 en el Cabo de Gata (Almería, SE España)’, Cuadernos de Investigación Biológica, Bilbao 17, 71.
Naranjo, S. A., Carballo, J. L. and García-Gómez, J. C.: 1996, ‘Effects of environmental stress on ascidian populations in Algeciras Bay (southern Spain). Possible marine bioindicators?’, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 144, 119–131.
Pielou, E. C.: 1966, ‘The measurement of diversity in different types of biological collections’, J. Theor. Biol. 13, 131–144
Ramos, M. A.: 1998, ‘Implementing the Habitats Directive for mollusc species in Spain’, J. Conch. Spec. Publ. 2, 125–132.
Sánchez-Moyano, J. E. and García-Gómez, J. C.: 1998, ‘The arthropod community, especially Crustacea, as a bioindicator in Algeciras Bay (Southern Spain) based on a spatial distribution’, J. Coastal Res. 14, 1119–1133.
Sánchez-Moyano, J. E., Estacio, F., García-Adiego, E. M. and García-Gómez, J. C.: 2000a, ‘The molluscan epifauna of the alga Halopteris scoparia in Southern Spain as a bioindicator of coastal environmental conditions’, J. Moll. Stud. 66, 431–448.
Sánchez-Moyano, J. E., García-Adiego, E. M., Estacio, F. and García-Gómez, J. C.: 2000b, ‘Effect of environmental factors on the spatial distribution of the epifauna of the alga Halopteris scoparia in Algeciras Bay, Southern Spain’, Aquatic Ecol. 34, 355–367.
Sánchez-Moyano, J. E., García-Adiego, E. M., Estacio, F. and García-Gómez, J. C.: 2002, ‘Effect of environmental factors on the spatial variation of the epifaunal polychaetes of the alga Halopteris scoparia in Algeciras Bay (Strait of Gibraltar)’, Hydrobiologia 470, 133–148.
Shannon, C. E. and Weaver, W.: 1963, The Matematical Theory of Comunications. University of Illinois Press, Urbana, Illinois. 117 pp.
Sneath, P. H. A. and Sokal, R. R.: 1973, Numerical Taxonomy. The Principles and Practice of Numerical Classification, WH Freeman and Company, San Francisco, pp. 1–573.
Templado, J.: 1996, ‘Patella ferruginea’, in: M. A. Ramos (ed.), Inventario de las especies de invertebrados no artrópodos incluidas en los anejos de la Directiva 92/43/CEE del Consejo, ICONA, Spain, pp. 1–15.
Ter Braak, C. J. F.: 1986, ‘Canonical Correspondence Analysis: A new eigenvector technique for multivariate direct gradient analysis’, Ecology 67, 1167–1179.
Thompson, R. C., Crowe, T. P. and Hawkins, S. J.: 2002, ‘Rocky intertidal communities: past environmental changes, present status and predictions for the next 25 years’, Environ. Conserv. 29, 168–191.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Guerra-García, J.M., Maestre, M.J., González, A.R. et al. Assessing a Quick Monitoring Method Using Rocky Intertidal Communities as a Bioindicator: A Multivariate Approach in Algeciras Bay. Environ Monit Assess 116, 345–361 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-7572-y
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-7572-y