View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by National Documentation Centre - EKT journals Mediterranean Marine Science Vol. 3, 2002 Benthic indicators to use in Ecological Quality classification of Mediterranean soft bottom marine ecosystems, including a new Biotic Index SIMBOURA N. Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography, P.O. Box 712, P.C. 19013, Anavyssos, Attiki ZENETOS A. Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources, Agios Kosmas, P.C. 16610, Elliniko, Athens https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.249 Copyright © 2002 To cite this article: SIMBOURA, N., & ZENETOS, A. (2002). Benthic indicators to use in Ecological Quality classification of Mediterranean soft bottom marine ecosystems, including a new Biotic Index. Mediterranean Marine Science, 3(2), 77-111. doi:https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.249 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 21/02/2020 06:17:18 | Mediterranean Marine Science Vol. 3/2, 2002, 77-111 Benthic indicators to use in Ecological Quality classification of Mediterranean soft bottom marine ecosystems, including a new Biotic Index N. SIMBOURA and A. ZENETOS National Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography, P.O.712, 190 13 Anavissos, Attiki, Greece e-mail:
[email protected] Abstract A general scheme for approaching the objective of Ecological Quality Status (EcoQ) classification of zoobenthic marine ecosystems is presented. A system based on soft bottom benthic indicator species and related habitat types is suggested to be used for testing the typological definition of a given water body in the Mediterranean. Benthic indices including the Shannon-Wiener diversity index and the species richness are re-evaluated for use in classification.