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Ibabe A, Miralles L, Carleos CE, Soto-López V, Menéndez-Teleña D, Bartolomé M, Montes HJ, González M, Dopico E, Garcia-Vazquez E, Borrell YJ. Building on gAMBI in ports for a challenging biological invasions scenario: Blue-gNIS as a proof of concept. Mar Environ Res 2021; 169:105340. [PMID: 33930798 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The status of aquatic ecosystems has historically been monitored by the use of biotic indices. However, few biotic measures consider the presence of non-indigenous species as a sign of anthropogenic pollution and habitat disturbance even when this may seriously affect the metric scores and ecological status classifications of an environment. Today, biological invasions are currently one of the greatest threats to biodiversity and sustainable blue economies around the world. In this work, environmental assessments were conducted in the Port of Gijon, Northern Spain, using eDNA metabarcoding, and the gAMBI (genetics based AZTI Marine Biotic Index) was estimated. Results indicate a high/good ecological status within the port. However, nine non-indigenous species and five invasive species were found, and a modification of the gAMBI that includes species invasiveness was proposed: Blue-gNIS. The index was preliminary tested against existing validated indices such as gAMBI, BENTIX (based on the ecology of macroinvertebrates) and ALEX (based on the invasiveness of the species). Blue-gNIS classified the port in a good ecological status and showed its potential usefulness to achieve more complete water quality assessments of ports.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ibabe
- Genetics, Department of Functional Biology, University of Oviedo, C/ Julián Clavería s/n, 33006, Oviedo, Spain
| | - L Miralles
- Genetics, Department of Functional Biology, University of Oviedo, C/ Julián Clavería s/n, 33006, Oviedo, Spain; Ecohydros S.L., Polígono Industrial de Cros, Edif. 5-Nave 8, 39600, Maliaño, Cantabria, Spain
| | - C E Carleos
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research and Mathematics Didactics, University of Oviedo, Facultad de Ciencias, C/ Federico García Lorca, s/n, 33007, Oviedo, Spain
| | - V Soto-López
- Department of Marine Science and Technology, University of Oviedo, Escuela Superior de Marina Civil, Campus de Gijón C/Blasco de Garay s/n, 33203, Gijón, Asturias, Spain
| | - D Menéndez-Teleña
- Department of Marine Science and Technology, University of Oviedo, Escuela Superior de Marina Civil, Campus de Gijón C/Blasco de Garay s/n, 33203, Gijón, Asturias, Spain
| | - M Bartolomé
- Department of Marine Science and Technology, University of Oviedo, Escuela Superior de Marina Civil, Campus de Gijón C/Blasco de Garay s/n, 33203, Gijón, Asturias, Spain
| | - H J Montes
- Department of Marine Science and Technology, University of Oviedo, Escuela Superior de Marina Civil, Campus de Gijón C/Blasco de Garay s/n, 33203, Gijón, Asturias, Spain
| | - M González
- CEO of Environmental Sustainability, Port Authority of Gijon, Spain
| | - E Dopico
- Department of Educational Sciences, C/ Aniceto Sela s/n, 33005, Oviedo, Spain
| | - E Garcia-Vazquez
- Genetics, Department of Functional Biology, University of Oviedo, C/ Julián Clavería s/n, 33006, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Y J Borrell
- Genetics, Department of Functional Biology, University of Oviedo, C/ Julián Clavería s/n, 33006, Oviedo, Spain.
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