Ecological quality assessment of estuarine macrobenthic communities using an integrative approach

Abstract

Macrobenthic communities play a crucial role in the functioning of estuarine ecosystems and serve as bioindicators of environmental quality. This study assessed the ecological quality of an estuarine system using the AMBI and M-AMBI indices. The following parameters were considered: (i) environmental factors (total organic matter, organic carbon, grain size, calcium carbonate), (ii) sediment trace metals (Pb, Zn, Cu, Cr, Co, Ni, Hg, Li, As), (iii) species composition (morphological and molecular identification), and (iv) anthropogenic activities. The results demonstrated notable differences between study areas, reflecting hydrodynamic processes and human activities. The AMBI index indicated that all areas exhibited conditions classified as "slightly disturbed." However, the composition of the ecological groups and M-AMBI results differed according to the identification method. This approach allowed for a more complete understanding of communities, by integrating the influence of anthropogenic activities on the sediment and macrobenthic communities, highlighting the importance of using both identification methodologies.

Keywords: AMBI index; Anthropogenic activities; Marine biodiversity; Metabarcoding; Monitoring; Trace metals.