Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals and Environmental Quality of Tunisian Harbours
Harbours are one of the most disturbed coastal ecosystems due to intensive anthropogenic pressures. This study aimed for the first time to compare anthropogenic impacts in three harbours from the central coast of Tunisia (Mediterranean Sea) employing analysis of heavy metal contamination and ecologi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/11/1625 |
| _version_ | 1797467693240025088 |
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| author | Nourhene Rebai Nawfel Mosbahi Jean-Claude Dauvin Lassad Neifar |
| author_facet | Nourhene Rebai Nawfel Mosbahi Jean-Claude Dauvin Lassad Neifar |
| author_sort | Nourhene Rebai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Harbours are one of the most disturbed coastal ecosystems due to intensive anthropogenic pressures. This study aimed for the first time to compare anthropogenic impacts in three harbours from the central coast of Tunisia (Mediterranean Sea) employing analysis of heavy metal contamination and ecological quality status (EcoQS). Sampling was carried out in spring 2019 in the fishing harbour of Teboulba, the marina of Monastir, and the commercial harbour of Sousse. The high levels of concentration in heavy metals and organic matter were closely related to the fine-grained fraction of the sediment in the fishing and commercial harbours. A total of 94 macrobenthic species, including five nonindigenous species, were identified belonging to six zoological groups. Multivariate analyses highlighted a strong influence of the harbour activity on the diversity of macrozoobenthic communities. Three benthic assemblages were identified according to their environmental characteristics such as sediment type, organic matter content, and heavy metal contamination. Benthic and biotic indices (H′, J′, AMBI, and BO2A) showed that the EcoQS varied from poor (commercial harbour) to good (marina), and was significantly influenced by harbour activity, organic matter, and heavy metal contamination of the sediment. The present work could be considered as providing important baseline data for the implementation of national environmental policies and management plans in the future. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:56:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0636edfd68a146268a535a7bf2c6d95d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1312 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:56:21Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-0636edfd68a146268a535a7bf2c6d95d2023-11-24T05:21:59ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122022-11-011011162510.3390/jmse10111625Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals and Environmental Quality of Tunisian HarboursNourhene Rebai0Nawfel Mosbahi1Jean-Claude Dauvin2Lassad Neifar3Laboratory of Marine Biodiversity and Environment, Faculty of Sciences Sfax, University of Sfax, BP 1171, Sfax 3038, TunisiaLaboratory of Marine Biodiversity and Environment, Faculty of Sciences Sfax, University of Sfax, BP 1171, Sfax 3038, TunisiaLaboratoire Morphodynamique Continentale et Côtière, Normandie University, UNICAEN, CNRS, UMR 6143 M2C, 24 Rue des Tilleuls, 14000 Caen, FranceLaboratory of Marine Biodiversity and Environment, Faculty of Sciences Sfax, University of Sfax, BP 1171, Sfax 3038, TunisiaHarbours are one of the most disturbed coastal ecosystems due to intensive anthropogenic pressures. This study aimed for the first time to compare anthropogenic impacts in three harbours from the central coast of Tunisia (Mediterranean Sea) employing analysis of heavy metal contamination and ecological quality status (EcoQS). Sampling was carried out in spring 2019 in the fishing harbour of Teboulba, the marina of Monastir, and the commercial harbour of Sousse. The high levels of concentration in heavy metals and organic matter were closely related to the fine-grained fraction of the sediment in the fishing and commercial harbours. A total of 94 macrobenthic species, including five nonindigenous species, were identified belonging to six zoological groups. Multivariate analyses highlighted a strong influence of the harbour activity on the diversity of macrozoobenthic communities. Three benthic assemblages were identified according to their environmental characteristics such as sediment type, organic matter content, and heavy metal contamination. Benthic and biotic indices (H′, J′, AMBI, and BO2A) showed that the EcoQS varied from poor (commercial harbour) to good (marina), and was significantly influenced by harbour activity, organic matter, and heavy metal contamination of the sediment. The present work could be considered as providing important baseline data for the implementation of national environmental policies and management plans in the future.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/11/1625benthic macrofaunaharbour activityheavy metalsbiotic indicesecological quality statuscentral Mediterranean |
| spellingShingle | Nourhene Rebai Nawfel Mosbahi Jean-Claude Dauvin Lassad Neifar Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals and Environmental Quality of Tunisian Harbours Journal of Marine Science and Engineering benthic macrofauna harbour activity heavy metals biotic indices ecological quality status central Mediterranean |
| title | Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals and Environmental Quality of Tunisian Harbours |
| title_full | Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals and Environmental Quality of Tunisian Harbours |
| title_fullStr | Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals and Environmental Quality of Tunisian Harbours |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals and Environmental Quality of Tunisian Harbours |
| title_short | Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals and Environmental Quality of Tunisian Harbours |
| title_sort | ecological risk assessment of heavy metals and environmental quality of tunisian harbours |
| topic | benthic macrofauna harbour activity heavy metals biotic indices ecological quality status central Mediterranean |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/11/1625 |
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