Assessment of the ecological status of Maltese coastal waters using the Rhodophyta/Phaeophyta Mean Ratio Index (R/P Rt. I.)

Abstract

Macroalgae from seven sites along the rocky upper infralittoral of Malta and Gozo were sampled in the spring, summer and winter seasons of 2003 and 2004. The aim was to apply the hodophyta/Phaeophyta mean ratio index (R/P rt. I.), a biological index which makes use of macroalgae, to discriminate between the sites, which are subject to different degrees of anthropogenic stress and which were therefore expected to have a different ecological status as defined by the EU’s Water Framework Directive. The R/P rt. I. generally discriminated between sites, however, two sites gave anomalous results.