Understanding the ecosystem quality of Mediterranean shallow rocky reefs: Insights from the application of ecosystem-based indices

Infralittoral rocky reefs (IRR) are a coastal marine habitat subject to various anthropogenic pres-sures in the Mediterranean. An ecological assessment using an ecosystem-based approach appears essential to guide sustainable environmental management practices and meet the requirements of the European Union Marine Strategy and Habitats Directive. For this, the reef-EBQI has been developed at 96 sites along the French Mediterranean coast. We show an overall 'good' and 'moderate' IRR status based on the reef-EBQI. The status appears sensitive to the level of pressure, but more to local specificities. Management and geomorphology did not significantly impact the status. Comparing reef-EBQI scores with another ecosystem-based index, ECOfast, revealed a positive correlation but dissimilarities. Thus, the reef-EBQI is suitable for long-term monitoring in the Mediterranean but interpreting ecological status requires careful handling. Further work should include abiotic factors such as geomorphology and a suitable quantitative pressure index.