MASC580 MARINE BENTHOS

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, students will be familar to the benthic biodiversity, some basic properties of the different marine benthic ecosystems, benthic habitats, classification of benthic marine habitat types for the Mediterranean Region, Methods of sampling different marine benthic habitats - Soft/Hard Bottom Macrozoobenthos, Sampling Strategy - Sampling design – different habitats of soft and hard bottom (Posidonia meadow, facies with Mytilus galloprovincialis, association with Cystoseira sp.,), the use of benthic indicators in Europe: from the Water Framework Directive to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and new monitoring methods.

Course Content

Classification of benthic organisms. Sampling of benthos; sampling methods, treatment and sorting of samples, preservation and storage of samples. Benthic organisms and pollution; effects of pollution on the distribution of benthic organisms in space and time.

Course Learning Outcomes

Students will learn

• classification and descriptions of benthic invertebrate communities
• zonation patterns of benthic communities (Benthic zone: Benthic Marine Categories; Deep Sea, Intertidal marine, subtidal marine, etc.)
• the importance of benthic habitats for the marine ecosystem
• the importance of benthic-pelagic coupling for marine ecosystem functioning
• sampling strategy - sampling design – different habitats of soft and hard bottom (Posidonia meadow, facies with Mytilus galloprovincialis, association with Cystoseira sp.
• different sampling equipments
• macrobenthic succession in relation to organic enrichment and pollution
• impact of anthropogenic stressors on marine benthos
• using benthic ecological indicators in coastal and marine quality assessment 
• Standards Related to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive Criteria on Good Environmental Status
• New monitoring methods