Paleoecological reconstructions of marine soft-bottom Ecologic Status and in situ reference conditions

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires that assessments of aquatic ecological status are based on comparison with reference (background) conditions. Soft-bottom invertebrates represent one of the biological quality elements on which the ass essments will be based. To date, no monitoring programs include methods which can adequately define biological reference conditions in soft-bottom coastal and transitional waters. The project aims to assess new, cost-efficient hind-casting tools for deter mining in situ ecologic status dating back over long time spans (e.g., decades to centuries) in coastal, fjordic and transitional soft-bottom habitats. The tools will include a foraminifera-macrofauna integrated classification system and an [O2]bottom wat er transfer function. Correlations between fossil foraminiferal and historic macrofauna/hydrographic data will be tested to see if the estimated values parallel the historical time-series data. The tools will enable reconstruction and assessment of the ec ological status from pre-impacted (i.e., beyond the range of biologic and hydrographic time-series), through impacted to subsequent recovery situations. This will be demonstrated in areas subjected to different environmental forcing. Colonization of cappe d sediments in areas undergoing remediation will assess whether or not reference conditions are re-established. Consequently, the methods could also serve as predictive tools.