Ecological quality status of the Turkish coastal waters by using a marine macrophytic biotic index (EEI-c)

The present study includes the results of the second benthic macrophytes' monitoring period of a survey of ecological status from the Turkish coasts. The biotic index Ecological Evaluation Index (EEI-c) was used to assess the ecological status classes (ESC) and MA-LUSI the anthropogenic pressures. Sampling was made by the quadrat (20 x 20 cm) method, and the samples were collected from 93 sites in Turkish coastal waters between 2017 and 2019. In total, 240 taxa were found in the Turkish marine waters. Forty sites were classified into High ESC, 24 sites into Good, 12 sites into Moderate, 13 sites into Poor, and 4 sites into Bad ESC. The relationship between the pressure index MA-LUSI and EEIeqr values was also tested, and a negative correlation (R2 = 0.62) was found.