| Among the biological quality elements monitored under the WFD, salt marshes are still not assessed in France. To evaluate ways to develop an assessment tool for this biological quality element, methodologies already applied by other member states have been identified and analyzed. Despite a very thorough job in assessing the ecological status of salt marshes, no pressure-impact relationship has been demonstrated. In addition, the pressures identified are related to the hydromorphological characteristics. A study was conducted to study saltmarshes not as a biological quality element but as a hydromorphological quality element. It shows that with simple procedure, it is possible to follow the evolution of the total area of salt marshes which can give... |
