Diatom indices are used to evaluate the ecological status of rivers but they have been rarely applied in estuaries. This study aimed to identify the diatom species indicating the main environmental gradients and pressures in a highly stratified estuary; and to evaluate the applicability of existing freshwater diatom indices. Marine influence due to salt-wedge intrusion and sea water mixing appeared as the main factor affecting diatom community. Three diatom assemblages were identified: indicators of riverine conditions (without marine influence), indicators of estuarine conditions (heterogeneous conditions with higher conductivities due to marine influence) and those specifically indicating well-established salt-wedge situations. Nowadays, the main human pressure affecting diatom community in the Ebro Estuary is the hydrological alteration resulting from flow regulation and abstraction. Several limitations were encountered in the application of diatom indices (e.g. inverse response with nutrients; ecologically important species not considered). Therefore, their use in estuaries should be done cautiously.

Photosystem II (PSII) herbicides are used in large quantities on agricultural lands adjoining the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Routine monitoring at 14 sites in inshore waters of the GBR using passive sampling techniques detected diuron (32–94% of sampling periods) at maximum concentrations of 1.7–430ngL⁻¹ in the relatively pristine Cape York Region to the Mackay Whitsunday Region, respectively. A PSII herbicide equivalent (PSII-HEq) index developed as an indicator for reporting was dominated by diuron (average contribution 89%) and typically increased during the wet season. The maximum PSII-HEq indicates the potential for photosynthetic inhibition of diatoms, seagrass and coral-symbionts. PSII herbicides were significantly positively correlated with remotely sensed coloured dissolved organic matter, a proxy for freshwater extent. Combining these methods provides for the first time the potential to cost-effectively monitor improvements in water quality entering the GBR with respect to exposure to PSII herbicides.

The effects of the photosystem II (PSII) herbicide diuron was assessed on thirteen tropical foraminifera hosting diatom, dinoflagellate, red or green algae endosymbionts. Inhibition of photosynthesis (reduced ΔF/Fₘ ′) by diuron depended on both symbiont type and test ultrastructure, with greatest sensitivity observed for diatom- and chlorophyte-hosting species (24h IC₂₅ 2.5–4μgL⁻¹). Inhibition kinetics was slow (24–48h until maximum inhibition) in comparison with corals, suggesting structural differences may influence herbicide uptake and transport. Although foraminifera were generally less sensitive to direct effects of diuron (inhibition ΔF/Fₘ ′) than other marine phototrophs, damage to PSII (reduction Fᵥ/Fₘ) occurred at concentrations lower than observed for other organisms (24h IC₂₅ 3–12μgL⁻¹). Damage to PSII was highly light dependent and occurred at very low light intensities indicating limited photoprotective capacity. The high diversity, widespread occurrence and relative sensitivity make foraminifera good bioindicator organisms to evaluate phytotoxic stress on coral reefs.

Phytoplankton monitoring has extended to practically all the regions of the European coast due to the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive. In this way, the study of phytoplankton taxonomic composition and dynamic is being performed in many areas poorly studied or not studied before. During the last years, a monitoring programme has been carried out at the coast of Cantabria region (SE Bay of Biscay); the presence of some potentially toxic and bloom forming species (>7.5×10⁵cells per litre) has been observed. Diatoms and cryptophytes are the main blooming taxa in this region in the majority of the estuaries and in some of the coastal sites. All estuaries and coastal stations showed at least one potentially toxic species, being the dinoflagellates the group with the highest number of taxa observed. The potentially toxic species found in highest concentrations were the genera Pseudo-nitzschia and Chrysochromulina.

INTRODUCTION: Concentrations of alkylphenolic compounds (APCs) in water and sediments were related to the composition and functional descriptors of the benthic community (biofilm and macroinvertebrates). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Samples were collected in four sampling campaigns at seven sampling points in the lower Llobregat catchment area (NE Spain). Water and sediment samples underwent chemical target analysis for nine APCs, which are known to disrupt the endocrine system. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS: APCs were the main stressors on the diatom community but not on the macroinvertebrate community. CONCLUSIONS: Benthic invertebrates were mostly affected by the general physicochemical water characteristics (where conductivity was a surrogate). Nonylphenol only had an influence on the diatom community in water but not in the remaining compartments, probably because of the low concentrations observed in the environment.