Ecological quality assessment of the lower Lima Estuary.

Monitoring biotic factors is gaining in importance within Europe, due in large extent to the ecological approach of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the importance attributed to biological elements in the assessment of quality status. Despite its ecological importance, the Lima Estuary is subjected to a range of perturbations, including urban, agricultural and industrial waste discharge, dredging activities, and introduction of non-indigenous invasive species. This work uses macrozoobenthic data to study the ecological status of the lower Lima Estuary where most disturbance factors are concentrated. We were able to verify consistent differences along space, and to identify different degrees of disturbance in the estuarine area. These results allow us to suggest cost-effective approaches to monitor this estuarine area, aiming on contributing to effective management actions.