Research Information System
OCEAN SCIENCE JOURNAL, vol.58, no.20, pp.1-16, 2023 (SCI-Expanded)
For accurate estimation and correct identifcation of species of EcoQS for macrozoobenthos in MSFD, the distinction between
dead and living molluscan specimens is signifcant. In this study, EcoQS values of Turkish Aegean Sea coasts were calculated
separately based on live and dead+live molluscan communities using Shannon–Wiener Indices, Bentix, AMBI, M-AMBI
and TUBI biotic indices. A total of 219 mollusks species and 76,170 ind.m−2 were found but only 57 species and 2227 ind.
m−2 of them were encountered as live and 2 species (Turbonilla sinuosa and Alvania zaraensis) of dead individuals were
identifed as new records for the Turkish coasts. Stations with rare live molluscan species numbers have lower ecological
qualities than the indices made with dead+live. However, in the presence of opportunistic species among dead+living
species, the situation is reversed. In this study, we discuss the results of the aggregation of dead molluscan individuals, and
the diferences and correlations between the indices according to the diferent molluscan data sets. Thanks to the aggregation of dead molluscan individuals obtained in the sampling area, information about the anthropogenic disturbances in the
recent past can be obtained. While there is a correlation between EcoQS of indices of the dead+live mollusk species, this
correlation is not found in only living individuals. Also a similarity was found between M-AMBI and TUBI, which used the
Shannon–Wiener index in their calculation