The seascape as an indicator of environmental interest and quality of the mediterranean benthos: The in situ development of a description index: The LIMA

Abstract

The LIMA index conveys the environmental interest and quality of the landscape formed by the Mediterranean benthos, ranging from 0 to -40 m, in numerical format. The LIMA index allows a comparison spatially and temporarily between sites. It is a comprehensive index which is easy to implement and is composed of two factors: A topographical description (classification of 15 typologies) and a biological description (the presence or absence of some thirty species or groups of structuring, remarkable and invasive species). The LIMA index has been validated in the Bay of Calvi (Corsica-France) where it varies between 0.31 and 0.79 on a scale of 0.00-1.00.