Member State report / Art9 / 2012 / D4 / Mediterranean

Report type Member State report to Commission
MSFD Article Art. 9 Determination of GES (and Art. 17 updates)
Report due 2012-10-15
GES Descriptor D4 Food webs/D1 Ecosystems
Region/subregion Mediterranean
Reported by Member state
Member state
UK (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/uk/mwe/d4/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)
ES (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/es/mwe/d4/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)
FR (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/fr/mwe/d4/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)
IT (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/it/mwe/d4/art9/@@view-report-data-2012, https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/it/mad/d4/art9/@@view-report-data-2012, https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/it/mic/d4/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)
MT (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/mt/mic/d4/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)
SI (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/si/mad/d4/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)
HR (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/hr/mad/d4/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)
EL (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/el/mad/d4/art9/@@view-report-data-2012, https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/el/mic/d4/art9/@@view-report-data-2012, https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/el/mal/d4/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)
CY (https://water.europa.eu/marine/assessment-module/national-descriptors-assessments/cy/mal/d4/art9/@@view-report-data-2012)
Marine reporting units Number used
0
25
1
168
0
5
7
8
1
Features Pressures
ChangeHydrology (2)
ExtractSpeciesAll (4)
ExtractSpeciesFishShellfish (4)
IntroNIS (4)
IntroNonSynthSubst (4)
IntroSynthComp (4)
Litter (2)
Noise (4)
NutrientOrgEnrich (2)
PressureOther (4)
BioDisturb_other (1)
ChangeSalinity (1)
ChangeThermal (1)
ExtractSpeciesAll (1)
ExtractSpeciesFishShellfish (4)
InputN_Psubst (2)
InputOrganics (2)
IntroHazSubstOther (3)
IntroMicroPath (3)
IntroNIS (4)
IntroNonSynthSubst (3)
IntroRadioNuclides (3)
IntroSynthComp (3)
Litter (1)
Noise (1)
NutrientOrgEnrich (2)
PhysDam_extraction (3)
ChangeHydrology (8)
ExtractSpeciesAll (2)
ExtractSpeciesFishShellfish (7)
IntroHazSubstOther (6)
IntroNIS (7)
Litter (4)
Noise (4)
NutrientOrgEnrich (19)
PhysDam (10)
PhysLoss (7)
PressureOther (6)
ChangeHydrology (3)
ExtractSpeciesAll (12)
InputN_Psubst (12)
InputOrganics (12)
IntroHazSubstOther (15)
IntroNIS (6)
IntroNonSynthSubst (15)
IntroRadioNuclides (15)
IntroSynthComp (15)
Litter (3)
Noise (3)
NutrientOrgEnrich (15)
PhysDam (9)
ChangeHydrology (3)
ExtractSpeciesFishShellfish (2)
IntroNIS (2)
Litter (1)
Noise (1)
NutrientOrgEnrich (3)
PhysDam (3)
PhysLoss (3)
GES description D4 Food webs/D1 Ecosystems
La eutrofización, la extracción selectiva, u otros efectos derivados de las actividades humanas, ocurren a unos niveles que no ponen en riesgo el mantenimiento de las relaciones tróficas existentes.
Good environmental status is achieved when the following conditions are cumulatively met, taking into account that major functional and structural changes are not only triggered by regional anthropogenic pressures alone, but also by other factors such as climate change or natural population variability : - the different key compartments (functional groups, species, habitats) of the food webs are maintained in proportions that allow the long-term sustainability of the general structure of the food webs; - the general abundance dynamics of these groups, analysed over sufficiently large time scales, ensure the proper functioning of the system; this also implies maintaining the fertility and genetic diversity of the populations; - the main trophic links on which the general dynamics of the system are based are maintained in order to guarantee the efficiency of correct energy transfer from low to high trophic levels; - the processes of recycling of organic matter provided by the microbial loop and decomposers are maintained under conditions which do not jeopardize their functional role in the system.
Struktura in funkcija ekosistema ter prehranjevalna raven so ohranjeni na nivoju, ki prevladuje v naravnih pogojih.
To achieve GES there should be:
No significant change in the proportion of biomass at higher trophic levels in the total catch of demersal fish.
No significant decrease in the populations of large pelagic fish.
GES description D4C1 Trophic guild species diversity (1.7, 1.7.1)
AVES: Para el conjunto de la red de IBA marinas dentro de la Demarcación,las estimas numéricas se mantendrán lo suficientemente elevadas como para mantener los criterios de IBA en por lo menos un 85% de los casos. Se entiende por “casos” la interacción entre especie y espacio. Es decir, cada especie que cumple criterios en una IBA dada representa un caso, independientemente de si esa especie cumple criterios en otra IBA (si la especie cumple criterios en 3 IBA, se trata como 3 casos independientes).
Good ecological status is achieved when the diversity of species and habitats, ecological structures and functions, such as connectivity, material flows or species habitats, are maintained and are consistent with existing natural environmental conditions. There is no significant decline in diversity, at all levels of life organisation (populations, functional groups, communities and habitats), in terms of composition (number and nature of taxa, functional groups or basic habitats) and proportion (relative abundances/extents).
GES is achieved when the main ecosystem components are line with prevailing natural conditions, not showing human-induced significantly adverse alteration.
Sestava in sorazmerni deleži sestavnih delov ekosistemov je v skladu z naravnimi pogoji.
GES description D4C2 Abundance across trophic guilds (1.7, 1.7.1, 4.3, 4.3.1)
AVES (Calonectris diomedea, Puffinus mauritanicus, Larus melanocephalus y Larus auduonii): Las estimas numéricas en el ámbito de la Demarcación Marina, agrupadas por periodos de 3 años, no deben ser significativamente inferiores al 75% de los valores actuales por lo menos para el 75% de las especies evaluadas.


AVES (pardela cenicienta, pardela balear, gaviota cabecinegra y gaviota de Audouin): Las estimas numéricas en el ámbito de la Demarcación Marina, agrupadas por periodos de 3 años, no deben ser significativamente inferiores al 75% de los valores actuales por lo menos para el 75% de las especies evaluadas. Las estimas numéricas de todas las especies que identifican el IBA marina ES409 "Plataforma marina del Delta del Ebro-Columbretes (salvo aquellas muy costeras, así como la gaviota patiamarilla por su carácter flexible y oportunista), agrupadas por periodos de 3 años, no deben ser significativamente inferiores al 75% de los valores actuales por lo menos para en el 85% de los casos.


AVES: Para el conjunto de la red de IBA marinas dentro de la Demarcación,las estimas numéricas se mantendrán lo suficientemente elevadas como para mantener los criterios de IBA en por lo menos un 85% de los casos. Se entiende por “casos” la interacción entre especie y espacio. Es decir, cada especie que cumple criterios en una IBA dada representa un caso, independientemente de si esa especie cumple criterios en otra IBA (si la especie cumple criterios en 3 IBA, se trata como 3 casos independientes).
Good ecological status is achieved when the diversity of species and habitats, ecological structures and functions, such as connectivity, material flows or species habitats, are maintained and are consistent with existing natural environmental conditions. There is no significant decline in diversity, at all levels of life organisation (populations, functional groups, communities and habitats), in terms of composition (number and nature of taxa, functional groups or basic habitats) and proportion (relative abundances/extents).



Good ecological status is achieved when the maintenance of the abundance and distribution of key groups ensures above all structural stability of the system. Indirectly, the maintenance of abundance also relies on the flows associated with these groups.
GES is achieved when the main ecosystem components are line with prevailing natural conditions, not showing human-induced significantly adverse alteration.


GES is reached when no trend in the abundance (or other metrics) of species groups of functional values in the ecosystem show a significant negative alteration of their status. The provisional list of groups to be taken into account includes: - Posidonia medows;
- phytoplankton
- zooplankton;
- jellyfish;
- bony fish;
- elasmobranchs;
- piscivorous fish;
- marine reptiles;
- marine mammals.


To the purposes of implementing the Initial Assessment GES has been defined as the following: "GES is achieved when trend in abundance of functional groups or selected groups of species is stable or not showing a significant decrease due to human interventions". However, the overall practical evaluation of the applied process in the Italian seas highlighted that this kind of preliminary threshold might need to be revised, taking into account several issues, including, among the others, the outcome of the still ongoing process on CFP reform. All these aspects, therefore, should be duly considered to assess, as appropriate, the preliminary threshold to be used for GES.
Dobro stanje glede na številčnost/razporeditev ključnih trofičnih skupin/vrst so ohranjeni na nivoju, ki prevladuje v naravnih pogojih.


Sestava in sorazmerni deleži sestavnih delov ekosistemov je v skladu z naravnimi pogoji.
GES description D4C3 Trophic guild size distribution (4.2, 4.2.1)
Las poblaciones de las especies seleccionadas como predadores en la cima de la cadena trófica  se mantienen en unos valores que garanticen su mantenimiento en el ecosistema y de las relaciones predador-presa existentes.
Good ecological status is achieved when maintaining the proportion of species at the top of the food web results in an acceptable level of direct pressures on the upper trophic levels.
- piscivorous fish;


GES is reached when the proportion in weight of large fish (above a threshold length, Lcut) is above a percentage (Wlim) of the total weight of fish.
Dobro stanje, glede na kazalnik 4.2.1, je doseženo, ko je masni delež velikih rib (večjih od mejne vrednosti LCUT) , večji od mejne vrednosti.
GES description D4C4 Trophic guild productivity (4.1, 4.1.1)
Se mantiene la productividad y la abundancia de los grupos tróficos principales  de modo que se garantiza la perpetuidad de las cadenas tróficas, y de las relaciones predador-presa existentes. Los procesos naturales de control bottom-up y top-down funcionan eficientemente regulando la transferencia de energía de las comunidades marinas.
Good ecological status is achieved when the maintenance of the productivity of predatory species induces a correct transfer from low to high trophic levels and a structural and functional maintenance of key elements of higher trophic levels, taking into account that a decrease in productivity may also be caused by other non-trophic factors.
Threshold values % of criteria with values (no. of criteria)
0.0% (0)
40.0% (10)
0.0% (5)
100.0% (16)
0.0% (0)
100.0% (4)
0.0% (0)
0.0% (3)
0.0% (0)
Proportion of area to achieve threshold values % of criteria with values (range of values reported)
0.0% (0 - 0)
20.0% (75% - 75% especies evaluadas)
0.0% (0 - 0)
0.0% (0 - 0)
0.0% (0 - 0)
100.0% (-8888 - -8888)
0.0% (0 - 0)
0.0% (0 - 0)
0.0% (0 - 0)