Application of IUCN Red List of Ecosystems to assess the ecological status of marine bar ecosystems of Burullus wetland: A Ramsar site

Abstract

The IUCN Red List of Ecosystems has been employed to assess the status of ecosystems and evaluate the risk of their collapse. The RLE assessment was conducted on the main ecosystems of the marine bar of Burullus wetland; sand plain and salt marshes ecosystems of the marine bar which separates the lake from the Mediterranean Sea. Four criteria were used for conducting the assessment; (A) reduction in distribution, (B) constricted distribution, (C) abiotic components degradation, and (D) disruption of biotic processes and interactions. The integration of remotely-sensed data allowed the application of RLE to study the changes in ecosystems distribution for Criteria A and B. Criterion A showed the same result for sand plain and salt marshes as Critically Endangered (CR). This indicates the distribution of the marine bar is extremely affected by the urban and human activities in the region. It is also expected to be affected by any slight changes in the sea-level and costal erosions in the future in terms of disruption in biotic processes and interactions. Criteria D was applied using floristic quality assessment for current floristic composition and the available historic data. The results show that sand plain and salt marshes are Near Threatened (NT). However, the application of Criteria C was Data Deficient DD due to lack of long term data about the abiotic variables responsible for environmental degradation. The identical results of RLE assessment of sand plain and salt marshes reflect that both ecosystems are equally affected by the ongoing activities in the region, particularly over the last few years. The results indicate that the marine bar ecosystems were disturbed by anthropogenic events such as urban development, grazing and farming. Also natural events such as climate change and its consequences are expected to have severe impacts on the marine bar in the future. Therefore, further studies should focus on the study of the main interactions and processes in the marine bar ecosystems.