Journal of Environmental Biology

Water quality and benthic fauna biodiversity in a unique small

wetland at Messinia, Greece

Konstantinos C. Gritzalis*, Evangelia Anastasopoulou, Nikolaos A. Georgiopoulos,

Vasiliki V. Markogianni and Nikolaos Th. Skoulikidis

Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, 19013, Anavyssos, Attica, Greece

*Corresponding Author E-mail: kgritz@hcmr.gr

 Publication Data

Paper received:

09 July 2013

Revised received:

14 November 2013

Re-revised received:

18 June 2014

Accepted:

22 September 2014

Abstract

The wetland of Aghios Floros is located in the Prefecture of Messinia (S.W. Peloponnese, Greece) and occupies a small area, covered permanently with water. Flooding of the surrounding area is defended by an artificial channel that discharge large quantity of water into Pamisos River in whose river basin the Aghios Floros station belongs. At the sampling site various physico-chemical and conventional pollution parameters as well as hydrochemical variables were measured during the wet and the dry period of 2011. The hydromorphological and multihabitat approach of RIVPACS method was applied in situ, which gives an overall image of the landscape. The site was classified as 'Good' according to the Greek River Nutrient Classification System (GR_NCS) and the benthic macroinvertebrate fauna assemblages that dominated the area pointed out a 'Good' biological status as well. The biotic and abiotic sample processing, carried out in compliance with the demands of the Water Framework Directive, in general revealed high ecological status of the station. Specifically, a rich diversity and abundance of some macroinvertebrate families was recorded and regarding the aquatic flora the area is dominated by the water lilies species of Nymphaea alba which are unique in the area of Peloponnese.

 Key words

Benthic, Biodiversity, Water quality, Wetland

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