Spatial and temporal trends of macrobenthic organisms in the Sea Scheldt and tidal tributaries (De Vlaamse Waterweg nv)

The project ‘Spatial and temporal trends of macrobenthic organisms in the Sea Scheldt and tidal tributaries’ is part of the current MONEOS programme, coordinated by the Flemish-Dutch Scheldt Commission. Annual spatial sampling of soil fauna throughout the Sea Scheldt estuary (incl. tidal sections of the tributaries) makes detailed monitoring possible of variation in space and over time. Macroinvertebrates constitute a required biological quality element in the assessment of the ecological status of transitional waters in the framework of the European Water Framework Directive. As a sedentary fauna element, macrobenthic organisms are a useful biological component for the meaningful definition of biologically relevant spatial units with both abiotic and biotic identifying characteristics.