Statistical calibration of the Carlit index in the Pontine Island of Zannone

The WFD (Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC), adopted by the European Community requires that Member States achieve and maintain a good ecological status of all water bodies by 2015. In the marine context, the ecological status has to be quantified applying indexes based on appropriate key biological elements. The CARLIT index is a cartographic monitoring tool enabling the EQR (Ecological Quality Ratio) to be calculated using macroalgae in coastal hard bottoms as a key biological element. Here we investigate the role of Cystoseira amentacea var.stricta: a key macroalgae involved in the index definition. We analyze the relation between the algae presence and geomorphological characteristics of Pontine Islands coast through standard logistic regression and autologistic models to account for spatial correlation.