Bioaccessibility of toxic heavy metals/metalloids in edible seaweeds: Exposure and health risk assessment.

This study assesses the health risk due to heavy metals/metalloids (HMs/Ms) in edible seaweeds (Caulerpa racemosa, Kappaphycus alvarezii, and Ulva lactuca) through an in vitro bioaccessibility study. The percentage of bioabsorbed HMs/Ms in unprocessed and processed C. racemosa, U. lactuca, and K. alvarezii ranged from 3 % to 46 %, 3 % to 42 %, and 3 % to 40 %, respectively. The levels of HMs/Ms in seawater, sediment, and seaweeds were below the levels recommended by the European Commission (EC) and World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization (WHO/FAO). The maximum accumulation of HMs/Ms was found during monsoons and post-monsoon seasons, and Cd, Pb, Hg, Cr, As, and Pb were predominant in all the samples. Tukey's post hoc test and t-test confirmed that thermal processing significantly reduced HMs/Ms in seaweeds. On the basis of the bioabsorption of HMs/Ms, the TTHQ values were found to be < 1, and the LCR values were within the acceptable limit (10-06 to 10-04), indicating no carcinogenic risks through seaweeds.

Survey of arsenic content in edible seaweeds and their health risk assessment.

Since humans are especially sensitive to arsenic exposure, predominantly through diet, a strict control of the most widely consumed seaweeds is mandatory. Total arsenic contents and arsenic species in twenty-five different seaweeds from five different origins were studied. Seaweeds selected, included Phaeophyta (brown seaweed), Chlorophyta (green seaweed) and Rhodophyta (red seaweed) genera. The highest arsenic content appears in the Phaeophyta seaweed in the range from 11 to 162 mg kg-1 dried weight. Arsenosugars were found to be the predominant species of arsenic in most seaweeds, being up to 99.7% of total arsenic in some samples. The arsenic dietary intakes for seaweeds studied were assessed and the Target Hazard Quotients (THQ) and the Target Cancer Risk (TCR) were calculated, taking into account inorganic arsenic contents (iAs). iAs species in seaweeds showed low risk of arsenic intake except for Hizikia fusiforme samples.

Seafloor primary production in a changing Arctic Ocean.

Phytoplankton and sea ice algae are traditionally considered to be the main primary producers in the Arctic Ocean. In this Perspective, we explore the importance of benthic primary producers (BPPs) encompassing microalgae, macroalgae, and seagrasses, which represent a poorly quantified source of Arctic marine primary production. Despite scarce observations, models predict that BPPs are widespread, colonizing ~3 million km2 of the extensive Arctic coastal and shelf seas. Using a synthesis of published data and a novel model, we estimate that BPPs currently contribute ~77 Tg C y-1 of primary production to the Arctic, equivalent to ~20 to 35% of annual phytoplankton production. Macroalgae contribute ~43 Tg C y-1, seagrasses contribute ~23 Tg C y-1, and microalgae-dominated shelf habitats contribute ~11 to 16 Tg C y-1. Since 2003, the Arctic seafloor area exposed to sunlight has increased by ~47,000 km2 y-1, expanding the realm of BPPs in a warming Arctic. Increased macrophyte abundance and productivity is expected along Arctic coastlines with continued ocean warming and sea ice loss. However, microalgal benthic primary production has increased in only a few shelf regions despite substantial sea ice loss over the past 20 y, as higher solar irradiance in the ice-free ocean is counterbalanced by reduced water transparency. This suggests complex impacts of climate change on Arctic light availability and marine primary production. Despite significant knowledge gaps on Arctic BPPs, their widespread presence and obvious contribution to coastal and shelf ecosystem production call for further investigation and for their inclusion in Arctic ecosystem models and carbon budgets.

Low-cost and efficient strategy for brown algal hydrolysis: Combination of alginate lyase and cellulase.

Brown algae are rich in biostimulants that not only stimulate the overall development and growth of plants but also have great beneficial effects on the whole soil-plant system. However, alginate, the major component of brown algae, is comparatively difficult to degrade. The cost of preparing alginate oligosaccharides (AOSs) is still too high to produce seaweed fertilizer. In this work, the marine bacterium Vibrio sp. B1Z05 is found to be capable of efficient alginate depolymerization and harbors an extended pathway for alginate metabolism. The B1Z05 extracellular cell-free supernatant exhibited great potential for AOS production at low cost, which, together with cellulase, can efficiently hydrolyze seaweed. The brown algal hydrolysis rates were significantly greater than those of the commercial alginate lyase product CE201, and the obtained seaweed extracts were rich in phytohormones. This work provides a low-cost but efficient strategy for the sustainable production of desirable AOSs and seaweed fertilizer.

Low cost sample preparation method using ultrasound for the determination of environmentally critical elements in seaweed.

In this study, ultrasound (US) was evaluated for As, Cd, Pb, Mn, Sr and V extraction from seaweed samples. The following parameters of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) using an US bath were: frequency (25 to 130 kHz), amplitude (30 to 100%), temperature (30 to 80 °C), sample mass (50 to 200 mg), extractant concentration (1 to 3 mol L-1 of HNO3) and treatment time (5 to 30 min). Acoustic density and power density distribution were calculated using the calorimetric method and mapping of the acoustic pressure distribution was also evaluated. The optimized UAE conditions were 200 mg of sample in 10 mL of 2 mol L-1 HNO3 and 30 min of sonication in a 25 kHz US bath (37.2 ± 4.0 W L-1) at 70% of amplitude and 70 °C. Analytes were quantified using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and results were compared with values obtained using "silent" conditions (magnetic or mechanical stirring at 500 rpm, and without stirring), and a reference method based on microwave-assisted wet digestion (MAWD). The UAE method demonstrated the best extraction efficiency (higher than 95%) for all analytes, especially for As, Cd and V, with lower standard deviations (up to 5%) and lower blank values in comparison with the silent conditions. The proposed UAE method was more advantageous than the reference method, being faster, simpler, safer, more environmentally friendly, and with higher detectability (lower limits of quantification, from 0.0033 to 1.34 µg g-1). In addition, negligible blank values were obtained for UAE and no interference were observed in the determination step. Furthermore, the optimized UAE method was applied for Antarctic seaweed samples and comparison with results obtained by MAWD was satisfactory. In this sense, UAE is demonstrated to be a suitable option for sample preparation of seaweed samples and further determination of environmentally critical elements avoiding the use of concentrated reagents as in the MAWD reference method.

Sustainable valorization of macroalgae residual biomass, optimization of pyrolysis parameters and life cycle assessment.

The major challenges for the current climate change issue are an increase in global energy demand, a limited supply of fossil fuels, and increasing carbon footprints from fossil fuels, which have necessitated the exploration of sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. Biorefineries offer a promising path to sustainable fuel production, converting biomass into biofuels using diverse technologies. Aquatic biomass, such as macroalgae in this context, represents an abundant and renewable biomass resource that can be cultivated from water bodies without competing with traditional agricultural land. Despite this, the potential of macroalgae for biofuel production remains largely untapped, with very limited studies addressing their viability and efficiency. This study investigates the efficient conversion of unexplored macroalgae biomass through a biorefinery process that involves lipid extraction to produce biodiesel, along with the production of biochar and bio-oil from the pyrolysis of residual biomass. To improve the effectiveness and overall performance of the pyrolysis system, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was utilized through a Box-Behnken design to systematically investigate how alterations in temperature, reaction time, and catalyst concentration influence the production of bio-oil and biochar to maximize their yields. The results showed the highest bio-oil yield achieved to be 36 %, while the highest biochar yield reached 45 %. The integration of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in the study helps to assess carbon emission and environmental burdens and identify potential areas for optimization, such as resource efficiency, waste management, and energy utilization. The LCA results contribute to the identification of potential environmental hotspots and guide the development of strategies to optimize the overall sustainability of the biofuel production process. The LCA results indicate that the solvent (chloroform) used in transesterification contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change impacts. Therefore, it is crucial to explore alternative, safe solvents that can mitigate the environmental impacts of transesterification.

Ecotoxicological Assessment of Seaweed-Based Crop Biostimulant on Earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae Kinb.

Aqueous extracts from green seaweeds Chaetomorpha antennina and Ulva flexuosa (SWE) had considerable impacts on the growth and development of tomato plants; it was evident that SWE could be widely applied as agricultural biostimulants as one among a promising strategy of sustainable agriculture. With a higher probability of SWE to replace synthetic agrochemicals, we describe a procedure here to perform an ecotoxicological assessment of liquid SWE on the earthworm, Eudrilus eugeniae Kinb with respect to their growth, survivability, and reproduction.

High nutrient availability modulates photosynthetic performance and biochemical components of the economically important marine macroalga Kappaphycus alvarezii (Rhodophyta) in response to ocean acidification.

Increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations not only change the components of inorganic carbon system in seawater, resulting in ocean acidification, but also lead to decreased seawater pH, resulting in ocean acidification. Consequently, increased inorganic carbon concentrations in seawater provide a sufficient carbon source for macroalgal photosynthesis and growth. Increased domestic sewage and industrial wastewater discharge into coastal areas has led to nutrient accumulation in coastal seawaters. Combined with elevated pCO2 (1200 ppmv), increased nutrient availability always stimulates the growth of non-calcifying macroalgae, such as red economical macroalga Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis. Here, we evaluated the interactive effects of nutrients with elevated pCO2 on the economically important marine macroalga Kappaphycus alvarezii (Rhodophyta) in a factorial 21-day coupling experiment. The effects of increased nutrient availability on photosynthesis and photosynthetic pigments of K. alvarezii were greater than those of pCO2 concentration. The highest Fv/Fm values (0.660 ± 0.019 and 0.666 ± 0.030, respectively) were obtained at 2 µmol L-1 of NO3-N at two pCO2 levels. Under the elevated pCO2 condition, the Chl-a content was lowest (0.007 ± 0.004 mg g-1) at 2 µmol L-1 of NO3-N and highest (0.024 ± 0.002 mg g-1) at 50 µmol L-1 of NO3-N. The phycocyanin content was highest (0.052 ± 0.012 mg g-1) at 150 µmol L-1 of NO3-N under elevated pCO2 condition. The malondialdehyde content declined from 32.025 ± 4.558 nmol g-1 to 26.660 ± 3.124 nmol g-1 with the increased nutrients at under low pCO2. To modulate suitable adjustments, soluble biochemical components such as soluble carbohydrate, soluble protein, free amino acids, and proline were abundantly secreted and were likely to protect the integrity of cellular structures under elevated nutrient availability. Our findings can serve as a reference for cultivation and bioremediation methods under future environmental conditions.

Assessment of hydrogen peroxide as a bioindicator of stress in seaweed aquaculture.

The rapid expansion in commercial seaweed farming has highlighted the need for more effective monitoring methods, and health diagnostics. The production of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a trait that is tied to all major macroalgal groups and holds significance both for its involvement in the oxidative stress response and in the production of climatically relevant gases such as halocarbons. Observations of increased production of H2O2 by plants as a stress response, along with its comparative stability and ease of quantification in seawater in comparison to other ROS, suggest that H2O2 could be used as an indicator of health. In this study we characterized aqueous H2O2 dynamics across a diel cycle, in response to small shifts in light and temperature, as well as when exposed to acute stress. Our results reveal that exposure to acute stressors leads to rapid and sustained concentrations of H2O2 that are orders of magnitude higher than changes in H2O2 concentrations observed throughout the day. These findings provide tantalizing evidence that monitoring H2O2 could be used as a health indicator in seaweed aquaculture and serve as an early warning sign of stress.

Potentially toxic metals in seawater, sediment and seaweeds: bioaccumulation, ecological and human health risk assessment.

This study assesses the bioaccumulation, ecological, and health risks associated with potentially toxic metals (PTMs), including Pb, Hg, Cd, As, and Cr in Hare Island, Thoothukudi. The results revealed that the concentration of PTMs in sediment, seawater, and S. wightii ranged from 0.095 to 2.81 mg kg-1, 0.017 to 1.515 mg L-1, and 0.076 to 5.713 mg kg-1, respectively. The highest concentrations of PTMs were found in the S. wightii compared to seawater and sediment. The high bioaccumulation of Hg and As in S. wightii suggests that it can be used as a bioindicator for these elements in this region. The ecological risk indices, which include individual, complex, biological, and ecological pollution indices, suggest that Hare Island had moderate contamination with Hg and Cd. However, there are no human health risks associated with PTMs. This study examines the current ecological and health risks associated with PTMs and emphasizes the importance of regular monitoring.

Characterization and risk assessment of microplastics in laver from the Yueqing Bay.

Microplastics (MPs) pollution is regarded as a global challenge for ocean. As an important food source of human, macroalgae could suffer MP pollution and transmit MPs into human via food web. However, few studies have revealed the relationship of MP pollution between macroalgae and its habitat. In order to evaluate the trapping and accumulation of MPs in macroalgae and surface water, the present study investigated MP pollution in a typical aquaculture macroalgae species, laver (Porphyra haitanensis) in the Yueqing Bay. The results indicated MP abundance in laver (1.45 ± 0.26 items/g) was at a medium level while MP abundance in surface water (0.21 ± 0.15 item/m3) was at a relatively low level worldwide. Distribution trend and characteristics of MPs in laver and surface water showed highly similarity. Besides, heavy metal elements (Fe and Zr) were detected on the surface of MPs trapped by laver. Pollution load index (PLI) in surface water of the whole bay was low, indicating MP pollution was not serious in the Yueqing Bay. Due to the discharging of domestic sewage in recent years, fiber-shaped, textile MPs accounted for most in laver and surface water of the Yueqing Bay. These results indicated that MPs in surface water could be trapped by P. haitanensis, thus macroalgae cultivation might be a potential way to alleviate seawater MP pollution in the nearshore areas.

Seaweed Growth Monitoring with a Low-Cost Vision-Based System.

In this paper, we introduce a method for automated seaweed growth monitoring by combining a low-cost RGB and stereo vision camera. While current vision-based seaweed growth monitoring techniques focus on laboratory measurements or above-ground seaweed, we investigate the feasibility of the underwater imaging of a vertical seaweed farm. We use deep learning-based image segmentation (DeeplabV3+) to determine the size of the seaweed in pixels from recorded RGB images. We convert this pixel size to meters squared by using the distance information from the stereo camera. We demonstrate the performance of our monitoring system using measurements in a seaweed farm in the River Scheldt estuary (in The Netherlands). Notwithstanding the poor visibility of the seaweed in the images, we are able to segment the seaweed with an intersection of the union (IoU) of 0.9, and we reach a repeatability of 6% and a precision of the seaweed size of 18%.

First report on the exposure and health risk assessment of organochlorine pesticide residues in Caulerpa racemosa, and their potential impact on household culinary processes.

Seaweeds are widely consumed as natural seafood in various Asian countries. Chemical contaminants, such as pesticide residues (PRs), can contaminate it due to its high bio-accumulation nature. Limited research exists on the presence of PRs in edible seaweeds, their decrease in levels during cooking processes, and the evaluation of hazard indices and associated health risks to humans. This study investigated the effects of different cooking methods on the levels of organochlorine pesticides in Caulerpa racemosa seaweed. It also assessed the potential health risks associated with consuming seaweed by estimating daily intake, hazard quotient, and hazard index. The PRs were reduced after different cooking methods. The impact of thermal cooking on PRs in C. racemosa was found to be notably beneficial. The PRs decreased following MWC, boiling, and steam cooking. Several PRs were analyzed, and endrin, DDT, endosulfan, and cypermethrin were found to be the most prevalent. The HQ and HI values for raw and cooked seaweeds were found to be below one, suggesting that the PRs in C. racemosa pose no risk to consumers of seaweed. In summary, thermal cooking proves to be an efficient method for minimizing PRs, while the cooking of seaweeds ensures a high level of safety during consumption.

Trace metals and macrominerals in common seaweeds in the Marchica (a restored lagoon, Mediterranean Sea): Nutritional value and health risk assessment.

This study investigated the contents of macrominerals (Na, K, Ca, Mg and P) and essential trace metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Se) in four species of seaweeds (Gracilaria sp., Alsidium corallinum, Caulerpa prolifera, and Chaetomorpha sp.) from Marchica Lagoon. The contents of macrominerals with mean values (% dw) can be sequenced in this descending order, [Ca > Mg > Na > K > P] for Caulerpa prolifera, and the decreasing sequence [K > Ca > Mg > P > Na] for Chaetomorpha sp. In red seaweeds, Gracilaria sp. and Alsidiumcorallinum followed these orders: [K > Ca > Na > Mg > P] and [K > Na > Ca > Mg > P] respectively. The essential trace metals mean values (mg kg-1) followed the decreasing order [Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu > Se] for Alsidiumcorallinum, Chaetomorpha sp. and Gracilaria sp., and the following order [Fe > Mn > Zn > Se > Cu] for Caulerpa prolifera. Based on the calculated recommended dietary allowance (RDA), targeted hazard quotient (THQ) and the hazard index (HI), the studied seaweeds did not pose any health risk for human consumption.

Species-specific arsenic species and health risk assessment in seaweeds from tropic coasts of South China Sea.

Arsenic (As) is a notorious toxic contamination in marine environments, while the toxicity and health risk of As is highly dependent on As species in seafoods. In this study, we hypothesized that the species-specific As bioaccumulation and species resulted in species-specific healthy risk of As in seaweeds. To test the hypothesis, we collected 10 common edible seaweeds from the coast of Hainan Island in South China Sea. Then we comparatively quantified concentration of total As and 5 major As species [AsB, DMA, MMA, As(III), and As(V)] in seaweeds. The results revealed that the concentrations of total As varied significantly among 10 seaweed species. Specially, the highest total As concentration were found in brown seaweeds, followed by red seaweeds, and green seaweeds. Furthermore, the percentage of 5 As species to total As differed significantly among 10 seaweeds. The percentage of AsB was highest in Caulerpa lentillifera (53%) and lowest in Sargassum oligocystum (13%), while that of As(V) was lowest in Caulerpa lentillifera (21%) and highest in Sargassum oligocystum (81%). The iAs [As(III) + As(V)] exhibited highest value in brown seaweeds and least value in green seaweeds. The potential human health risk assessment indicated that the consumption of brown seaweeds of Sargassum oligocystum and Sargassum polycystum could cause a considerable carcinogenic risk and non-carcinogenic risk to residents. Overall, our findings here largely validated our hypothesis that the species-specific As bioaccumulation and As species had great significance to healthy risk of As in seaweeds.

Spatial distribution and seasonal variation of pesticide residues in the sediment, seawater, and edible seaweeds: Environmental and human health risk assessment.

This study evaluates the distribution of pesticide residues (PRs) and assesses the ecological and human health risks posed by them from seawater, sediment and edible seaweeds in the Gulf of Mannar. Results showed that hexachlorocyclohexane, heptachlor, aldrin, endrin and endosulfan were the predominant PRs. The maximum concentration of PRs was observed in the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Their concentrations in sediment exceeded interim sediment quality guidelines, indicating significant risks to benthic organisms. Except for endrin, the presence of other organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) was below the maximum residual limit. Human health risk assessment revealed that the estimated daily intake of PRs through seaweeds was below the acceptable daily intake. The hazard quotient and hazard ratio were <1, implying that the study seaweeds do not pose significant health risks. The presence of endrin in edible seaweeds, however, indicates safety concerns for consumers and the continued use of banned OCPs in agriculture.

Comprehensive assessment of biorefinery potential for biofuels production from macroalgal biomass: Towards a sustainable circular bioeconomy and greener future.

Marine macroalgae have attracted significant interest as a viable resource for biofuel and value-added chemical production due to their abundant availability, low production costs, and high carbohydrate and lipid content. The growing awareness of socio-economic factors worldwide has led to a greater consideration of marine macroalgae as a sustainable source for biofuel production and the generation of valuable products. The integration of biorefinery techniques into biofuel production processes holds immense potential for fostering the development of a circular bioeconomy on a broad scale. Extensive research was focused on the technoeconomic and environmental impact analysis of biofuel production from macroalgal biomass. The integrated biorefinery processes offers valuable pathways for the practical implementation of macroalgae in diverse conversion technologies. These studies provided crucial insights into the large-scale industrial production of biofuels and associated by-products. This review explores the utilization of marine macroalgal biomass for the production of biofuels and biochemicals. It examines the application of assessment tools for evaluating the sustainability of biorefinery processes, including process integration and optimization, life cycle assessment, techno-economic analysis, socio-economic analysis, and multi-criteria decision analysis. The review also discusses the limitations, bottlenecks, challenges, and future perspectives associated with utilizing macroalgal biomass for the production of biofuels and value-added chemicals.

Metal and metalloid bioaccumulation in dried red seaweed Hypnea musciformis and health risk assessment for consumers.

This study measured 22 metal and metalloid concentrations in Hypnea musciformis from the Bakkhali River estuary and Saint Martin's Island, Bangladesh and determined their potential impact on consumption. Student t-tests showed a significant variation in metal concentrations between the two sampling sites (p < 0.05). Mean concentrations of Co (2.49 ± 0.05 mg/kg), Fe (793.29 ± 11.76 mg/kg), Mn (368.72 ± 4.87 mg/kg), Pb (3.82 ± 0.02 mg/kg), V (11.23 ± 0.20 mg/kg) and Zn (16.60 ± 0.28 mg/kg) were higher in samples collected from the Bakkhali River estuary compared to Saint Martin's Island, while mean concentrations of Ca (484.18 ± 4.68 mg/kg), Cd (2.44 ± 0.03 mg/kg), Mg (2112.70 ± 17.80 mg/kg), Mo (1.57 ± 0.06 mg/kg), Sr (2377.57 ± 29.98 mg/kg), and Ti (258.27 ± 4.62 mg/kg) were higher in samples collected from Saint Martin's Island. Eight heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mn, Cr, Fe) were used to assess potential health risks for adults, but no potential health risk was detected (HQ value>1). This study reveals positive Se-HBV for H. musciformis collected from both sampling sites, indicating no potential risks involved with Hg toxicity.

Assessing the bioactive potential of low-cost textile dyes extracted from brown seaweeds and their dyeing properties.

This study focuses on the extraction and dyeing properties of natural fabric dyes derived from brown seaweeds, namely Padina tetrastromatica, Sargassum tenerrimum, and Turbinaria ornata. Various solvents (acetone, ethanol, methanol, and water) and mordants (CH3 COOH, FeSO4, and NaHCO3) were used to extract the dyes and achieve different shades with excellent fastness properties. Phytochemical and FTIR analyses were performed to identify the phytochemicals responsible for dyeing. The dyed cotton fabrics exhibited a range of colors based on the mordants and solvents used. Fastness assessments revealed that aqueous and ethanol dye extracts exhibited superior properties compared to acetone and methanol extracts. The influence of mordants on cotton fibers' fastness properties was also evaluated. In addition to the above findings, this study makes a significant contribution to the field by exploring the bioactive potential of natural fabric dyes derived from brown seaweeds. The utilization of these abundant and low-cost seaweed sources for dye extraction provides a sustainable alternative to synthetic dyes, addressing environmental concerns associated with the textile industry. Furthermore, the comprehensive analysis of different solvents and mordants in obtaining various shades and excellent fastness properties enhances our understanding of the dyeing process and opens avenues for further research in the development of eco-friendly textile dyes.

ECOfast - An integrative ecological evaluation index for an ecosystem-based assessment of shallow rocky reefs.

The degradation of marine ecosystems is a growing concern worldwide, emphasizing the need for efficient tools to assess their ecological status. Herein, a novel ecosystem-based ecological evaluation index of shallow rocky reefs is introduced and tested in the Aegean and Ionian Seas (NE Mediterranean). The index focuses on a specific set of pre-selected species, including habitat-forming, key, commercially important, and non-indigenous species, across a wide range of trophic levels (1.00-4.53). Data acquisition is conducted through rapid non-destructive SCUBA diving surveys to assess all macroscopic food web components (macroalgae, invertebrates, and fish). Two versions of the index, ECOfast and ECOfast-NIS, were developed, each applying a different approach to account for the impact of non-indigenous species. In our case study, the correlations between the two versions of the index and sea surface temperature, protection status, occurrence of carnivorous fish, and non-indigenous herbivores were assessed through generalized additive models (GAMs). The assessment assigned 93% (ECOfast) or 96% (ECOfast-NIS) of the sites to a moderate to bad ecological status, indicating an alarming situation in the shallow rocky reefs of the NE Mediterranean. Sites evaluated as poor or bad were characterized by extensive coverage of ephemeral macroalgae, absence or minimal presence of large indigenous carnivorous fish, and complete absence of one to three out of five invertebrate functional trophic groups. The community composition of macroalgae, herbivorous species, and carnivorous fishes differed between the 5 m and 15 m depth zones. Surface temperature and carnivorous fish occurrence were the most important tested predictors of the ecological status of shallow rocky reefs. The best GAMs showed that the ECOfast score declined with sea surface temperature and increased with the occurrence of carnivorous fish; ECOfast-NIS declined with sea surface temperature and the occurrence of non-indigenous fish and increased with the occurrence of carnivorous fish. The non-destructive and integrative nature of this approach, its speed of data acquisition and analysis, and its capacity to account for highly mobile predatory fish and non-indigenous species render the ECOfast index a novel, robust, and valuable tool for assessing the ecological status of shallow rocky reefs.