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<front>
<journal-meta>
<journal-id journal-id-type="publisher">ISPRS-Archives</journal-id>
<journal-title-group>
<journal-title>The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences</journal-title>
<abbrev-journal-title abbrev-type="publisher">ISPRS-Archives</abbrev-journal-title>
<abbrev-journal-title abbrev-type="nlm-ta">Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci.</abbrev-journal-title>
</journal-title-group>
<issn pub-type="epub">2194-9034</issn>
<publisher><publisher-name>Copernicus Publications</publisher-name>
<publisher-loc>Göttingen, Germany</publisher-loc>
</publisher>
</journal-meta>
<article-meta>
<article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-4-W17-2025-247-2026</article-id>
<title-group>
<article-title>Mapping the Spatial Distribution of Seagrass Meadows and Non-Indigenous Species in the Associated Benthos in the Marchica Lagoon: First Indicators of the Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Program (IMAP)</article-title>
</title-group>
<contrib-group><contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Oujidi</surname>
<given-names>Bouchra</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
</xref>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2">
<sup>2</sup>
</xref>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff5">
<sup>5</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Abid</surname>
<given-names>Abdeslam</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3">
<sup>3</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Kabriti</surname>
<given-names>Mohamed</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3">
<sup>3</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>El Bouch</surname>
<given-names>Mohammed</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3">
<sup>3</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Demnati</surname>
<given-names>Salima</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2">
<sup>2</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Layachi</surname>
<given-names>Mostafa</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
</xref>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff4">
<sup>4</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Saddiki</surname>
<given-names>Zakariaa</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Aitali</surname>
<given-names>Rajaa</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff5">
<sup>5</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Rezzoum</surname>
<given-names>Noureddine</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff4">
<sup>4</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Zidane</surname>
<given-names>Hakima</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff4">
<sup>4</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>El Ouamari</surname>
<given-names>Najib</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff4">
<sup>4</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Baghour</surname>
<given-names>Mourad</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Akodad</surname>
<given-names>Mustapha</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Skalli</surname>
<given-names>Ali</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1">
<sup>1</sup>
</xref>
</contrib>
</contrib-group><aff id="aff1">
<label>1</label>
<addr-line>Laboratory of Biology, Geosciences, Physics and Environment (OLMAN-LBGPE), Multidisciplinary Faculty of Nador, Mohamed First University Oujda, Morocco</addr-line>
</aff>
<aff id="aff2">
<label>2</label>
<addr-line>Marchica Observatory, Nador, DRE Oriental, Department of Sustainable Development, Morocco</addr-line>
</aff>
<aff id="aff3">
<label>3</label>
<addr-line>National Laboratory for Studies and Pollution Monitoring (LNESP), Department of Sustainable Development, Morocco</addr-line>
</aff>
<aff id="aff4">
<label>4</label>
<addr-line>National Institute of Fisheries Research (INRH), Morocco</addr-line>
</aff>
<aff id="aff5">
<label>5</label>
<addr-line>Geophysics and Natural Hazards Laboratory, GEOPAC Research Center, Scientific Institute, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco</addr-line>
</aff>
<pub-date pub-type="epub">
<day>15</day>
<month>01</month>
<year>2026</year>
</pub-date>
<volume>XLVIII-4/W17-2025</volume>
<fpage>247</fpage>
<lpage>254</lpage>
<permissions>
<copyright-statement>Copyright: &#x000a9; 2026 Bouchra Oujidi et al.</copyright-statement>
<copyright-year>2026</copyright-year>
<license license-type="open-access">
<license-p>This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this licence, visit <ext-link ext-link-type="uri"  xlink:href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</ext-link></license-p>
</license>
</permissions>
<self-uri xlink:href="https://isprs-archives.copernicus.org/articles/XLVIII-4-W17-2025/247/2026/isprs-archives-XLVIII-4-W17-2025-247-2026.html">This article is available from https://isprs-archives.copernicus.org/articles/XLVIII-4-W17-2025/247/2026/isprs-archives-XLVIII-4-W17-2025-247-2026.html</self-uri>
<self-uri xlink:href="https://isprs-archives.copernicus.org/articles/XLVIII-4-W17-2025/247/2026/isprs-archives-XLVIII-4-W17-2025-247-2026.pdf">The full text article is available as a PDF file from https://isprs-archives.copernicus.org/articles/XLVIII-4-W17-2025/247/2026/isprs-archives-XLVIII-4-W17-2025-247-2026.pdf</self-uri>
<abstract>
<p>The objective of this study consists to conduct the first monitoring of seagrass meadows and two non-indigenous species (NIS) in the associated benthos (&lt;em&gt;Bursatella leachii&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Callinectes sapidus&lt;/em&gt;) as indicators of the Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Program (IMAP) in the Ramsar site of the Marchica lagoon located on the north-eastern coast of Morocco. This lagoon has been the focus of a succession of restoration actions since 2010 aimed at conserving its biodiversity and improving its environmental state. Thirty sampling stations were monitored during the 2022-2023 winter season to determine the spatial distribution of seagrass meadows and of two non-Indigenous species above mentioned. Our results showed the presence of two marine species &lt;em&gt;Cymodocea nodosa&lt;/em&gt;, the most widespread species, and &lt;em&gt;Zostera noltei&lt;/em&gt;. The spatial distribution revealed the presence of the species only on the borders of the lagoon and their absence in the central area. For NIS, the results showed 143 &lt;em&gt;Callinectes sapidus&lt;/em&gt; and 45 &lt;em&gt;Bursatella leachii &lt;/em&gt;in different sizes ranging from small to large. To protect the marine phanerogams in the Marchica lagoon, it is recommended to develop this preliminary study by a spatiotemporal survey considering a seasonal pattern (winter, spring, summer and autumn) and by monitoring others stations in order to examine the existence of other species of seagrass and identified the benthos associated. The results of field monitoring will be used for future seagrass monitoring using satellite remote sensing as recommended by IMAP guidelines.&amp;nbsp;</p>
</abstract>
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