Abstract: In this paper, two types of eco-environmental quality assessment indices that have been successively applied abroad, i.e., the AZTI marine biotic index (AMBI) and BENTIX index based on the ecological sensitivity of benthos and the multivariateAMBI (MAMBI), a multivariate index integrating AMBI, Shannon Index H′, and species richness, were applied to assess the ecoenvironmental quality of Luoyuan Bay, Fujian Province of East China, and the assessment results were compared with those by the H′, an index based on community structure, which is often applied in China, aimed to test the applicability of these indices to the Bay, and to provide reference in selecting the indices for assessing our coastal eco-environment quality. Similar assessment results were obtained by applying AMBI and BENTIX index, and M-AMBI and H′. At most stations (13 of 16), the assessment results by applying AMBI and BENTIX index, M-AMBI and H′ were coincident, respectively; while at the other 3 stations, the assessment grade was high or good based on AMBI and BENTIX index, but moderate based on M-AMBI and H′. Taking account of the richness, individual abundance, and ecological group composition of the benthos in Luoyuan Bay, the assessment results based on M-AMBI and H′ could be more reasonable. It was suggested that for the Luoyuan Bay which has a high level of eutrophication and low organic matter enrichment in sediment and is dominated by sensitive benthos species, M-AMBI and H′ could be more applicative and objective than AMBI and BENTIX index in assessing
its ecoenvironmental quality.