Report on Harmonisation of freshwater biological methods
Report on Harmonisation of freshwater biological methods Report on Harmonisation of freshwater biological methods
108. Process Assessment focuses on evaluation of taxon characteristics such asfunctional groups and species traits. The Lotic-invertebrate Index for Flow Evaluation(LIFE) assesses the impact of variable flows due to regulation or augmentation onbenthic populations. Every regularly encountered invertebrate species and family ofBritain has been assigned to one of six groups which are related to certain flowconditions.109. The definition of distinct reference communities as basis of assessment forlarge watercourses is difficult due to substantial anthropogenic influence and theoccurrence of newcomer species occupying ecological niches. Here, the concept ofProcess Assessment is suitable as it appraises the performance of ecological functionsrather than the presence of individual species. The Potamon-Characterisation-Index(PTI) thus operates on the basis of an “open“ taxon list in which all species showingpreference to potamal habitats are indicators of high quality. By definition newcomershave low ecological values.110. Rapid Bioassessment represents a combination of biological and habitatquality assessment emphasising a low-cost approach through reduced sampling andefficient data analysis. Investigation of both biotic and habitat features aims atobtaining an integrated ecological watercourse assessment. In Europe the only RapidBioassessment Protocol in current usage is the Spanish ECOSTRIMED method, whichcomprises the Spanish modification of the BMWP score.111. A fundamental concept of Multimetric Assessment is to analyse communityhealth composed of community structure, community balance and functional feedinggroups (Barbour et al., 1992). In this context it represents an integrative approach towater quality assessment combining various metrics like Biotic, Saprobic andDiversity Indices, and Process Assessment measures.112. Within the European research project AQEM (“The Development and Testingof an Integrated Assessment System for the Ecological Quality of Streams and Riversthroughout Europe using Benthic Macroinvertebrates”) multimetric assessmentsystems using benthic invertebrates have been developed for a limited number ofstream types in Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands,Portugal and Sweden (AQEM Consortium, 2002). Based on this experience, Germany(Meier et al., in print) and Austria are implementing multimetric assessment at a92
national level in 2005. In Luxemburg and Serbia (Tripkovi, 2003) studies to test theAQEM approach have been undertaken or are planned, respectively.113. Comprehension of all essential abiotic and biotic components constituting thestream ecosystem is aim of Ecosystem Components Assessment. In this approachvarious factors affecting the characteristics of running waters are involved.Additionally, the outputs of assessment directly support water managers in decisionmaking.114. In the Netherlands the General method for ecosystem description andassessment (AMOEBE) relates physical, chemical and biological variables of largewater bodies to reference conditions to derive politically passable target values. Aspecial feature is the integrative visualisation of the different parameters.115. The System for Evaluating Rivers for Conservation (SERCON) is used toidentify important rivers for conservation and to monitor river rehabilitation schemes.SERCON focuses on the physical, chemical and biological features of river channelsand banks, riparian zones and associated floodplains, and includes catchmentcharacteristics like land-use and human population density. The system evaluates dataof 35 attributes, grouped within six conservation criteria: Physical Density,Naturalness, Representativeness, Rarity, Species Richness and Special Features.FISH116. A short description of the methods currently in use and those developed withinthe FAME project is given below.‘Index of Biotic Integrity’ (IBI)117. First developed in North America by Karr (1981) the concept has beenadapted to regional conditions in Europe (Belpaire et al., 2000; Kesminas (2000)Appelberg et al., 2002; Oberdorff et al., 2002; Schager and Peter, 2002).118. Most IBI developed world-wide and applied in European countries havepreserved the four original categories: 1, species composition and diversity, 2, trophiccomposition, 3, fish abundance and 4, reproduction and condition.119. The methods below are IBI fish based methods from the FAME project:93
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nati<strong>on</strong>al level in 2005. In Luxemburg and Serbia (Tripkovi, 2003) studies to test theAQEM approach have been undertaken or are planned, respectively.113. Comprehensi<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> all essential abiotic and biotic comp<strong>on</strong>ents c<strong>on</strong>stituting thestream ecosystem is aim <strong>of</strong> Ecosystem Comp<strong>on</strong>ents Assessment. In this approachvarious factors affecting the characteristics <strong>of</strong> running waters are involved.Additi<strong>on</strong>ally, the outputs <strong>of</strong> assessment directly support water managers in decisi<strong>on</strong>making.114. In the Netherlands the General method for ecosystem descripti<strong>on</strong> andassessment (AMOEBE) relates physical, chemical and <strong>biological</strong> variables <strong>of</strong> largewater bodies to reference c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s to derive politically passable target values. Aspecial feature is the integrative visualisati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> the different parameters.115. The System for Evaluating Rivers for C<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> (SERCON) is used toidentify important rivers for c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> and to m<strong>on</strong>itor river rehabilitati<strong>on</strong> schemes.SERCON focuses <strong>on</strong> the physical, chemical and <strong>biological</strong> features <strong>of</strong> river channelsand banks, riparian z<strong>on</strong>es and associated floodplains, and includes catchmentcharacteristics like land-use and human populati<strong>on</strong> density. The system evaluates data<strong>of</strong> 35 attributes, grouped within six c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> criteria: Physical Density,Naturalness, Representativeness, Rarity, Species Richness and Special Features.FISH116. A short descripti<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> the <strong>methods</strong> currently in use and those developed withinthe FAME project is given below.‘Index <strong>of</strong> Biotic Integrity’ (IBI)117. First developed in North America by Karr (1981) the c<strong>on</strong>cept has beenadapted to regi<strong>on</strong>al c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s in Europe (Belpaire et al., 2000; Kesminas (2000)Appelberg et al., 2002; Oberdorff et al., 2002; Schager and Peter, 2002).118. Most IBI developed world-wide and applied in European countries havepreserved the four original categories: 1, species compositi<strong>on</strong> and diversity, 2, trophiccompositi<strong>on</strong>, 3, fish abundance and 4, reproducti<strong>on</strong> and c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>.119. The <strong>methods</strong> below are IBI fish based <strong>methods</strong> from the FAME project:93
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