| Title | Redundancy in the ecological assessment of lakes: Are phytoplankton, macrophytes and phytobenthos all necessary? |
| Abstract | Although the Water Framework Directive specifies that macrophytes and phytobenthos should be used for the ecological assessment of lakes and rivers, practice varies widely throughout the EU. Most countries have separate methods for macrophytes and phytobenthos in rivers; however, the situation is very different for lakes. Here, 16 countries do not have dedicated phytobenthos methods, some include filamentous algae within macrophyte survey methods whilst others use diatoms as proxies for phytobenthos. The most widely-cited justification for not having a dedicated phytobenthos method is redundancy, i.e. that macrophyte and phytoplankton assessments alone are sufficient to detect nutrient impacts. Evidence from those European Union Member States that have dedicated phytobenthos methods supports this for high level overviews of lake condition and classification; however, there are a number of situations where phytobenthos may contribute valuable information for the management of lakes. |
| Source | Science of the total environment, pp. 594–602 |
| Keywords | Ecological assessmentEuropeLakesPhytobenthosWater Framework Directive |
| Journal | Science of the total environment |
| Editor | Elsevier, Lausanne ;, Paesi Bassi |
| Year | 2016 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.02.024 |
| Authors | Kelly, Martyn G.; Birk, Sebastian; Willby, Nigel J.; Denys, Luc; Drakare, Stina; Kahlert, Maria; Karjalainen, Satu Maaria; Marchetto, Aldo; Pitt, Jo Anne; Urbani?, Gorazd; Poikane, Sandra |
| Text | 357891 2016 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.02.024 Scopus 2 s2.0 84958576810 ISI Web of Science WOS WOS 000336401400010 Ecological assessment Europe Lakes Phytobenthos Water Framework Directive Redundancy in the ecological assessment of lakes Are phytoplankton, macrophytes and phytobenthos all necessary Kelly, Martyn G.; Birk, Sebastian; Willby, Nigel J.; Denys, Luc; Drakare, Stina; Kahlert, Maria; Karjalainen, Satu Maaria; Marchetto, Aldo; Pitt, Jo Anne; Urbani , Gorazd; Poikane, Sandra Bowburn Consultancy; Universitat Duisburg Essen; University of Stirling; Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Brussels; Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet; Finnish Environment Institute; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche; Environment Agency; University of Ljubljana; European Commission Joint Research Centre, Ispra Although the Water Framework Directive specifies that macrophytes and phytobenthos should be used for the ecological assessment of lakes and rivers, practice varies widely throughout the EU. Most countries have separate methods for macrophytes and phytobenthos in rivers; however, the situation is very different for lakes. Here, 16 countries do not have dedicated phytobenthos methods, some include filamentous algae within macrophyte survey methods whilst others use diatoms as proxies for phytobenthos. The most widely cited justification for not having a dedicated phytobenthos method is redundancy, i.e. that macrophyte and phytoplankton assessments alone are sufficient to detect nutrient impacts. Evidence from those European Union Member States that have dedicated phytobenthos methods supports this for high level overviews of lake condition and classification; however, there are a number of situations where phytobenthos may contribute valuable information for the management of lakes. Published version http //www.scopus.com/record/display.url eid=2 s2.0 84958576810 origin=inward Articolo Stoten2016.pdf Articolo in rivista Elsevier 0048 9697 Science of the total environment Science of the total environment Sci. total environ. aldo.marchetto MARCHETTO ALDO TA.P02.014.002 Impatto dei cambiamenti globali sugli ecosistemi acquatici |
