Scheda di dettaglio – i prodotti della ricerca
| Dato | Valore |
|---|---|
| Title | Defining Maximum Ecological Potential for heavily modified lowland streams of Northern Italy |
| Abstract | In relation to hydromorphological alteration the Water Framework Directive (WFD), a major piece of European legislation, has introduced the concept of Heavily Modified Water Bodies (HMWB). In water bodies falling in this category, hydromorphological modifications are permanent, significantly alter the character of the river and cannot be removed without compromising the use of the water body. In HMWBs a dedicated approach to the evaluation of their status is set, and their Ecological Potential must be assessed. Crucial to the process is the definition of Maximum Ecological Potential (MEP) as the reference conditions for HMWB. In the present paper we aim to define MEP conditions for Italian heavily modified lowland rivers, affected by strong bank protection (i.e. levees or bank reinforcement) in reason of flood protection and land drainage uses. The approach applied to identify MEP conditions follows the one considered for natural (not heavily modified) rivers in Italy and large part of Europe and bases on the identification of 'reference sites' representative for the river category and alteration. For the selection of MEP sites environmental features representing mitigation measures and/or expected natural features were considered. The ability of such features in discriminating MEP and disturbed sites was verified by multivariate analyses run on abiotic features (Principal Component Analysis) and biological communities (nonmetric multidimensional scaling). We demonstrated differences both in terms of invertebrate community and biological metrics used to assess ecological status (and potential) between MEP and impaired river stretches. Finally, we recognized relevant habitat features able to clearly separate MEP reaches from nonMEP reaches with indication on the type and quantity of measures significant for benthic invertebrates and applicable in lowland Heavily Modified Water Bodies. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. |
| Source | Science of the total environment 684, pp. 196–206 |
| Keywords | InvertebratesBank protectionMitigation measuresWFDMaximum Ecological PotentialHMWB |
| Journal | Science of the total environment |
| Editor | Elsevier, Lausanne ;, Paesi Bassi |
| Year | 2019 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.348 |
| Authors | Erba, Stefania; Terranova, Laura; Cazzola, Marcello; Cason, Manuela; Buffagni, Andrea |
| Text | 404971 2019 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.348 ISI Web of Science WOS 000472024300018 Scopus 2 s2.0 85067942912 Invertebrates Bank protection Mitigation measures WFD Maximum Ecological Potential HMWB Defining Maximum Ecological Potential for heavily modified lowland streams of Northern Italy Erba, Stefania; Terranova, Laura; Cazzola, Marcello; Cason, Manuela; Buffagni, Andrea IRSA; Veneto Environm Protect Agcy ARPAV; Univ Tuscia In relation to hydromorphological alteration the Water Framework Directive WFD , a major piece of European legislation, has introduced the concept of Heavily Modified Water Bodies HMWB . In water bodies falling in this category, hydromorphological modifications are permanent, significantly alter the character of the river and cannot be removed without compromising the use of the water body. In HMWBs a dedicated approach to the evaluation of their status is set, and their Ecological Potential must be assessed. Crucial to the process is the definition of Maximum Ecological Potential MEP as the reference conditions for HMWB. In the present paper we aim to define MEP conditions for Italian heavily modified lowland rivers, affected by strong bank protection i.e. levees or bank reinforcement in reason of flood protection and land drainage uses. The approach applied to identify MEP conditions follows the one considered for natural not heavily modified rivers in Italy and large part of Europe and bases on the identification of reference sites representative for the river category and alteration. For the selection of MEP sites environmental features representing mitigation measures and/or expected natural features were considered. The ability of such features in discriminating MEP and disturbed sites was verified by multivariate analyses run on abiotic features Principal Component Analysis and biological communities nonmetric multidimensional scaling . We demonstrated differences both in terms of invertebrate community and biological metrics used to assess ecological status and potential between MEP and impaired river stretches. Finally, we recognized relevant habitat features able to clearly separate MEP reaches from nonMEP reaches with indication on the type and quantity of measures significant for benthic invertebrates and applicable in lowland Heavily Modified Water Bodies. C 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 684 Published version https //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969719324015 Maximum Ecological Potential for heavily modified lowland streams Articolo pubblicato su rivista internazionale Erbaetal2019_STOTEN.pdf Articolo in rivista Elsevier 0048 9697 Science of the total environment Science of the total environment Sci. total environ. TERRANOVA LAURA andreastefano.buffagni BUFFAGNI ANDREA STEFANO stefania.erba ERBA STEFANIA marcello.cazzola CAZZOLA MARCELLO |