Journal
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
Volume 9, Issue 3, Pages 528-539Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2008.07.006
Keywords
Intercalibration; Biological benchmark; Benthic diatoms; Benthic invertebrates; Common metrics; Water Framework Directive
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Funding
- UNDP Danube Regional Project
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For the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive class boundaries of biological assessment methods need to be intercalibrated. The most commonly applied intercalibration approach of national river assessment methods in Europe requires data on near-natural reference sites; however, these data are generally scarce. We developed an alternative approach based on sites impacted by similar levels of disturbance and tested it with national assessment methods based on diatoms and benthic invertebrates from countries in the Danube River Basin. Using environmental variables we screened for sampling sites of at least good environmental status. Relations between different assessment methods were established by common metrics, and we standardized these metrics by biological benchmarks obtained from the screened datasets. This approach allows for intercalibration even if near-natural reference sites are absent; relatively few and easily available data are required. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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