Classifying aquatic macrophytes as indicators of eutrophication in European lakes

Penning, W. Ellis; Mjelde, Marit; Dudley, Bernard; Hellsten, Seppo; Hanganu, Jenica; Kolada, Agnieszka; van den Berg, Marcel; Poikane, Sandra; Phillips, Geoff; Willby, Nigel; Ecke, Frauke. 2008 Classifying aquatic macrophytes as indicators of eutrophication in European lakes. Aquatic Ecology, 42 (2). 237-251. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-008-9182-y

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Abstract/Summary

Aquatic macrophytes are one of the biological quality elements in the Water Framework Directive (WFD) for which status assessments must be defined. We tested two methods to classify macrophyte species and their response to eutrophication pressure: one based on percentiles of occurrence along a phosphorous gradient and another based on trophic ranking of species using Canonical Correspondence Analyses in the ranking procedure. The methods were tested at Europe-wide, regional and national scale as well as by alkalinity category, using 1,147 lakes from 12 European states. The grouping of species as sensitive, tolerant or indifferent to eutrophication was evaluated for some taxa, such as the sensitive Chara spp. and the large isoetids, by analysing the (non-linear) response curve along a phosphorous gradient. These thresholds revealed in these response curves can be used to set boundaries among different ecological status classes. In total 48 taxa out of 114 taxa were classified identically regardless of dataset or classification method. These taxa can be considered the most consistent and reliable indicators of sensitivity or tolerance to eutrophication at European scale. Although the general response of well known indicator species seems to hold, there are many species that were evaluated differently according to the database selection and classification methods. This hampers a Europe-wide comparison of classified species lists as used for the status assessment within the WFD implementation process.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-008-9182-y
Programmes:	CEH Programmes pre-2009 publications > Water > WA02 Quantifying processes that link water quality and quantity, biota and physical environment
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Watt
ISSN:	1386-2588
Additional Keywords:	Aquatic vegetation, Indicators, Species classification, REBECCA, EU Water Framework Directive
NORA Subject Terms:	Botany Biology and Microbiology Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	13 Oct 2008 16:02 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/4549

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