A hitchhiker's guide to European lake ecological assessment and intercalibration

Poikane, Sandra; Birk, Sebastian; Böhmer, Jürgen; Carvalho, Laurence; de Hoyos, Caridad; Gassner, Hubert; Hellsten, Seppo; Kelly, Martyn; Lyche Solheim, Anne; Olin, Mikko; Pall, Karin; Phillips, Geoff; Portielje, Rob; Ritterbusch, David; Sandin, Leonard; Schartau, Ann-Kristin; Solimini, Angelo G.; van den Berg, Marcel; Wolfram, Georg; van de Bund, Wouter. 2015 A hitchhiker's guide to European lake ecological assessment and intercalibration. Ecological Indicators, 52. 533-544. 10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.01.005

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.01.005

Abstract/Summary

The Water Framework Directive is the first international legislation to require European countries to establish comparable ecological assessment schemes for their freshwaters. A key element in harmonising quality classification within and between Europe’s river basins is an “Intercalibration” exercise, stipulated by the WFD, to ensure that the good status boundaries in all of the biological assessment methods correspond to similar levels of anthropogenic pressure. In this article, we provide a comprehensive overview of this international comparison, focusing on the assessment schemes developed for freshwater lakes. Out of 82 lake ecological assessment methods reported for the comparison, 62 were successfully intercalibrated and included in the EC Decision on intercalibration, with a high proportion of phytoplankton (18), macrophyte (17) and benthic fauna (13) assessment methods. All the lake assessment methods are reviewed in this article, including the results of intercalibration. Furthermore, the current gaps and way forward to reach consistent management objectives for European lakes are discussed.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.01.005
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Watt
ISSN:	1470-160X
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link
Additional Keywords:	benthic invertebrates, ecological assessment, Europe, fish fauna, lakes, macrophytes, phytoplankton, Water Framework Directive
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	17 Apr 2015 14:16 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/510648

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.01.005

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Watt

ISSN:

1470-160X

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link

Additional Keywords:

benthic invertebrates, ecological assessment, Europe, fish fauna, lakes, macrophytes, phytoplankton, Water Framework Directive