scholarly journals Assessment of the ecological status of eight lakes from northern Germany according to the Water Framework Directive (WFD) using benthic diatoms: problems and achievements of the newest German WFD guideline

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Werner
Keyword(s):  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Benthic Diatoms ◽  
Northern Germany

scholarly journals Benthic Diatoms in River Biomonitoring—Present and Future Perspectives within the Water Framework Directive

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 478
Author(s):  
Andreas Masouras ◽  
Ioannis Karaouzas ◽  
Elias Dimitriou ◽  
George Tsirtsis ◽  
Evangelia Smeti
Keyword(s):  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Organic Pollution ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Benthic Diatoms ◽  
Quality Indices ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Quality Assessments

The European Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) has been implemented over the past 20 years, using physicochemical, biological and hydromorphological elements to assess the ecological status of surface waters. Benthic diatoms (i.e., phytobenthos) are one of the most common biological quality elements (BQEs) used in surface water monitoring and are particularly successful in detecting eutrophication, organic pollution and acidification. Herein, we reviewed their implementation in river biomonitoring for the purposes of the WFD, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages over other BQEs, and we discuss recent advances that could be applied in future biomonitoring. Until now, phytobenthos have been intercalibrated by the vast majority (26 out of 28) of EU Member States (MS) in 54% of the total water bodies assessed and was the most commonly used BQE after benthic invertebrates (85% of water bodies), followed by fish (53%), macrophytes (27%) and phytoplankton (4%). To meet the WFD demands, numerous taxonomy-based quality indices have been developed among MS, presenting, however, uncertainties possibly related to species biogeography. Recent development of different types of quality indices (trait-based, DNA sequencing and predictive modeling) could provide more accurate results in biomonitoring, but should be validated and intercalibrated among MS before their wide application in water quality assessments.

scholarly journals Land-use and agriculture in Denmark around year 1900 and the quest for EU Water Framework Directive reference conditions in coastal waters

AMBIO ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bent T. Christensen ◽  
Birger F. Pedersen ◽  
Jørgen E. Olesen ◽  
Jørgen Eriksen
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
Coastal Waters ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Reference Conditions ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Agricultural Activity ◽  
Eu Water Framework Directive ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
The Eu

AbstractThe EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) aims to protect the ecological status of coastal waters. To establish acceptable boundaries between good and moderate ecological status, the WFD calls for reference conditions practically undisturbed by human impact. For Denmark, the nitrogen (N) concentrations present around year 1900 have been suggested to represent reference conditions. As the N load of coastal waters relates closely to runoff from land, any reduction in load links to agricultural activity. We challenge the current use of historical N balances to establish WFD reference conditions and initiate an alternative approach based on parish-level land-use statistics collected 1896/1900 and N concentrations in root zone percolates from experiments with year 1900-relevant management. This approach may be more widely applicable for landscapes with detailed historic information on agricultural activity. Using this approach, we find an average N concentration in root zone percolates that is close to that of current agriculture. Thus, considering Danish coastal waters to be practically unaffected by human activity around year 1900 remains futile as 75% of the land area was subject to agricultural activity with a substantial potential for N loss to the environment. It appears unlikely that the ecological state of coastal waters around year 1900 may serve as WFD reference condition.

scholarly journals Monitoring Scotland’s transitional water fish communities under the EU Water Framework Directive

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 48-67
Author(s):  
M. O’Reilly ◽  
J. Boyle ◽  
S. Nowacki ◽  
M. Elliott ◽  
R. Foster
Keyword(s):  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Reference Conditions ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Fish Communities ◽  
High Status ◽  
Eu Water Framework Directive ◽  
Transitional Waters ◽  
Water Fish ◽  
The Eu

The history of monitoring transitional water fish in Scotland is briefly outlined. The requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive are explained and how this applies to the monitoring of transitional water fish communities in Scotland is described. The development of a monitoring programme for Scotland is outlined, including sampling methods and strategies. Six transitional waters were selected as representative for Scotland covering three different types of transitional water. A multi-metric tool, the Transitional Water Fish Classification Index was used to assess the ecological status of the fish communities in these waters and the operation of the different metrics and the creation of appropriate reference conditions is explained. The assessment tool was applied to survey data from 2005 to 2018, although only the more recent data fully met the tool requirements. The species composition and abundances in the respective transitional waters were compared. The fully valid surveys were all classed as of Good or High status, indicating the fish communities in all the representative transitional waters appeared to be in good ecological health. The efficacy of the different metrics is considered and some issues with Metric 2, enumerating migratory species, are discussed at length. A new multi-metric tool, the Estuarine Multi-metric Fish Index, is briefly discussed and its introduction for the assessments in Scotland is recommended.

scholarly journals Assessing pollution of aquatic environments with diatoms’ DNA metabarcoding: experience and developments from France water framework directive networks

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasselon Valentin ◽  
Rimet Frédéric ◽  
Domaizon Isabelle ◽  
Monnier Olivier ◽  
Reyjol Yorick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
High Throughput Sequencing ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Aquatic Environments ◽  
Morphological Identification ◽  
The Past ◽  
Sequencing Technologies ◽  
Dna Metabarcoding ◽  
Morphological Approach ◽  
Status Assessment

Ecological status assessment of watercourses is based on the calculation of quality indices using pollution sensitivity of targeted biological groups, including diatoms. The determination and quantification of diatom species is generally based on microscopic morphological identification, which requires expertise and is time-consuming and costly. In Europe, this morphological approach is legally imposed by standards and regulatory decrees by the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Over the past decade, a DNA-based molecular biology approach has newly been developed to identify species based on genetic criteria rather than morphological ones (i.e. DNA metabarcoding). In combination with high throughput sequencing technologies, metabarcoding makes it possible both to identify all species present in an environmental sample and to process several hundred samples in parallel. This article presents the results of two recent studies carried out on the WFD networks of rivers of Mayotte (2013–2018) and metropolitan France (2016–2018). These studies aimed at testing the potential application of metabarcoding for biomonitoring in the context of the WFD. We discuss the various methodological developments and optimisations that have been made to make the taxonomic inventories of diatoms produced by metabarcoding more reliable, particularly in terms of species quantification. We present the results of the application of this DNA approach on more than 500 river sites, comparing them with those obtained using the standardised morphological method. Finally, we discuss the potential of metabarcoding for routine application, its limits of application and propose some recommendations for future implementation in WFD.

Hurdles for implementation of constructed wetlands as Nature-based Solutions in Sweden

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julián Andrés García Murcia ◽  
Fernando Jaramillo ◽  
Sofia Wikström
Keyword(s):  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
Constructed Wetlands ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Status ◽  
Natural Wetlands ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Good Ecological Status ◽  
Background Context

<p>Eutrophication in the Baltic Sea has been one of the major environmental issues during the last century partly due to extensive land-use change, loss of natural retention systems, and insufficient management. European legislation such as the Water Framework Directive (WFD) attempts to guide the recovery of good ecological status from freshwater to the sea, and suggests wetlands as ecosystems that can potentially contribute to achieving this goal. Wetlands are considered remarkable Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for improving water quality by diminishing the nutrient loads. This study aims to set a background context of the WFD implementation in Sweden, determine the status of constructed wetlands, and evaluate the stakeholders’ perspectives to identify the main administrative hurdles of wetland implementation in Sweden. For this purpose, we conducted a narrative review, database analysis, and semi-structured interviews with members of the institutions involved in water management. Our results show that it is essential to find synergies among the WFD and other directives to expand cross-sectoral cooperation, implement adjustments on the funding scheme that includes restoration and maintenance of natural wetlands, and increase compensation periods and cost ceiling. Likewise, it is crucial to perform significant improvements in the monitoring system, including more frequent data collection, as well as exploring new strategies to capture landowners’ interest in the implementation of NbS, such as the Catchment Officers program. Finally, we suggest paludiculture as a promising farming practice to increase proprietors’ attention on novel market alternatives, and in turn, to provide benefits for climate, water, and biodiversity.</p><p><strong>Keywords </strong>Wetlands management · Water Framework Directive · Nature-based Solutions · Eutrophication · Semi-structured interviews · Sweden</p>

scholarly journals Benthic Diatom Composition in Coastal Zone of Black Sea, Sasyk Reservoir (Ukraine)

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 458
Author(s):  
Olena P. Bilous ◽  
Agata Z. Wojtal ◽  
Natalia O. Ivanova ◽  
Petro M. Tsarenko ◽  
Olga V. Burova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Zone ◽  
Black Sea ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Benthic Diatoms ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Salinity Changes ◽  
The Status ◽  
Freshwater Reservoir ◽  
First Time

The Sasyk Reservoir is one of the largest seaside reservoirs in Ukraine, artificially maintained as a freshwater area including various floodplain areas. The Reservoir originated from an estuary to now being an almost freshwater reservoir. The diatoms (Bacillariophyta) in benthos were investigated for analyzing the coastal zone diversity of the Black Sea inside the borders of Ukraine. The indicated diatom composition was formed by 97 species (100 infraspecies taxa). Some rare marine and freshwater taxa were noted, as well as three species reported in Ukrainian territory for the first time (Navicula vandamii Schoeman et R.E.M. Archibald, Sellaphora difficillima (Hustedt) C.E. Wetzel, L. Ector et D.G. Mann, and Mastogloia laterostrata Hustedt). The bioindicative characteristics of the diatom composition testified to the freshwater condition of the reservoir. Changes to the salinity level of the Sasyk Reservoir were exposed due to the composition of benthic diatoms. The presence of mesohalobous species (7 taxa) acknowledges conditions that are typical for estuaries and mouths of rivers and reveals the salinity changes in the Sasyk Reservoir. Likewise, the prevailing number of oligohalobous diatoms (61 taxa) reveal presence of freshwater in the reservoir. The implementation of the Polish phytobenthos lake assessment method for the nearby Ukrainian Reservoir was conducted for the first time. The multimetric Diatom Index for lake values varied from 0.39 to 0.76, and revealed alterations in the status over the Sasyk sites, ranging from good, moderate, to poor. Thus, it may be concluded that the current ecological status relating to the composition of benthic diatoms of the reservoir located in the coastal zone of the Black Sea is evaluated as having a moderate status class with some exceptions.

Water Framework Directive catchment planning: a case study apportioning loads and assessing environmental benefits of programme of measures

2009 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 407-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bob Crabtree ◽  
Sarah Kelly ◽  
Hannah Green ◽  
Graham Squibbs ◽  
Gordon Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
River Water ◽  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
Control Point ◽  
Water Quality Management ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Current Approach ◽  
River Water Quality ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Water Quality Modelling

Complying with proposed Water Framework Directive (WFD) water quality standards for ‘good ecological status’ in England and Wales potentially requires a range of Programmes of Measures (PoMs) to control point and diffuse sources of pollution. There is an urgent need to define the benefits and costs of a range of potential PoMs. Water quality modelling can be used to understand where the greatest impact in a catchment can be achieved through ‘end of pipe’ and diffuse source reductions. This information can be used to guide cost-effective investment by private water companies and those with responsibilities for agricultural, industrial and urban diffuse inputs. In the UK, river water quality modelling with the Environment Agency SIMCAT model is regarded as the best current approach to support decision making for river water quality management and planning. The paper describes how a SIMCAT model has been used to conduct a trial WFD integrated catchment planning study for the River Ribble catchment in the North West of England. The model has been used to assess over 80 catchment planning scenarios. The results are being used support a national assessment of the cost-effectiveness of proposed PoMs.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document