A new index of water quality assessment in Mediterranean wetlands based on crustacean and insect assemblages: the case of Catalunya (NE Iberian peninsula)

Abstract

ABSTRACT1. According to the European Water Framework Directive (2000/60/CE) tools are required to evaluate wetland ecological quality. In this context, a biological index to evaluate water quality (QAELS) is proposed for Mediterranean wetlands in Catalunya (NE Iberian peninsula).2. The study was carried out in 99 shallow lentic ecosystems, situated below 800 m a.s.l. and with a maximum depth of less than 6 m. At each sampling point, a range of water parameters was measured (temperature, conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, dissolved nutrients and total nutrients) and data were gathered on invertebrate taxon composition (collected with a dip-net of 250 mm mesh size).3. A previous classification of wetlands in that area was required to obtain QAELS. The QAELS index is obtained by: (1) the relative abundance of each microcrustacean taxon (Cladocera, Copepoda and Ostracoda) weighted by an ecological quality requirement coefficient, which is obtained for each taxon by means of partial canonical correspondence analysis (ACCO index); and (2) the taxonomic richness of crustaceans and aquatic insects (RIC index).4. Several taxonomic resolutions were also tested in order to determine the simplest identification level that gives acceptable results in further applications of the QAELS index. It is concluded that the composition of microcrustacean assemblages (ACCO index) is useful for assessing the water quality of Mediterranean wetlands.5. The RIC index improves the relationship of the QAELS index to water quality variables, avoiding possible anomalous values that could be obtained when using the ACCO index alone.

A comprehensive evaluation of the crustacean assemblages in southern Iberian Mediterranean wetlands

“…Previous to analysis, wetlands were grouped based on the criteria obtained by Boix et al (2005) for Mediterranean wetlands, according to conductivity and temporality values. In our case, the scarce number of saline wetlands in the study area (salinity threshold >5 g L -1 ) prevented us from producing two categories in relation to temporality.…”

“…Zooplanktonic assemblages have previously been used for the ecological evaluation of wetlands (Gannon and Stemberger, 1978;Caramujo and Boavida, 2000;Bianchi et al, 2003;Boix et al, 2005;Parra et al, 2009). However, recently the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) has excluded this community from the evaluation criteria in the protection of wetlands.…”

Pond conservation: from science to practice

“…Some tools have now been developed in selected regions of Europe (e.g. Biggs et al, 2000;Boix et al, 2005;Chovanec et al, 2005;Oertli et al, 2005b;Solimini et al, 2008;Indermuehle et al, 2009;Trigal et al, 2009). In the present issue, Della Bella & Mancini (2009) investigate how macroinvertebrates and diatoms communities in Italian permanent ponds can be useful bioindicators (taxa and metrics) to evaluate the effect of human impacts (water pollution or habitat alteration).…”

Conservation and monitoring of pond biodiversity: introduction

“…Solimini et al (2005) showed that the overall shape of the biomass size spectrum of benthic macroinvertebrates is similar among Mediterranean pond types, mesohabitats and sampling dates, suggesting a unifying reference for quantitative wetland biomonitoring. Boix et al (2005) built quality indices based on taxon abundance, richness and ecological requirements, and on landscape and wetland vegetation type, respectively. Finally, because of their dimensions, abundance and variety, ponds are good model systems to understand the mechanisms underlying ecological patterns, and for hypothesis testing in fundamental ecology through experimental manipulation (De Meester et al, 2005).…”