From research to operational biomonitoring of freshwaters: a suggested conceptual framework and practical solutions

Abstract

The conflicting needs of water managers (i.e., quick relevant operational responses) and ecologists (i.e., time consuming in-depth research) have been noted in freshwater biomonitoring and exist even today. To contribute to solving this dilemma, we are proposing a novel biomonitoring approach, which among many others, could be successfully used in this field and further developed in the future. In this approach, biomonitoring actions are integrated in conceptual schemes, in which hydrology, chemistry, hydrogeology and geomorphology bear as much importance as biology. Among biomonitoring tools, a harmonization system allows end-users to use a set of qualitative indicators, such as various biotic indices, and integrate the information given by individual biotic indices. Functional traits and calculation of an ecological potential in porous aquatic habitats, comprising surficial coarse sediments and the hyporheic system, are regarded as a basis for assessing ecological functioning of streams and rivers. This last methodology takes into account the dynamics of water exchanges between surface waters and groundwater. The objectives of ecological quality, ecological potentials and resilience capacity that need to be preserved or rehabilitated in aquatic habitats can be established. In lakes, a similar approach was followed and a general typology of lake functioning was proposed, including that for urban lakes and reservoirs. All those biomonitoring tools can be transferred to the end-users, but at the same time, these tools should be further researched and refined. Finally, this paper aims to promote practical high-tech tools, which are continually and interactively connected with the ongoing research.

High-throughput DNA barcoding of oligochaetes for abundance-based indices to assess the biological quality of sediments in streams and lakes

“…Aquatic oligochaetes are common in almost all freshwater ecosystems and comprise a large number of species with a wide range of pollution sensitivities 1 . Various biological methods based on the analysis of oligochaete assemblages have therefore been applied for assessing the quality of sediments in streams and lakes, among them the Oligochaete Index of Sediment Bioindication (IOBS) 2,3 for streams and the Oligochaete Index of Lake Bioindication (IOBL) 2,4 . The morphological identification of oligochaetes to the species level is difficult, however, and only a part of the specimens present in a sample can usually be identified to the species level 5 .…”

“…The biological quality of lake sediments was assessed using the "percentage of sensitive taxa" to pollution, as described in the IOBL guideline, which also contains a list of sensitive oligochaete taxa in lakes 2,4 . To this list, we added the species Spirosperma ferox, considered in lakes as sensitive by Lods-Crozet & Reymond (2005) 33 .…”

“…The IOBL index itself was not calculated. This index assesses the functioning of the lake sediments (ranks from low to high metabolic potential) and takes into account the total number of taxa and oligochaete density 4 . It is therefore not suitable for a comparison between morphological and genetic results as the two approaches would be compared only based on the total number of taxa.…”

First record of Stephensoniana trivandrana Aiyer, 1926 (Oligochaeta: Naididae), in southeastern Brazil

“…Oligochaeta (Annelida: Clitellata) are recognized as highly diverse groups inhabiting a wide variety of aquatic ecological habitats. Due to their sensitivity to pollution (Rodriguez and Reynoldson, 2011;Tixier et al, 2011), these groups are used as a valuable tool in biomonitoring programs for water quality (Prygiel et al, 2000;Lafont et al, 2012;Vivien et al, 2014). These organisms can be found living on sandy and clay substrates, or in environments enriched by organic matter (Dornfeld et al, 2006).…”

Assessment of the effects of wastewater treatment plant effluents on receiving streams using oligochaete communities of the porous matrix

“…Such impacts can affect the biodiversity as it is strongly influenced by the interactions between the dynamics of vertical hydrological exchanges, the geomorphic context and the inputs of chemical substances (i.e. nutrients and pollutants) (Lafont, 2001;2011;Lafont et al, 2010a;2012;Schmitt et al, 2011;.…”