The development of benthic quality indices for European lakes is hindered by the lack of information concerning some lake types and some anthropogenic pressures. Most information is from northern European lakes stressed by acidification and from deep lakes subjected to eutrophication; for other lake types (Mediterranean for example) and for other pressures (hydromorphological alteration, toxic stress) there is practically no information about the response of benthic macro-invertebrates; this hinders the possibility of an inter-calibration of the indices among the MS in EU. In the present communication some benthic quality indices are proposed considering the littoral, sublittoral and profundal zones in small and large lakes from the Alpine region in response to eutrophication above all. The samples available were collected with grabs or by scuba divers in different years since 1950. The indicator taxa which prevailed in these lakes were chironomids and oligochaetes; so these taxa were used above all to develop the indices. The indices were validated using different databases. At present the analysis of the response of benthic macroinvertebrates to other pressures is still in embryo.
Benthic quality index in European lakes
Boggero Angela;Marziali Laura;
2011
Abstract
The development of benthic quality indices for European lakes is hindered by the lack of information concerning some lake types and some anthropogenic pressures. Most information is from northern European lakes stressed by acidification and from deep lakes subjected to eutrophication; for other lake types (Mediterranean for example) and for other pressures (hydromorphological alteration, toxic stress) there is practically no information about the response of benthic macro-invertebrates; this hinders the possibility of an inter-calibration of the indices among the MS in EU. In the present communication some benthic quality indices are proposed considering the littoral, sublittoral and profundal zones in small and large lakes from the Alpine region in response to eutrophication above all. The samples available were collected with grabs or by scuba divers in different years since 1950. The indicator taxa which prevailed in these lakes were chironomids and oligochaetes; so these taxa were used above all to develop the indices. The indices were validated using different databases. At present the analysis of the response of benthic macroinvertebrates to other pressures is still in embryo.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
