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Water Framework Directive (water + framework_directive)
Kinds of Water Framework Directive Selected AbstractsMonitoring and predicting channel change in a free-evolving, small Alpine river: Ridanna Creek (North East Italy)EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 14 2007Rossella Luchi Abstract The recent (25 years) morphodynamics of a proglacial reach of the Ridanna Creek, North-East Italy, evolving in the absence of human constraints, has been investigated by means of an intensive field activity and of the analysis of aerial photographs. The study reach mostly displays a braided morphology, with sharp downstream variations of valley gradient, sediment size and formative conditions within the main channel. These discontinuities are associated with different processes of channel adjustment at different timescales, which have been quantified by coupling hydrological with morphological information. Several processes of channel change and variations in braiding intensity have been documented along the whole reach and highlight how a regular, weakly meandering main channel may significantly affect the morphodynamics of the braided network. A first attempt to predict the morphological instability of this main channel at the observed spatial scales through existing linear theories of curved river channels shows a good agreement with field observations. Finally, the complete hydro-morphodynamical characterization of such an undisturbed alpine river reach can provide a relevant contribution to the definition of reference conditions for Alpine rivers required by the EU Water Framework Directive. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The use of technical knowledge in European water policy-makingENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 5 2010Perry J. M. van Overveld Abstract Environmental policy-making often involves a mix of technical knowledge, normative choice and uncertainty. Numerous actors, each with their own distinct objectives, are involved in these policy-making processes. One question these actors face, is how they can effectively communicate their technical knowledge and represent their interests in policy-making. The objective of this paper is to identify the factors that influence the use of technical knowledge and its impact on decision-making in the European Union. This is done for case of water policy-making for organic micropollutants, such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals. These pollutants enter the surface water in many ways and although concentrations are low, adverse effects cannot be ruled out. Via the EU Water Framework Directive, legislation has been developed to reduce the emissions of pollutants that pose a risk to ecology or public health. Using the advocacy coalition framework, the formal EU decision-making processes are analyzed for the identification of priority pollutants (Priority Substances) and the derivation of maximum allowable concentrations (Environmental Quality Standards). To enable a detailed analysis, the focus is on three specific micropollutants that pose health risks via drinking water supply. The findings show the extent to which actors can influence the decision-making process with technical knowledge. Early involvement in the drafting process that is led by the European Commission is important to influence decision-making outcomes. For this, organizational capacity in coalitions to mobilize and coordinate the required targeted contribution of technical knowledge is crucial. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Regional development, nature production and the techno-bureaucratic shortcut: the Douro River catchment in PortugalENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 6 2008Antonio A. R. Ioris Abstract The introduction of the Water Framework Directive in Europe represents a unique opportunity to promote more inclusive strategies for the long-term preservation of (socionatural) water systems. However, the analysis of the Portuguese experience, using the River Douro as a case study, reveals still considerable shortcomings in the assessment of problems and the formulation of solutions. Instead of promoting a meaningful dialogue between social groups and spatial areas, there is a systematic attempt to conform to legal requisites by taking a ,techno-bureaucratic' shortcut that largely reproduces the distortions of previous regulatory approaches. Decisions on water management are part of political disputes about regional development and state reform, such as in relation to the provision of water and electricity by public utilities. Nonetheless, these broader issues have been kept tacitly away from the WFD agenda, which has been concentrated on adjusting established procedures to the (formal) requirements of the new regulation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] New alternative and complementary environmental policy instruments and the implementation of the Water Framework DirectiveENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 6 2008Andy Gouldson Abstract Based on a study conducted for the Environment Agency for England and Wales, we discuss the contribution that new alternative and complementary environmental policy instruments might make to the realization of the objectives of the EU's Water Framework Directive. Following a survey that identified nearly 100 examples where alternative and complementary instruments are currently being applied in the UK, we categorize such instruments as information-based approaches, private and voluntary regulation or support and capacity building measures. Examples are given of each category of instrument before further findings on the preconditions for the successful application of such measures are presented. These preconditions relate to levels of commitment from key groups, levels of stakeholder understanding, the role of the lead actor, the importance of timing, the need to deliver a clear message, the importance of enforcement, the role of the media and the importance of social capital in key networks. We conclude that alternative and complementary measures have significant potential to contribute to the realization of the Water Framework Directive's objectives, but only where these preconditions are met. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Where can social learning be improved in international river basin management in Europe?ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 4 2008Ilke Borowski Abstract In recent years, collaborative planning and processes of social learning (SL) have gained increasingly in interest in river basin management. In this paper, we first summarize the prerequisites for SL to take place in collaborative management processes. These are openness, gains and incentives, and a perceived pressure to learn. We then study the European situation subsequent to the introduction of the European Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC; WFD) as an example. Based on an analysis of policy documents, a case study of the Elbe river basin and an elaboration of concepts related to theories of international regimes, we conclude that the conditions for SL are often not met if management processes are highly formalised. Considering SL that is necessary for innovation and change, this can best be supported through the establishment of parallel "learning processes", such as the Common Implementation Strategy that accompanies implementation of the WFD at European level. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Criteria for the assessment of processes for sustainable river basin management and their congruence with the EU Water Framework DirectiveENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 4 2008Beatrice Hedelin Abstract In order to manage the increasing pressure on the world's water resources, new planning methodologies/processes for sustainable river basin management are currently being developed. For such processes to work well, however, the legal context must allow, or support, such processes. In this study, a set of criteria relating to methodologies/processes for sustainable water management is used to assess the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). The study suggests that the WFD erects few formal barriers to good planning practices. However, planning processes will need to be adapted to compensate for the weak legal support in a number of important areas, namely the use of knowledge from beyond the natural sciences, the use of methodologies for the explicit handling of values and the use of procedures for democratic participation. In so doing the issues identified here provide a basis for systematic thinking about how to design the necessary planning processes. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] The Water Framework Directive and agricultural nitrate pollution: will great expectations in Brussels be dashed in Lower Saxony?ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 4 2007Britta Kastens Abstract This paper discusses the opportunities and constraints regarding the effective implementation of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) in the area of diffuse nitrate pollution. Owing to the subsidiarity principle and a new procedural mode of governance, the WFD only sets distinct environmental targets, leaving most decisions on how to operationalize and institutionalize the reduction of diffuse nitrate pollution to the member states. This is a particular challenge for Germany, where lower scale regions have become the main implementers of European water policy. Successful implementation of the WFD, i.e. the actual improvement of water quality, depends on a series of key contextual and contingent factors, operating at a regional scale. In a Northwest German region with intensive agriculture and severe nitrate pollution, we analyse the historical and economic context and actor network of the region as well as the influence of environmental groups on public participation, the potential of biogas technology and new financial options. Besides the specific influence of these factors on the implementation process, we explore the uncertainties and difficulties surrounding European legislation and its operationalization in Germany and on a regional scale. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] The European Water Framework Directive and economic valuation of wetlands: the restoration of floodplains along the River ElbeENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 1 2007Jürgen Meyerhoff Abstract This paper concerns the economic valuation of riparian wetlands ecological services within the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). The directive is an integrated approach to river basin management in Europe and aims at achieving a good water status for both surface and ground water. It introduces economic analysis as a core part of the development of integrated river basin management plans. However, to date the WFD has not clearly stated to what extent wetlands should be used for the achievement of environmental objectives, or what scope the economic analysis should have. Our study of the river Elbe shows that riparian wetlands provide significant benefits that should be considered in river basin management decisions. To neglect these benefits would lead to biased cost,benefit analysis results and might therefore misguide the decision-making process. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Fish-based methods for assessing European running waters: a synthesisFISHERIES MANAGEMENT & ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2007S. SCHMUTZ Abstract, The European Union, Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires monitoring of riverine fish fauna. When the WFD came into force in 2000, most of the EU member states did not have fish-based assessment methods compliant to WFD requirements. Therefore, the objectives of FAME (http://fame.boku.ac.at), a project under the fifth R&D Framework Programme of the European Commission were to develop, evaluate and implement a standardised fish-based method for assessing the ecological status of European running waters. This paper synthesises the outputs of FAME and defines future research needs. Two different methodologies were used: the so-called spatially based modelling and the site-specific modelling, the latter leading to the European Fish Index (EFI). The advantage of the EFI is that, despite being a single index, it is applicable to a wide range of environmental conditions across Europe precluding the need for inter-calibration. The EFI will support the WFD towards harmonised/standardised assessment and management of running waters in Europe, thus enabling comparative analyses of the ecological status of running waters across Europe. [source] Assessing the health of European rivers using functional ecological guilds of fish communities: standardising species classification and approaches to metric selectionFISHERIES MANAGEMENT & ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2007R. A. A. NOBLE Abstract, The functional ecological guild approach is the cornerstone for the development of Indices of Biotic Integrity and multi-metric indices to assess the ecological status of aquatic systems. These indices combine metrics (unit-specific measures of a functional component of the fish community known to respond to degradation) into a single measure of ecological assessment. The guild approach provides an operational unit linking individual species characteristics with the community as a whole. Species are grouped into guilds based on some degree of overlap in their ecological niches, regardless of taxonomic relationships. Despite European fish species having been classified into ecological guilds, classification has not been standardised Europe-wide or within the context of classifying species into guilds from which metrics can be developed for ecological assessment purposes. This paper examines the approach used by the EU project FAME to classify European fish species into consistent ecological guilds and to identify suitable metrics as basic tools for the development of a standardised ecological assessment method for European rivers to meet the requirements of the Water Framework Directive. [source] Development of fish-based methods for the assessment of ecological status in English and Welsh riversFISHERIES MANAGEMENT & ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2007R. A. A. NOBLE Abstract, This paper outlines the derivation of spatially-based models for fish-based assessment of the ecological status of rivers in England and Wales. The analysis highlights the key steps in the approach to develop such tools. For each step a number of alternative approaches were tested, and for each approach the major limitations and problems identified. This development of a multi-metric index in England and Wales indicated that, whilst the approach does provide promising results for the future, at this stage index development is constrained by limited data for some parts of the analysis. These mainly relate to coping with the zoogeographical influence of species distribution in a descriptive river typology, the availability of data for variables that adequately predict reference fish community types for impacted sites and availability of sufficient sites at a range of ecological conditions with which to test metrics and build an index that can be used to support implementation of the European Union Water Framework Directive. [source] Assessing macroinvertebrate metrics for classifying acidified rivers across northern EuropeFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 7 2010S. JANNICKE MOE Summary 1. The effects of acidification on ecological status of rivers in Northern Europe must be assessed according to the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). Several acidification metrics based on macroinvertebrates already exist in different countries, and the WFD requires that they be comparable across northern Europe. Thus, we compiled macroinvertebrate monitoring data from the U.K. (n = 191 samples), Norway (n = 740) and Sweden (n = 531) for analysis against pH. 2. We tested new and existing acidification metrics developed nationally and used within the Northern Geographical Intercalibration Group. The new metrics were based on the acidification sensitivity of selected species and are proposed as a first step towards a new common indicator for acidification for Northern Europe. 3. Metrics were assessed according to responsiveness to mean pH, degree of nonlinearity in response and consistency in responses across countries. We used flexible, nonparametric regression models to explore various properties of the pressure,response relationships. Metrics were also analysed with humic content (total organic carbon above/below 5 mg L,1) as a covariate. 4. Most metrics responded clearly to pH, with the following metrics explaining most of the variance: Acid Water Indicator Community, Number of ephemeropteran families, Medin's index, Multimetric Indicator of Stream Acidification and the new metric ,Proportion of sensitive Ephemeroptera'. 5. Most metrics were significantly higher in humic than in clear-water rivers, suggesting smaller acidification effects in humic rivers. This result supports the proposed use of humic level as a typological factor in the assessment of acidification. 6. Some potentially important effects could not be considered in this study, such as the additional effects of metals, episodic acidification and the contrasting effects of natural versus anthropogenic acidity. We advocate further data collection and testing of metrics to incorporate these factors. [source] An application of canonical correspondence analysis for developing ecological quality assessment metrics for river macrophytesFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2005IAN DODKINS Summary 1. Aquatic macrophyte composition and abundance is required by the European Union's Water Framework Directive for determining ecological status. Five metrics were produced that can be combined to determine the deviation of aquatic macrophytes from reference conditions in Northern Ireland's rivers. 2. Species optima and niche breadths along silt, nitrate, pH, conductivity and dissolved oxygen gradients were generated from aquatic macrophyte and water quality surveys conducted at 273 sites throughout Northern Ireland using Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). Five metric scores based on these environmental gradients were determined at new monitoring sites using the mean optima of the species occurring at the site, weighted by percentage cover and niche breadth of each species. 3. A preliminary reference network of 32 sites of high physico-chemical and hydromorphological quality, and representative of the range of river types in Northern Ireland, enabled reference metric scores to be produced for each river type. Five unimpacted and twenty impacted sites were used for testing the performance of the metrics. By subtracting reference metric scores from metric scores at a monitoring site measures of ecological impact could be determined along five different impact gradients. Metrics were also combined to give a measure of total ecological change. 4. The metrics system distinguished unimpacted from impacted sites and correctly identified 77% of the known impacts. The metrics distinguished different types of impact, e.g. silt and nitrate. 5. Aquatic macrophyte occurrence and abundance has high natural variability at a site, both temporally and spatially. This method was designed to be sensitive to ecological change whilst reducing noise caused by natural variation. [source] Exposure modeling on a river basin scale in support of risk assessment for chemicals in european river basinsINTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2009Jos van Gils Abstract Following the 2000 European Water Framework Directive and recent insights into sediment management on a river basin scale, we discuss in this paper an exposure model aiming to support a risk assessment for chemicals on a basin-wide scale. It establishes spatial relations between causes (pollution sources) and effects (ecological risk), taking into account the geometry, hydrology, and fine sediment dynamics of European river basins. The model, called EXPOBASIN, explicitly takes into account the interaction of chemicals with fine sediment particles, which is important for many policy-relevant chemicals, such as trace metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and it addresses the potential release of historically polluted sediments as a result of extreme floods, which is a major concern in different European river basins. Bioavailability and bioaccumulation are included in the assessment. As a result, the exposure can be quantified not only in terms of water concentrations, but also in terms of sediment concentrations and concentrations in biota. The primary question to be answered by EXPOBASIN is how chemicals, pollution sources, or both rank quantitatively and objectively on a basin-wide scale. Near the end of 2009, the tool will become available to all European water managers and their technical advisors, as a result of the European Union 6th Framework Programme project MODELKEY The calibration and validation of EXPOBASIN has only just started and will be completed in 2008/2009. Applications to 3 case study areas are planned in this respect. This paper presents the key building blocks of EXPOBASIN and shows some sample results illustrating the raking of pollution sources and chemicals. At the end of the paper, some perspectives for future developments are outlined. [source] Assessing the effects of hydromorphological degradation on macroinvertebrate indicators in rivers: examples, constraints, and outlookINTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2009Nikolai Friberg Abstract An extensive amount of literature on linkages between the in-stream physical environment and river benthic macroinvertebrates reports a number of relationships across multiple spatial scales. We analyzed data on different spatial scales to elucidate the linkages between different measurements of hydromorphological degradation and commonly used macroinvertebrate indices. A regression analysis of 1049 sites from 3 countries revealed that the strongest relationship between a biotic metric,average score per taxon,and physiochemical variables (R2 = 0.61) was obtained with a multiple regression model that included concentration of total phosphorus and percent arable land in the catchment, as well as hydromorphological quality variables. Analyses of 3 data sets from streams primarily affected by hydromorphological degradation showed an overall weak relationship (max R2 = 0.25) with the River Habitat Survey data of 28 Swedish streams, whereas moderate (R2 , 0.43) relationships with more detailed measurements of morphology were found in 2 Danish studies (39 and 6 streams, respectively). Although evidence exists in the literature on the importance of physical features for in-stream biota in general and macroinvertebrates specifically, we found only relatively weak relationships between various measures of hydromorphological stress and commonly used macroinvertebrate assessment tools. We attribute this to a combination of factors, including 1) the mixed nature of pressures acting on the majority of river reaches, 2) scaling issues (spatial and temporal) when relating habitat surveys to macroinvertebrate assessments, and 3) the scope of commonly used macroinvertebrate assessment systems (mainly focusing on water chemistry perturbation, such as eutrophication and acidification). The need is urgent to develop refined and updated biological assessment systems targeting hydromorphological stress for the use of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) and national water-related policies. [source] Aquatic risks of pesticides, ecological protection goals, and common aims in european union legislationINTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2006Theo CM Brock Abstract This discussion paper presents a framework for spatiotemporal differentiation in ecological protection goals to assess the risks of pesticides in surface waters. It also provides a proposal to harmonize the different scientific approaches for ecotoxicological effect assessment adopted in guidance documents that support different legislative directives in the European Union (Water Framework Directive and Uniform Principles). Decision schemes to derive maximum permissible concentrations in surface water are presented. These schemes are based on approaches recommended in regulatory guidance documents and are scientifically underpinned by critical review papers concerning the impact of pesticides on freshwater organisms and communities. Special attention is given to the approaches based on standard test species, species sensitivity distribution curves, and model ecosystem experiments. The decision schemes presented here may play a role in the "acceptability" debate and can be used as options in the process of communication between risk assessors and risk managers as well as between these risk experts and other stakeholders. [source] Anthropogenic impacts on lake and stream ecosystems, and approaches to restorationJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2007MARTIN SØNDERGAARD Summary 1Freshwater ecosystems have long been affected by numerous types of human interventions that have a negative impact on their water quality and ecological state. Fortunately, in most western countries the input of sewage to freshwater systems has been reduced, but hydromorphological alterations, eutrophication-related turbidity and loss of biodiversity remain major problems in many parts of the world. Such impacts prevent the achievement of a high or good ecological state, as defined by the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) or other standards. 2This paper synthesizes and links the findings presented in the seven papers of this special profile, focusing on the effects of anthropogenic stressors on freshwater ecosystems and on how to maintain and restore ecological quality. The papers cover a broad range of research areas and methods, but are all centred on the relationship between dispersal barriers, the connectivity of waterways and the restoration of rivers and lakes. 3The construction of dams and reservoirs disturbs the natural functioning of many streams and rivers and shore-line development around lakes may reduce habitat complexity. New methods demonstrate how reservoirs may have a severe impact on the distribution and connectivity of fish populations, and new techniques illustrate the potential of using graph theory and connectivity models to illustrate the ecological implications. Hydromorphologically degraded rivers and streams can be restored by addition of wood debris, but ,passive' restoration via natural wood recruitment may be preferable. The most cost-effective way to restore streams may also include information campaigns to farmers on best management practices. Removal of zooplanktivorous fish often has marked positive effects on trophic structure in lakes, but there is a tendency to return to turbid conditions after 8,10 years or less unless fish removal is repeated. 4Synthesis and applications. Development of new methods, as well as derivation of more general conclusions from reviewing the effects of previous restoration efforts, are crucial to achieve progress in applied freshwater research. The papers contained in this Special Profile contribute on both counts, as well as illustrating the importance of well-designed research projects and monitoring programmes to record the effects of the interventions. Such efforts are vital if we are to improve our knowledge of freshwater systems and to elaborate the best and most cost-effective recommendations. They may also help in achieving a good ecological state or potential in water bodies by 2015, as demanded by the European WFD. [source] Assessing river biotic condition at a continental scale: a European approach using functional metrics and fish assemblagesJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2006D. PONT Summary 1The need for sensitive biological measures of aquatic ecosystem integrity applicable at large spatial scales has been highlighted by the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive. Using fish communities as indicators of habitat quality in rivers, we developed a multi-metric index to test our capacity to (i) correctly model a variety of metrics based on assemblage structure and functions, and (ii) discriminate between the effects of natural vs. human-induced environmental variability at a continental scale. 2Information was collected for 5252 sites distributed among 1843 European rivers. Data included variables on fish assemblage structure, local environmental variables, sampling strategy and a river basin classification based on native fish fauna similarities accounting for regional effects on local assemblage structure. Fifty-eight metrics reflecting different aspects of fish assemblage structure and function were selected from the available literature and tested for their potential to indicate habitat degradation. 3To quantify possible deviation from a ,reference condition' for any given site, we first established and validated statistical models describing metric responses to natural environmental variability in the absence of any significant human disturbance. We considered that the residual distributions of these models described the response range of each metric, whatever the natural environmental variability. After testing the sensitivity of these residuals to a gradient of human disturbance, we finally selected 10 metrics that were combined to obtain a European fish assemblage index. We demonstrated that (i) when considering only minimally disturbed sites the index remains invariant, regardless of environmental variability, and (ii) the index shows a significant negative linear response to a gradient of human disturbance. 4Synthesis and applications. In this reference condition modelling approach, by including a more complete description of environmental variability at both local and regional scales it was possible to develop a novel fish biotic index transferable between catchments at the European scale. The use of functional metrics based on biological attributes of species instead of metrics based on species themselves reduced the index sensitivity to the variability of fish fauna across different biogeographical areas. [source] Water Framework Directive: ecological classification of Danish lakesJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2005MARTIN SØNDERGAARD Summary 1The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires that all European waterbodies are assigned to one of five ecological classes, based primarily on biological indicators, and that minimum good ecological quality is obtained by 2015. However, the directive provides only general guidance regarding indicator definitions and determination of boundaries between classes. 2We used chemical and biological data from 709 Danish lakes to investigate whether and how lake types respond differently to eutrophication. In the absence of well-defined reference conditions, lakes were grouped according to alkalinity and water depth, and the responses to eutrophication were ordered along a total phosphorus (TP) gradient to test the applicability of pre-defined boundaries. 3As a preliminary classification we suggest a TP-based classification into high, good, moderate, bad and poor ecological quality using 0,25, 25,50, 50,100, 100,200 and > 200 µg P L,1 boundaries for shallow lakes, and 0,12·5, 12·5,25, 25,50, 50,100 and > 100 µg P L,1 boundaries for deep lakes. Within each TP category, median values are used to define preliminary boundaries for the biological indicators. 4Most indicators responded strongly to increasing TP, but there were only minor differences between low and high alkalinity lakes and modest variations between deep and shallow lakes. The variability of indicators within a given TP range was, however, high, and for most indicators there was a considerable overlap between adjacent TP categories. Cyanophyte biomass, submerged macrophyte coverage, fish numbers and chlorophyll a were among the ,best' indicators, but their ability to separate different TP classes varied with TP. 5When using multiple indicators the risk that one or more indicators will indicate different ecological classes is high because of a high variability of all indicators within a specific TP class, and the ,one out , all out' principle in relation to indicators does not seem feasible. Alternatively a certain compliance level or a ,mean value' of the indicators can be used to define ecological classes. A precise ecological quality ratio (EQR) using values between 0 and 1 can be calculated based on the extent to which the total number of indicators meets the boundary conditions, as demonstrated from three Danish lakes. 6Synthesis and applications. The analysis of Danish lakes has identified a number of useful indicators for lake quality and has suggested a method for calculating an ecological quality ratio. However, it also demonstrates that the implementation of the Water Framework Directive faces several challenges: gradual rather than stepwise changes for all indicators, large variability of indicators within lake classes, and problems using the one out , all out principle for lake classification. [source] Risk assessment methodologies for predicting phosphorus losses,JOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION AND SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2003Oscar F. Schoumans Abstract Risk assessment parameters are needed to assess the contribution of phosphorus (P) losses from soil to surface water, and the effectiveness of nutrient and land management strategies for the reduction of P loss. These parameters need to take into account the large temporal and spatial variation in P transfer from individual fields arising from (a) changing but predictable factors such as land use, soil P status, P application rates, forms and ways of fertilization and spreading, (b) predictable but inherent factors such as soil type, soil dispersivity, slope and hydrological routing, and (c) unpredictable weather factors such as rainfall amount and intensity. In most situations, water transport is the driving force of P loss from agricultural land to surface water. Therefore, the hydrological pathways determine to a large extent the relevance of these different factors. Over the last decade several soil P tests have been proposed as a first step to link field conditions to risk of P loss. The major reason is that these soil P tests are also meaningful in discussions with farmers. Recently, more complex P loss risk parameters have been derived based on different approaches. However, the scope and purposes of these P loss risk parameters vary remarkably. Finally, there is a need to evaluate the usefulness of new P tests that can be used as an indicator of P loss risk, e.g. in relation to monitoring purposes. The implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive will increase this need. In this paper, the practicable applicability of P parameters for risk assessment is discussed in relation to purpose, scale (from field, farm to catchment), effectiveness, sensibility etc. Furthermore, a conceptual framework for P indicators is presented and evaluated, based on the outcome of the presentations and the discussions in Zurich. No translation. [source] Integrated catchment management in semiarid environments in the context of the European Water Framework DirectiveLAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 4 2006J. B. Thornes Abstract Two recent developments draw attention to the need for integrated catchment management. First is the European Union's (EU) Water Framework Directive (WFD), which insists on an integrated catchment management plan for each European river basin within the next 15 years. Second is the current trend for river restoration; practitioners have concluded that this can only be achieved through a thorough appreciation of the integrated character of catchments. This paper addresses the question as to whether it makes sense to apply the WFD methodology across the range of European catchments and, in particular, what special provisions need to be made for dry Mediterranean catchments. The Southern European rivers are episodic. They yield high and coarse sediment loads and some are still used as waste repositories. They interact intermittently with groundwater. Reference conditions, both geometrical and water quality, require different measures and observations from those of the temperate and Arctic régime rivers that dominate much of the rest of the EU. These properties are identified and discussed with reference to nested subcatchments of the River Segura in the Province of Murcia, Spain. New research in the Nogalte sub-basin demonstrates a possible ,reference site' for this environment. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Mediterranean intercalibration exercise on soft-bottom benthic invertebrates with special emphasis on the Italian situationMARINE ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Anna Occhipinti Ambrogi Abstract The intercalibration exercise is an important step in the building process of the surface water ecological quality assessment, which is required by the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Its aim is to apply the water quality classification in a uniform manner to all the Member States belonging to the same eco-region. Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Slovenia and Spain participated in the soft-bottom benthic invertebrate subgroup for the Mediterranean coastal region. The methodologies proposed by Member States were applied and tested; the results were compared and harmonized to establish agreed and comparable boundaries for the benthic invertebrate ecological status classes. The national methods used in the intercalibration process were: for Cyprus and Greece, the Bentix Index; for Slovenia, a combination of AZTI Marine Biotic Index (AMBI), richness and diversity with the use of factor and discriminant analysis (Multimetric AMBI); for Spain, a new index, named MEDOCC, which is an adaptation of the AMBI index to the Western Mediterranean area. Italy and France tested different methods, none of which have been officially adopted. Final class boundary values for the different official classification systems were obtained and compared. Besides describing methods and results obtained by the different countries, the Italian situation is examined in more detail. All the above methods have been applied to Italian data, but the results were not conclusive. Major causes for concern are related to insufficient sites and data, to the lack of real non-impacted reference sites, and to the difficulties in validating the ecological status classification in sites not showing a pollution gradient. [source] Benchmarking habitat quality: observations using River Habitat Survey on near-natural streams and rivers in northern and western EuropeAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue S1 2010Paul J. Raven Abstract 1.Some ecological effects of physically modifying rivers are still unclear, partly due to scale factors, but also because the character of high quality habitat is poorly understood. 2.Surveys at 278 sites on 141 near-natural streams and rivers in northern and western Europe were carried out between 1994 and 2009 to benchmark the habitat quality assessment system used for River Habitat Survey (RHS). 3.The objectives were to establish if RHS was suitable outside the UK, investigate if 500 m was still valid as the survey length, suggest a benchmarking strategy and recommend improvements to habitat quality assessment protocols. 4.Some modifications to RHS are needed to take account of differences in hydrological conditions, land-use and, most importantly, riparian habitat structure found in mainland Europe. 5.On average, 82,87% of channel attributes and 87,98% of channel and bank features were recorded within the first of consecutive RHS sites, confirming that 500 m is an effective sample length for characterizing small rivers. 6.Stream-flow character appeared to influence the distribution of several in-channel features, with greater diversity and between-site variation associated with rivers of mixed flow-types. To account for local variation and for effective use of survey time, it is recommended that two or more consecutive RHS sites are used for benchmarking purposes. 7.A suite of assessment protocols with agreed criteria and analytical rules, linked to specific objectives (e.g. nature conservation, geomorphic condition), is needed to establish the character and habitat quality of rivers in a consistent fashion. 8.A multi-discipline benchmarking programme using hydro-ecological regions in Europe would build on existing knowledge and help to improve both the inter-calibration and local application of quality assessment protocols. Data-sharing by hydrologists, river ecologists and fluvial geomorphologists would improve the basis for managing rivers in support of the European Water Framework Directive and Habitats Directive. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Developing standard approaches for recording and assessing river hydromorphology: the role of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN)AQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue S1 2010Philip J. Boon Abstract 1. Over the last 20 years the concept of ,freshwater quality' has expanded to incorporate a range of physical, chemical, hydromorphological and biological characteristics. In Europe, this process has been given greater impetus by the EC Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the requirement for Member States to assess and monitor a comprehensive suite of freshwater features. 2. Assessments of river hydromorphology are needed not only for implementing the WFD but also for nature conservation purposes, such as monitoring the condition of Special Areas of Conservation under the EC Habitats Directive and helping in the management and restoration of rivers. At present there are few detailed methods available in Europe for assessing river hydromorphology, and standard approaches are urgently required. 3. The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) works to promote voluntary technical harmonization in Europe in conjunction with worldwide bodies and its European partners. The production of a CEN standard for assessing the hydromorphological features of rivers began in September 1999 and culminated in the production of EN 14614 in November 2004. 4. EN 14614 is a ,guidance standard' that provides a framework of general principles and sets out which aspects of river hydromorphology should be assessed, how to plan and conduct field surveys, how results should be interpreted and presented, and ways of applying quality assurance procedures. 5. A second CEN standard on river hydromorphology has recently been published. Using simple scoring systems, this will enable the extent of hydromorphological modification to river channels, banks, riparian zones and floodplains to be recorded and assessed consistently. 6. CEN standards encourage European collaboration and provide a framework which other countries can use to develop their own assessment methods. However, ways need to be found to streamline the process of standardization and to ensure that published standards influence the work of researchers, environmental regulators and policy makers. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Understanding ,hot-spot' problems in catchments: the need for scale-sensitive measures and mechanisms to secure effective solutions for river management and conservationAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue S1 2010Malcolm Newson Abstract 1.Regulatory progress in controlling point sources of chemical river pollution has progressively thrown the attention of public policy towards anthropogenic physical impacts, many of which are scaled to the catchment via the runoff/sediment system. At the same time, concern over diffuse chemical pollution has reinforced ,catchment consciousness': land-use and land-management planning and control must be considered to conserve or restore river ecosystem integrity. 2.The scientific, political and legal elements of this scale change are, however, complex and uncertain: ,myths' abound. Landscape-scale consideration of ,pressures' suggests an unequal distribution of regulatory costs and benefits and large uncertainties in the evidence from a ,land-use hydrology' and fluvial geomorphology perspective. 3.,Hydrological connectivity' brings together a number of knowledge themes about catchment spatial organization which facilitate applying mitigation measures to much smaller areas, helping to offset uncertainty and reduce costs. 4.Instead of blanket ,remedies', more practical use is needed of process evidence from hydrology and fluvial geomorphology; this tends to suggest that ,hot-spots' dominate risks and impacts of factors such as leaching, surface flow generation and silt entrainment. 5.Set in a realistic policy framework, from strategic spatial planning to grant-aided best practice, a ,catchment acupuncture' approach to measures provides a cost-effective contribution to improving ecological status and may also increase resilience to the impacts of climate change. 6.The European Union's Water Framework Directive (WFD) encourages ,joined-up thinking' on this issue but it remains to be seen whether spatial scales, structures and concepts already enshrined in the WFD and the relevant UK national policies for land use and nature conservation can be exploited to permit the much-needed practical uptake of this new riparianism. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Littoral macroinvertebrates as indicators of lake acidification within the UKAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue S1 2010Ben McFarland Abstract 1.The Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires the assessment of acidification in sensitive water bodies. Chemical and littoral macroinvertebrate samples were collected to assess acidification of clear and humic lakes in the UK. 2.Of three acid-sensitive metrics that were regressed against acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) and pH, highly significant responses were detected using the Lake Acidification Macroinvertebrate Metric (LAMM). This metric was used to assign high, good, moderate, poor and bad status classes, as required by the WFD. 3.In clear-water lakes, macroinvertebrate changes with increasing acidification did not indicate any discontinuities, so a chemical model was used to define boundaries. In humic lakes, biological data were able to indicate a distinct, good,moderate boundary between classes. 4.Humic lakes had significantly lower pH than clear lakes in the same class, not only at the good,moderate boundary where different methods were used to set boundaries, but also at the high,good boundary, where the same chemical modelling was used for both lake types. These findings support the hypothesis that toxic effects are reduced on waters rich in dissolved organic carbon (DOC). 5.A typology is needed that splits humic and clear lakes to avoid naturally acidic lakes from being inappropriately labelled as acidified. 6.Validation using data from independent lakes demonstrated that the LAMM is transportable, with predicted environmental quality ratios (EQRs) derived from mean observed ANC, accurately reflecting the observed EQR and final status class. 7.Detecting and quantifying acidification is important for conservation, in the context of appropriate restoration, for example, by ensuring that naturally acid lakes are not treated as anthropogenically acidified. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Crown Copyright 2009 [source] Linking ecological and hydromorphological data: approaches, challenges and future prospects for riverine scienceAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue S1 2010I. P. Vaughan Abstract 1.Research linking river ecology and hydromorphology is driven by concerns about hydromorphological pressures (e.g. abstraction, land-use change) and legislative (e.g. EU Water Framework Directive) or management needs (e.g. climate-change adaptation). Unfortunately, much of the science is still weak or qualitative (cf. links between ecology and water quality). 2.Rapid progress is required, but financial resources are limited. In response, research opportunities using existing ecological and hydromorphological data and survey methods need to be explored further. 3.There are challenges inherent in using existing data, which are often collected for different purposes, and this paper highlights aspects of spatial scale, temporal coverage, sampling biases, data quality and mining, and the problems faced when using pre-defined sets of variables. 4.While the prospects for exploiting existing data are mixed, distinct strengths arise from extensive geographic coverage, the ability to improve the evidence base rapidly and at low cost, and the generation of testable hypotheses. 5.Current survey methods usually record biological or hydromorphic patterns, or inventories of features (cf. physical processes, or ecosystem functions or services). Their greatest use is likely to be in extending current spatially extensive biological or water chemistry monitoring to more integrated ,eco-hydromorphic' monitoring. 6.With further methodological development, there is real scope for illuminating several aspects of riverine ecology, including the direct ecological and physical consequences of modifying river systems; revealing indirect sensitivity to other pressures, such as climate change; offering a more holistic picture of the distribution of pressures on river ecosystems; and developing hydromorphology as a unifying theme in river studies. However, such developments require funding commitments from research sponsors. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Distinctiveness of macroinvertebrate communities in turloughs (temporary ponds) and their response to environmental variablesAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 4 2009Gwendolin Porst Abstract 1.Turloughs are a prime example of a water body type that interfaces with both the European Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) (WFD), highlighting the need for an integrated strategy to protect and manage surface waters and groundwaters. To date, research on turloughs, including their invertebrate communities is limited. 2.Eight turloughs were sampled for their macroinvertebrate communities and water chemistry in April 2007. Faunal samples were collected by means of a simple box sampler. 3.Replicate samples within each turlough clustered together, indicating that a single sample can provide a meaningful description of the turlough invertebrate community. Variation of invertebrate communities within turloughs was nested among turloughs. 4.Hydroperiod influenced mean abundance and taxon richness of macroinvertebrates, but no correlation was found between nutrient status and either mean abundance or taxon richness. 5.Turloughs are priority habitats under the EC Habitats Directive, requiring maintenance of ,favourable conservation status', which needs to be assessed through monitoring, and effected through appropriate management plans. While the distinctiveness of macroinvertebrate communities across turloughs is conducive to simple and cost-effective monitoring, this also challenges the applicability of the concept of type-specific communities across these highly dynamic ecosystems. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [source] Assessment of the ecological status of north-eastern Adriatic coastal waters (Istria, Croatia) using macroalgal assemblages for the European Union Water Framework DirectiveAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 1 2009Ljiljana Ive Abstract 1.Based on the inclusion of macroalgae in the European Union Water Framework Directive as quality elements for the evaluation of the ecological status of coastal waters, the suitability of one (Ecological Evaluation Index, EEI) of several previously proposed evaluation methods in the particular ecological conditions of the northern Adriatic Sea was tested. 2.The EEI was assessed for 10 locations (polluted and putatively pristine) scattered along 60,km of the western Istrian coast. The sampling was performed seasonally at 1 and 3,m depth by destructive (determination of species cover and biomass) and non-destructive (determination of species coverage using digital photography) methods. 3.When assessed at 1,m depth the spatial scale weighted EEI for the west Istrian coast was 8.1, corresponding to an ecological status class (ESC) value of high. However, data for 3,m depth gave a spatial EEI of 6.72 which corresponds to an ESC value of good. Regressions of the ratio of ecological state group I (ESG I, i.e. thick leathery, calcareous and crustose species) over total algal abundance with the pollution gradient (obtained using principal components analysis (PCA) ordination of environmental variables) were significant at 3,m but not at 1,m depth. This was due to the high abundance of ESG I macroalgae Corallina elongata and Cystoseira compressa at 1,m depth at polluted stations. Similar regressions were obtained using cover, biomass and coverage. 4.It is concluded that the EEI method may be suitable for the classification of coastal waters in the northern Adriatic only in certain cases. A better assessment of ecological status using this method would require more realistic estimations based on the inclusion of data from several sampling depths. As all three abundance measures (cover, biomass, coverage) gave similar results, coverage (using digital photography) is suggested as being a preferred measure owing to the rapidity of sampling at several depths and less time-consuming laboratory work. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Estuarine eutrophication in the UK: current incidence and future trendsAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 1 2009Gerald Maier Abstract 1.Increased inputs of nutrients to estuaries can lead to undesirable effects associated with eutrophication, including algal blooms, changes in species composition and bottom anoxia. Several estuaries and coastal areas around the UK have increased nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations, elevated concentrations of chlorophyll a and changes in algal community composition and abundance. This paper reviews the pressures that lead to high nutrient concentrations in estuaries and considers the likely effectiveness of current and proposed regulatory actions. 2.The main sources of nutrients to estuaries are river runoff, sewage discharges, atmospheric inputs and possibly submarine groundwater discharges, although little is known about the latter. Significant reductions in N and P inputs have been realized following application of the EU's Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. Atmospheric NOx and NHx emissions have also decreased and are expected to decrease further in the next decade as implementation of existing legislation continues, and new controls are introduced for activities such as shipping. 3.Agricultural inputs reach estuaries principally through diffuse sources, either in surface water (and in some areas possibly groundwater) or, for N, via the atmosphere. Over 10 years ago the Nitrates Directive was introduced to tackle the problem of N discharges from agriculture but little change in N loads to estuaries has been recorded. 4.To meet the aims of the EU Water Framework Directive, for at least ,good' ecological status, more rigorous application and implementation of the Nitrates Directive, together with changes in the Common Agriculture Policy and farming practice are likely to be needed. Even then, the slow response of the natural environment to change and the inherent variability of estuaries means that their responses may not be as predicted. Research is needed into the relationship between policy drivers and environmental responses to ensure actions taken will achieve the planned results. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||