ECOSTAT meeting – Ispra (IT), 03+04 July 2007 1 of 14 CBriv GIG Macrophyte Intercalibration.

ECOSTAT meeting – Ispra (IT), 03+04 July 2007 1 of 14

CBriv GIG Macrophyte Intercalibration




Content

National macrophyte assessment methods

Macrophyte intercalibration database

Intercalibration Option 2: Use of common metrics

Intercalibration Option 3: Direct comparison

Conclusions and outlook



National macrophyte assessment methods

country name pressure

AT AIM Rivers eutrophication, flow, structure

BE (FL) MAFWAT non-specific

BE (WL) IBMR eutrophication

DE Reference Index non-specific

FR IBMR eutrophication

NL Maatlatten non-specific

PL MIR eutrophication

UK LEAFPACS eutrophication



Macrophyte intercalibration database

… currently covering

• ~ 1400 surveys,

• ~ 1200 sites,

• 16 countries,

• 9 IC (sub-) types,

• ~ 60% belonging to R-C1.x.2, R-C3, R-C4.x.2.

Purpose: Common analyses and testing of IC Options



Intercalibration Option 2: Use of common metrics

3macrophyte taxa recorded by all national methodsparticipating in intercalibration of (sub-)type

TAXONOMIC BASIS FOR INTERCALIBRATION COMMON METRIC

country

Acountry

B

country

C

RMNI (UK)IBMR (FR, BE)MIR (PL)TIM (DE)MA-index (AT)

I T E

MIn

dex o

f Tro

ph

y for

Eu

rop

ean M

acrop

hytes

1

COMMON INDEX DEVELOPMENT

Austria, France, Belgium, Germany,

Poland, Netherlands, Great

Britain

DIS

T2

RE

F

REFERENCE AND DISTURBANCE INDICATORS

4 Σ (ITEM score • Abundance)

Σ AbundanceIC Common Metric: I T E M =

(SUB-)TYPE SPECIFIC CALCULATION OF COMMON METRIC



5

I T E

MI

T E

M

A B C A B Ccountry country

REF taxa DIST taxa

harmonised(sub-)type specific

I T E M - thresholds

DEFINITION OF INTERNATIONAL SPECIES RESPONSE GROUPS

6

Abundance

I T E M

Reference value(e.g. 50% reference taxa and 5% disturbance indicators)

REFERENCE / BOUNDARY VALUES FOR INTERCALIBRATION COMMON METRIC



Intercalibration Option 2: Use of common metrics Discussion

• ITEM not related to “non-pressure-specific” lowland methods (BE [FL], DE, NL).

• Some participating countries are lacking data.

• Currently no common IC reference concept available.



Intercalibration Option 3: Direct comparison

Testing of Original CB lakes GIG approach and Class-by-Class approach

R-C1.x.2

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

FR AT PL UK NL BE DE

4

3

2

1

0

-1

-2

-3

-4

R-C1.x.2

1

1,5

2

2,5

3

3,5

4

4,5

5

BE DE NL PL mean

H

G

M

P

B

BE (FL)



Intercalibration Option 3: Direct comparison Discussion

• Constraints of national methods became uncovered: e.g. species-rich sites are underrated by weighted average metrics.

• Option 3 seems highly conservative: countries falling outside must make

quite substantial changes to their classifications in order to harmonise.

• Currently no intercalibration possible due to large differences

in classifications: further analytical refinements necessary.



Conclusions

State-of-the-art allows for

• Intercalibration of methods assessing eutrophication,

• Intercalibration of types where nutrient pressure plays the major role (mountain rivers).

= Incomplete intercalibration



Conclusions

Different assessment concepts for lowland rivers:

• Lowland rivers show comparatively small trophic gradient

MOUNTAINS

LOWLANDS

oligo-trophic

meso-trophic

eu-trophic

REFERENCESTATE

REFERENCESTATE



Conclusions


• Multitude of co-acting pressures

REFERENCESTATE HYDRSTRC

MEC

HC

HEM



Conclusions


• Lowland rivers show comparatively small trophic gradient,

• Multitude of co-acting pressures.

Response-oriented holistic assessment including taxonomic composition measures and functional community attributes (e.g. growth forms).

Conceptually different from eutrophication assessment.



Steps in a possible continuation

• Collection of more data (2007’ monitoring cycle).

• Update on national macrophyte methods.

• Definition of common reference basis for intercalibration.

• Further advancements of IC Options 2 and 3.

We are eager to carry on.Will you like us to continue?

Results expected by September 2008.

ECOSTAT meeting – Ispra (IT), 03+04 July 2007 1 of 14 CBriv GIG Macrophyte Intercalibration.

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