Department of zoology, School of Biology, Faculty of science A.U.Th.

Ecological Quality

In order to assess the ecological quality, studies are being held on the biocommunities of benthic macroinvertebrates, physico-chemical and hydromorphological characteristics of the stations. Apart from rivers’ structure through the River Habitat Survey (RHS) (Raven, 1998) and especially through the Habitat Modification Score (HMS) (Raven, 1998), Riparian Habitat Quality (QBR) (Munné et al., 2003) and Fluvial Habitat Index (IHF) (Pardo et al., 2002)  are also taken into consideration. Additionally, the Morphological Quality Index (MQI) (Rinaldi et al., 2015, 2016) is also used for the evaluation of hydromorphological status, based on a geomorphological approach in the light of natural processes.

The assessment of ecological quality is based on the Greek Evaluation System 2 (Greek Evaluation System 2, HESY2) (Lazaridou et al., 2018a) based on the Greek Evaluation System (Artemiadou & Lazaridou, 2005). The Greek Evaluation System 2 is based on the composition of benthic macroinvertebrate communities as the most appropriate quality bioindex of rivers in Greece.

The water quality assessment at each sampling station belonging to one of the RM river types (R-M1, R-M2, R-M3, R-M4, R-M5, see Cap. Typology) is based on HESY2 (Lazaridou et al., 2018a). HESY2 is based on the semi-quantitative 3-min kick and sweep method (Armitage & Hogger 1994) plus 1-min sweeping of the bank vegetation when it exists (Kemitzoglou 2004; Wright 2000), covering proportionally all the habitats of the under study station. In addition, it distinguishes the taxonomic groups and grades them according to their resistance to organic pollution, taking into account their relative abundance. The total score of the taxonomic groups, depending on their relative abundance, composes the Hellenic Evaluation Score (HES) and is divided by the number of ranked taxonomic groups (Average Hellenic Evaluation Score (AHES). Then, the HES and the AHES are calibrated according to the rich (large) or poor (small) number of habitats. The final interpretation of water quality is based on the semi-total of the calibrated HES s and AHESs (SemiHES), divided by the mean of reference stations of the same river type and resulting in a five-point color scale (as required by Directive 2000/60) depending on the river type (Table 1).

Table 1. Quality limits of the Greek Evaluation System (HESY2) by type river (Lazaridou et al., 2018a).

Ecological quality

R-M1

R-M2

R-M3

R-M4

R-M5

High

≥0.94

≥0.94

≥0.89

≥0.85

≥0.96

Good

(0.94-0.75]

(0.94-0.71]

(0.89-0.67]

(0.85-0.64]

(0.96-0.67]

Moderate

(0.75-0.50]

(0.71-0.47]

(0.67-0.45]

(0.64-0.43]

(0.67-0.44]

Poor

(0.50-0.25]

(0.47-0.24]

(0.45-0.22]

(0.43-0.22]

(0.44-0.22]

Bad

<0.25

<0.24

<0.22

<0.22

<0.22

 

The estimation of water quality at each sampling station belonging to very large rivers (>10,000 km²) is done according to the multimetric  STAR ICMi index (Lazaridou et al., 2018b). The specific polymeric index is based on 6 normalized and weighted metrics (Buffagni et al., 2006; 2007); it requires the information of abundance for specific taxonomic groups and it is mainly based on family level. For the calculation of the multimeric index, the observed values ​​of each metric are divided by the corresponding median of the reference samples; then, each metric is multiplied by the corresponding weight and the sum of these products consists the observed value of multimeric index STAR ICMi. Finally, the observed STAR ICMi value is divided by the STAR ICMi value of the reference samples (Ref_STAR ICMi), giving the final value on which the ecological quality is interpreted, following a five color scale (as required by Directive 2000/60) (Table 2).

Table 2. Class boundaries of multimeric index STAR ICMi for Very Large Rivers (Lazaridou et al., 2018b).

Ecological quality

Very large rivers

High

≥1.01

Good

(1.01-0.73]

Moderate

(0.73-0.53]

Poor

(0.53-0.35]

Bad

<0.35

 

The interpretation of the biological quality of each sample is carried out at the Laboratory of Marine and Terrestrial Animal Diversity at the Department of Biology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

The process for estimating the ecological quality of Greek rivers is automatically conducted using the software EQGR (Ecological Quality of Greek Rivers). The analyst entries the benthic macroinvertebrate abundance data of the studied sites at SampleS.xls, as well as all the characteristics of the sites. Then, the analyst, using the EQRG program and the manual EQRG, estimates the ecological quality of the studied stations for HESY2, STAR ICMi for very large rivers and other indices and metrics.

The software EQGR, and its manual, are available and permitted to be used, but not for commercial purposes, on condition that for the estimation of the ecological quality of:

  • river types R-M1, R-M2, R-M4 & R-M5: it must be cited the following «Lazaridou, M., Ntislidou, C., Karaouzas, I., Skoulikidis, N., 2018a. Harmonization of a new assessment method for estimating the ecological quality status of Greek running waters. Ecological Indicators, 84, 683-694. + Appendix A. Supplementary data.»
  • very large rivers (VLR): it must be cited the following «Lazaridou, M., Ntislidou, C., Karaouzas, I., Skoulikidis, N., Birk, S. 2018b. Harmonization of the assessment method for classifying the ecological quality status of very large Greek rivers. Knowledge and Management of Aquatic Ecosystems. 419, 50»
  • large rivers (R-M3): will be referred the software EQGR (http://river.bio.auth.gr/).

No part of the software and this manual may be reproduced, modified, or distributed without the agreement and the written permission of the authors.

Select the icon to download the software EQGR Version 1.1

 Select the icon to download the manual EQGR Version 1.1

Recently, lakes’ zoobenthos and their ecological quality is also studied. Thus, the GLBiI (Greek Lake Benthic invertebrate Index) (Ntislidou et al. 2018) and its automated software GLBiI (http://fishlab.bio.auth.gr/) were developed.

Museum material of benthic macroinvertebrates is being kept in the Laboratory of Marine and Terrestrial Animal Diversity, Department of Biology, AUTH, (http://www.bio.auth.gr/mumabema) with more than 800 macrozoobenthos samples from at least 30 watersheds.

 

 

Armitage, P.D. & Hogger J. (1994) Invertebrate ecology and survey, 85-97, 151-159. In: RSPB, NRA & RSNC 1994 The New Rivers and Wildlife Handbook, pp.426.  RSPB Sandy Bedfordshire UK.

Artemiadou V. & Lazaridou M. (2005): Evaluation Score and Interpretation Index for the ecological quality of running waters in Central and Northern Hellas. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 110, 1–40.

Buffagni, A., Erba, S., Cazzola, M., Murray-Bligh, J., Soszka, H., Genoni, P., (2006). The STAR common metrics approach to the WFD intercalibration process: Full application for small, lowland rivers in three European countries. Hydrobiologia. 566, 379-399. doi: 10.1007/s10750-006-0082-7

Buffagni, A., Erba, S., Furse, M.T., 2007. A simple procedure to harmonize class boundaries of assessment systems at the pan-European scale. Environmental Environ. Science Sci.& Policy. 10, 709-724. doi: 10.1016/j.envsci.2007.03.005

Kemitzoglou D. (2004). “The effectiveness of the semi-quantitative sampling method using benthic macroivertebrates.” Dissertation Thesis, Department of Biology, A.U.TH., Thessaloniki, p. 86

Lazaridou, M., Ntislidou, C., Karaouzas, I., Skoulikidis, N., 2018a. Harmonization of a new assessment method for estimating the ecological quality status of Greek running waters. Ecological Indicators, 84, 683-694. + Appendix A. Supplementary data

Lazaridou, M., Ntislidou, C., Karaouzas, I., Skoulikidis, N., Birk, S. 2018b. Harmonization of the assessment method for classifying the ecological quality status of very large Greek rivers. Knowledge and Management of Aquatic Ecosystems. 419, 50

Munné A., Prat N., Sola C., Bonda N. and Rieradeval M. (2003). A simple field method for assessing the ecological quality of riparian habitat in Rivers and streams: QBR index.

Ntislidou, C., Lazaridou, M., Tsiaoussi, V., & Bobori, D. C. (2018). A new multimetric macroinvertebrate index for the ecological assessment of Mediterranean lakes. Ecological Indicators93, 1020-1033.

Pardo I., Álvarez M., Casas J.J., Moreno J.L., Vivas S., Bonada N., Alba – Tercedor J., Jáime P., Moyá G., Prat N., Robles S., Suárez M.L., Toro M., Vidal-Abarca M.R. (2002). El hábitat de los ríos mediterráneos. Diseño de un índice de diversidad de hábitat. Limnetica, 21: 115-133.

Raven P. J.: River Habitat Quality: the physical character of rivers and streams in the UK and Isle of Man. Environment Agency, 1998.

Rinaldi M., Surian N., Comiti F., Bussettini M., Belletti B. , Nardi L. , Lastoria B. , Golfieri B. (2015).Guidebook for Restoring rivers FOR effective catchment Management (REFORM), the evaluation of stream morphological conditions by the Morphological Quality Index (MQI). Environment (ENV.2011.2.1.2-1) Hydromorphology and ecological objectives of WFD, Collaborative project (large-scale integrating project)

Rinaldi M., A. M. Gurnell, M. González Tánago, M. Bussettini, D. Hendriks (2016). Classification of river morphology and hydrology to support management and restoration, Aquatic Sciences:research across boundaries 78: 17-33.

WFD intercalibration technical report. Mediterranean GIG – Rivers. Benthic Invertebrates (2007). EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE GENERAL JRC JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE, Institute of Environment and Sustainability, 15 June 2007.

Wright, J.F., Winder, J.M., Gunn, R.J.M., Blackburn, J.H., Symes, K.L. and Clarke, R.T. (2000). Minor local effects of a River Thames power station on the macroinvertebrate fauna. Regul. Rivers: Res. Mgmt. 16: 159-174.

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