Publication details
Indication potential of chironomid larvae evaluated within the response of macroinvertebrate community to degradation of small streams
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2006 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | XVI International Chironomid Symposium, Abstract Book |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Ecology |
| Keywords | Chironomidae; biomonitoring; organic pollution; morphological degradation; streams; STAR; EURO-LIMPACS |
| Description | Development of assessment methods for monitoring programmes required by EU Water Framework Directive was associated with evaluation of indication power of individual elements of aquatic fauna and flora. Chironomids are one of macroinvertebrate groups their detailed investigation tends to be limited due to relatively high time and expertise requirements needed for processing and identification. They are frequently excluded from the monitoring programmes or recorded at family level only. The response of benthic fauna to gradients of organic pollution and hydromorphological degradation were studied within 30 small stream sites (devided into two datasets according to dominant impairment). Gradients of anthropogenic degradation were described by environmental characteristics of water chemistry, channel/floodplain hydromorphology and landuse in catchment. Taxonomic structure of chironomid taxocoenoses were compared with structure of other macroinvertebrate groups and whole benthic community. Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index was used for evaluation of differences among samples which were plotted in ordination space using Multidimensional scaling. Macroinvertebrate autecological database was used for evaluation of characteristics based on sensitivity and ecological species traits. Updates and extensions of this database was/is supported by AQEM (EVK1-CT-1999-00027), STAR (EVK1-2001-00034) and EURO LIMPACS (GOCE-CT-2003-505540) projects. It was found that chironomid larvae respond to gradients of landuse (cropland percentage within floodplain and catchment), nutrient concentration and characteristics of riaparian zone affecting light conditions, organic matter input and morphology of stream banks. Information about functional and sensitivity characteristics of macroinvertebrate community is not complete without including chironomids, ecologically heterogeneous family. Structure of chironomid communities can improve understanding of biotic response to complex stressors interactions operating at various spatial scales (channel-floodplain-catchment characteristics). |
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