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Recommendations for the routine sampling of diatoms for water quality assessments in Europe

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Abstract

Many methods for using diatoms for routine monitoring of water quality have been developed in Europe and, in some countries, these are being used to enforce environmental legislation. In order to facilitate their wider use, particularly with respect to European Union legislation, steps are being taken to harmonize methodology. In this paper, the principles and practice of sampling are described in relation to the main habitat types encountered in Europe. Although details of methods and sampling programmes have to be tailored to particular circumstances and the overall objectives of the monitoring, a number of generalizations can be made. Where available, rocks and other hard surfaces are the preferred substrates and methods for sampling these are described. If such substrata are not available, then introduced ('artificial') substrata have many applications. Various types of introduced substrata can be used successfully, so long as some basic precautions are described. Other types of substrata such as macrophytes and macroalgae may also be useful under certain circumstances, although there is less consensus in the literature on the most appropriate methods, and of the validity of comparisons between indices computed from epiphytic and epilithic communities. When designing surveys, it is recommended that as far as possible, extremes of non-water quality factors (e.g. shade, current speed, etc) are avoided, unless these are characteristic of the system under investigation. Detailed guidelines for sampling epilithon are described. Along with the recommendations for sampling other substrata, it is hoped that these provide a framework that can be adapted to most river types in Europe.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bowburn Consultancy, 11 Monteigne Drive, Bowburn, Durham, DH6 5QB, U.K

    M. G. Kelly

  2. Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de St. Jerôme, Université Aix-Marseille 3, 13397, Marseille Cedex 20, France

    A. Cazaubon

  3. Bayerisches Landesamt für Wasserwirtschaft, Institut für Wasserforschung, Demollstrasse 31, D-82407, Wielenbach, Germany

    E. Coring

  4. Dipartimento di Botanica ed Ecologia, Università di Camerino, Via Pontini 5, I-62032, Camerino (MC), Italy

    A. Dell'Uomo

  5. Centre de Recherche en Environnement et Biotechnologies, Centre de Recherche Public – Centre Universitaire, 162a Avenue de la Faïencerie, L-1511, Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

    L. Ector

  6. Environmental Change Research Centre, University College, London, 26 Bedford Way, London, WC1H OAP, U.K

    B. Goldsmith

  7. Department of Ecology, Univ. de Barcelona, Avgda Diagonal 645, E-08028, Barcelona, pSpain

    H. Guasch & S. Sabater

  8. AquaPlus, Gewerbestrasse 5a, CH-6314, Unterägeri, Switzerland

    J. Hürlimann

  9. KM Lab, Stora Tvärgatan 33, S-223 52, Lund, Sweden

    A. Jarlman

  10. Institute of Freshwater Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, PL-31-016, Krakow, Poland

    B. Kawecka & J. Kwandrans

  11. EE 2454 Rannu, Tartumaa, Estonia

    R. Laugaste

  12. NIVA, P.O. Box 173 Kjelsas, N-4011, Oslo, Norway

    E.-A. Lindstrøm

  13. Bi-Eau, 14 rue Volney, F-49000, Angers, France

    M. Leitao

  14. Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Kvetná 8, CZ-603-65, Brno, Czech Republic

    P. Marvan

  15. Balatoni Limnologiai Kutatoinezete, P.O. Box 35, H-8237, Tihany, Hungary

    J. Padisák

  16. Arbeitsgruppe Hydrobotanik,Institut für Botanik, Sternwartestrasse 15, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    E. Pipp & E. Rott

  17. Mission Ecologie du Milieu, Agence de l'Eau Artois-Picardie, 200 rue Marceline, BP 818, F-59508, Douai Cedex, France

    J. Prygiel

  18. AquaSense TEC, Generaal Foulkesweg 72, NL-6703 BW, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    H. van Dam

  19. Laboratoire d'Hydrologie et Géochimie Isotopique, Université de Paris Sud, F-91405, Orsay Cedex, France

    J. Vizinet

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  1. M. G. Kelly
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  2. A. Cazaubon
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  3. E. Coring
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  4. A. Dell'Uomo
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  5. L. Ector
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  6. B. Goldsmith
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  7. H. Guasch
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  8. J. Hürlimann
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  9. A. Jarlman
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  10. B. Kawecka
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  11. J. Kwandrans
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  12. R. Laugaste
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  13. E.-A. Lindstrøm
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  14. M. Leitao
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  15. P. Marvan
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  16. J. Padisák
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  17. E. Pipp
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  18. J. Prygiel
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  19. E. Rott
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  20. S. Sabater
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  21. H. van Dam
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  22. J. Vizinet
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Kelly, M.G., Cazaubon, A., Coring, E. et al. Recommendations for the routine sampling of diatoms for water quality assessments in Europe. Journal of Applied Phycology 10, 215–224 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008033201227

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