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DIATMOD: diatom predictive model for quality assessment of Portuguese running waters

  • ALGAE FOR MONITORING RIVERS
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Abstract

A predictive model for diatoms based on an adaptation of the River Invertebrate Prediction and Classification System/Australian River Assessment System approaches was evaluated as an effective tool for measuring stream ecological quality. This type of model was originally developed in UK and later in Australia and is extensively used to obtain ecological quality assessments with macroinvertebrates. The first step for the model construction was the definition of six consistent reference biological groups (ANOSIM: Global R = 0.77; P < 0.001) after classification (UPGMA) and ordination (nMDS) of 120 reference sites containing 254 different diatom taxa (species and infra-specific rank). A set of five environmental variables (slope, hydrological regime, mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation and alkalinity) correctly discriminated 67% of reference sites (stepwise forward discriminant analysis, Jackknifed classification). The model was statistically accurate (slope = 1.07, intercept = −0.68, R 2 = 0.65) and was validated by an independent set of reference data (13 reference sites; 70% correct answers). In addition, the model was tested by running data from 113 potentially disturbed sites. The model (DIATMOD) was well correlated with a general abiotic degradation gradient (Spearman correlations, R 2 = 0.53, P < 0.001; and PCA analysis) and also with several specific pressure variables such as nitrates, phosphates, urban area, connectivity and land use (P < 0.001). Most diatom indices assess chemical contamination and we showed here that through predictive modelling the potential of diatoms as bioindicators increases as they also responded to hydromorphological changes. Further investigation on model potential consists in: testing different probability levels for taxa inclusion (here it was >0.5 as the most common models); comparing with alternative classification systems; assessing the influence of substrate type and seasonal variation in assessments.

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Acknowledgments

This study was possible due to funding by the Portuguese Water Institute (INAG). The data were made available by INAG. The second author had financial support from FSE and POPH through the contract Ciência 2008 of the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia. We would like to thank all the teams involved in data gathering as well as team leaders: M. Morais, P. Pinto, M. T. Ferreira, R. V. Cortes and N. Formigo. The Institute of Marine Research (IMAR-CIC), and GeoBioTec Research Unit and Biology Department of the University of Aveiro for support.

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  1. Department of Biology, GeoBioTec–GeoBioSciences, Geotechnologies and Geoengineering Research Center, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    Salomé F. P. Almeida

  2. Department of Life Sciences, Institute of Marine Research, University of Coimbra, Largo Marquês de Pombal, 3004-517, Coimbra, Portugal

    Maria J. Feio

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  1. Salomé F. P. Almeida
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Correspondence to Salomé F. P. Almeida.

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Guest editors: L. Ector, D. Hlúbiková & L. Hoffmann / Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium “Use of Algae for Monitoring Rivers”, Luxembourg, November 23–25, 2009

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Almeida, S.F.P., Feio, M.J. DIATMOD: diatom predictive model for quality assessment of Portuguese running waters. Hydrobiologia 695, 185–197 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1110-4

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