Assessment of Ecological Status and Preliminary Results on Reference Conditions in Alpine Glacial Lakes (Bulgaria)—A Contribution to the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive

Establishing reference conditions for Polish lakes - preliminary resultsEstablishing reference conditions is essential for performing ecological status assessments of surface waters according to the EU Water Framework Directive. Ecological status is described as the deviation from undisturbed (reference) conditions. This paper presents the process of establishing preliminary reference values for chlorophyll

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Land-use and agriculture in Denmark around year 1900 and the quest for EU Water Framework Directive reference conditions in coastal waters

AMBIO ◽

10.1007/s13280-021-01536-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Bent T. Christensen ◽

Birger F. Pedersen ◽

Jørgen E. Olesen ◽

Jørgen Eriksen

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Water Framework Directive ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Root Zone ◽

Reference Conditions ◽

Ecological Status ◽

Agricultural Activity ◽

Eu Water Framework Directive ◽

Alternative Approach ◽

The Eu

AbstractThe EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) aims to protect the ecological status of coastal waters. To establish acceptable boundaries between good and moderate ecological status, the WFD calls for reference conditions practically undisturbed by human impact. For Denmark, the nitrogen (N) concentrations present around year 1900 have been suggested to represent reference conditions. As the N load of coastal waters relates closely to runoff from land, any reduction in load links to agricultural activity. We challenge the current use of historical N balances to establish WFD reference conditions and initiate an alternative approach based on parish-level land-use statistics collected 1896/1900 and N concentrations in root zone percolates from experiments with year 1900-relevant management. This approach may be more widely applicable for landscapes with detailed historic information on agricultural activity. Using this approach, we find an average N concentration in root zone percolates that is close to that of current agriculture. Thus, considering Danish coastal waters to be practically unaffected by human activity around year 1900 remains futile as 75% of the land area was subject to agricultural activity with a substantial potential for N loss to the environment. It appears unlikely that the ecological state of coastal waters around year 1900 may serve as WFD reference condition.

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Monitoring Scotland’s transitional water fish communities under the EU Water Framework Directive

10.37208/tgn27318 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 48-67

Author(s):

M. O’Reilly ◽

J. Boyle ◽

S. Nowacki ◽

M. Elliott ◽

R. Foster

Keyword(s):

Water Framework Directive ◽

Assessment Tool ◽

Reference Conditions ◽

Ecological Status ◽

Fish Communities ◽

High Status ◽

Eu Water Framework Directive ◽

Transitional Waters ◽

Water Fish ◽

The Eu

The history of monitoring transitional water fish in Scotland is briefly outlined. The requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive are explained and how this applies to the monitoring of transitional water fish communities in Scotland is described. The development of a monitoring programme for Scotland is outlined, including sampling methods and strategies. Six transitional waters were selected as representative for Scotland covering three different types of transitional water. A multi-metric tool, the Transitional Water Fish Classification Index was used to assess the ecological status of the fish communities in these waters and the operation of the different metrics and the creation of appropriate reference conditions is explained. The assessment tool was applied to survey data from 2005 to 2018, although only the more recent data fully met the tool requirements. The species composition and abundances in the respective transitional waters were compared. The fully valid surveys were all classed as of Good or High status, indicating the fish communities in all the representative transitional waters appeared to be in good ecological health. The efficacy of the different metrics is considered and some issues with Metric 2, enumerating migratory species, are discussed at length. A new multi-metric tool, the Estuarine Multi-metric Fish Index, is briefly discussed and its introduction for the assessments in Scotland is recommended.

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Palaeolimnological assessment of the reference conditions and ecological status of lakes in Estonia - implications for the European Union Water Framework Directive

Estonian Journal of Earth Sciences ◽

10.3176/earth.2009.4.11 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 58 (4) ◽

pp. 334 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

A Heinsalu ◽

T Alliksaar

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Water Framework Directive ◽

Reference Conditions ◽

Ecological Status ◽

The European Union

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Development of tools for ecological quality assessment in polish marine areas according to the Water Framework Directive. Part II — Chlorophyll-a

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies ◽

10.2478/v10009-009-0038-0 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 38 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elżbieta Łysiak-Pastuszak ◽

Włodzimierz Krzymiński ◽

Łukasz Lewandowski

Keyword(s):

Quality Assessment ◽

Water Framework Directive ◽

Reference Conditions ◽

Ecological Status ◽

Biological Indicators ◽

Ecological Quality ◽

Response Curves ◽

Environmental Pressures ◽

Marine Areas ◽

The Baltic

Development of tools for ecological quality assessment in polish marine areas according to the Water Framework Directive. Part II — Chlorophyll-To implement the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) it is necessary to establish tools enabling ecological status quantification on the basis of biological indicators, and to assess reference conditions and relevant environmental pressures for the construction of response curves. This study focuses on the Polish sector of the Baltic Sea. A number of statistically significant linear correlations, linking chlorophyll-

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Development of tools for ecological quality assessment in polish marine areas according to the Water Framework Directive. Part III — Secchi depth

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies ◽

10.2478/v10009-009-0039-z ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 38 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elżbieta Łysiak-Pastuszak ◽

Włodzimierz Krzymiński ◽

Łukasz Lewandowski

Keyword(s):

Quality Assessment ◽

Water Framework Directive ◽

Sea Water ◽

Secchi Depth ◽

Reference Conditions ◽

Ecological Status ◽

Nutrient Concentrations ◽

Ecological Quality ◽

Response Curves ◽

Marine Areas

Development of tools for ecological quality assessment in polish marine areas according to the Water Framework Directive. Part III — Secchi depthThe implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires ecological status quantification on the basis of biological and physico-chemical parameters, and an assessment of reference conditions and relevant environmental pressures for the construction of response curves. In this study the linking of water transparency, a proposed eutrophication indicator, to environmental pressure parameters was examined in the Polish sector of the Baltic Sea. Statistically significant linear correlations were detected between nutrient concentrations in sea water and Secchi depth, and between nutrient riverine loads and Secchi depth. The magnitude of acceptable deviation from reference conditions is also discussed.

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Implementation of the Water Framework Directive: Lessons learned and future perspectives for an ecologically meaningful classification of the status of Greek lakes, Mediterranean region

10.1101/371799 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Maria Moustaka-Gouni ◽

Ulrich Sommer ◽

Athena Economou-Amilli ◽

George B. Arhonditsis ◽

Matina Katsiapi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Framework Directive ◽

Reference Conditions ◽

Ecological Status ◽

Water Quality Assessment ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Phytoplankton Communities ◽

Essential Components ◽

Greek Lakes ◽

The Status ◽

National Boundaries

ABSTRACTThe enactment of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) initiated scientific efforts to develop reliable methods for comparing prevailing lake conditions against reference (or non-impaired) states, using the state of a set biological elements. Drawing a distinction between impaired and natural conditions can be a challenging exercise, as it stipulates the robust delineation of reference conditions along with the establishment of threshold values for key environmental variables used as proxies for the degree of system impairment. Another important aspect is to ensure that water quality assessment is comparable among the different Member States. In this context, the present paper offers a constructive critique of the practices followed during the WFD implementation in Greece by pinpointing methodological weaknesses and knowledge gaps that undermine our ability to classify the ecological status of Greek lakes. One of the pillars of WDF is a valid lake typology that sets ecological standards transcending geographic regions and national boundaries. The national typology of Greek lakes has failed to take into account essential components (e.g. surface area, altitude, salinity). WFD compliance assessments based on descriptions of phytoplankton communities are oversimplified and as such should be revisited. Exclusion of most chroococcal species from the analysis of cyanobacteria biovolume in Greek lakes and most reservoirs in the Mediterranean Geographical Intercalibration Group (Greece, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus) is not consistent with the distribution of those taxa in lakes. Similarly, the total biovolume reference values and the indices used in their classification schemes reflect misunderstandings of WFD core principles. This hampers the comparability of ecological status across Europe and leads to quality standards that are too relaxed to provide an efficient target especially for the protection and management of Greek/transboundary lakes such as Lake Megali Prespa, one of the oldest lakes in Europe.

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Using historical data, expert judgement and multivariate analysis in assessing reference conditions and benthic ecological status, according to the European Water Framework Directive

Marine Pollution Bulletin ◽

10.1016/j.marpolbul.2006.05.025 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 55 (1-6) ◽

pp. 16-29 ◽

Cited By ~ 402

Author(s):

Iñigo Muxika ◽

Ángel Borja ◽

Juan Bald

Keyword(s):

Multivariate Analysis ◽

Water Framework Directive ◽

Historical Data ◽

Reference Conditions ◽

Ecological Status ◽

European Water Framework Directive ◽

Expert Judgement ◽

European Water

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The role of alkalinity in setting water quality metrics: phosphorus standards in United Kingdom rivers

Environmental Science Processes & Impacts ◽

10.1039/c8em00262b ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 20 (10) ◽

pp. 1361-1372

Author(s):

Alan D. Tappin ◽

Alba Navarro-Rodriguez ◽

Sean D. W. Comber ◽

Paul J. Worsfold

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

European Union ◽

United Kingdom ◽

Water Framework Directive ◽

Reference Conditions ◽

Ecological Status ◽

Quality Metrics ◽

The European Union ◽

Reactive Phosphorus

UK implementation of the European Union Water Framework Directive (for the 2015–2021 cycle) Ecological Status (ES) classification for river phosphorus is based on the calculation of reference conditions for reactive phosphorus (RP) using river alkalinity measurements.

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