Are diatoms a reliable and valuable bio-indicator to assess sub-tropical river ecosystem health?

Oeding, Sue; Taffs, Kathryn H

doi:10.1007/s10750-015-2287-0

Cited by 16 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 68 publications

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“…In temperate regions, aquatic systems are formed by various communities. However, diatom species play a vital role in these communities [40]. These species are often utilized as water quality indicator organisms, which can significantly reflect the biological integrity of the study area and the anthropogenic stressors affecting EH [41].…”

Section: Benthic Diatomsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of Ecosystem Health Assessment (EHA) and Application Method: A Review

Zhao

Qiao

et al. 2021

Sustainability

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Human industrialization has caused damage to ecosystems. In this context, researchers have developed several methods to assess the health of various types of ecosystems. In this paper, we evaluated the developmental history and status of ecosystem health (EH) and summarized the concept of EH. We also reviewed ecosystem health assessment (EHA) methods and analyzed the application of EHA methods. EHA methods are generally classified into biological indicator and index system method. The former method is mainly based on the number of dominant species, such as diatom, plankton, and macroinvertebrate. Results indicate that trophic diatom index (TDI), plankton index of biotic integrity (P-IBI), and Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) are the most commonly used indices. The latter method combines multiple ecosystem metrics and reflects ecosystem processes. The pressure–state–response (PSR) model most commonly uses the index system method. For the application of EHA methods, biological indicator methods are mostly applied in rivers/streams ecosystem, while the index system is primarily involved in urban ecosystems. Therefore, the information presented in this review may be helpful for the modification of EHA methods.

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Section: Benthic Diatomsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of Ecosystem Health Assessment (EHA) and Application Method: A Review

Zhao

Qiao

et al. 2021

Sustainability

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“…Oeding and Taffs [7] recommended epilithic diatoms as bioindicators of water quality of rivers in Australia and Chessman et al [8] produced a diatom index to evaluate the effect of human impact on Australian rivers on a broad scale. Taş and Yilmaz [2] used algae as bioindicators in their study of Cimil stream, Turkey.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Community Structure of Benthic Algae in a Lotic Ecosystem, Karbala Province-Iraq

Journal¹

2017

Baghdad Sci.J

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This study focused on benthic algae (epipelic and attached algae on concrete lining stream) in Bani-Hassan stream in Holly Karbala, Iraq. The qualitative and quantitative studies of benthic algae were done by collecting 240 samples from five sites in the study area for the period from December 2012 to November 2013. Also, the environmental variables of the stream were examined in term of temporary and spatial. The results showed that the stream was alkaline, hard, oligohaline and a well aerated. The total nitrogen to the total phosphorus (TN: TP) ratio indicates nitrogen limitation. 129 species of benthic algae belonging to 57 genera were identified. Bacillariophyceae (diatoms) was the predominant taxon (95 species) followed by Chlorophyceae (16 species), Cyanophyceae (14 species), Euglenophyceae (3 species) and Pyrophyceae (one species). Some genera were found throughout the study period: Nitzschia, Navicula, Cymbella, Gomphonema, Surirella, Cocconeis, Aulacoseira, Oscillatoria, Lyngbya, Spirulina, and ? Scenedesmus. Site 3 recorded the highest total number of algae in spring 2013, and the lowest total number was at site 5 in Autumn 2013. The chlorophyll-a concentration did not match the total number of algae.

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“…Diatom research in Australia to date has focussed on temperate regions and been conducted in marine and estuarine environments (Blinn and Bailey 2001b, Parr et al 2004, Saunders and Taffs 2009, Grinham et al 2011, Saunders 2011, Logan and Taffs 2013 and freshwater (rivers, lakes and reservoirs) systems (Chessman 1986, Chessman et al 1999, Tibby 2001, Chessman et al 2007, Fluin et al 2010, Hembrow and Taffs 2012, Barr et al 2013, Oeding and Taffs 2015. Chessman et al (2007) developed a diatom species index for Australian rivers (DSIAR) in south eastern Australian Rivers.…”

Section: Diatoms As Bioindicatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bioindicators are being increasingly used to infer environmental parameters by studying the response of an organism within a community structure (Bellinger andSigee 2010, Payne 2013). Diatoms 30 are widely used as bioindicators (Oeding and Taffs 2015), as they respond quickly to changes in water quality (Rimet 2012) and individual taxa can have narrow ecological preferences (Reid et al 1995) which reflects the overlying water quality their environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diatoms as indicators of ecological change in freshwater reservoirs of South East Queensland

Gale¹

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Diatoms are powerful bioindicators, as each species has a specific tolerance for environmental variables, they are abundant in aquatic ecosystems and they respond rapidly to change. The use of diatoms as bioindicators is widespread especially in streams, rivers and natural lakes and is increasing in reservoirs. Typically, diatoms utilised in streams and rivers for biomonitoring consist of living benthic communities attached to rocks, while in lakes and reservoirs diatoms collected from the sediments consist of senescent planktonic diatom that have settled out of the water column. The development of diatoms as indicators in reservoirs can be problematic due to the complex hydrology and higher rates of sedimentation associated with these systems. Despite these challenges the use of diatoms in reservoir environments to develop transfer functions to infer historical changes in water quality is increasing. The development of regional datasets is important, as using indicators or transfer functions that have been developed in other areas to quantify changes in water quality does not provide accurate results.The aim of this thesis was to develop diatoms as bioindicators of water quality in freshwater reservoirs of subtropical south east Queensland (SEQ), to complement the traditional water quality monitoring across different sites. This will provide understanding of environmental drivers of diatom assemblages in this region. The diatom assemblages of reservoirs in this region have not been investigated to date and this study will provide the first investigation into their biological diversity and the water quality histories of the reservoirs.This study was undertaken in drinking water reservoirs of subtropical south east Queensland, Australia. Spatial variability of the sediment surface diatom assemblage was investigated in the Lake Wivenhoe, the largest reservoir of the region which supplies over two million people with drinking water. The diatom assemblage of surface sediments was found to vary spatially within a reservoir and aligned with zonation that is typical of reservoir environment, lacustrine, transition and riverine. Three groups of diatoms characterised the reservoir, taxa reported as cosmopolitan were found throughout, higher abundances of planktonic taxa were observed in the lacustrine zone and benthic taxa were reported in the riverine zone. i Sediment samples were collected from 15 reservoirs in south east Queensland. The diatom assemblage and corresponding water quality parameters from each site were used to develop transfer functions specific for the region. Robust models were developed using weighted averaging partial least squares for conductivity and total phosphorus. The optimum and tolerances of these parameters are reported for 116 diatom taxa.Early in 2011, the largest rainfall on record took place in the Wivenhoe dam catchment which resulted in an extreme inflow into the reservoir. One core had been taken in October 2010 to determine historic changes in the diatom assemblage. Following...

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Are diatoms a reliable and valuable bio-indicator to assess sub-tropical river ecosystem health?

Cited by 16 publications

References 68 publications

Development of Ecosystem Health Assessment (EHA) and Application Method: A Review

Development of Ecosystem Health Assessment (EHA) and Application Method: A Review

Community Structure of Benthic Algae in a Lotic Ecosystem, Karbala Province-Iraq

Diatoms as indicators of ecological change in freshwater reservoirs of South East Queensland

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