Developing an improved biomonitoring tool for fine sediment: Combining expert knowledge and empirical data

Turley, Matt D.; Bilotta, Gary; Krueger, Tobias; Brazier, Richard E.; Extence, Chris A.

doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.02.011

Cited by 19 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 19 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, an evaluation of these versions of the index across a wide range of temperate river and stream ecosystems (Turley et al, 2014), showed it to have moderate correlations with fine sediment (r s = −0.61, p < 0.01 and r s = −0.64, p < 0.01 respectively), that although comparable with the average invertebrate-based, pressure-specific tool, used throughout the EU (Birk et al, 2012), limits confidence in its application. Recent work has demonstrated enhancements to the species-level PSI index through the use of empirical data to supplement the expert knowledge and literature, which were used to determine the original four fine sediment sensitivity ratings (Turley et al, 2015).…”

Section: The Proportion Of Sediment-sensitive Invertebrates (Psi) Indexmentioning

confidence: 99%

A sediment-specific family-level biomonitoring tool to identify the impacts of fine sediment in temperate rivers and streams

Turley

Bilotta

Chadd

et al. 2016

Ecological Indicators

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Anthropogenic modifications of sediment load can cause ecological degradation in stream and river ecosystems. However, in practice, identifying when and where sediment is the primary cause of ecological degradation is a challenging task. Biological communities undergo natural cycles and variation over time, and respond to a range of physical, chemical and biological pressures. Furthermore, fine sediments are commonly associated with numerous other pressures that are likely to influence aquatic biota. The use of conventional, non-biological monitoring to attribute cause and effect would necessitate measurement of multiple parameters, at sufficient temporal resolution, and for a significant period of time. Biomonitoring tools, which use low-frequency measurements of biota to gauge and track changes in the environment, can provide a valuable alternative means to detecting the effects of a given pressure. In this study, we develop and test an improved macroinvertebrate, family-level and mixed-level biomonitoring tool for fine sediment. Biologically-based classifications of sediment sensitivity were supplemented by using empirical data of macroinvertebrate abundance and percentage fine sediment, collected across a wide range of temperate river and stream ecosystems (model training datasetn=2252) to assign detailed individual sensitivity weights to taxa. An optimum set of weights were identified by non-linear optimisation, as those that resulted in the highest Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient between the index (called the Empirically-weighted Proportion of Sediment-sensitive Invertebrates index; E-PSI) scores and deposited fine sediment in the model training dataset. The family and mixed-level tools performed similarly, with correlations with percentage fine sediment in the test dataset (n=84) ofrs=−0.72 andrs=−0.70p<0.01. Testing of the best performing family level version, over agriculturally impacted sites (n=754) showed similar correlations to fine sediment (rs=−0.68p<0.01). The tools developed in this study have retained their biological basis, are easily integrated into contemporary monitoring agency protocols and can be applied retrospectively to historic datasets. Given the challenges of non-biological conventional monitoring of fine sediments and determining the biological relevance of the resulting data, a sediment-specific biomonitoring approach is highly desirable and will be a useful addition to the suite of pressure-specific biomonitoring tools currently used to infer the causes of ecological degradation

show abstract

Section: The Proportion Of Sediment-sensitive Invertebrates (Psi) Indexmentioning

confidence: 99%

A sediment-specific family-level biomonitoring tool to identify the impacts of fine sediment in temperate rivers and streams

Turley

Bilotta

Chadd

et al. 2016

Ecological Indicators

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Taxon scores for WHPT (UKTAG, 2014), empirical weightings for EPSI (Turley et al, 2015) and EPSI mixed (Turley et al, 2016) and taxon scores under CoFSI were taken from their respective sources. We considered models for OFSI and ToFSI scores as well as the combined CoFSI score for each individual scoring taxon (see equation 2 in Murphy et al, 2015).…”

Section: Index Scores and Trait Valuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the development of the PSI scoring system, taxa were subjectively assigned to one of four Fine Sediment Sensitivity Rating categories-(A) highly sensitive, (B) sensitive, (C) tolerant and (D) highly tolerant-on the basis of a review of existing empirical information primarily published in ecological monographs and identification keys (Extence et al, 2011). Weightings for each taxon were later computed using extensive monitoring data by Turley et al (2015) at the genus and species levels (EPSI), and by Turley et al (2016) at mixed taxonomic levels (EPSI mixed ), to enhance the empirical basis for PSI. However, the resulting scores (%) still remain constrained by the original Fine Sediment Sensitivity Rating categories.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the Mechanistic Basis for Fine Sediment Biomonitoring: Inconsistencies among the Literature, Traits and Indices

Wilkes

Mckenzie

Murphy

et al. 2017

River Research & Apps

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Classification of species sensitivity for biomonitoring has been approached under two different frameworks, using either empirical data or expert opinion. Two tools for fine sediment (i.e. clogging and colmation) biomonitoring in the UK tend towards these contrasting approaches. The Proportion of Sediment-sensitive Invertebrates (PSI) index was developed using expert judgement. Empirical weightings were subsequently added at genus or species (EPSI) and mixed (EPSI mixed ) taxonomic levels, but scores remain constrained by the original categories. In contrast, the Combined Fine Sediment Index, composed of separate taxon scores along organic matter and total fine sediment gradients, was developed using a purely empirical approach. We tested the mechanistic bases for these indices by relating taxon scores to species traits. We compared the results with those for the well-established Whalley Hawkes Paisley Trigg index of organic pollution. After controlling for varying sample sizes, Whalley Hawkes Paisley Trigg could be better predicted by a linear combination of all available traits (mean R 2 = 0.92) than any of the fine sediment indices (0.68 < mean R 2 < 0.76). When only traits expected to respond to fine sediment were offered as independent variables, the goodness of fit was substantially reduced for all fine sediment indices (0.27 < mean R 2 < 0.46). Our findings demonstrate the lack of integration between the literature on macroinvertebrate responses to fine sediment, the available trait data and taxon scores. Refinement of the trait database is recommended to build on the valuable work performed to date. As the UK has taken the lead in embedding fine sediment into routine biomonitoring programmes, these findings have important international implications.The test evaluates the null hypothesis that the fit of the global 'all traits' model is no better than the fit of the more parsimonious model ('pruned', 'literature').

show abstract

“…Excessive input of fine sediment is one of the most widespread causes of poor water quality and ecological degradation in rivers globally (Bilotta & Brazier, ). It is widespread in lowland agricultural catchments in the United Kingdom (Collins & Walling, ), has well‐developed biological assessment tools to detect its ecological effects (Extence, Chadd, England, Dunbar, & Taylor, ; Turley, Bilotta, Krueger, Brazier, & Extence, ; Turley et al, ), and it can confound hydroecological analysis. Identifying the relative ecological impacts of flow reductions and the amount of deposited fine sediment is important to ensure that abstraction operators pay their fair share for mitigating the ecological impairment of rivers, and the most effective environmental improvement schemes are implemented.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A hydroecological model to assess the relative effects of groundwater abstraction and fine sediment pressures on riverine macro‐invertebrates

Bradley¹,

Streetly

Cadman³

et al. 2017

River Research & Apps

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

To ensure that the environment is adequately protected and abstractors are fairly regulated, hydroecological assessment tools are needed that give local interpretation, indicate where ecological communities might not be resilient to current or future abstraction pressures, and take account of the effect of other stressors. These tools should ideally be transferrable across different river catchments. This study presents a hydroecological model indicating that macroinvertebrates were not resilient to long-term, steady-state levels of groundwater abstraction when flows at Q75 were reduced by more than 50% in unpolluted streams in the West Midlands of England. The proportion of silt and clay covering the substratum and distance from source were also significant predictors of ecological condition, but did not interact with the abstraction effect. Combinations of different biotic indices and supplementary field observations of catchment land use gave additional evidence of the impacts of excessive inputs of fine sediment overriding the effects of abstraction at some locations. This study has shown that regional hydroecological models can be used with existing environmental flow indicators and other local environmental information as a weight of evidence to identify where abstraction and excessive inputs of fine sediment need to be mitigated separately or together to achieve the full ecological benefits. Such regional hydroecological models can increase the certainty of regulatory decisions made at the local scale for licencing abstraction at current use and predicted future levels.

show abstract

Developing an improved biomonitoring tool for fine sediment: Combining expert knowledge and empirical data

Cited by 19 publications

References 19 publications

A sediment-specific family-level biomonitoring tool to identify the impacts of fine sediment in temperate rivers and streams

A sediment-specific family-level biomonitoring tool to identify the impacts of fine sediment in temperate rivers and streams

Assessing the Mechanistic Basis for Fine Sediment Biomonitoring: Inconsistencies among the Literature, Traits and Indices

A hydroecological model to assess the relative effects of groundwater abstraction and fine sediment pressures on riverine macro‐invertebrates

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About