Evaluating the performance of habitat models for predicting the environmental flow requirements of benthic macroinvertebrates

Theodoropoulos, Christos; Vourka, Aikaterini; Skoulikidis, Nikolaos Th.; Rutschmann, Peter; Stamou, Anastasios I.

doi:10.1080/24705357.2018.1440360

Cited by 34 publications

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“…The most cost‐intensive step in such implementations is the collection of the hydroecological reference dataset. Indeed, we (two‐person team) spent more than 20 days (three seasonal 1‐week visits) to collect BM data (microhabitat samples) from nine sites in Greece (Table ; Theodoropoulos et al, ). However, once the hydroecological dataset has been collected and the reference conditions are established, the hydrodynamic simulation can be carried out by two on‐site visits; one visit to collect topographical information and hydrometric data to calibrate the hydrodynamic module and one additional visit to collect a second set of hydrometric data for the validation of the hydrodynamic module.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Benthic invertebrates were used as the target aquatic community. Their habitat preferences were assessed using the “benthos‐GR” dataset (https://github.com/chtheodoro/benthos-GR), consisting of 380 microhabitat observations collected from nine sampling sites in Greece (Theodoropoulos et al, ). Each microhabitat is a combination of V, D, and S corresponding to a habitat suitability value ( κ ), calculated using BM‐community metrics commonly applied to assess the quality–suitability in relevant studies (Englund & Malmqvist, ; Holmquist, Schmidt‐Gengenbach, & Roche, ; Monk et al, ; Waddle & Holmquist, ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The benthos‐GR dataset was used to train and cross‐validate an FRB Bayesian algorithm based on Brookes, Kumar, and Lane (), described in detail in Theodoropoulos et al () and implemented in the HABFUZZ software (Theodoropoulos, Skoulikidis, & Stamou, ). In the FRB, the numerical values of the input variables (V, D, and S) are converted to overlapping, trapezoidal‐shaped, membership functions called fuzzy sets (van Broekhoven et al, ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The steps followed to implement the HHM case study (modified from Theodoropoulos et al, ). Step 1 has been already implemented and discussed in Theodoropoulos et al (). D = water depth; V = flow velocity; S = substrate; OFSi = Optimal Flow Scenario index; Q = discharge; HHM = hydrodynamic habitat model…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since the early one‐dimensional concept of habitat suitability curves (HSCs; Bovee, ) implemented in the PHABSIM software (Milhous, Updike, & Schneider, ; Waddle, ), the hydrodynamic module of HHMs advanced from 1D cross‐sectional interpolations to 2D/3D unsteady—and steady—flow simulations of enhanced accuracy (e.g., open TELEMAC‐MASCARET—Galland, Gontal, & Hervouet, ; CASiMiR 2D—Schneider, Jorde, Zöllner, & Kerle, ; River2D—Steffler & Blackburn, ). The habitat module simultaneously advanced from the initial HSCs concept; habitat suitability is currently modelled based on multivariate statistical methods, machine‐learning, fuzzy‐logic, or fuzzy rule‐based (FRB) Bayesian algorithms (Dakou et al, ; Theodoropoulos, Vourka, Skoulikidis, Rutschmann, & Stamou, ; van Broekhoven, Adriaenssens, De Baets, & Verdonschot, ; Vezza, Muñoz‐Mas Martínez‐Capel, & Mouton, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecosystem‐based environmental flow assessment in a Greek regulated river with the use of 2D hydrodynamic habitat modelling

Theodoropoulos

Skoulikidis

Rutschmann

et al. 2018

River Research & Apps

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Despite the long-term research on the use of hydraulic-hydrodynamic habitat models (HHMs) for predicting the response of aquatic biota to habitat alteration, their practical application in model-based environmental flow assessments (EFAs) has been limited due to reasons mainly associated with cost-effectiveness, time-efficiency, required expertise, and availability of hydroecological information. In this study, we demonstrate a cost-effective and time-efficient application of a benthic-invertebrate, two-dimensional, fuzzy rule-based EFA in a 277-m long reach in the downstream route of a regulated river in western Greece. Apart from developing ecosystem-based environmental flow (eflow) scenarios, we highlight the valuable features of HHMs, comment on their disadvantages, and propose working solutions to overcome them.The results of the study show that the hydrology-based eflow of 0.2 m 3 /s, initially proposed by the managing authorities, is not sufficient to ensure the long-term functionality of the downstream benthic communities, as the ecosystem-based eflow ranged between 0.6 and 2 m 3 /s. As social resilience relies heavily on ecological resilience, ecosystem-based approaches can ensure the sustainability of aquatic ecosystems. This study demonstrates, inter alia, that HHMs-based EFAs can be implemented cost-effectively and time-efficiently to serve as an accurate scientific basis for water managers and stakeholders, in search of the fine balance between anthropogenic water demand and long-term ecosystem integrity and functionality.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecosystem‐based environmental flow assessment in a Greek regulated river with the use of 2D hydrodynamic habitat modelling

Theodoropoulos

Skoulikidis

Rutschmann

et al. 2018

River Research & Apps

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Comparing environmental flow scenarios from hydrological methods, legislation guidelines, and hydrodynamic habitat models downstream of the Marathon Dam (Attica, Greece)

et al. 2018

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In their effort to balance anthropogenic water demand and ecosystem conservation within a sustainable water resources management framework, water managers and stakeholders need sound scientific guidance. In this study, we applied a two-dimensional hydrodynamic habitat model using benthic macroinvertebrates as the target aquatic community and carried out an environmental flow (eflow) assessment downstream of the Marathon Reservoir (Attica, Central Greece). Hydrology-based eflow scenarios were additionally developed over an 11-year period, and the lowest acceptable ecosystem-based eflow was compared with the hydrology-based eflow predictions. We found that the hydrological methods tend to underestimate the eflows required to ensure functional aquatic ecosystems. The results showed that (a) the different hydrological methods developed highly variable eflow scenarios, ranging from 0.0006 to 0.18 m 3 /s, (b) the ecosystem-based eflow was up to 183% higher than the hydrology-based ones and 26% to 465% higher than those defined by the national legislation, and (c) the probability of agreement between hydrological and ecological predictions was 12.5%, as only one out of the eight hydrology-based scenarios coincided with the ecosystem-based eflows. We conclude that hydrological methods should be used with caution in the absence of ecological information. Their use as stand-alone tools seems problematic and bears a high risk of producing inappropriate eflow scenarios. Integrative frameworks combining hydrological-ecological methods could be useful to provide information on what is ecologically acceptable and hydrologically socially feasible, but because the two methods comprise structurally different, noninteracting concepts, they are inherently insufficient to increase the confidence of predicting and selecting eflows.

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Environmental flow assessment for benthic macroinvertebrate communities using pseudo‐2D hydraulic habitat modelling at a green small hydropower plant

Hu,

Feng,

et al. 2023

Ecohydrology

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The determination of minimum flow requirements for green small hydropower plants (GSHP) in China primarily relies on hydrological methods such as the Tennant method with no seasonal variation. However, the direct application of hydrological methods without local ecological data for calibration lacks ecological validity, potentially resulting in unsuitable minimum flow recommendations for local aquatic biota. Hydraulic‐habitat modelling (HHM) is assumed to provide more ecologically relevant and reliable environmental flow recommendations (EFRs), but benthic macroinvertebrates (BMs), crucial in the aquatic food web, have rarely been the focus in HHM studies. Moreover, the strong subjectivity in HHM processes hinders the comparison of EFRs across different biota and geographical regions. This study aims to investigate the ecological validity of using the Tennant method to set minimum flow requirements for local BM communities and the impacts of various methods used in HHM on derived EFRs. To achieve this, a pseudo‐2D HHM approach is employed, integrating the 1D hydraulic models HEC‐RAS and CASiMiR with the habitat model HABFUZZ. The EFRs downstream of Jiufeng reservoir, one of China's first GSHPs, are derived for wet (April–June) and dry seasons (July–September). Our findings highlight that setting minimum flow alone is inadequate for preserving BM community integrity downstream of GSHPs. It is crucial to incorporate more diverse environmental flow criteria, including minimum flows and peak flows, into GSHP assessment standards, with recommended flow levels varying across different seasons. Additionally, the development of a standardized HHM methodology is essential to mitigate the inherent subjectivity in HHM and facilitate the comparison of EFRs generated from different studies. This study's innovative modelling framework and findings will enhance the optimization of minimum flow assessment criteria for GSHP in China, deepen understanding of seasonal e‐flow requirements of BM communities, and refine the methodology used in BM HHM for e‐flow recommendation.

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Evaluating the performance of habitat models for predicting the environmental flow requirements of benthic macroinvertebrates

Cited by 34 publications

References 50 publications

Ecosystem‐based environmental flow assessment in a Greek regulated river with the use of 2D hydrodynamic habitat modelling

Ecosystem‐based environmental flow assessment in a Greek regulated river with the use of 2D hydrodynamic habitat modelling

Comparing environmental flow scenarios from hydrological methods, legislation guidelines, and hydrodynamic habitat models downstream of the Marathon Dam (Attica, Greece)

Environmental flow assessment for benthic macroinvertebrate communities using pseudo‐2D hydraulic habitat modelling at a green small hydropower plant

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