Monitoring of Surface Waters in Germany under the Water Framework Directive—A Review of Approaches, Methods and Results

Arle, Jens; Mohaupt, Volker; Kirst, Ingo

doi:10.3390/w8060217

Cited by 76 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Therefore, phytoplankton is one of the four biological quality elements used for the assessment of the ecological status of European surface waters according to the European Union Directive 2000/60/EC (EC, 2000) better known as Water Framework Directive (WFD). The primary aims of the WFD are the maintenance and recovery of water quality and to ensure good surface and groundwater status by 2027 at the latest (Arle et al, 2016). The WFD requires that phytoplankton species composition, abundance and biomass are measured to assess the ecological status of lakes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do current European lake monitoring programmes reliably estimate phytoplankton community changes?

Bergkemper

Weisse

2017

Hydrobiologia

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Many European lakes are monitored according to the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), with focus on phytoplankton biomass and species composition. However, the low-frequency WFD monitoring may miss short-term phytoplankton changes. This is an important issue because short-term extreme meteorological events (heat waves and heavy rain) are predicted to increase in frequency and intensity with climate change. We used records from Lake Mondsee (Austria) from 2009 to 2015 to test if a reduction from monthly to seasonal sampling affected the average annual phytoplankton biovolume. Furthermore, we combined inverted light microscopy, FlowCAM and flow cytometry to estimate the effect of sampling during extreme events on average phytoplankton biovolume. Relative to monthly sampling, seasonal sampling significantly overestimated phytoplankton biomass. A heat wave in 2015 and two episodes of heavy rain in 2015 and 2016 caused species-specific changes; biovolumes of chlorophytes and the filamentous cyanobacterium Planktothrix rubescens (De Candolle ex Gomont) Anagnostidis & Komárek increased significantly during the heat wave. Using live material with FlowCAM and flow cytometry, we detected small and fragile cells and colonies that were either ignored or underrepresented by analysing fixed samples with light microscopy. We suggest a modified sampling and analysis strategy to capture short-term changes within the phytoplankton community.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do current European lake monitoring programmes reliably estimate phytoplankton community changes?

Bergkemper

Weisse

2017

Hydrobiologia

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“…Collaborative and integrated management plans to advance WQG are supported by the river basin water management concept in the EU WFD [66]. In Germany, river basin management is the driving principle of the water resource management and is working with all stakeholders to achieve a "good status" of all water sources in the river basins [67,68]. All governance actors across national, regional, and local levels are cooperating with the management committees to manage water resources based on the river basin system in Germany [68,69].…”

Section: Water-basin Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Paradigm Shift in Water Quality Governance in a Transitional Context: A Critical Study about the Empowerment of Local Governance in Georgia

Withanachchi

Ghambashidze

Kunchulia

et al. 2018

Water

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Abstract:The management of water quality is an important part of natural resource governance. Assurance of water quality therefore requires formulation of the regulatory framework and institutional process. Water quality-related problems and their management are mainly recognized as local responsibilities in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). The politics of environmental policy-making should consider the political economic dynamics and socio-ecological patterns. Decentralization by providing more power to the local level and moving to a new spatial management system that is based on water basins are the two strong entreaties in the new water governance paradigm. Transitional countries facing rapid institutional adjustment, restructuring of regulations, and political-economic changes are encountering these demands internally and externally in their policy formulations. In this context, this study critically examines the case of Georgia, a transitional country. In particular, the focus is on how local governance entities can be empowered and what obstacles water quality governance encounters in Georgia. Qualitative research design is the main research method implemented in this study. The key findings from the research analysis are as follows: the existing regulations and governance system do not facilitate the active engagement of local entities in water quality governance. The application of new water polices may fail again if a top-down governance model is put in place that only creates a narrow space for local governance entities to effectively govern water quality.

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“…Ecological indicators are required for both management planning and the evaluation of restoration success (Pander and Geist 2013;Müller et al 2014). These include in particular the fish, benthic invertebrates, macroalgae, phytobenthos and phytoplankton communities (Arle et al 2016;Hering et al 2003;Kail et al 2015;Seele et al 2000). While a high biodiversity in these groups is generally desirable, the introduction and establishment of invasive species in German rivers and lakes appears to be a growing and probably underestimated problem (Hoffmann et al 2013).…”

Section: Aquatic and Riparian Ecosystemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water research in Germany: from the reconstruction of the Roman Rhine to a risk assessment for aquatic neophytes

et al. 2017

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Germany does not only have a long tradition in water research, but a very active community of scientists and practitioners working on a vast range of ''water topics.'' This thematic issue, which was initiated by four water-related research associations (German Hydrological Society; German Limnological Society; Hydrological Sciences Commission within German Water Association; Working Group Hydrology within German Geographical Society), is a testimony of both the quality and diversity of the water research currently undertaken by Germany's scientific community. Key topics include hydrology and hydromorphology; water quality; aquatic and riparian ecosystems; water in agriculture and forestry; and water management and supply. The manuscripts contained in this thematic issue do not only cover a period of more than two millennia, but also address all types of water resources and a multitude of both established and newly developed methods that help us to better understand the processes governing the hydrological cycle, aquatic ecosystems and the management and operation of various water infrastructures.

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Monitoring of Surface Waters in Germany under the Water Framework Directive—A Review of Approaches, Methods and Results

Cited by 76 publications

References 10 publications

Do current European lake monitoring programmes reliably estimate phytoplankton community changes?

Do current European lake monitoring programmes reliably estimate phytoplankton community changes?

A Paradigm Shift in Water Quality Governance in a Transitional Context: A Critical Study about the Empowerment of Local Governance in Georgia

Water research in Germany: from the reconstruction of the Roman Rhine to a risk assessment for aquatic neophytes

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