Temporal floristic variations as indicator of environmental changes in the Tiber River in Rome

Ceschin, Simona; Salerno, Giovanni; Bisceglie, Sara; Kumbaric, Alma

doi:10.1007/s10452-009-9292-1

Cited by 23 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…The analyzed database enabled us to consider a very wide trophic gradient within the selected homogeneous river type. In this way, our investigation is exceptional in relation to other similar studies both in terms of the width of the trophic gradient and the comprehensiveness of the physicochemical determinations, as well as typological homogeneity, taking into account substrate, catchment size, altitude, and level of hydromorphological degradation (Szoszkiewicz et al 2006; Demars and Edwards 2009; Birk and Willby 2010; Ceschin et al 2010; Hering et al 2010; Wiegleb et al 2014a). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 68%

“…It is assumed that the most important of them are nutrient concentrations (Westlake 1975; Robach et al 1996; Schneider et al 2000; Thiébaut et al 2002; Szoszkiewicz et al 2006; Dodkins et al 2012), flow velocity (Westlake 1975; Dawson 1988; Fennessy et al 1994), hydrological conditions (Westlake 1975; Haslam 1987; Baattrup-Pedersen and Riis 1999), pH (Tremp and Kohler 1995), carbonate hardness, shading (Westlake 1975; Dawson and Kern-Hansen 1979), hydromorphological modifications (O’Hare et al 2006), and landscape pattern (Wiegleb et al 2015). A significant and apparent response of vegetation provides a useful indication of persistent and long-term habitat changes in aquatic ecosystems, which have been widely used as indicators of water quality in streams and rivers for many decades (Wiegleb 1979; Haslam 1982; Holmes et al 1999; Ceschin et al 2010). Nowadays, this group of organisms is an obligatory element in the monitoring of the ecological status of surface waters in EU countries under the Water Framework Directive (WFD, European Commission 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Is the macrophyte diversification along the trophic gradient distinct enough for river monitoring?

Szoszkiewicz

Budka

Pietruczuk

et al. 2016

Environ Monit Assess

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The variation of a number of parameters characterizing aquatic plant assemblages in rivers across a wide trophic gradient was investigated to evaluate their usefulness for a Polish national river monitoring system. Analyses were conducted at 100 sites included in the national river monitoring system, representing a uniform river type, i.e., small- and medium-sized lowland rivers with a sandy substrate. Results of botanical surveys, which were supplemented with comprehensive monthly quality records, were obtained from the national monitoring database. By analyzing the Jaccard distances of the botanical metrics using the adonis function, the variation in species composition between rivers of different trophic status was determined. The group consisting of the most degraded rivers was the most homogeneous in terms of botanical composition. The cleanest rivers displayed a high level of heterogeneity within their group, as numerous different unique species were found there at low frequencies. The variation of the macrophyte metrics used to assess the ecological status (Macrophyte Index for Rivers (MIR) and River Macrophyte Nutrient Index (RMNI)) reflected a trophic gradient. We confirmed that vegetation diversification along a trophic gradient is evident enough to detect degradation in a five quality class system.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 68%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is the macrophyte diversification along the trophic gradient distinct enough for river monitoring?

Szoszkiewicz

Budka

Pietruczuk

et al. 2016

Environ Monit Assess

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“…The urban parks of Rome are important areas for the conservation of biodiversity, although their fauna and flora is affected by a number of anthropogenic stressors (Celesti-Grapow et al, 2006;Werner, 2011;Capotorti et al, 2013;Nielsen et al, 2013). Streams, irrigation channels, ditches, fountains, and ponds can act as important reservoirs of freshwater biodiversity in urban ecosystem (Moore and Palmer, 2005;Ceschin et al, 2009;2010a). Urban parks in historical cities such Rome underwent some of the most varied and severe humanlinked alterations, which include hydrological, geomorphological, chemical, and biological issues.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ostracod communities associated to aquatic macrophytes in an urban park in Rome, Italy

Mazzini

Ceschin

Abati

et al. 2014

Internat. Rev. Hydrobiol.

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The relationship between ostracod and macrophyte communities has been seldom studied, especially in urban parks. The main purpose of this research is to explore such a relationship in the area of Rome (Italy), and in particular in the Appia Antica Regional Park, to provide information about the environmental characteristics influencing both the assemblages and to document for the first time the distribution of freshwater ostracods in an area inside the city of Rome. The survey has considered different water bodies: springs, channels, ditches, and a pond. Chemical and physical parameters were measured seasonally in conjunction with the ostracod sampling in 13 sites. The ostracod assemblage includes 11 species whereas the macrophyte community is formed by 17 species. Their link with the measured abiotic parameters has been studied through statistical analyses. The results clearly separate the investigated area in one sector where COD and phosphates are the driving factors and another sector where inorganic nitron ions, pH, and conductivity are the main influencing factors. Although the macrophyte community is clearly affected by human pressure, the relationship with the ostracod assemblages seems well established and identified by exclusive pairs or groups of species. Among them, the Cypria lacustris–Lemna minuta duo is of considerable importance, being L. minuta an exotic species, known as an invasive weed in some areas of Europe and spread in Italy only recently. The fact that the 13 sites were characterized by different public access regulation has been partially mirrored by both ostracod and macrophyte distribution since the majority of the sites characterized by the highest diversity are those with restricted access. In general, notwithstanding the anthropic pressure, the occurrence of different kinds of water bodies has allowed the development of ostracod and macrophyte associations, which are rarely represented in an urban park.

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“…Nevertheless, macrophytes were introduced into freshwater monitoring as indicators of river degradation, especially of more persistent and constant habitat changes, which can integrate the long-term effects of disturbances (Westlake, 1975;Smolders et al, 2001;Ceschin et al, 2010). Macrophyte-based methods focus mainly on the determination of eutrophication (e.g., Holmes et al, 1999;Meilinger et al, 2005;Haury et al, 2006;Szoszkiewicz et al, 2006Szoszkiewicz et al, , 2010bSchneider, 2007;Willby et al, 2009;Gebler et al, 2014) or acidification (Tremp & Kohler, 1995;O'Hare et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of comprehensive river typology based on macrophytes in the mountain-lowland gradient of different Central European ecoregions

et al. 2014

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The aim of the study was to identify the vegetation pattern in the different types of watercourses basing on survey in reference conditions in a wide geographical gradient, including mountain, upland and lowland rivers. We tested relationship between composition of macrophytes to environmental variables including: altitude, slope, catchment area, geology of valley, land use, hydromorphological features, water physical and chemical measurements. Analysis based on 109 pristine river sites located throughout major types of rivers in Central Europe. Qualitative and quantitative plant surveys were carried out between 2005 and 2013. Based on TWINSPAN classification and DCA analysis, six macrophyte types were distinguished. The lowland sites were divided into the following three types: humic rivers and two types of siliceous rivers depending on the catchment area, including medium-large and small rivers. The mountain and upland rivers were divided into three geological types: siliceous, calcareous and gravel. We found that the variation of macrophyte communities was determined by several habitat factors (mainly altitude, flow type, riverbed granulometry, conductivity and alkalinity), whereas the spatial factor was rather limited; further, the plant diversity was not reflected accurately by the European ecoregion approach.

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Temporal floristic variations as indicator of environmental changes in the Tiber River in Rome

Cited by 23 publications

References 14 publications

Is the macrophyte diversification along the trophic gradient distinct enough for river monitoring?

Is the macrophyte diversification along the trophic gradient distinct enough for river monitoring?

Ostracod communities associated to aquatic macrophytes in an urban park in Rome, Italy

Development of comprehensive river typology based on macrophytes in the mountain-lowland gradient of different Central European ecoregions

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