Using diatoms to monitor stream biological integrity in Eastern Canada: An overview of 10 years of index development and ongoing challenges

Lavoie, Isabelle; Campeau, Stéphane; Zugic-Drakulic, Natasa; Winter, Jennifer G.; Fortin, Claude

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.04.092

Cited by 67 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…The Eastern Canadian Diatom Index (IDEC; Indice Diatomées de l'Est du Canada [12,36]) was used to evaluate general biological integrity of the sampling sites. The IDEC was specifically developed to estimate water quality in Quebec and Ontario streams in agricultural and urban areas, and mainly informs on trophic status (nutrients), salinity, pH and organic matter loads [12,36].…”

Section: Water Chemistry and Diatom Assemblage Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The IDEC was specifically developed to estimate water quality in Quebec and Ontario streams in agricultural and urban areas, and mainly informs on trophic status (nutrients), salinity, pH and organic matter loads [12,36]. An IDEC value was calculated for each diatom assemblage using the IDEC-neutral, which is the recommended sub-index to use based on the characteristics of the studied watersheds (geology, surficial deposits [12,36,37]). IDEC scores range between 0 and 100, with low values indicating poor biological integrity.…”

Section: Water Chemistry and Diatom Assemblage Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Intracellular metal concentrations in biofilms are proportional to free metal concentrations in the water, offering an interesting proxy to estimate bioavailable metals in the water column [10,11]. Diatoms (unicellular algae), often the dominant constituent of stream biofilms, are sensitive to changes in water chemistry and respond quickly to environmental fluctuations by changes in the structure of their assemblages (e.g., increase in pollution-tolerant species) [12]. Due to their sensitivity to fluctuations in water quality, their ubiquity, ease of sampling, and low analytical costs, this algal group is widely used as indicators of biological integrity and numerous diatom-based indices have been developed for routine assessment of overall ecosystem health (e.g., [12][13][14]).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Diatoms (unicellular algae), often the dominant constituent of stream biofilms, are sensitive to changes in water chemistry and respond quickly to environmental fluctuations by changes in the structure of their assemblages (e.g., increase in pollution-tolerant species) [12]. Due to their sensitivity to fluctuations in water quality, their ubiquity, ease of sampling, and low analytical costs, this algal group is widely used as indicators of biological integrity and numerous diatom-based indices have been developed for routine assessment of overall ecosystem health (e.g., [12][13][14]). Diatoms have also been used to specifically reflect metal contamination, and metal-tolerant species are promising indicators of contamination (see Morin et al [15] and references therein).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Freshwater Diatoms as Indicators of Combined Long-Term Mining and Urban Stressors in Junction Creek (Ontario, Canada)

et al. 2018

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Sudbury (Ontario, Canada) has a long mining history that has left the region with a distinctive legacy of environmental impacts. Several actions have been undertaken since the 1970s to rehabilitate this deteriorated environment, in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Despite a marked increase in environmental health, we show that the Junction Creek system remains under multiple stressors from present and past mining operations, and from urban-related pressures such as municipal wastewater treatment plants, golf courses and stormwater runoff. Water samples have elevated metal concentrations, with values reaching up to 1 mg·L −1 Ni, 40 µg·L −1 Zn, and 0.5 µg·L −1 Cd. The responses of diatoms to stressors were observed at the assemblage level (metal tolerant species, nutrient-loving species), and at the individual level through the presence of teratologies (abnormal diatom frustules). The cumulative criterion unit (CCU) approach was used as a proxy for metal toxicity to aquatic life and suggested elevated potential for toxicity at certain sites. Diatom teratologies were significantly less frequent at sites with CCU values <1, suggesting "background" metal concentrations as compared to sites with higher CCU values. The highest percentages of teratologies were observed at sites presenting multiple types of environmental pressures.

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Section: Water Chemistry and Diatom Assemblage Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Water Chemistry and Diatom Assemblage Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Freshwater Diatoms as Indicators of Combined Long-Term Mining and Urban Stressors in Junction Creek (Ontario, Canada)

et al. 2018

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“…Benthic diatoms, located at the beginning of the food chain in the ecosystem, are important regulators in fresh water by absorption, adsorption, oxidation and decomposition, precipitation and storage of nutrients [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. Benthic diatoms have become an essential part of water ecological status monitoring in the last decade in many countries, especially in Europe [16][17][18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Benthic Diatoms of the Ying River (Huaihe River Basin, China) and Their Application in Water Trophic Status Assessment

Shen

Ren

et al. 2018

Water

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Abstract:Benthic diatoms are an indispensable link of the water ecological system in terms of energy flow and material cycling, and they directly or indirectly reflect the status of the water environment. We sampled benthic diatoms and environmental factors from April to May of 2013 from 53 sites along the Ying River to study their application in local water trophic status assessment, with a focus on the dominant benthic diatom species, their composition and distribution pattern, and the relationship between benthic diatoms and environmental factors. A total of 370 species and varieties were identified, belonging to 56 genera and six orders. The dominant species were as follows: Nitzschia inconspicua Grunow, Achnanthidium minutissimum (Kützing) Czarnecki, Navicula aitchelbee L. L. Bahls, Nitzschia palea (Kützing) Smith, Cyclotella meneghiniana Kützing, Navicula submuralis Hustedt and Mayamaea atomus (Kützing) Lange-Bertalot. The Ying River was divided into five orders using the Strahler method and three regions according to total nitrogen, total phosphorus and ammonia nitrogen. In region Y-1, which had the lowest nutrient level, the dominant species was Achnanthidium minutissimum. In region Y-2, which had the highest nutrient level, Navicula aitchelbee, Nitzschia palea, and Cyclotella meneghiniana were dominant, while in region Y-3, which had moderate nutrient levels, Nitzschia inconspicua was dominant. Pearson's correlation analysis and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed a significant correlation between the environmental factors with dominant species and diatom indices (especially the SPI). Our study indicates that dominant species and diatom indices can, to some extent, indicate the environment, especially nutrient distribution.

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Ecology of Freshwater Diatoms – Current Trends and Applications

Poulíčková

Manoylov

2019

Diatoms: Fundamentals and Applications

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Using diatoms to monitor stream biological integrity in Eastern Canada: An overview of 10 years of index development and ongoing challenges

Cited by 67 publications

References 27 publications

Freshwater Diatoms as Indicators of Combined Long-Term Mining and Urban Stressors in Junction Creek (Ontario, Canada)

Freshwater Diatoms as Indicators of Combined Long-Term Mining and Urban Stressors in Junction Creek (Ontario, Canada)

Benthic Diatoms of the Ying River (Huaihe River Basin, China) and Their Application in Water Trophic Status Assessment

Ecology of Freshwater Diatoms – Current Trends and Applications

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