In the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive, the survey of the invertebrate community known as macrozoobenthos has proven to be a meaningful parameter for assessing the ecological status of water bodies. The organisms are collected and identified according to a standardized procedure and their abundance is recorded.
Link: Watercourse assessment in Germany
With the help of an evaluation software, Asterics/Perlodes, the auto-ecological data of the organisms found are converted into numerical values and compared with typical life communities of reference waters. The organic pollution of the water body, known as saprobic pollution, is one of four assessment modules in the water quality classification.
In addition to the application for the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive, we also use the method for the assessment of landfill and contaminated sites discharges into surface waters.
Together with scientists from the University of Frankfurt, we have developed an assessment concept that combines chemical pollution, sediment contact tests and macrozoobenthos surveys in order to compare the ecological status and ecotoxicological pollution.
Integrating the fish embryo toxicity test as triad element for sediment toxicity assessment based on the Water Framework Directive approach
Mariana Bartzke & Vera Delov & Petra Stahlschmidt-Allner & Bernhard Allner & Jörg Oehlmann
DOI 10.1007/s11368-009-0170-1
