Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/19592
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dc.contributor.authorBirk, Sebastianen_UK
dc.contributor.authorvan Kouwen, Leonen_UK
dc.contributor.authorWillby, Nigelen_UK
dc.date.accessioned2014-05-26T23:10:00Z-
dc.date.available2014-05-26T23:10:00Zen_UK
dc.date.issued2012-08en_UK
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1893/19592-
dc.description.abstract1. International river catchments pose challenges for effective water resource management. Catchment-wide strategies are often complicated by differences in national bioassessment and quality classification. Intercalibration efforts aim to harmonise these differences, but rely on the consistent delineation of near-natural reference sites that are almost unavailable in today's landscape, especially for large rivers. 2. We introduce the concept of alternative benchmarking that is based on the notion of aquatic communities at similar (low) levels of impairment associated with least-disturbed conditions (LDC) as defined by abiotic criteria. Using data acquired during the second Joint Danube Survey, we defined LDC sites based on a multivariate gradient of anthropogenic pressures, mostly related to morphological deterioration, that spans the entire navigable Danube. 3. The river was subdivided into four stretches, each featuring homogeneous biological assemblages. Indirect gradient analysis revealed relationships between the pressure gradient and selected features of the macroinvertebrate and macrophyte community but not for diatoms or phytoplankton. 4. We identified biological metrics suitable for the quality classification of individual stretches or the entire river. Impoundment is the major hydromorphological alteration on the Danube but various metrics still responded significantly to differences in the morphological condition of sites not affected by impoundment. 5. A comparison of macroinvertebrate sampling techniques (airlift versus kick-and-sweep) revealed differences in how the acquired data reflect the effects of anthropogenic pressure. Biological metrics based only on kick-and-sweep sample data were insensitive to habitat deterioration in the heavily modified Upper Danube. 6. This study exemplifies the empirical approach of alternative benchmarking in intercalibration and offers practical solutions to some of the challenges of large river bioassessment.en_UK
dc.language.isoenen_UK
dc.publisherWiley-Blackwellen_UK
dc.relationBirk S, van Kouwen L & Willby N (2012) Harmonising the bioassessment of large rivers in the absence of near-natural reference conditions - a case study of the Danube River. Freshwater Biology, 57 (8), pp. 1716-1732. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2427.2012.02831.xen_UK
dc.rightsThe publisher does not allow this work to be made publicly available in this Repository. Please use the Request a Copy feature at the foot of the Repository record to request a copy directly from the author. You can only request a copy if you wish to use this work for your own research or private study.en_UK
dc.rights.urihttp://www.rioxx.net/licenses/under-embargo-all-rights-reserveden_UK
dc.subjectalternative benchmarksen_UK
dc.subjectbiological metricsen_UK
dc.subjectheavily modified waterbodiesen_UK
dc.subjectintercalibrationen_UK
dc.subjectleast-disturbed conditionsen_UK
dc.titleHarmonising the bioassessment of large rivers in the absence of near-natural reference conditions - a case study of the Danube Riveren_UK
dc.typeJournal Articleen_UK
dc.rights.embargodate3000-01-01en_UK
dc.rights.embargoreason[Freshwater Bio 2012.pdf] The publisher does not allow this work to be made publicly available in this Repository therefore there is an embargo on the full text of the work.en_UK
dc.identifier.doi10.1111/j.1365-2427.2012.02831.xen_UK
dc.citation.jtitleFreshwater Biologyen_UK
dc.citation.issn1365-2427en_UK
dc.citation.issn0046-5070en_UK
dc.citation.volume57en_UK
dc.citation.issue8en_UK
dc.citation.spage1716en_UK
dc.citation.epage1732en_UK
dc.citation.publicationstatusPublisheden_UK
dc.citation.peerreviewedRefereeden_UK
dc.type.statusVoR - Version of Recorden_UK
dc.author.emailn.j.willby@stir.ac.uken_UK
dc.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Duisburg-Essenen_UK
dc.contributor.affiliationHAS University of Applied Sciencesen_UK
dc.contributor.affiliationBiological and Environmental Sciencesen_UK
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000306139300016en_UK
dc.identifier.scopusid2-s2.0-84863604081en_UK
dc.identifier.wtid650547en_UK
dc.contributor.orcid0000-0002-1020-0933en_UK
dcterms.dateAccepted2012-08-31en_UK
dc.date.filedepositdate2014-03-24en_UK
rioxxterms.typeJournal Article/Reviewen_UK
rioxxterms.versionVoRen_UK
local.rioxx.authorBirk, Sebastian|en_UK
local.rioxx.authorvan Kouwen, Leon|en_UK
local.rioxx.authorWillby, Nigel|0000-0002-1020-0933en_UK
local.rioxx.projectInternal Project|University of Stirling|https://isni.org/isni/0000000122484331en_UK
local.rioxx.freetoreaddate3000-01-01en_UK
local.rioxx.licencehttp://www.rioxx.net/licenses/under-embargo-all-rights-reserved||en_UK
local.rioxx.filenameFreshwater Bio 2012.pdfen_UK
local.rioxx.filecount1en_UK
local.rioxx.source0046-5070en_UK
Appears in Collections:Biological and Environmental Sciences Journal Articles

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