This book examines the application of fish community characteristics to evaluate the sustainability and biological integrity of freshwaters. Topics include perspectives on use of fish communities as environmental indicators in program development, collaboration, and partnership forming; influence of specific taxa on assessment of the IBI; regional applications for areas where the IBI had not previously been developed; and specific applications of the IBI developed for coldwater streams, inland lakes, Great Lakes, reservoirs, and tailwaters.
The assessment of the ecological integrity of running waters is a prerequisite to an understanding of the effects of human alterations. The evaluation of degradation processes provides key information on how to avoid further negative impacts. The success of future conservation, mitigation and restoration activities will rely on sound assessment methodologies and their ecological relevance and applicability. Assessment methodologies are therefore an integral part of sustainable river management. This book synthesizes and discusses state-of-the-art experiences in assessment methodologies. Including the latest knowledge on structures, processes and functions of running waters as a fundamental basis for developing adequate assessment methods, the book focuses on method development, application, and in particular on integrated assessment methods. This book is directed at scientists and managers with the aim of more effective preservation, restoration and maintenance of the ecological integrity of running water ecosystems.
Biological Assessment and Criteria presents a state-of-the-art overview of the applications of biological assessments and biocriteria for water quality management in fresh waters. The book presents case studies which illustrate how bioassessment has been used to identify and diagnose water quality problems. It also provides examples of the use of qualitative and quantitative biocriteria as regulatory tools to complement water quality criteria and standards. The first book to present the technical foundation, rationale, program and policy relevance, and legal basis for the most accurate tools used to assess freshwater natural resource and regulatory efforts, this book provides useful and timely information for water quality managers.
With regional, national, and global processes affecting both the structure and function of lakes and rivers, assessment methodology must encompass many attributes to evaluate the impact of these processes on water quality. Many of the changes in biological communities correlate to resource exploitation, nonpoint pollutant interactions, and habitat alteration - factors that can be missed by routine chemical sampling. This creates the need for ecologically-based approaches to this problem. Biological monitoring is a fundamental part of an ecologically-based approach. Biological Monitoring of Aquatic Systems brings together contributions by authors recognized as leaders in the development and utilization of biological monitoring techniques for freshwater ecosystems. It provides a conceptual framework for the use of biological monitoring to assess the environmental health of freshwater resources. Biological monitoring is an important part of any water quality assessment program. Biological Monitoring of Aquatic Systems provides you with an understanding of water resources. It includes discussions concerning historical development, ecological basis, experimental design characteristics, case studies, and future concerns. As efforts to maintain and restore the world's water resources intensify, the need to develop accurate methods to assess the health of these resources becomes critical.
