WP 7: Classification of the ecological status of remote
mountain lakes
Targets
Lead Contractor
Lead Partners
Task 7.1
Task 7.2
Task 7.3
Task 7.4
Targets
In this workpackage we will establish the ecological and
chemical status of remote mountain and arctic lakes in Europe as
required by the EU "Water Framework Directive". We will use state
of the art multivariate statistical techniques for numerical
ecology to define ecoregions and ecotypes and we will define
reference conditions and divergence from reference conditions for
all lakes, identify the most appropriate parameters for the
classification of ecological and chemical status, and propose
criteria for monitoring. These criteria will allow the relative
status (high, good, and fair) of the lakes to be defined and
applied to any mountain lake in Europe.
Task 7.1.: Classification of ecoregions and ecotype definitions
From our database of over 1000 lakes of physical, chemical,
biological, meteorological and palaeolimnological data we will
assess whether all mountain lakes within Europe can be considered
as a single ecotype. We will define their distinctive features and
assess the extent to which the ecoregions as currently defined in
Europe in the Water Framework Directive are appropriate for this
ecotype.
Task 7.2.: Identifying reference conditions and natural variability
Whilst remote mountain lakes in Europe may be thought to be
amongst the least disturbed or least polluted natural ecosystems
previous research has established that many are affected by
atmospheric pollution and recent climate change. To establish
reference conditions for these systems we will use a combined
approach that will include new and existing palaeolimnological
data, historical data (sites for which we have more than 10 years
of continuous records) and data from "high status" lakes of the
same ecotype. Lakes in this category will be identified using
analogue matching techniques. From this exercise we will be able
to define reference conditions that take into account natural
variability within and between lakes and that will consequently
allow the natural variability in biological characteristics to be
disentangled from that recently induced by air pollution.
Task 7.3.: Establishing quantitative indicators of ecological status
From our knowledge of the characteristics of reference sites
we will devise a series of biological and physico-chemical
indicators that can be used to assess the ecological and chemical
status of any remote mountain lake in Europe in a fully comparable
way. Physico-chemical indices will take into account not only
absolute values, but also measures of ecosystem
sensitivity. Biological indices will include measures of
biodiversity and quality ratios that relate to ecosystem
functioning and express the degree of difference between the
structure of current biological assemblages and reference
conditions. Quantifiable ecological targets and recovery
milestones will be defined to inform management and policy
decisions.
Task 7.4.: Setting up appropriate monitoring systems
The Water Framework Directive foresees large scale
monitoring practices to assess and control the ecological quality
of aquatic ecosystems. Mountain lakes, because of their number,
remoteness and difficulty of access pose special problems in this
regard. However, from our databases and our regionalisation
studies described in the previous workpackages we will provide
comprehensive guidance criteria for monitoring, including
selection of sites, robust and sensitive parameters, protocols,
appropriate and cost-effective monitoring frequency, special
measures for protected areas, and training workshops.
Lead Contractor
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UB-DE - Ecology Department, University of Barcelona, Spain
Lead Partners
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ECRC-UCL - Environmental
Change Research Centre, University College London, UK
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NIVA - Norwegian Water
Research Institute, Oslo, Norway
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UiB - Department of Zoology, University of Bergen, Norway
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