Benthic diatom assemblages in mountain streams: community structure in relation to environmental and human pressures

The objective of this study was to determine the environmental factors that best explain the distribution and community composition of benthic diatoms in undisturbed mountain streams in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. Benthic diatoms were sampled during the dry season from 21 sampling sites established along altitudinal gradient of the study rivers. A total of 119 diatom species belonging to 38 genera and twelve families were recorded for all the 21 sites sampled. No significant differences were observed in species diversity and equitability amongst the three river systems. However, species richness, diversity and equitability decreased significantly along the longitudinal gradient of the rivers, with the highest richness, diversity and evenness being recorded in the upper reaches. Temperature, velocity, NO₃^? and Ca²⁺ levels were strongly associated with changes in diatom communities in the three rivers. Inventory of diatom communities has applications in many fields of biological research including conservation and biological monitoring of ecosystem changes.     

Characterization of diatom assemblages in mid-altitude streams of NW Italy

Following the European Water Framework Directive, this study aims to be the first step to (i) identify diatom type assemblages in unpolluted streams in NW Italy, and (ii) find which ecological factors explain most of the variation. To achieve this, we collected physical, chemical and benthic community data from four streams in NW Italy from 2001 to 2004, for a total of 72 samples. All sampling sites were between 200 m a.s.l. and 800 m a.s.l., but differed in the dominant lithological substrate, i.e. alluvial or siliceous. Relationships between diatom communities and environmental factors were examined using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), while Indicator Species Analysis was used to define characterizing species and accompanying species of three environmental groups identified by CCA: (1) high water quality and medium saline content, (2) high water quality and low saline content, (3) poor water quality. The diatom assemblages of the three groups of sites differed significantly, as shown by the Multi-Response Permutation Procedure. There were strong correlations between diatoms and environmental factors, especially chlorides (also highly correlated with sulphates and carbonate hardness), nitrate concentration and conductivity. The group 1 assemblage was typical of the alluvial Alpine streams with medium saline content and was characterized by mostly oligosaprobic/β-mesosaprobic taxa such as Cymbella affinis, Diatoma ehrenbergii and Staurosira pinnata. The species assemblage found in the siliceous Alpine rivers with good water quality make them suitable reference sites for a benthic diatom community. Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at and accessible for authorised users Handling editor: K. Martens     

北京河流底栖硅藻沿城乡梯度带空间分布及其季节变化

研究了北京市区沿城乡梯度带河流底栖硅藻的空间分布及其季节变化特征。通过在2014年的春季、夏季和秋季在山区对照溪流、城市上游河道和城市下游河道3个样区,共23个样点进行了底栖硅藻样品采集。分析表明,主要优势种的空间差异明显。在对照溪流,主要优势种为极小曲丝藻(Achnanthidium minutissimum);在城市上游河道,主要优势种分别为短文假十字脆杆藻(Pseudostaurosira brevistriata)和连结十字脆杆藻腹面变种(Staurosira construens var.venter);在城市下游河道,主要优势种为谷皮菱形藻(Nitzschia palea)。然而,3个样区内的主要优势种相对丰度季节变化较小(P0.05)。其中,A.minutissimum及P.brevistriata的季节变化特征均为春季秋季夏季,而S.construens var.venter及N.palea的季节变化特征均为春季夏季秋季。结果发现,北京市城乡梯度带的河流硅藻种类组成差异较大,但主要优势属种季节变化相对较小,表明硅藻种类能较好地反映城乡梯度带的河流环境变化状况,可用于北京市河流水质生物监测。     

Macroinvertebrate assemblages at mesohabitat scale in small sized volcanic siliceous streams of Central Italy (Mediterranean Ecoregion)

According to the guidelines of the European Water Framework Directive, assessment of the ecological quality of streams and rivers should be based on type-specific reference conditions. Moreover to support biological indicators an hydromorphological analysis is also requested for each river type. The rationale for including an habitat assessment in biomonitoring study is that a biological community can be influenced by habitat quality just as water chemistry.In the present work benthic macroinvertebrates were analysed in a specific river type of Central Italy (small-sized streams, volcanic-siliceous), to identify taxa assemblages at the mesohabitat scale and to test how common measures of benthic community used in biomonitoring differ between riffles and pools in order to evaluate if differences may influence water quality classification.Macroinvertebrates were collected in 10 selected streams, covering the whole quality range present in the geographic area from ‘reference sites’ to human-impacted sites, along a pool–riffle sequence following a multihabitat sampling protocol.We compared assemblage of macroinvertebrates found in different mesohabitats using principal component analysis (PCA). Similar site grouping was obtained in riffle, pool and abiotic analysis.The measures of diversity and abundance were used as replicates in ANOVA analysis to test differences between pools and riffles within the groups of sites. There were no significant differences in terms of taxa richness and total abundance.When we compared the abundance of each taxon we found significant differences only in the group of reference sites with 18 taxa (about 25%) that showed a significant habitat preference.Our findings support that macroinvertebrates assemblages reflected primarily the environmental conditions and differences at mesohabitat scale are strongly correlated to hydromorphological condition and are maximized in reference sites. However such differences do not influence the ecological status assessment in this typology.     

Freshwater diatom and macroinvertebrate diversity of coastal permanent ponds along a gradient of human impact in a Mediterranean eco-region

Mediterranean coastal areas are characterised by heavily transformed landscapes and an ever-increasing number of ponds are subjected to strong alterations. Although benthic diatoms and macroinvertebrates are widely used as indicators in freshwater ecosystems, little is still known about the diatom communities of lowland freshwater ponds in the Mediterranean region, and, furthermore, there are few macroinvertebrate-based methods to assess their ecological quality, especially in Italy. This article undertakes an analysis of benthic diatom and macroinvertebrate communities of permanent freshwater ponds, selected along a gradient of anthropogenic pressures, to identify community indicators (taxa and/or metrics) useful to evaluate the effect of human impacts. A series of 21 ponds were sampled along Tyrrhenian coast in central Italy. Five of these ponds, in a good conservations status and surrounded by woodland were selected as ‘reference sites’ for macroinvertebrates and epipelic diatoms. The remaining sixteen ponds were located in an agricultural landscape subject to different levels of human impact. The total number of macroinvertebrate taxa found in each pond was significantly higher in reference sites than in both the intermediate and heavily degraded ones, whereas the diatom species richness did not result in a good community variable to evaluate the pond ecological quality. The analysis revealed a substantial difference among the compositions of diatom communities between reference ponds and degraded ponds. The former were characterised by the presence of several species belonging to genera, such as Pinnularia sp., Eunotia sp., Stauroneis sp., Neidium sp., all of which were mostly absent from degraded ponds. Furthermore, the taxonomic richnesses of some macroinvetebrate groups (Odonata, Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera, Coleoptera), and taxa composition attributes of macroinvertebrate communities (total abundance, percentages of top three dominant taxa, percentages of Pleidae, Ancylidae, Hirudinea, Hydracarina) significantly correlated with variables linked with anthropogenic pressures. The results of the investigation suggested that diatoms tended more to reflect water chemistry through changes in community structure, whereas invertebrates responded to physical habitat changes primarily through changes in taxonomic richness. The methodologies developed for the analysis of freshwater benthic diatom and macroinvertebrate communities may have a considerable potential as a tool for assessing the ecological status of this type of water body, complying with the European Union Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Guest editors: B. Oertli, R. Cereghino, A. Hull & R. Miracle Pond Conservation: From Science to Practice. 3rd Conference of the European Pond Conservation Network, Valencia, Spain, 14–16 May 2008     

白洋淀硅藻分布及其与水环境的关系

记录了白洋淀不同水域发现的硅藻85个种、变种及未定种,隶属于22个科31个属,其中小环藻属(Cyclotella)、菱形藻属(Nitzschia)、美壁藻属(Caloneis)和舟形藻属(Navicula)等为优势类群。在白洋淀东北部景区水域,以梅尼小环藻(Cyclotellameneghiniana)为主;污染严重的入库河道水域,以半裸具席藻(Sellaphora seminulum)和蓝绿舟形藻(Navicula veneta)为代表;村落水域,以菱形藻属、舟形藻属硅藻为主;航道水域,以颗粒沟链藻(Aulacoseira granulata)为代表;荷塘以弯棒杆藻(Rhopalodia gibba)为代表;而鱼池以菱形藻属硅藻为主。典范对应分析(canonical correspondence analysis,CCA)显示水体总磷浓度(total phosphorus,TP)和pH是影响白洋淀硅藻种群分布的重要因素。利用欧洲硅藻数据库对白洋淀TP和pH做了定量重建,TP为0.13-0.25 mg/L,pH为6.92-7.23,此估测值极为接近实测值。     

Concordance between ecotypes and macroinvertebrate assemblages in Mediterranean streams

1. According to the guidelines of the European Water Framework Directive, assessment of the ecological quality of streams and rivers should be based on ecotype-specific reference conditions. Here, we assess two approaches for establishing a typology for Mediterranean streams: a top-down approach using environmental variables and bottom-up approach using macroinvertebrate assemblages.
2. Classification of 162 sites using environmental variables resulted in five ecotypes: (i) temporary streams; (ii) evaporite calcareous streams at medium altitude; (iii) siliceous headwater streams at high altitude; (iv) calcareous headwater streams at medium to high altitude and (v) large watercourses.
3. Macroinvertebrate communities of minimally disturbed sites ( n  = 105), grouped using UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic averages) on Bray–Curtis similarities, were used to validate four of the five ecotypes obtained using environmental variables; ecotype 5, large watercourses, was not included as this group had no reference sites.
4. Analysis of similarities ( anosim ) showed that macroinvertebrate assemblage composition differed among three of the four ecotypes, resulting in differences between the bottom-up and top-down classification approaches. Siliceous streams were clearly different from the other three ecotypes, evaporite and calcareous ecotypes did not show large differences in macroinvertebrate assemblages and temporary streams formed a very heterogeneous group because of large variability in salinity and hydrology.
5. This study showed that stream classification schemes based on environmental variables need to be validated using biological variables. Furthermore, our findings indicate that special attention should be given to the classification of temporary streams.     

Regional distribution of diatom assemblages in the headwater streams of Luxembourg

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of environmental variables on the structure of benthic diatom assemblages, and to propose type assemblages of diatoms characterizing unpolluted headwater streams of Luxembourg. A total of 289 diatom samples were collected in the headwater streams of Luxembourg. At each sampling site, physical and chemical variables were also measured. The relationships between environmental variables and the distribution of the taxa were estimated using univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. On the basis of geology and stream water chemistry, Luxembourg could be separated in two regions. The streams in the schistose northern part of Luxembourg presented a low carbonate hardness (median 3.5° F); the streams in the southern part of Luxembourg presented a high carbonate hardness (median 21.8° F) notably connected to the presence of sandstone and limestone substrata. A Twinspan classification carried out on diatom assemblages defined two groups of samples corresponding to these two regions. The carbonate hardness that is related to the nature of the geological substratum appeared to be the major structuring variable for the assemblage composition. Anthropogenic pollution was a secondary structuring variable for diatom assemblages since each group could be subdivided in subgroups presenting statistically different nutrient and organic matter concentrations. The diatom assemblages of these subgroups were characterised by differences of saprobic and trophic preferences. On the basis of these results, two type assemblages of diatoms are proposed for the unpolluted headwater streams in the two regions of Luxembourg. The presence of these different type assemblages in Luxembourg shows the necessity to adapt diatom bioindication to the different regions of the country.     

Benthic diatom communities in boreal streams: community structure in relation to environmental and spatial gradients

An important goal for community ecology is the characterization and prediction of changes in community patterns along environmental gradients. We aimed to identify the major environmental correlates of diatom distribution patterns in boreal running waters. We classified 197 stream sites based on their diatom flora. Direct ordination methods were then used to identify the key environmental determinants of this diatom-based stream typology. Finally, we tested whether a regional classification scheme based on terrestrial landscapes (ecoregions) provides a reasonable framework for a regional grouping of streams based on their diatom flora. Two-way indicator species analysis produced 13 site groups, which were primarily separated by chemical variables, mainly conductivity, total P and water colour. In partial CCA, the environmental and spatial factors accounted for 38% and 24%, respectively, of explained variation in community composition. A high proportion (almost 40%) of variation explained by the combined effect (spatially-structured environmental) indicated that diatom communities of boreal streams incorporate a strong spatial component. At the level of subecoregions, classification strength was almost equally strong for all sites as for near-pristine reference sites only. Procrustes analysis indicated that spatial factors and patterns in diatom community structure were strongly concordant. Our data support the argument that diatom communities are strongly spatially structured, with distinctly different communities in different parts of the country. Because of the strong spatial patterns of community composition, bioassessment programs utilising lotic diatoms would clearly benefit from regional stratification. A combination of regional stratification and the prediction of assemblage structure from local environmental features might provide the most robust framework for diatom-based assessment of the biological integrity of boreal streams.     

海南岛主要水系枯水期底栖硅藻群落特征及区系分析

以海南岛主要水系的30个样点的河流底栖硅藻为对象, 分析了其枯水期的群落组成, 并探讨了群落的地理分布特征。在鉴定出的55属174种底栖硅藻中, 曲壳藻属是优势属, 占52.3%。聚类分析及非度量多维尺度分析(NMDS)显示, 底栖硅藻群落表现出明显的地理分布差异, 可划分为西部坝王岭、西部尖峰岭、中部的鹦哥岭和五指山以及东部的吊罗山4大群系。其中西部山区昌化江水系的硅藻多样性最低, 中部山区为昌化江水系和南渡江水系的发源地, 其硅藻多样性最高, 东部山区硅藻也表现出一定独特性, 说明本研究中底栖硅藻群落分布很可能受季风及地理空间因素的影响。大多数样点的优势种为清洁指示种, 少数样点出现了Gomphonema parvulum和Aulacoseira ambigua等高营养盐指示种, 表明大部分河流水质良好, 仅少部分河流由于人类活动而出现了富营养化趋势。     

Emigration and immigration can be important determinants of benthic diatom assemblages in streams

SUMMARY.

• 1 Interspecific differences in diatom abundances in stream drift (plankton), immigration, and natural benthic assemblages were compared to assess the importance of emigration and immigration in benthic diatom community dynamics. Water samples were collected throughout a 24-h period to measure diel changes in diatom drift abundances and to estimate benthic diatom emigration rates. Immigration was assessed with 24-h colonization of bare tiles.
• 2 Dissimilarity in species composition of drift, immigration, and natural substrate assemblages indicated differential emigration and immigration among diatom species.
• 3 A mathematical model indicated that reproduction by diatoms in the plankton could not account for diel drift peaks and that diel variation in drift was an informative measure of benthic diatom emigration.
• 4 Emigration and immigration of some species constituted substantial proportions of diatom abundances on natural substrata. We conclude that emigration into the drift and immigration onto substrata can be important processes that regulate benthic diatom species composition and standing crop in streams.

     

Assessment of mine drainage remediated streams using diatom assemblages and biofilm enzyme activities

A legacy of pre-regulation coal mining in many areas has been acid mine drainage (metal-rich, low pH water). Today, numerous remediation strategies may be implemented, but there is little data on efficacy in restoring biological condition. Two alkaline doser projects in Ohio were assessed using diatom assemblages, and biofilm extracellular enzyme activities (EEA). In one stream, water quality steadily increased downstream of the doser; pH increased from 3.8 to 7.2 and Fe decreased from 107 to 0.42 mg l^?1. Likewise, the periphyton biomass (chl a 7.15–12.77 mg m^?2) increased and periphyton index scores (4–27) improved. As well, EEA data showed greater activity for phosphorus, nitrogen, and one carbon acquisition enzyme. For the other stream, the conductivity remained high (>720 μS cm^?1) and pH and alkalinity decreased downstream. Biological data, including EEA, varied along the stream length with higher numbers in the middle reach, such as chlorophyll a (0.56 to 87.75 to 2.77 mg m^?2), and index scores (7 to 29 to 11). The first remediation site showed positive results in chemistry, biological community and measures of ecosystem function. The second stream was highly variable in these parameters suggesting further AMD inputs are hampering recovery.     

Assessing effects of water abstraction on fish assemblages in Mediterranean streams

1. Water abstraction strongly affects streams in arid and semiarid ecosystems, particularly where there is a Mediterranean climate. Excessive abstraction reduces the availability of water for human uses downstream and impairs the capacity of streams to support native biota. 2. We investigated the flow regime and related variables in six river basins of the Iberian Peninsula and show that they have been strongly altered, with declining flows (autoregressive models) and groundwater levels during the 20th century. These streams had lower flows and more frequent droughts than predicted by the official hydrological model used in this region. Three of these rivers were sometimes dry, whereas there were predicted by the model to be permanently flowing. Meanwhile, there has been no decrease in annual precipitation. 3. We also investigated the fish assemblage of a stream in one of these river basins (Tordera) for 6 years and show that sites more affected by water abstraction display significant differences in four fish metrics (catch per unit effort, number of benthic species, number of intolerant species and proportional abundance of intolerant individuals) commonly used to assess the biotic condition of streams. 4. We discuss the utility of these metrics in assessing impacts of water abstraction and point out the need for detailed characterisation of the natural flow regime (and hence drought events) prior to the application of biotic indices in streams severely affected by water abstraction. In particular, in cases of artificially dry streams, it is more appropriate for regulatory agencies to assign index scores that reflect biotic degradation than to assign ‘missing’ scores, as is presently customary in assessments of Iberian streams.     

Analysis of demersal fish assemblages off the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea (central Mediterranean)

Monitoring and management of Mediterranean trawling requires a multispecies and ecosystem-based approach. Over the last 20 years studies on diversity and distribution of fish communities have been carried out by ecologists and applied to different ecosystems. Until now, very little information has been available on the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea. The aim of this work is: to analyse the structure of fish demersal assemblages, on a temporal (10 years) and spatial scale using a multivariate approach; to analyse, across space and time, the pattern of biodiversity by means of univariate indices; to identify areas supporting high values of diversity and evenness by a Geographical Information System (GIS) method. The analysis of 249 hauls from ten trawl surveys carried out between depths of 30 and 750 m in the South Tyrrhenian Sea yielded a total of 164 fish species. Multidimensional scaling ordination showed four groups distributed according to the depth gradient: a coastal group (0–100 m depth), a group in the lower part of the continental shelf (101–200 m), an epibathyal group (201–500 m) and the last one derived from hauls made in the middleslope (501–800 m). There were no differences, between years, protected and unprotected areas and geographical sectors. The whole study area was characterised by diversity values which were quite heterogeneous. The persistence index was generally low. Results could be useful from an ecological point of view and for the management of fishery activities.     

Epilithic diatom assemblages and their relationship to environmental characteristics in an agricultural watershed (Guadiana River,SW Spain)

Large-scale patterns of benthic diatom assemblages were analyzed in an agricultural basin, the Guadiana River. The distribution patterns of epilithic diatom assemblages were analyzed at different spatial scales: the whole watershed, the upper calcareous subcatchment and the mid-lower siliceous subcatchment. At the whole watershed scale, two major ecological gradients were revealed. The first one summarized the diatom distribution throughout a nutrient concentration gradient, while the second gradient was related to the geological structure of the watershed. Variance partitioning allowed the effects of the different sets of environmental parameters related to every CCA gradient to be separated. Analyzing the subcatchment gradients with partial CCA allowed us to define specific key factors that affect diatom species composition. Although water chemistry consistently played the most important role in structuring diatom assemblages in the Guadiana, spatial factors such as altitude or geographic location also explained some variation in diatom distribution.     

Spatial and temporal patterns of diatom assemblages,and their drivers,in four US streams: evidence from a long-term dataset

Hydrobiologia - Bioassessment to evaluate stream integrity and determine changes related to point-source discharges is typically focused in wadeable streams, with limited understanding of seasonal...     

Organization of Squamata (Reptilia) assemblages in Mediterranean archipelagos

Mediterranean islands have complex reptile assemblages, but little is known about the factors that determine their organization. In this study, the structure of assemblages of Squamata was evaluated based on their species richness and two measures of phylogenetic diversity (variability and clustering). I evaluated the composition of the assemblages comparing distinct biogeographic subregions within the Mediterranean: Adriatic, Aegean, Balearic, Corsica–Sardinia, Crete, Gulf of Gabés, Ionian Sea, Ligurian Sea, Malta, Sicily, and Tyrrhenian Sea. The effect of island environments and geographical isolation on the diversity metrics was assessed using generalized linear models. The analyses indicated that species richness was mostly influenced by island area and geographical isolation. Assemblages on smaller islands were poorer in species and phylogenetically dispersed, possibly as an effect of interspecific competition. The species composition of the assemblages was determined by similar environmental drivers within the biogeographic subregions, including island area, island elevation, geographical isolation, and aridity. In several subregions, significant patterns of phylogenetic attraction were found in species co‐occurrences, caused by the limits imposed by the island size on large predatory species.     

Effects of cadmium stress on periphytic diatom communities in indoor artificial streams

SUMMARY 1. Two experiments were performed with periphytic diatoms originating from the River Lot (France) and allowed to grow on clean substrata within indoor artificial streams. Three cadmium (Cd) levels (control, low Cd=10 μg L⁻¹ and high Cd=100 μg L⁻¹) were used to test the effects of Cd on (i) the settlement and development of diatom communities (Experiment 1, 4 weeks Cd exposure) and (ii) predeveloped communities grown over a 2-week period without contamination (Experiment 2, 2 weeks Cd exposure).
2. Experiment 1 revealed that growth and taxonomic composition of diatom communities clearly differed with Cd exposure. Biofilms were more adpressed to substrata under low Cd concentration, and were thinner and patchy under high Cd concentration.
3. Exposure of developed diatom communities (Experiment 2) to Cd revealed only minor variations in taxonomic composition, possibly linked to the protective role of the developed organic matrix against metal stress.
4. These results support the validity of periphytic diatom communities as indicators of metal pollution, although significant structural changes would take longer within developed communities.     

Macro-floral assemblages in upland Welsh streams in relation to acidity, and their importance to invertebrates

SUMMARY 1. Macro-flora (angiosperms. bryophytes and macroscopic algae) and macroinvertebrates were sampled in 1984 at eighty-eight sites on soft-water streams in upland Wales. Assemblage patterns were related to stream chemistry using TWINSPAN, DECORANA and multiple discriminant analysis.
2. Floral assemblages could be related most strongly to pH and aluminium concentration, with Scapania undulata, Nardia compressa and filamentous chlorophytes characterizing streams of mean pH5.2–5.8, whilst Fontinalis squamosa occurred mostly at pH 5.6–6.2 and Lemanea at pH 5.8–7.0. We propose an indicator system based on thesetaxa.
3. Assemblages of invertebrates and flora concorded highly significantly, sites with Scapania and Nardia holding impoverished faunas. Because some acid sensitive invertebrates (e.g. Ecdyonurus and Ancylus ) can feed from acid tolerant plants (e.g. Scapania ), we hypothesize that they are restricted physiologically from acid streams.