Α comparison of alternative techniques for prediction of the fauna of running-water sites in Great Britain

1. Early versions of the river invertebrate prediction and classification system (RIVPACS) used TWINSPAN to classify reference sites based on the macro-invertebrate fauna, followed by multiple discriminant analysis (MDA) for prediction of the fauna to be expected at new sites from environmental variables. This paper examines some alternative methods for the initial site classification and a different technique for prediction. 2. A data set of 410 sites from RIVPACS II was used for initial screening of seventeen alternative methods of site classification. Multiple discriminant analysis was used to predict classification group from environmental variables. 3. Five of the classification–prediction systems which showed promise were developed further to facilitate prediction of taxa at species and at Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP) family level. 4. The predictive capability of these new systems, plus RIVPACS II, was tested on an independent data set of 101 sites from locations throughout Great Britain. 5. Differences between the methods were often marginal but two gave the most consistently reliable outputs: the original TWINSPAN method, and the ordination method semi-strong hybrid multidimensional scaling (SSH) followed by K-means clustering. 6. Logistic regression, an alternative approach to prediction which does not require the prior development of a classification system, was also examined. Although its performance fell within the range offered by the other five systems tested, it conveyed no advantages over them. 7. This study demonstrated that several different multivariate methods were suitable for developing a reliable system for predicting expected probability of occurrence of taxa. This is because the prediction system involves a weighted average smoothing across site groupings. 8. Hence, the two most promising procedures for site classification, coupled to MDA, were both used in the exploratory analyses for RIVPACS III development, which utilized over 600 reference sites.     

Predictive modelling of freshwater fish as a biomonitoring tool in New Zealand

SUMMARY 1. A challenge has been issued to ecologists to find quantitative ecological relationships that have predictive power. A predictive approach has been successful when applied to biomonitoring using stream invertebrates with the River Invertebrate Prediction and Classification System (RIVPACS). This approach, to our knowledge, has not been applied to freshwater fish assemblages.
2. This paper describes the initial results of the application of a regional predictive model of freshwater fish occurrence using 200 reference sites sampled in the Manawatu–Wanganui region of New Zealand over late summer/autumn 2000. In brief (i) sites were classified into biotic groups (ii) the physical and chemical characteristics that best describe variation among these groups were determined and (iii) the relationship between these environmental variables and fish communities was used to predict the fauna expected at a site.
3. Reference sites clustered into six groups based on fish density and community composition. Using 14 physical variables least influenced by human activities, a discriminant model allocated 70% of sites to the correct biological classification group. The variables that best separated the site groups were mainly large-scale variables including altitude, distance from the coast, lotic ecoregion and map co-ordinates.
4. The model was further validated by randomly removing 20% of the sites, rebuilding the model and then determining the number of removed sites correctly allocated to their original biotic groups using environmental variables. Using this process 67% of the removed sites were correctly reassigned to the six predetermined groups.
5. A further 30 sites were used to determine the ability of the model to detect anthropogenic impact. The observed over expected taxa ( O / E ) ratios were significantly lower than the reference site O / E ratios, indicating a response of the fish assemblages to the known stressors.     

The prediction of the macro-invertebrate fauna of unpolluted running-water sites in Great Britain using environmental data

SUMMARY. 1. A procedure has been developed which uses environmental data to predict the probabilities of macro-invertebrate taxa occurring at running-water sites in Great Britain.
2. Biological, physical and chemical data were collected from twenty- one sites on three river systems in order to evaluate the procedure.
3. For most sites the number and type of taxa recorded, using a standard sampling programme, were very close to those predicted using twenty-eight environmental variables.
4. Comparison with other studies at the same sites showed that most taxa whose probability of occurrence was ≥0.5 could be found with more intensive sampling.
5. Reducing the number of variables used in making the predictions from twenty-eight to five resulted in only a slight loss of predictive accuracy.
6. Combinations of chemical and physical variables gave better predictions than equivalent numbers of physical variables only but the latter may be more appropriate where chemical pollution is known, or suspected to occur.
7. The procedure is of practical value in the detection and assessment of pollution.
8. It may also be used to explore patterns in the structure and functioning of stream communities.     

Distributional patterns of immature Simuliidae (Diptera) in northwestern North America

SUMMARY. 1. Major landscape features and hydrological parameters indicative of black fly species assemblages were examined at 101 stream sites in Alberta, northern British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska during the summer. Forty-one black fly taxa were recorded at seventy- nine sites using qualitative sampling procedures. River sites lacking black flies had significantly higher conductivity, greater depth, shallower slope and were farther from the Pacific Ocean than sites with black flies.
2. Classification of sites by taxon occurrence using hierarchical cluster analysis suggested five groupings: A. Simulium tuberosum (Lundstrëm) complex + several taxa. B, S. venustum Saylverecundum Stone and Jamnback complexes + S, tuberosum complex; C. 5. arcticum Malloch complex + S. corbis Twinn complex; D, Gymnopais Stone/ Prosimulium Roubaud; and E. P. onychodactytum Dyar and Shannon complex + several taxa.
3. Multiple discriminant analysis (MDA) was used to predict group membership of the seventy-nine sites using nineteen environmental variables; 71% of the sites were classified correctly. MDA identified latitude and distance from stream source as important factors separating group D from other groups. Stream width and drainage basins entering the Arctic Oeean and Hudson Bay delineated group B. There was no clear separation among groups A. C or E. The presence of sibling species probably accounts for the overlap of black fly assemblages.
4. Our findings are briefly discussed in the context of stream classification systems, notably the river continuum concept.     

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.     

Diatoms as indicators of water quality in some English urban lakes

SUMMARY. 1. The paper describes diatom communities from a series of linked urban lakes in relation to water chemistry and uses multivariate statistical techniques to show how indicator groups can he defined.
2. Diatoms are classified into ecological groups using two-way species indicator analysis (TWINSPAN). Each ecological group is associated with a specific range of water-quality conditions. The headwater stream environments are differentiated from the lake habitats at level 1. At level 2 of TWINSPAN. the sampling sites are grouped into five ecological groups, according to their water chemistry and irrespective of the time of year.
3. Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and principal components analysis (PCA) provide two statistically independent methods of assessing the environmental gradients along which the ecological groups are distributed. The most important physico-chemical parameters are total hardness, specific conductance and pH, followed by phosphates and nitrates.
4. Ecological groups I-V correspond to an environmental gradient ranging from the forested headwaters, which are acidic, of low specific conductance, total hardness and nutrient content, through the urban lakes, which are alkaline and of relatively high total hardness, specific conductance and nutrient content.
5. Twelve site groups are identified at level 3 of TWINSPAN, each of which corresponds to a narrower range of water-quality conditions within the ecological groupings. A specific diatom assemblage is associated with each site group.
6. Benthic diatoms form an integral part of the diatom assemblages found in the water column and this is identified as a topic for further study.     

锦屏水电站植被数量分类与排序

以锦屏梯级水电站大河湾段植被为研究对象,以河流流向为基础布置样方,将50个样方物种重要值及其环境因子进行TWINSPAN数量分类和DCA排序,结果显示:(1)由TWINSPAN数量分类将植被划分为7种类型,雅致雾水葛(Pouzolzia elegans)灌草群落为该区域的主要群落.(2)以TWINSPAN数量分类为基础的DCA二维排序图将样方分为6个生态类型,DCA 二维排序图横轴从左至右海拔高度逐渐降低;排序纵轴由下至上坡度逐渐升高.(3)以TWINSPAN数量分类在DCA排序图中有明确的分布范围和界限,DCA排序与TWINSPAN数量分类结合使用,能很好反映群落与环境因子间的生态关系.     

草海国家级自然保护区水生植物群落的数量分类与排序分析

在群落样方调查的基础之上,采用双向指示种分析法（TW INSPAN）和除趋势对应分析（DCA）对草海国家级自然保护区水生植物群落进行分类和排序。TW INSPAN将50个样方分为17组,根据植被分类的原则划分为17个群丛,论述了各个群丛的群落学特征。50个样方的DCA排序结果反映了植物群落类型与环境梯度之间的关系,表明影响群落分布格局的主导生态因子为水分条件,第一轴反映了各个群落类型所在的水分条件梯度。排序结果与分类结果较吻合,反映出植物群落类型和物种分布随环境因子梯度变化的趋势。     

Response of epilithic diatom assemblages to water pollution in rivers in the Tokyo Metropolitan area, Japan

1. During the spring of 1992, fifty-two quantitative diatom samples were collected from twenty-eight rivers located in the Tokyo Metropolitan area, Japan, to study the response of the diatom assemblages to water pollution (assessed using physical and chemical data determined monthly from April 1987 to March 1992). 2. Species composition was analysed by means of biotic indices (Pantle and Buck's saprobic index) and multivariate analyses [two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) for classification and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) for ordination]. Species-abundance relationships were analysed using diversity indices (species richness, Shannon's diversity index and Pielou's evenness index) and rank-abundance patterns (rank-abundance curves). 3. CCA revealed two major gradients. The first corresponded to organic pollution and eutrophication. The second corresponded to variables related to geographical location. Four main station groups were determined by TWINSPAN. The location of the indicator species of groups 1–3 along the CCA axis 1 is consistent with their known pollution tolerance characteristics. Indicator species for group 4 had larger scores on CCA axis 2, and are representative of brackish water environments. 4. Species richness tended to be higher in the intermediate range of water pollution. Pielou's evenness index and Shannon's diversity index followed the same tendency but only weakly. 5. The rank-abundance patterns of diatom assemblages were more or less constant in all stations. The curves were very similar in shape, differing only in length and gradient (directly related to species richness and evenness, respectively). 6. The results of this study indicate that the response of diatom assemblages to environmental change can be observed in species compositional variation. Multivariate analyses and pollution indices revealed this response and are to be preferred to species diversity measures.     

The influence of seasonal and taxonomic factors on the ordination and classification of running-water sites in Great Britain and on the prediction of their macro-invertebrate communities

SUMMARY. 1. Macro-invertebrate samples were collected from 268 running-water sites in Great Britain in each of three seasons (spring, summer and autumn). A combined seasons’treatment was generated by amalgamating the individual seasons’data. These four seasonal options were each subjected to four distinct taxonomic analyses differing in level of identification and whether the data were quantitative or qualitative. Thus sixteen data-sets were available for analysis. Environmental data on physical and chemical variables, macrophyte cover and date of sampling were also recorded for each site. 2. All sixteen data-sets were ordinated by detrended correspondence analysis and classified by two-way indicator species analysis. There were strong correlations between the sixteen ordinations and significant concordance between classifications. 3. The relationships between ordination scores and single environmental variables were investigated. Muhiple discriminant analysis was used to fit environmental data to eight selected classifications covering the full range of seasonal and taxonomic treatments. The environmental variables most useful in distinguishing between rivers were substratum characteristics, alkalinity and total oxidized nitrogen. Within-river differences were often highly correlated with discharge, distance from source, width and depth. Slope and altitude contributed strongly to both between-river and within-river distinctions. 4. Between-site variation (beta diversity), eigenvalues of ordination, the reliability of classifications, the proportion of sites correctly assigned to their biological group using environmental data and the standardized similarity between observed and predicted fauna were all higher when identifications were taken to species level, rather than one of three family treatments. Qualitative data on a reduced list of families gave comparable or better results than more detailed family treatments. 5. Combined seasons’data enabled better categorization and prediction than single season's. 6. The values of the Czekanowski Index of Similarity between the observed and predicted fauna of test sites were close to realistic maximum values. 7. Recommendations are made concerning potential usages of the various classifications. The species level classification has uses in the field of conservation and in the prediction of biological response to environmental change. The family level classifications have value in developing local site inventories and in the interpretation of pollution surveillance programmes.     

北京山区栎林的群落结构与物种组成

在北京东灵山、喇叭沟门和大海陀山地区的辽东栎(Quercus liaotungensis)林以及白龙潭地区的槲树(Q.dentata)-麻栎(Q.acutissima)混交林中共调查了43个样方,利用这些样方资料,对群落进行TWINSPAN聚类和CCA排序,以研究北京地区栎林的群落结构、物种组成以及各群落之间的关系。结果表明：本地区栎林群落结构简单,不同栎林群落的结构差异很大。利用TWINSPAN对乔木层物种进行了分类,按不同指示种划分为7类。CCA排序结果显示第一轴与海拔关系显著,主要反映了温度因子的作用;第二轴与坡向关系显著,反映了水分因子的作用。排序结果与分类结果吻合,显示了不同生境条件对群落结构和物种分布的影响。结果还显示,本地区物种丰富度低,这可能与本地区植被受人为干扰强烈有一定关系。     

桂林岩溶石山青冈栎群落的数量分析

应用双向指示种分析(TWINSPAN)和除趋势对应分析(DCA)方法对桂林岩溶石山青冈栎群落进行数量分类与排序。通过TWINSPAN分类,将青冈栎群落60个样方划分为8个群丛类型,探讨了各群丛类型的基本特征。结果表明:DCA排序与TWINSPAN分类结果较一致,DCA排序较好地体现了各群丛类型与环境因子的相互关系,DCA第一排序轴主要反映了坡度的变化梯度;DCA排序图的对角线基本体现了坡向的变化梯度。坡度的变化是影响岩溶石山青冈栎群落物种组成与分布的重要生态因子。     

卧龙自然保护区亚高山草甸的数量分类与排序

在野外植被调查的基础上,采用植被数量分析方法对岷江流域卧龙自然保护区亚高山草甸进行TWINSPAN分类和DCA排序,研究了植物种、植物群落与环境之间的关系.结果表明,该地区亚高山草甸共有植物139种,隶属于31科88属.应用数量分类方法将114个样方分为12个群落类型.在分析不同环境因子间的关系基础上,从定量的角度揭示了影响群落分布的主要因素是海拔梯度和土壤含水量.DCA排序图反映出排序轴的生态意义,第1轴反映了各群落类型所在环境的海拔梯度,从上到下,随着海拔的升高,植物群落或植物种的耐寒性越来越强;第2轴基本上反映了各群落类型所在环境的土壤含水量.排序结果与分类结果比较吻合,反映出植物群落类型和物种分布随环境因子梯度变化的趋势.     

Characterization of terrestrial insect communities using quantified, Malaise-trapped Coleoptera

Abstract. 1. Weekly samples of Malaise trapped Coleoptera from regenerating shrubland and an adjacent mature, podocarp-broadleaved forest, in the North Island, New Zealand, were compared over one season. Three traps were monitored in each site.
2. Diversity indices did not group samples by site whereas the divisive polythetic classification analysis TWINSPAN showed that the two sites possessed clearly different communities. In the classification, site was of primary importance, with time of year, and trap position within site of secondary and tertiary importance respectively.
3. Samples were compared at different taxonomic levels and using different subsets of the database. Determination of the main families, morphotyped to species or species complex, was found to be sufficient to classify most samples to the appropriate community group.
4. The divisive classification procedure applied to four consecutive weekly Coleoptera samples over early summer, is suggested as a means of describing and identifying terrestrial arthropod communities characteristic of site and year of collection. This approach provides a potentially sensitive tool for monitoring terrestrial ecosystems.     

Benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in north Swedish streams: environmental relationships

An analysis of the relationships between lotic macroinvertebrates and environmental variables was earned out on material from 60 riffle sites in streams in northern Sweden The approach involved the use of TWINSPAN classification and canonical correspondence analysis on presence/absence data from two seasons (spring and autumn) Variables most strongly associated with distribution patterns of assemblages were drainage area, elevation, water quality in terms of alkalinity, colour and phosphate and the presence of macrophytes The significance of affinities of different species to these variables are discussed The eight clusters resulting from the TWINSPAN analysis could biologically be interpreted as classes of taxa related to stream size, chemical conditions and algae A multiple regression analysis for predicting species nchness using three independent variables, viz drainage area amount or organic matter, and discharge was constructed The results of the study could be used as a starting point for further work on the community organization of benthie stream assemblages     

The influence of chemistry and habitat features on the microcrustacea of some upland Welsh streams

SUMMARY. 1. Microcrustaceans were sampled during September 1990 from three microhabitats (margins, stony riffles and gravel) at thirteen stream sites in mid-Wales.
2. Patterns in the distribution, abundance and community structure of microcrustacean taxa were related to stream chemistry, physiography, substratum composition and marginal habitat structure. Patterns of distribution between microhabitats were also assessed.
3. Chemical variables were the strongest correlates with microcrustacean parameters. Total numbers of microcrustaceans and harpacticoid copepods were reduced at sites with high aluminium concentrations, and ostracods were scarce or absent at the most acidic sites. In contrast, cyclopoid copepods were more abundant and species rich at low pH.
4. Microcrustacean communities were most species rich at sites with a high percentage cover of macrophytes on the substratum. Cladoceran species richness and abundance, and the abundance of several microcrustacean species, were also positively correlated with percentage macrophyte cover.
5. Three site groupings produced by TWINSPAN classification were primarily related to percentage macrophyte cover and marginal habitat structure, with chemistry and land use also of importance.
6. Total microcrustacean abundance was highest in margins, but of all the species, only the harpacticoid Bryocamptus cuspidatus showed a strong microhabitat preference.     

Environmental drivers of freshwater macrophyte diversity and community composition in calcareous warm‐water rivers of America and Africa

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Temporal and Spatial Distribution Patterns of Larval Trichoptera in Madeiran Streams

Temporal and spatial distribution patterns of lotic larval trichopteran assemblages in relation to environmental variables were investigated in Madeiran streams using multivariate analyses. TWINSPAN classification detected distinct faunal assemblages related to spatial factors between non-polluted high altitude sites and lower lying enriched sites where tolerant taxa were predominant but showed strong seasonal shifts in species composition and abundance. The 15 TWINSPAN end groups were grouped into five arbitrary clusters based upon the seasonal and spatial changes in the trichopteran assemblages detected by the analysis. Significant differences between environmental variables (distance from source, altitude, temperature, conductivity, alkalinity and nitrate) and the trichopteran assemblages (using trichopteran based metrics) of these clusters were confirmed by the Kruskal-Wallis test (H) and Dunn’s test. Chemical classification of samples within the clusters revealed a strong association between trichopteran assemblages and water quality. Canonical Correspondence Analysis and Monte Carlo global permutation tests also identified significant associations between the larval assemblages and physicochemical variables such as temperature and conductivity along a strong physical gradient (altitude, slope) and nitrate along a weaker seasonal gradient. Analysis of functional feeding group distribution patterns clearly showed that mid to high altitude indigenous woodland sites were trophically diverse whilst the lower reaches of the islands streams are trophically impoverished with strong seasonal shifts between two feeding groups of enrichment tolerant taxa. Trichopteran shredders are exclusive to indigenous woodland sites, indicating a limited distribution associated with land use, allochthonous input and habitat destruction. The results indicate that several ‘environmental filters’ operate at different levels upon the islands trichopteran fauna, producing temporally and spatially distinct ‘subsets’ of species best able to exploit conditions and resources at a given site or time, confounding the direct comparison of these insular systems with the findings of the River Continuum Concept, traditionally associated with unaffected continental lotic systems.     

长江故道湿地植被的数量分类与排序

采用双向指示种分析法（TWINSPAN）和除趋势对应分析法（DCA）对长江故道湿地植被做分类和排序研究。TWINSPAN分类将湿地植被234个样方分为28个群丛,论述了各群丛的群落学特征。DCA排序结果反映了植物群落类型与环境梯度之间的关系,表明影响群丛分布格局的主导生态因子为生境的水分条件。TWINSPAN数量分类在DCA排序图中有较为明确的分布范围和界限,两者的结合使用,能很好地反映群落与环境因子间的生态关系。