Index of Biotic Integrity Research Papers (original) (raw)

The use of fish communities to assess environmental quality is common for streams, but a standard methodology for large rivers is as yet largely undeveloped. We developed an index to assess the condition of fish assemblages along 1,580 km of the Ohio River. Representative samples of fish assemblages were collected from 709 Ohio River reaches, including 318 ''leastimpacted'' sites, from 1991 to 2001 by means of standardized nighttime boat-electrofishing techniques. We evaluated 55 candidate metrics based on attributes of fish assemblage structure and function to derive a multimetric index of river health. We examined the spatial (by river kilometer) and temporal variability of these metrics and assessed their responsiveness to anthropogenic disturbances, namely, effluents, turbidity, and highly embedded substrates. The resulting Ohio River Fish Index (ORFIn) comprises 13 metrics selected because they responded predictably to measures of human disturbance or reflected desirable features of the Ohio River. We retained two metrics (the number of intolerant species and the number of sucker species [family Catostomidae]) from Karr's original index of biotic integrity. Six metrics were modified from indices developed for the upper Ohio River (the number of native species; number of great-river species; number of centrarchid species; the number of deformities, eroded fins and barbels, lesions, and tumors; percent individuals as simple lithophils; and percent individuals as tolerant species). We also incorporated three trophic metrics (the percent of individuals as detritivores, invertivores, and piscivores), one metric based on catch per unit effort, and one metric based on the percent of individuals as nonindigenous fish species. The ORFIn declined significantly where anthropogenic effects on substrate and water quality were prevalent and was significantly lower in the first 500 m below point source discharges than at least-impacted sites nearby. Although additional research on the temporal stability of the metrics and index will likely enhance the reliability of the ORFIn, its incorporation into Ohio River assessments still represents an improvement over current physicochemical protocols.

Biodiversity has been recognized as one of the key components of environmental sustainability. Assessment of biodiversity trends and progress toward targets requires effective and sound indicators. In our article, we review and compare the leading multispecies biodiversity indices used in global and regional assessments. We reviewed basic characteristics of these aggregated and composite biodiversity indicators and evaluated them with regard to their ecological performance, policy relevance and other accounting aspects. Indices analyzed include species and populations based indicators, such as Living Planet Index and Red List Index, as well as ecosystem based indicators like Natural Capital Index and Biodiversity Intactness Index. We also include measures of ecological integrity such as Marine Trophic Index and Index of Biotic Integrity. Indicators analyzed differ in both their ecological focus, baselines, basic units or policy use. Multispecies biodiversity indices illustrate prevailingly negative trends in the state of nature as a result of human induced pressures, especially land cover change. Biodiversity loss is therefore not decoupled from socioeconomic progress. We show that current indicators include a balanced mix of important biodiversity aspects and have some policy resonance. Leading biodiversity indices should be further promoted and integrated into monitoring, modelling and decision-making frameworks.

- by Sarah Zack
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- Natural Resource Management, Data Collection, Species Richness, Streams

A macroinvertebrate-based Index of Biotic Integrity (M-IBI) was developed to monitor ecological integrity of the Nyando River and its tributaries. Macroinvertebrates were sampled with a Surber sampler between September and December 1999 from 12 stations selected to correspond with different human activities in the catchment. The samples were hand sorted in the field, preserved in 70% alcohol before transportation to the laboratory for identification and counting. The stations were grouped into
three condition categories (reference, moderate and impaired) according to the level of water and habitat quality. Twenty metrics representing the structural and functional organization of macroinvertebrates were evaluated for range, responsive to disturbance and stream size differences and redundancy with each other. Ten metrics met the test criteria and were used to provide the final scores for develping the M-IBI. Metrics values at both reference and impaired sites were used to establish the scoring criteria using inter-quartile ranges. The metrics displayed variability across the sites and the final index was able to separate reference sites from moderately impaired and impaired
sites. There were variations in ecosystem integrity among stations and this was reflected in community composition and structure of resident macroinvertebrates. The index developed can, therefore, be used to monitor the integrity of streams within the Nyando River Basin.

- by Frank Masese and +1
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- Water quality, Ecology, Multidisciplinary, The North
- by David Culver
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- Water quality, Ecosystem health, Biological Sciences, Phosphorus

Multimetric indices based on fish and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages are commonly used to assess the biological integrity of aquatic ecosystems. However, their response to specific stressors is rarely known. We quantified the response of a fish-based index (Mid-Atlantic Highlands Index of Biotic Integrity, MAH-IBI) and a benthic invertebratebased index (West Virginia Stream Condition Index, WV-SCI) to acid mine drainage (AMD)-related stressors in 46 stream sites within the Cheat River watershed, West Virginia. We also identified specific stressor concentrations at which biological impairment was always or never observed. Water chemistry was extremely variable among tributaries of the Cheat River, and the WV-SCI was highly responsive across a range of AMD stressor levels. Furthermore, impairment to macroinvertebrate communities was observed at relatively low stressor concentrations, especially when compared to state water quality standards. In contrast to the WV-SCI, we found that the MAH-IBI was significantly less responsive to local water quality conditions. Low fish diversity was observed in several streams that possessed relatively good water quality. This pattern was especially pronounced in highly degraded subwatersheds, suggesting that regional conditions may have a strong influence on fish assemblages in this system. Our results indicate that biomonitoring programs in mined watersheds should include both benthic invertebrates, which are consistent indicators of local conditions, and fishes, which may be indicators of regional conditions. In addition, remediation programs must address the full suite of chemical constituents in AMD and focus on improving linkages among streams within drainage networks to ensure recovery of invertebrate and fish assemblages. Future research should identify the precise chemical conditions necessary to maintain biological integrity in mined Appalachian watersheds.

- by Todd Petty and +1
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- Water, Water quality, Invertebrates, Environmental Management
- by Chris Yoder and +1
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- Habitat, Introduced species, Fish assemblages, Flow Regime

A Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (B-IBI) was developed for the Moiben River. The index assesses effects of human disturbance on the biotic condition of stream macroinvertebrate communities. Eight stations were selected to represent different land use types including forestry, settlement, grassland and mixed farming, practiced at different intensities. A total of 22 metrics were correlated against habitat quality and water quality parameters to determine their interrelationships. Ten metrics were shown to be responsive to changes in water and habitat quality, so could be used to separate sites according to levels of degradation. These were taxa richness (of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera and intolerant taxa richness), assemblage composition (percentage Ephemeroptera + Plecoptera + Trichoptera [EPT] individuals, and percentage of individuals in dominant taxa), pollution tolerance (percentage of tolerant individuals) and three functional feeding group metrics (ratio of scraper:filterer individuals, percentage gatherer genera, and percentage predator individuals). We calculated B-IBIs by summing metrics for each site, after transforming them to a discrete 1, 3, 5 scale. Values for the final index correlated well with measures of human influence based on qualitative assessment of habitat quality (Pearson’s r2 = 0.88). This preliminary benthic macroinvertebrate B-IBI shows promise for developing biological standards, which would facilitate long-term monitoring of streams in the upper reaches of Lake Victoria Basin.

- by Frank Masese
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- Earth Sciences, Biological Sciences, Lake Victoria, Index of Biotic Integrity

A Sediment Quality Triad (SQT) study consisting of chemical characterization in sediment, sediment toxicity and bioaccumulation testing, and benthic community assessments was performed in the Lower Hackensack River, New Jersey. Chemistry data in sediment and porewater were evaluated based on the equilibrium partitioning approach and other published information to investigate the potential for chemical effects on benthic organisms and communities. Relationships were supported by laboratory toxicity and bioaccumulation experiments to characterize chemical effects and bioavailability. Benthic community results were evaluated using a regional, multimetric benthic index of biotic integrity and four heterogeneity indices. Evidence of slight benthic community impairment was observed in five of nine sediment sample stations. Severe lethal toxicity to amphipods (Leptocheirus plumulosus) occurred in four of these five stations. Although elevated total chromium concentrations in sediment (as high as 1900 mg/kg) were the rationale for conducting the investigation, toxicity was strongly associated with concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) rather than total chromium. PAH toxic units (RPAH TU) in sediment and RPAH concentrations in laboratory organisms from the bioaccumulation experiment showed a clear dose-response relationship with toxicity, with 0% survival observed in sediments in which RPAH TU > 1-2 and RPAH concentrations in Macoma nasuta were >2 lmol/g, lipid weight. Metals detected in sediment and porewater, with the possible exception of copper, did not correlate with either toxicity or levels in tissue, likely because acid-volatile sulfide levels exceeded concentrations of simultaneous extracted metals at all sample locations. The study reinforces the value of using multiple lines of evidence approaches such as the SQT and the importance of augmenting chemical and biological analyses with modeling and/or other approaches to evaluate chemical bioavailability and toxicity of sediments.

- by Phyllis Fuchsman
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- Ecotoxicology, Invertebrates, Rivers, Multidisciplinary

Bouchung Stream is a large tributary of the Geum River watershed that is simultaneously affected by wastewater treatment plant effluents and agricultural activities in the watershed area. The focal subject was to diagnose the chemical and biological health of the temperate stream by using a combined approach of the multi-metric water pollution index (WPI) and the index of biological integrity (IBI KR), using datasets from 2008–2014. Water chemistry analyses indicated seasonal and inter-annual variations mainly linked to the intensity of monsoon rainfall in the watershed, potentially causing the availability of agricultural runoff water. The main events of phosphorus inflow and nitrogen dilutions occurred during July–August. Temporal and spatial heterogeneities were observed and were largely recognizable due to nutrient enrichment and organic matter intensification. Chlorophyll showed weak linear relation to total phosphorus (R 2 = 0.17) but no relation to total nitrogen (p > 0.05). Fish compositions analyzed as trophic/tolerance guilds in relation to water chemistry showed visible decline and modifications. Average WPI site scores ranged from 33–23, indicating an excellent upstream to fair downstream water quality status. Correspondingly, IBI KR scores ranged between 38–28 approximating with WPI site classification, as well as both indices showed higher regression relation (R 2 = 0.90). Fish guild analyses revealed tolerant and omnivore species dominating the downstream, while sensitive and insectivores depleting in approximation with changing water chemistry and was confirmed by the principal component analysis. In addition, the fish guilds meticulously responded to phosphorus inflows. In conclusion, overall stream health and water chemistry analyses indicated continuous chemical and biological degradation influencing the trophic and tolerance fish guilds. Moreover, the combined application approach of WPI and IBI KR could help in better understanding the chemical and biological mechanisms in rivers and streams.

- by Usman Atique and +1
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- Water quality, Stream ecology, Ecological Health, Index of Biotic Integrity

One hundred thirty-three Twin Cities Metropolitan area stream stations were sampled during 1998-2000. Our goal was to gain knowledge of fish communities in these rarely studied urban streams and to document their status. Seventy-two species from 18 families were collected during the survey. Fathead minnows, central mudminnows, and green sunfish were the most frequently occurring species. Trout were collected from

- by Phil Talmage
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- Brown trout, Rainbow trout, Fish Community, Brook Trout
- by João Neto
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- Decision Making, Biological Sciences, Ecological Indicator, Environmental Sciences

Associations between macrobenthic communities, measures of water column and sediment exposure, and measures of anthropogenic activities throughout the watershed were examined for the Chesapeake Bay, U.S. The condition of the macrobenthic communities was indicated by a multimetric benthic index of biotic integrity (B-IBI) that compares deviation of community metrics from values at reference sites assumed to be minimally altered by anthropogenic sources of stress. Correlation analysis was used to examine associations between sites with poor benthic condition and measures of pollution exposure in the water column and sediment. Low dissolved oxygen events were spatially extensive and strongly correlated with benthic community condition, explaining 42% of the variation in the B-IBI. Sediment contamination was spatially limited to a few specific locations including Baltimore Harbor and the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River and explained about 10% of the variation in the B-IBI. After removing the effects of low dissolved oxygen events, the residual variation in benthic community condition was weakly correlated with surrogates for eutrophication-water column concentrations of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll a. Associations between benthic condition and anthropogenic inputs and activities in the watershed were also studied by correlation analysis. Benthic condition was negatively correlated with measures of urbanization (i.e., population density, point source loadings, and total nitrogen loadings) and positively correlated with watershed forestation. Significant correlations were observed with population density and nitrogen loading below the fall line, but not above it, suggesting that near-field activities have a greater effect on benthic condition than activities in the upper watershed. At the tributary level, the frequency of low dissolved oxygen events and levels of sediment contaminants were positively correlated with population density and percent of urban land use. Sediment contaminants were also positively correlated with point source nutrient loadings. Water column total nitrogen concentrations were positively correlated with nonpoint nutrient loadings and agricultural land use while total phosphorus concentrations were not correlated with land use or nutrient loadings. Chlorophyll a concentrations were positively correlated with nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in the water column and with agricultural land use but were not correlated with nutrient loads.

- by Ananda Ranasinghe
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- Earth Sciences, Water quality, Biological Sciences, Phosphorus

- by Vladimir Novotny
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- Stress, Multidisciplinary, Ecological Modelling, Learning

A Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (B-IBI) was developed for the Moiben River. The index assesses effects of human disturbance on the biotic condition of stream macroinvertebrate communities. Eight stations were selected to represent different land-use types including forestry, settlement, grassland and mixed farming, practiced at different intensities. A total of 22 metrics were correlated against habitat quality and water quality parameters to determine their interrelationships. Ten metrics were shown to be responsive to changes in water and habitat quality, so could be used to separate sites according to levels of degradation. These were taxa richness (of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera and intolerant taxa richness), assemblage composition (percentage Ephemeroptera + Plecoptera + Trichoptera [EPT] individuals, and percentage of individuals in dominant taxa), pollution tolerance (percentage of tolerant individuals) and three functional feeding group metrics (ratio of scraper:filterer individuals, percentage gatherer genera, and percentage predator individuals). We calculated B-IBIs by summing metrics for each site, after transforming them to a discrete 1, 3, 5 scale. Values for the final index correlated well with measures of human influence based on qualitative assessment of habitat quality (Pearson's r 2 = 0.88). This preliminary benthic macroinvertebrate B-IBI shows promise for developing biological standards, which would facilitate long-term monitoring of streams in the upper reaches of Lake Victoria Basin.

- by Frank O Masese
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- Earth Sciences, Biological Sciences, Lake Victoria, Index of Biotic Integrity

We describe a tolerance classification based on the physicochemical parameters of water and habitat quality indices for native and introduced fish species in northeastern Spain. Although fish are widely used as biological indicators, the tolerance categories currently available for Spanish Mediterranean fish species are uncertain or subjective. We sampled 430 sites covering a wide range of river conditions, allowing us to develop tolerance scores based on a quantitative assessment. We used indirect ordination methods to establish stress gradients between the environmental variables compiled during the monitoring surveys carried out from 2002 to 2008. We then drew up a tolerance classification for the most common species in our dataset using weighted average inference models based on the following gradients: water quality and the state of physical habitat. The results were corroborated by multivariate gradient analysis. The fish scores obtained were applied to an independent dataset and a positive correlation was found between assessment protocols. Our results corroborate the use of fish, including exotic fish species, as biological indicators. Our findings may be used in a regional Index of Biotic Integrity and for the use of fish in bioassessment studies based on scores.

- by Alberto Maceda-Veiga
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- Water quality, Bioindicators, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences

Non-wadeable rivers are relatively understudied compared to smaller, wadeable streams. Currently, protocols exist in most states, including Michigan, to evaluate the ecological condition of wadeable streams, but few protocols exist for larger, non-wadeable rivers. The goal of this research was to develop a multimetric index of biological integrity for Michigan's non-wadeable rivers, and we sampled 28 unique river reaches in Michigan that encompassed a wide range of human impacts and ecological conditions. In each reach, we collected physical, chemical, and macroinvertebrate samples. Using several techniques to eliminate redundancy among metrics and identify those biological attributes that correlated with anthropogenic influences, we developed a useful protocol that will allow the rapid bioassessment of such rivers in Michigan. When used together with the Non-wadeable Habitat Index, the Non-wadeable Index of Biotic Integrity (NW-IBI) will allow objective evaluation of non-wadeable rivers in Michigan.

- by Jennifer Wilhelm
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- Water quality, Plant Biology, Human impact, Water Quality

The biological assessment of lotic resources in much of the U.S. and Canada initially focused on wadeable rivers and streams. However, increased emphasis is being placed on larger, non–wadeable rivers. Many of these efforts include the development of multimetric indices represented by the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) following the original developmental work in the U.S. They include the pioneering work in the Wabash River of the Midwestern U.S., the inland rivers of Ohio and Wisconsin, the Ohio River mainstem, large western rivers and Quebec rivers, all of which focused on the fish assemblage. Monitoring fish assemblages in large rivers includes logistical and technical considerations that affect obtaining reliable estimates of relative abundance for all species that are amenable to efficient capture. A single gear approach is preferred for practical reasons and electrofishing is the sampling method of choice. Sampling effort is expressed in terms of distance sampled at a site and includes formulas based on fixed distances or multiples of river channel width. Relative abundance data are analyzed via multimetric indices (e.g., Index of Biotic Integrity), which are contingent on the development of a reference condition that supports a derivation and calibration process. Defining reference for large rivers represents a different challenge than with smaller, wadeable streams. For the latter, sufficient and suitable reference analogs usually exist, thus reference condition can be empirically derived. However, such analogs are either rare or do not adequately reflect the restorable potential for large rivers. Thus in developing the expectations that are necessary for metric calibration and IBI development, adequate historical knowledge of the assemblage is critical. Once developed, the metrics and indices provide meaningful measures of assemblage quality and response to chemical, physical, and biological influences and perturbations. This has been demonstrated for a wide variety of human impacts including water pollution, habitat and flow alterations, and land use changes. Successfully applying this protocol to large rivers involves taking the correct sequence of steps in the initial development of sampling

- by Chris Yoder
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- Fish assemblages, Index of Biotic Integrity

An index of biotic integrity (IBI) is a frequently used approach for assessing the ecological integrity of streams with fish and macroinvertebrates the faunal assemblages most commonly used as indicator taxa. The IBI approach has been much less commonly applied to wetlands, despite the legal, policy and scientific need to assess wetland condition and develop ecological performance goals for wetland creation, restoration and enhancement. While some IBIs are sophisticated systems with statewide application that have undergone one or more testing iterations, many published IBIs are derived from single data sets of a single class of aquatic resource with limited geographic application. The State of Ohio initiated development of a wetland IBI using vascular plants in 1996. Sampling methods were investigated and ultimately a plot-based method was adopted. Potential attributes and different human disturbance gradients were evaluated in several studies. Ultimately, IBIs for emergent, forest and shrub dominated wetlands were developed. Data from the Vegetation IBI-emergent (VIBI-E) is presented to illustrate this process. Subsequent testing and refinement is a critical step in the development of a robust IBI with more than local application. Throughout its initial development (R 2 = 0.863, p < 0.001), first major testing iteration (R 2 = 82.2%, p < 0.001), second test iteration (R 2 = 75.0%, p < 0.001) and third test iteration (R 2 = 82.1%, p < 0.001), the VIBI-E has remained significantly correlated with the disturbance gradient. Eight of the original 10 metrics proposed continued to have significant and interpretable relationships with the disturbance gradient, with 4 metrics remaining completely unchanged, and 4 undergoing relatively minor modifications, and 2 being replaced. The VIBI-E and its component metrics were also evaluated against a new disturbance gradient (Landscape Development Index or LDI), derived from land use percentages within a 1 km radius of the wetlands, that was not used during VIBI-E development. The VIBI-E score and 9 of 10 metrics were significantly correlated with the LDI disturbance gradient providing separate confirmation of the VIBI. The Vegetation IBI-E consistently and reliably assessed wetland condition across the whole range of wetland types throughout Ohio's ecological regions. #

- by John Mack
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- Evaluation, Biological Sciences, Multiple testing, Environmental Sciences

Fish assemblage data were collected using daytime electrofishing during 1993–2001 fro m 275 river reaches found throughout the Interior River Lowland and Eastern Corn Belt Plain ecoregions t o construct, test, and apply an index of biotic integrity (IBI). The index was developed from a rapid assessment procedure that was used to assess the environmental quality of large and great river ecosystems in the state. The reference condition was based on 275 sites that were representative of the Wabash River , but were not pristine or least-impacted. These sites were not randomly chosen, but met specific least-impacted criteria to develop the IBI. We used another 36 sites exposed to point-source discharges to tes t the index. Prior to sampling, sites were classified as "least-impacted" or as affected by point sourc e pollution from industrial discharges. Of the 24 potential IBI metrics considered, 12 metrics were chose n based on statistical relevance for large and great rivers. For the test subset, the least-impacted sites ha d significantly higher mean scores and lower temporal variation than the point-source site classification , showing they possessed the best ecosystem quality. Point-source sites had the lowest means and most variable scores, signifying degraded ecosystem quality. Least-impacted sites had the highest IBI score s and the lowest variability, while representative sites typical of agricultural land uses had slightly but no t significantly worse scores. Regional estimates of stream conditions showed that 42% of the stream reache s in the Interior River Lowland ecoregion had fish assemblages in poor or fair ecological condition, whil e large-river reaches in the Eastern Corn Belt Plain ecoregion had 36% fair and 23% good .

- by Thomas P Simon
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- Large River Ecology, Large Rivers, Index of Biotic Integrity
- by Daniel Cluzeau
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- Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Earthworms, Land Use

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) seeks to preserve, protect and enhance the living resources of the state. Working in partnership with the citizens of Maryland, this worthwhile goal will become a reality. This publication provides information that will increase your understanding of how DNR strives to reach that goal through its many diverse programs.

- by Melissa Wuellner
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- Landscape Ecology, Geography, Fisheries, Ecology

A gradient of agricultural intensification (from permanent meadows to permanent crops, with rotation crops and meadows as intermediary steps) was studied in the course of the RMQS-Biodiv program, covering a regular grid of 109 sites spread over the whole area of French Brittany. Soil biota (earthworms, other macrofauna, microarthropods, nematodes, microorganisms) were sampled according to a standardized procedure, together with visual assessment of a Humus Index. We hypothesized that soil animal and microbial communities were increasingly disturbed along this gradient, resulting in decreasing species richness and decreasing abundance of most sensitive species groups. We also hypothesized that the application of organic matter could compensate for the negative effects of agricultural intensity by increasing the abundance of fauna relying directly on soil organic matter for their food requirements, i.e. saprophagous invertebrates. We show that studied animal and microbial groups, with...

- by Nuria Ruiz Camacho
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- Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Earthworms, Land Use

This paper presents the results of cost effectiveness (CE) analysis of vegetative filter strips (VFS) and instream half-logs as tools for recovering scores on a fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) in the upper Wabash River watershed (UW) in Indiana. Three assumptions were made about recovery time for IBI scores (5, 15, and 30 years) and social discount rates (1, 3, and 5 percent), which were tested for sensitivity of the estimated CE ratios. Effectiveness of VFS was estimated using fish IBIs and riparian forest cover from 49 first-order to fifth-order stream reaches. Half-log structures had been installed for approximately two years in the UW prior to the study and provided a basis for estimates of cost and maintenance. Cost effectiveness ratios for VFS decreased from 387 to 277 per 100 m for a 1 percent increase in IBI scores from first- to fifthorder streams with 3 percent discount and 30-year recovery. This cost weighted by proportion of stream orders was $360. The ratio decreased with decreasing time of recovery and discount rate. Based on installation costs and an assumption of equal recovery rates, half-logs were two-thirds to one-half as cost-effective as VFS. Half-logs would be a cost-effective supplement to VFS in low order streams if they can be proven to recover IBI scores faster than VFS do. This study provides baseline data and a framework for planning and determining the cost of stream restoration.

The European Water Framework Directive clearly indicates that fish is one of the "quality elements" to be considered for the assessment of lentic systems. However, few fish-based indices (FBIs) of biotic integrity have been developed for lakes so far. Hence, the aim of our study was to develop such a tool for French lakes. Fish surveys, lakes natural environmental parameters, catchment-scale anthropogenic pressures, and local pressures were collected for 67 reservoirs and 24 natural lakes throughout France. After assigning fish species into trophic, reproductive, and tolerance guilds, we derived a set of metrics reflecting complementary aspects of community functioning and condition. Other community-level traits such as richness and evenness were added. These metrics were modeled vs. natural environmental variables and pressures. Reference conditions at each site were then assessed using hindcasting modeling. Separate indices were eventually obtained for natural and artificial lakes by combining selected metrics. Fifteen out of 73 candidate fish metrics, covering all three groups of functional traits, displayed a significant response to anthropogenic pressures. After removal of the redundant traits, the final indices for natural lakes and reservoirs included three and six metrics, respectively. Agricultural-related impacts were prominent for reservoirs, whereas for natural lakes urban and local pressures displayed the most significant effects.

We developed an Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) for the Interior Plateau Ecoregion (IPE), USA, which assessed effects of human disturbance on the biotic condition of stream diatom communities. We selected 7 metrics from 59 diatom attributes at reference and impaired sites (training sites), based on significant differences between site groups using the Mann-Whitney U test, high separation power, and a low coefficient of variation. We calculated IBIs by summing metrics for a site after transforming them to a discrete 1, 3, 5 scale or a continuous 0-10 scale. Both discrete and continuous scaling systems successfully separated reference and impaired sites, and IBI scores were significantly related to agricultural land use in IPE watersheds. We then tested the diatom IBI using a 2 nd data set from IPE streams (test sites), processed by slightly different sampling methods and taxonomic references, and classified sites as reference or impaired based on the same criteria used for the training-site data set. Diatom IBI scores differed significantly between reference and impaired streams and correctly classified 80% of sites in the test-site data set. Compared with other diatom IBIs, our measure showed higher separation power among sites and provided an accurate characterization of stream impairment in study watersheds. The developed diatom IBI can be a useful tool for stream and watershed management.

- by Yi-Kuang Wang
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- Metrics, Ecology, Environmental Assessment, Fisheries Sciences

We examined the nearshore fish community in the St. Marys River using a standardized boat electrofishing protocol to (1) compare the current nearshore fish community of the river to previous surveys, (2) compare the status of fish communities from four distinct areas of the river (the upper river above the compensating gates, the main river, Lake George, and the lower river), and complete an overall assessment of the fish community using an index of biotic integrity approach. The St. Marys River contains a diverse and complex fish community, with dissimilar fish communities located in broad habitat types along the spatial extent of the river. We demonstrated that the nearshore fish community is relatively unaltered over the past 25 years, with many species that were common in the early 1980s remaining important community members today. More invasive fishes now inhabit the river, but unlike many other areas of the Great Lakes, invasives are not common and do not appear to be negatively affecting native species. The overall health of the St. Marys River fish community compared favorably with relatively un-impacted sites from Lake Huron.

- by Lisa O'Connor
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- Environmental Engineering, Great Lakes, Negative Affect, Fish Community

The Clean Water Act expressed its goals in terms of restoring and preserving the physical, chemical and biological integrity of the Nation's waters. Integrity has been defined as the ability of the water body's ecological system to support and maintain a balanced integrated, adaptive community of organisms comparable to that of a natural biota of the region. Several indices of biotic integrity (IBIs) have been developed to measure quantitatively the biotic composition and, hence, the integrity. Integrity can be impaired by discharges of pollutants from point and nonpoint sources and by other pollution-related to watershed/landscape and channel stresses, including channel and riparian zone modifications and habitat impairment. Various models that link the stressors to the biotic assessment endpoints, i.e., the IBIs, have been presented and discussed. Simple models that link IBIs directly to single or multiple surrogate stressors such as percent imperviousness are inadequate because they may not represent a true cause-effect proximate relationship. Furthermore, some surrogate landscape parameters are irreversible and the relationships cannot be used for development of plans for restoration of the water body integrity. A concept of a layered hierarchical model that will link the watershed, landscape and stream morphology pollution stressors to the biotic assessment endpoints (IBIs) is described. The key groups of structural components of the model are: IBIs and their metrics in the top layer, chemical water and sediment risks and a habitat quality index in the layer below, in-stream concentrations in water and sediments and channel/habitat impairment parameters in the third layer, and watershed/landscaper pollution generating stressors, land use change rates, and hydrology in the lowest layer of stressors. A modified and expanded Maximum Species Richness concept is developed and used to reveal quantitatively the functional relationships between the top two layers of the structural components and parameters of the model.

- by Neal O’Reilly
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- Invertebrates, Rivers, Risk assessment, Biodiversity

/ Fishes in midwestern streams of the United States experience strong upstream-downstream gradients in natural environmental variability. Upstream fishes experience greater temporal variability in physical-chemical conditions than downstream fishes, particularly in intermittent streams. Associated with these changes in environmental variability, basic changes occur in life history attributes and temporal variation in community structure of stream fishes. As a whole, upstream species have a shorter lifespan , smaller body size, and earlier sexual maturity than downstream species. Descriptive studies also suggest upstream species exhibit more rapid recolonization after severe physical disturbance than downstream species, and fish community structure is temporally more variable in upstream than downstream areas. These longitudinal differences in life history characteristics suggest that upstream fish communities will exhibit more rapid recovery from severe anthropogenic disturbances than downstream fish communities. The greater temporal variability of fish community structure in upstream areas also suggests it will be more difficult in upstream than downstream areas to use fish-based indices to distinguish whether subtle changes in environmental quality are due to natural or anthropogenic disturbances. Long-term monitoring of fishes throughout drainage basins is critically needed to establish more precisely the natural range of variation in community structure. Such monitoring will allow regulatory agencies to distinguish, with greater confidence, the influence of anthropogenic disturbances on stream fishes from the influence of natural environmental variation.

- by Isaac Schlosser
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- Environmental Management, Life history, Multidisciplinary, United States

The long term monitoring of aquatic ecosystems based on chemical analysis is expensive resulting in a lack of time series data for management purposes thus necessitating the need for new cost effective methodologies. This study developed a fish-based index of biotic integrity (FIBI) for monitoring environmental conditions in riverine ecosystems within the Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya. The fish fauna in the basin is poorly studied, less diverse and ecologically specialized than the temperate fauna that provided the origins of the Index of Biotic Integrity. Fish samples were collected by electrofishing from 24 sites during baseflow periods in February, March and July 2004. Validation data were collected from 7 sites with varying levels of degradation. Fish samples were identified, counted and grouped into different trophic groups, relative tolerance to pollution, habitat guild and whether exotic or native to riverine environment. Thirty-three candidate metrics were evaluated for responsiveness to habitat quality and twelve were selected for inclusion in the final index. The index classified 6 of the 7 validation sites according to their levels of degradation. As a bioassessment tool, the index was useful in laying the basis for long-term monitoring of rivers in the Lake Victoria drainage basin.

The index of biotic integrity (IBI) integrates 12 measures of stream fish assemblages for assessing water resource quality. Initially developed and tested in the Midwest, the IBI recently was adapted for use in western Oregon, northeastern Colorado, New England, the Appalachians of West Virginia and Virginia, and northern California. The concept also was extended to Louisiana estuaries. In regions of low species richness, the IBI proved difficult to apply and often required extensive modification. Adapting the 1BI to those regions required that metrics be replaced, deleted, or added to accommodate regional differences in fish distribution and assemblage structure and function. Frequently replaced metrics include: proportion of individuals as green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus), proportion of individuals as insectivorous cyprinids, proportion of individuals as hybrids, and number and identity of sunfish and darter species. The proportion of individuals as top carnivore metric was often deleted. Metrics added include total fish biomass and the number and identity of minnow species. These modifications generally followed the original IBI concept and its theoretical underpinnings. Problems remain in establishing tolerance rankings and scoring criteria, and adjusting scoring criteria for gradient differences in streams of similar size. The IBI holds promise for direct biological monitoring because of its strong ecological foundation and flexibility. Vermont, Tennessee Valley Authority, Ohio, Kentucky, and Illinois have incorporated the IBI into their monitoring or standards programs. The IBI thus serves as a quantitative, biological goal for water resource management.

- by Robert A Daniels and +2
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- Fisheries, Water resource management, Fisheries Sciences, Species Richness

The effluents from sewage treatment plants strongly influence the water quality and flow of Mediterranean streams. These effluents play a crucial role in maintaining the aquatic communities of these ecosystems, particularly in the absence of natural flow resulting from climate constraints or intensive water use. To detect the ecological effects of these effluents, we used non-lethal biomarkers in Barbus meridionalis and traditional assessment protocols in the Ripoll River (NE of Spain). Our results demonstrate the utility of haematological parameters. In comparison with fish at reference sites, we detected a decrease in haematocrit and haemoglobin, neutrophilia, lymphopenia, monocytosis, a rise in the nucleo-cytoplasmatic ratio of erythrocytes and an increase in the frequency of abnormal, immature and senescent erythrocytes. Many haematological parameters correlated significantly with the environmental parameters measured. In addition to these haematological alterations, histopathological examination also revealed damage in fish livers but no impact was detected by the regional index of biotic integrity using fish as bioindicators. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report this battery of haematological parameters as biomarkers on a freshwater fish in a Mediterranean stream. In a region in which more than 50% of native fish species are classified as endangered or vulnerable, there is an urgent need to find biomarkers that do not harm the animals.

- by Alberto Maceda-Veiga
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- Hematology, Water quality, Aquatic Toxicology, Environmental Monitoring

Abstract The European Union, Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires monitoring of riverine fish fauna. When the WFD came into force in 2000, most of the EU member states did not have fish-based assessment methods compliant to WFD requirements. Therefore, the objectives of FAME (http://fame.boku.ac.at), a project under the fifth R&D Framework Programme of the European Commission were to develop, evaluate and implement a standardised fish-based method for assessing the ecological status of European running waters. This paper synthesises the outputs of FAME and defines future research needs. Two different methodologies were used: the so-called spatially based modelling and the site-specific modelling, the latter leading to the European Fish Index (EFI). The advantage of the EFI is that, despite being a single index, it is applicable to a wide range of environmental conditions across Europe precluding the need for inter-calibration. The EFI will support the WFD towards harmonised/standardised assessment and management of running waters in Europe, thus enabling comparative analyses of the ecological status of running waters across Europe.

- by Stefan Schmutz
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- Ecology, Fisheries Management, European Union, European Commission

As a step towards determining the extent of degradation in non-tidal streams, a multi-metric Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) based on fish assemblages was developed for the Maryland Biological Stream Survey (MBSS). The MBSS is a probability-based statewide sampling program designed to assess the status of biological resources and to evaluate the effects of anthropogenic activities. We used data from 419 MBSS sites sampled in 1994-95 to develop the IBI. Two distinct geographic strata, corresponding with ecoregional and physiographic boundaries, were identified via cluster analysis and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) as supporting distinctly different species groups. Reference conditions were based on minimally degraded sites. We quantitatively evaluated the ability of various attributes of the fish assemblage (candidate metrics) to discriminate between these reference sites and sites known to be degraded, using statistical tests and classification efficiency. Provisional formulations of the IBI were selected for each region based on high classification efficiency and broad representation of fish assemblage attributes. Fish IBI scores for 1995 MBSS sites spanned a wide range of biological conditions, from good to very poor. Over all six basins sampled in 1995, half of the stream miles fell into the range of good to fair. Roughly 25% of stream miles showed some degradation. The IBI will be used in conjunction with physical and chemical data to answer critical questions about the health of Maryland streams and the relative impacts of human-induced stresses on the state's aquatic systems.

We examined long-term ecological change in two Hudson River tributaries, the Wappinger and Fishkill Creek watersheds in Dutchess County, New York State. Fish data spanning 65 years (1936, 1988, 1992, and 2001) and shorter term macroinvertebrate data (1988, 2001) were used to assess the influence of land use practices. Between 1988 and 2001, macroinvertebrate index Biotic Assessment Profile (BAP) improved by 113-165% in the Fishkill Creek watershed, and fish Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) improved by 117-140%. Fish IBI and fish species richness were significantly different (p < 0.01) between the watersheds, with Wappinger Creek in better condition. Long-term fish IBI scores showed degradation in both watersheds since the 1930s. Changes in species composition suggest community homogenization on par with overall changes in the fish fauna of New York. Most notable were increases in tolerant species and declines in intolerant or moderately tolerant species. Whereas Fishkill Creek IBIs showed decline in 1988 relative to 1936, followed by improvement, Wappinger Creek declined monotonically in environmental quality. Development has intensified in both watersheds, but Fishkill Creek is improving while Wappinger Creek watershed is undergoing less mitigated degradation. We find that older, semi-quantitative data can be used to construct environmental quality indicators, and can be of great use for measuring long-term change.

- by Robert A Daniels
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- Earth Sciences, Stream ecology, Ecosystem health, Aquatic Invertebrates

Two different methods to predict biotic integrity were tested and compared in the present paper. The first one tries to predict the fish indices of biotic integrity (IBI) at the state or regional scale based on the most similar observations to a specific target site of interest using the simple to implement k-nearest neighbors (or kNN) method. Two different distance functions were considered to find the k-nearest neighbors: the Euclidean and the Mahalanobis. The second method was applied on the same datasets and consisted of a step-wise multiple regression. The two modeling approaches yielded similar results but kNN proved to be more time-efficient and very fast computationally for the given dataset sizes, which allowed applying a leave-one-out cross validation. In an attempt to reveal the importance of scale in the prediction of IBI, regression models were constructed at the state (or regional) scale and at the more refined cluster of sampling sites scale. Clusters of sites were extracted using Kohonen's self-organizing maps (SOM) followed by k-means clustering of the SOM neurons. Cluster-level regression models, constructed after site patterning, performed better in IBI prediction than global regression models constructed without any previous site patterning. The importance of identifying groups of sites with similar environmental characteristics affecting the IBI was revealed. The combined use of site patterning and regression modeling for IBI prediction also helped identifying important variables acting at the local scale which remain latent at the global scale.

- by David Bedoya
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- Computer Science, Stress, Multidisciplinary, Ecological Modelling

Kardeh River is one of the most important permanent rivers of Khorasan Razavi province Which supplies a large part of Mashhad's drinking and agricultural water. Multivariate analysis was used to find out the quality of Kardeh River in this study and to understand the impact of macroinvertebrates community structure drivers on ecosystem management. For this purpose, macroinvertebrates sampling was performed from four study stations during four seasons in 2018-2019, physical and chemical parameters also were measured. In this study, Of the Ephemeroptera, the total number of Caenidae and Baetidae families had the highest abundance (66 / 60 %). The results showed that the Index of Biotic Integrity varied from 3 to 1.1 and based on this biodiversity indicator, Kardeh River water quality was classified into three relatively good, poor and very poor quality classes. The Stream Invertebrate Grade Number Average Level index was classified into two categories: moderate pollution and severe pollution. Canonical Corrspondence Analysis also showed that nitrate, biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand had the most effect on the distribution of macroinvertebrates at the study stations. In general, the Kardeh River water quality was poorly evaluated and among the study stations the station conditions were relatively better than the other stations. Therefore, among the available indices, multimetric indices are more reliable. However, these index should be calibrated according to the conditions of Iranian rivers.

- by olom paih
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- Signal Processing, Macroinvertebrates, Index of Biotic Integrity, Biological Assessment

A As ss se es ss sm me en nt t: : D De ev ve el lo op pm me en nt t o of f a an n I In nd de ex x o of f B Bi io ot ti ic c I In nt te eg gr ri it ty y f fo or r N No on n--w wa ad de ea ab bl le e R Ri iv ve er rs s M MB BI I T Te ec ch hn ni ic ca al l R Re ep po or rt t M MB BI I/ /2 20 00 08 8--1 11 1--2 2 M Ma ar rc ch h 8 8, , 2 20 00 09 9 ( (A Ad dd de en nd du um m M Ma ar rc ch h 3 31 1, , 2

- by Chris Yoder and +1
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- Monitoring And Evaluation, Fish assemblages, Water Quality, Index of Biotic Integrity

We examined relationships between stream fish assemblages and land use alteration associated with urbanization in 15 lower Piedmont watersheds along an urbanization gradient north of Columbus, western Georgia. Based on land cover data from 2002 Landsat 7 TM imagery aerial photos, streams drained watersheds that were largely urban, developing (suburban), agricultural (pasture), managed pine forest, and unmanaged mixedforest. We quantified fish seasonally from 3 run-pool segments in each stream, and used a variety of metrics as response variables in analyses of relationships between fish assemblage structure and land use and natural basin variation. In general, Georgia-Index of Biotic Integrity (GA-IBI) values, Bray-Curtis faunal similarity of streams to mean conditions within reference streams, proportions of fish as lithophilic spawners, and fish lacking eroded fins, lesions, tumors decreased with increasing urbanization. Multiple regression indicated that assemblages were explained by a combination of land use and natural basin variables (basin size, average discharge, nearest distance to a larger downstream tributary [colonization source]), with land use variables being important predictors of summer assemblages and natural basin variables being more important in winter and spring assemblages. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordinations revealed strong separation between assemblages in urban watersheds and forested watersheds, whereas assemblages in agricultural and developing watersheds were intermediate between those in urban and forested watersheds. Our data suggest that fish are reliable indicators of anthropogenic disturbance at the landscape scale, at least seasonally, and may be used to forecast the magnitude of landscape-level changes in stream structure and function associated with the conversion of forests to urban/suburban land in the Southeast.

- by Brian Helms
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- Ecology, Urban Development, Protein Structure and Function, Seasonality

The IBI can be used to assess the effect of metals on fish community structure.

- by Marcel Eens
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- Water quality, Biomass, Population Dynamics, Environmental Monitoring

This study evaluated biological integrity expectations of fish assemblages in wadeable streams for the Alabama portion of the Choctawhatchee River watershed using a multimetric approach. Thirty-four randomly selected stream sites were sampled in late spring 2001 to calibrate an index of biotic integrity (IBI). Validation data were collected during the spring 2001, and summer and fall of 2003 from disturbed and leastimpacted targeted sites (n = 20). Thirty-five candidate metrics were evaluated for their responsiveness to environmental degradation. Twelve metrics were selected to evaluate wadeable streams and four replacement metrics were selected for headwater streams. Scores that ranged from 58 to 60 were considered to be representative of excellent biotic integrity (none found in this study), scores of 48-52 as good integrity (31% of the sites in this study), 40-44 as fair (43%), 28-34 as poor (21%), and 12-22 as very poor (5%). Of the four stream condition categories (urban, cattle, row crop, and least impacted), the IBI scores for urban and cattle sites differed significantly from least-impacted sites. Row crop sites, although not significantly different from least-impacted, tended to have greater variability than the other categories. Lower IBI scores at both urban and cattle sites suggest that the IBI accurately reflects stream impairment in the Choctawhatchee River drainage.

- by Thomas P Simon
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- Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, FISH, Coastal Plain

The lakes of central Mexico have great cultural, economic, and biological value, but they are being degraded at an accelerating rate. We employed historical data on fish communities from 19 of these lakes and case studies of community responses to environmental degradation from four of the best-studied, Xochimilco, Cuitzeo, Chapala, and Pátzcuaro, to construct a preliminary index of biotic integrity

- by Eduardo SOTO-GALERA
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- Earth Sciences, Exotic Species, Cultural Economics, Ecosystem health
- by jan breine
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- Mathematics, Earth Sciences, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences

This paper compares approaches to quantifying land cover/land use (LCLU) in riparian corridors of 23 watersheds in Oregon's Willamette Valley using color infrared aerial photography (AP) and Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery. For each imagery source, LCLU adjacent to stream networks were quantified across a range of lateral and longitudinal scales. Single-date AP data had higher LCLU class accuracies than the

- by Peter Lattin
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- Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Science, Remote Sensing

Natural Resources Conservation Service has recommended domestic cattle grazing exclusion from riparian corridors for decades. This recommendation was based on a belief that domestic cattle grazing would typically destroy stream bank vegetation and in-channel habitat. Continuous grazing (CG) has caused adverse environmental damage, but along cohesive-sediment stream banks of disturbed catchments in southeastern Minnesota, short-duration grazing (SDG), a rotational grazing system, may offer a better riparian management practice than CG. Over 30 physical and biological metrics were gathered at 26 sites to evaluate differences between SDG, CG, and nongrazed sites (NG). Ordinations produced with nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMS) indicated a gradient with a benthic macroinvertebrate index of biotic integrity (IBI) and riparian site management; low IBI scores associated with CG sites and higher IBI scores associated with NG sites. Nongrazed sites were associated with reduced soil compaction and higher bank stability, as measured by the Pfankuch stability index; whereas CG sites were associated with increased soil compaction and lower bank stability, SDG sites were intermediate. Bedrock geology influenced NMS results: sites with carbonate derived cobble were associated with more stable channels and higher IBI scores. Though current riparian grazing practices in southeastern Minnesota present pollution problems, short duration grazing could reduce sediment pollution if managed in an environmentally sustainable fashion that considers stream channel response. Keywords Short duration grazing Á Channel stream bank Á Channel stream bed Á Habitat Á Benthic IBI Minnesota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit is jointly sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and the Wildlife Management Institute.

- by Kenneth Brooks
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- Environmental Science, Invertebrates, Environmental Management, Agriculture

Application of a sentinel species-based population evaluation using creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus), a common minnow in eastern North America, could provide a framework for environmental assessments and focus future research in small streams. Analysis of creek chub endpoints (growth, condition, fecundity) was based on an assessment framework for white sucker (Catostomus commersoni) populations (Gibbons & Munkittrick, 1994). We evaluated creek

- by Roman Lanno
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- Water quality, Ecotoxicology, Biology, Urban Agriculture

Federal and state environmental agencies conduct several programs to characterize the environmental condition of Chesapeake Bay. These programs use different benthic indices and survey designs, and have produced assessments that differ in the estimate of the extent of benthic community degradation in Chesapeake Bay. Provided that the survey designs are unbiased, differences may exist in the ability of these indices to identify environmental degradation. In this study we compared the results of three indices calculated on the same data, and the assessments of two programs: the Chesapeake Bay Program and the Mid-Atlantic Integrated Assessment (MAIA). We examined the level of agreement of index results using site-based measures of agreement, evaluated sampling designs and statistical estimation methods, and tested for signif

- by Daniel Dauer
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- Integrated assessment, Environmental Monitoring, Community, Multidisciplinary
- by Jack Feminella
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- Ecology, Urban Development, Protein Structure and Function, Seasonality