Biological indicator Water quality. Eleni Diapouli MSc in Water Resources Management

Transcription

1 Biological indicator Water quality Eleni Diapouli MSc in Water Resources Management

2 Water Framework Directive The sustainable management of water resources is a tool to serve the main objective of Directive 2000/60/EC, which is the protection and the enhancement of the aquatic environment.

3 Sources of Pollution 1/2 Pollution from agriculture (fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides). They have non-point character and therefore their management is difficult). Industrial wastewater (industrial wastewater treatment plants are usually present only in large industries).

4 Sources of Pollution 2/2 Disposal of liquid and solid waste - household waste (food scraps, etc). Products of mining activity (heavy metals, arsenic e.t.c, harmful chemical compounds).

5 Biotic - Biological Indicators The concept of a Biological Indicator is based on the determination of the water quality (and correspondingly the level of eutrophication or the degree of pollution) based on the organisms living in it.

6 They are used: for detecting changes in the natural environment, for monitoring the presence of contamination and/or pollution, for monitoring progress of environmental rehabilitation and control substances (e.g drinking water) for the presence of contaminants.

7 Biological indicators should meet the following specifications: Be easily identified, Be sensitive to the pressures on the aquatic ecosystem, React to the pressure in a predictable way, Predict the disorders that can be prevented with appropriate management actions, Have known reactions to natural changes and human pressures.

8 Types of aquatic ecosystems The main types of aquatic ecosystems are: 1. Ecosystems in coastal waters - Seas, Lagoons 2. Ecosystems inland - Lakes - Rivers, Streams, creeks

9 Ecosystem inland To assess the quality of rivers & lakes different groups of aquatic organisms are used : phytoplankton, Macrophytes (macroalgae, marine phanerogams) Fish fauna (Rutilus rutilus, Cyprinus carpio, etc.) Phytobenthos (mainly diatoms), Macroinvertebrates etc.. The benthic macroinvertebrates are widely used as biotic indicators for estimating humans interventions on the quality of surface waters.

10 Advantages - Disadvantages A comparative table is presented below about the advantages and disadvantages of the use of macroinvertebrates as biomarkers in flowing waters. Advantages Low mobility Large number of species High degree of sensitivity to various pollutants Simple and low cost sampling Disadvantages Lack of response to all types of contaminants Seasonal changes in their distribution Large numbers of samples Table: Advantages and disadvantages of using macroinvertebrates as bioindicators in ecosystems watercourses

11 Comparative Evaluation of biological quality elements Characteristics of the groups Macroinvertebrates Diatoms Macrophytes Algae Fish Information for life distribution and environmental requirements ?/++?/+ +++ Existence of historical data ++?/+?/+?/+ +++ Long life cycle Low degree of mobility Ability to recognize and easily classification (level of species) Ability to recognize and easily classification (family level) ?/++?/ Convenience of sampling method Degree of impact on habitat sampling Sensitivity to various types of pollution ++/? +++ +/? + +/? Indication of long-term changes +? +/? +/? + Indication of short-term changes /? + +/? +++: strong advantage for this feature as biological quality element. ++: advantage of this feature as a biological quality element. +: this feature is not a significant advantage as biological quality element. ++/?: this feature as a biological quality element is an important advantage in some cases only. +/?: this feature as a biological quality element is an advantage only in certain cases.

12 Ecosystem in coastal waters To assess the quality of coastal waters the following group of species are used: phytoplankton Macrophytes and Angiosperms Macroinvertebrates

13 Conclusions Classes of quality Ecological status classes of water quality in accordance with the Framework Directive: High quality (undisturbed conditions, micro degraded conditions) Good quality (low scale anthropogenic interference, small deviation from the undisturbed conditions) Poor quality (large deviation from the undisturbed conditions, degradation)

14 Eutrophication of marine waters It occurs in ponds or in enclosed shallow bays under certain conditions, It is created by increasing the concentration of nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates, The movement of water is minimal, bacteria and algae grow consistently, which leads to increased consumption of dissolved oxygen and reduction of oxygen production.

15 The "green carpet" of eutrophication at Thermaikos gulf, Thessaloniki

16 Confront the problem of eutrophication Biological treatment of waste, Control in rural and agricultural runoff.

17 Conclusions 1. Assessing the quality of water bodies using biotic indices is based on a general principle according to which the most sensitive to pollution species disappear in the early stages of environmental degradation and the most resistant species survive. This process leads to the reduction of biodiversity as pollution increases.

18 Conclusions 2. To assess the ecological quality of inland waters benthic macroinvertebrates are widely used. Other evidence should also be omitted to assess the state of the rivers, which are the aquatic flora and fish fauna. 3. Determining the typology of water bodies is a very important factor for the application of biotic indices and comparison of results between different indicators.

19 Conclusions 4. Basic parameters for the application of a biotic indicator is the method of sampling and the diversity of habitat.

20 Thanks for your attention