Functional evaluations in the monitoring of the river ecosystem processes: the Adige River as a case stu.

M.G Braioni,G Salmoiraghi,M Villani,A Braioni,L Girelli,F Bracco

doi:10.1100/tsw.2002.114

M.G Braioni, G Salmoiraghi + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2002.114

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Abstract

A model of analysis and environmental evaluation was applied to 11 stretches of the Adige River, where an innovative procedure was carried out to interpret ecological results. Within each stretch, the most suitable methods were used to assess the quality and processes of flood plains, banks, water column, bed, and interstitial environment. Indices were applied to evaluate the wild state and ecological quality of the banks (wild state index, buffer strip index) and the landscape quality of wide areas of the fluvial corridor (environmental landscape index). The biotic components (i.e., macrozoobenthos, phytoplankton and zooplankton, interstitial hyporheic fauna, vegetation in the riparian areas) were analysed by both quantitative and functional methods (as productivity, litter – processing and colonisation). The results achieved were then translated into five classes of functional evaluation. These qualitative assessments have thus preserved a high level of precision and sensitivity in quantifying both the quality of the environmental conditions and the integrity of the ecosystem processes. Read together with urban planning data, they indicate what actions are needed to restore and rehabilitate the Adige River corridor.

Highlights

Four factors — the river continuum concept[1,2], nutrient spiralling[3], river mosaic[4,5], and a multidimensional approach to the river ecosystem[6,7,8] — have favoured the development of methods appropriate for measuring functional processes.Braioni: Monitoring of the River Ecosystem ProcessesTheScientificWorldJOURNAL (2002) 2, 660-683European Directive 2000/60[9] established a framework for community action in the field of water policy that has the following objectives: human development compatible with restoration, environmental safeguards, and defence from flood as well as dryness
The landscape quality of the riparian areas was evaluated by the environmental landscape index (ELI)[14]
This form is applied within the area of fluvial pertinence, which is defined based on the geomorphologic features and human presence within the area itself, surveyed upon existing cartography, upon aerial photos, and onthe-spot investigation

Summary

Introduction

Four factors — the river continuum concept[1,2], nutrient spiralling[3], river mosaic[4,5], and a multidimensional approach to the river ecosystem[6,7,8] — have favoured the development of methods appropriate for measuring functional processes.Braioni: Monitoring of the River Ecosystem ProcessesTheScientificWorldJOURNAL (2002) 2, 660-683European Directive 2000/60[9] established a framework for community action in the field of water policy that has the following objectives: human development compatible with restoration, environmental safeguards, and defence from flood as well as dryness. It is important to develop methods for monitoring the quality of ecosystem compartments so far neglected (banks and riparian areas, for example) and to define procedures for monitoring the quantitative processes of the fluvial ecosystem. To achieve these goals, several indices for evaluating the quality of banks and riparian areas were applied within the model of analysis and environmental evaluation (Fig. 1) tested on 11 sample areas of the Adige River corridor. The Planning Use Map, which is not reported on this paper[10,11], is an example of the norms of planning and management that can be derived from an integrated reading of the territory data

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Conclusion