Ecological status monitoring lakes

Padisak, J., Borics, G., Grigorszky, I. and Soroczki-Pinter. E. (2006) Use of phytoplankton assemblages for monitoring ecological status of lakes within the Water Framework Directive the assemblage index, Hydrobiologia, 553. pp. 1-14. 

Traditionally, lake monitoring has focused on physico-chemical parameters (nutrients, oxygen profiles, etc.) and on phytoplankton biomass as indicated by chlorophyll a, on which several classification schemes exist (e.g. OECD, 1982 Cailson, 1977). Only recently, following the new requirement introduced by the WFD to assess lake ecological status (see Cardoso et al., 2006 for a review) have most European countries included several other biological quality elements in their routine monitoring programmes, such as phytoplankton, macrophytes and phytobenthos, benthic invertebrates and fish. 

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