Premium
More complexity does not always mean more accuracy: the case of IBMWP and METI in NW Spain
Author(s) -
CoutoMendoza M. T.,
VieiraLanero R.,
Cobo F.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
ecohydrology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.982
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1936-0592
pISSN - 1936-0584
DOI - 10.1002/eco.1528
Subject(s) - water framework directive , index (typography) , environmental science , sampling (signal processing) , biotic index , selection (genetic algorithm) , typology , environmental protection , statistics , geography , environmental resource management , ecology , physical geography , invertebrate , computer science , water quality , mathematics , biology , filter (signal processing) , artificial intelligence , world wide web , computer vision , archaeology
Since the Water Framework Directive (WFD) implementation, new biological indices based on macroinvertebrates have been developed, mainly focusing on multimetric approaches. This work checks the relationship among several biotic indices [Iberian Biological Monitoring Working Party (IBMWP), Indice Biotico Esteso, Indice Biologique Global Normalisé] and one multimetric index (METI) proposed for NW Spain rivers, and their behaviour using different physicochemical parameters throughout the different typologies defined for NW Spain rivers according to the WFD. It is also tested whether the reference sites and conditions established are representative enough of each typology comparing the IBMWP and METI in reference and non‐reference sampling sites. As a whole, the METI showed the lowest correlations with the rest of the indices, whereas the IBMWP showed the highest and all indices displayed negative correlations with those variables, which caused pollution in all typologies. Furthermore, it has been found sites with an index value higher than that of the reference sites and therefore in a better status than the selected reference sites, revealing several shortcomings in the selection of the reference sites in NW Spain and proving that a good selection of the reference sites is extremely important to produce successful results. Finally, the IBMWP has proved to be a useful tool to assess freshwater ecosystems in NW Spain showing how a simple index can be satisfactorily used to monitor ‘Ecological status’. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.