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Reference conditions and WFD compliant class boundaries for phytoplankton biomass and chlorophyll-a in Alpine lakes

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Abstract

The intercalibration (IC) exercise is a key element in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in Europe. Its focus lies on the harmonization of national classification methods to guarantee a common understanding of ‘Good Ecological Status’ in surface waters. This article defines reference conditions and sets class boundaries for deep (mean depth >15 m, IC lake type L-AL3) and moderately deep (mean depth 3–15 m, IC lake type L-AL4) Alpine lakes >0.5 km2. Data were collated from each of the five EU member states included in the Alpine Geographical Intercalibration Group (Alpine GIG: Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Slovenia). Hydro-morphological, chemical and biological data from 161 sites (sampling stations) in 144 Alpine lakes over a period of seven decades were collated in a database. Based on a set of reference criteria, 18 L-AL3 and 13 L-AL4 reference sites were selected. Reference conditions were defined using a combined approach, based on historical, paleolimnological and monitoring data in conjunction with trophic modelling and expert judgement. Reference values and class boundaries were set for annual mean total biomass (biovolume), and then derived for annual mean chlorophyll-a using a regression between the two parameters. In order to allow for geographical differences within the Alpine GIG and to facilitate the inclusion of the broadly defined common IC types and national lake types, ranges were defined for each reference value. Range of reference values are 0.2–0.3 mg l−1 (L-AL3) and 0.5–0.7 mg l−1 (L-AL4) for total biovolume and 1.5–1.9 μg l−1 (L-AL3) and 2.7–3.3 μg l−1 (L-AL4) for chlorophyll-a. Depending on lake type and variable, the ecological quality ratios (EQR) for setting the class boundaries lie between 0.60 and 0.75 for the high/good class boundary and between 0.25 and 0.41 for the good/moderate class boundary. The response of sensitive phytoplankton taxa along a nutrient gradient and the occurrence of ‘undesirable conditions and secondary effects’ as defined in the WFD was used to validate the class boundary values, which are thus considered to be compliant with the requirements of the WFD.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the data owners and providers of chemical and biological data (Gisela Ofenböck and Veronika Koller-Kreimel/BMLFUW, Peter Schaber/Amt der Salzburger Landesregierung, Ute Mischke/IGB, Hubert Gassner/BAW Scharfling, IGKB) for their cooperation in the establishment of the Alpine GIG phytoplankton intercalibration data set. Thanks to the JRC, especially to Sandra Poikane, for accompanying the Alpine GIG during the whole IC exercise, and to numerous experts from other GIGs for fruitful discussions and constructive criticism.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. DWS Hydro-Ökologie GmbH, Zentagasse 47, 1050, Vienna, Austria

    Georg Wolfram & Martin T. Dokulil

  2. Hydrobiology Research Unit, Cemagref, 3275 Route de Cézanne CS 40061, 13182, Aix en Provence Cedex 5, France

    Christine Argillier & Julien de Bortoli

  3. Dipartimento Sub-Provinciale Città di Milano, ARPA Lombardia, via Juvara 22, 20129, Milan, Italy

    Fabio Buzzi & Antonio Dalmiglio

  4. Limnologiebüro Hoehn, Glümerstraße 2a, 79102, Freiburg, Germany

    Eberhard Hoehn & Ursula Riedmüller

  5. Istituto per lo Studio degli Ecosistemi, CNR, L.go Tonolli 50, 28922, Pallanza, Italy

    Aldo Marchetto & Giuseppe Morabito

  6. DIREN Rhône-Alpes, délégation de bassin Rhône-Méditerranée, 208 bis rue Garibaldi, 69422, Lyon Cedex 03, France

    Pierre-Jean Martinez

  7. Kärntner Institut für Seenforschung, Kirchengasse 43, 9020, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, Austria

    Markus Reichmann & Liselotte Schulz

  8. Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia, Vojkova 1b, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Špela Remec-Rekar

  9. Ministère de l’Ecologie et du Développement Durable, Grande Arche, Tour Pascal A et B, 92055, La Défense Cedex, France

    Christelle Rioury

  10. Bayerisches Landesamt für Umwelt, Referat 84: Qualität der Seen, Demollstraße 31, 82407, Wielenbach, Germany

    Jochen Schaumburg

  11. Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Vecna pot 111, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Gorazd Urbanič

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  1. Georg Wolfram
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  2. Christine Argillier
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  3. Julien de Bortoli
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  4. Fabio Buzzi
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  16. Liselotte Schulz
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  17. Gorazd Urbanič
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Correspondence to Georg Wolfram.

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Guest editors: P. Nõges, W. van de Bund, A. C. Cardoso, A. Solimini & A.-S. Heiskanen

Assessment of the Ecological Status of European Surface Waters

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Wolfram, G., Argillier, C., de Bortoli, J. et al. Reference conditions and WFD compliant class boundaries for phytoplankton biomass and chlorophyll-a in Alpine lakes. Hydrobiologia 633, 45–58 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-009-9875-9

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