Ebook: Assessing the Ecological Integrity of Running Waters: Proceedings of the International Conference, held in Vienna, Austria, 9–11 November 1998

The assessment of the ecological integrity of running waters is a prerequisite to an understanding of the effects of human alterations. The evaluation of degradation processes provides key information on how to avoid further negative impacts. The success of future conservation, mitigation and restoration activities will rely on sound assessment methodologies and their ecological relevance and applicability. Assessment methodologies are therefore an integral part of sustainable river management.
This book synthesizes and discusses state-of-the-art experiences in assessment methodologies. Including the latest knowledge on structures, processes and functions of running waters as a fundamental basis for developing adequate assessment methods, the book focuses on method development, application, and in particular on integrated assessment methods.
This book is directed at scientists and managers with the aim of more effective preservation, restoration and maintenance of the ecological integrity of running water ecosystems.

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The assessment of the ecological integrity of running waters is a prerequisite to an understanding of the effects of human alterations. The evaluation of degradation processes provides key information on how to avoid further negative impacts. The success of future conservation, mitigation and restoration activities will rely on sound assessment methodologies and their ecological relevance and applicability. Assessment methodologies are therefore an integral part of sustainable river management.
This book synthesizes and discusses state-of-the-art experiences in assessment methodologies. Including the latest knowledge on structures, processes and functions of running waters as a fundamental basis for developing adequate assessment methods, the book focuses on method development, application, and in particular on integrated assessment methods.
This book is directed at scientists and managers with the aim of more effective preservation, restoration and maintenance of the ecological integrity of running water ecosystems.

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The assessment of the ecological integrity of running waters is a prerequisite to an understanding of the effects of human alterations. The evaluation of degradation processes provides key information on how to avoid further negative impacts. The success of future conservation, mitigation and restoration activities will rely on sound assessment methodologies and their ecological relevance and applicability. Assessment methodologies are therefore an integral part of sustainable river management.
This book synthesizes and discusses state-of-the-art experiences in assessment methodologies. Including the latest knowledge on structures, processes and functions of running waters as a fundamental basis for developing adequate assessment methods, the book focuses on method development, application, and in particular on integrated assessment methods.
This book is directed at scientists and managers with the aim of more effective preservation, restoration and maintenance of the ecological integrity of running water ecosystems.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxi
Introduction: Sustaining living rivers....Pages 1-14
A perspective on the abiotic processes sustaining the ecological integrity of running waters....Pages 15-27
Restoring ecological integrity of great rivers: historical hydrographs aid in defining reference conditions for the Missouri River....Pages 29-48
The river-scaling concept (RSC): a basis for ecological assessments....Pages 49-60
Biological processes in running waters and their implications for the assessment of ecological integrity....Pages 61-70
Mayflies (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) and the assessment of ecological integrity: a methodological approach....Pages 71-83
Fundamentals of fish ecological integrity and their relation to the extended serial discontinuity concept....Pages 85-97
Assessing the ecological integrity of rivers: walking the line among ecological, political and administrative interests....Pages 99-109
Indicators and assessment methods for measuring the ecological integrity of semi-aquatic terrestrial environments....Pages 111-131
Towards the assessment of ‘ecological integrity’ in running waters of the United Kingdom....Pages 133-142
The influence of environmental variables on the abundance of aquatic insects: a comparison of ordination and artificial neural networks....Pages 143-152
Biomonitoring through biological traits of benthic macroinvertebrates: how to use species trait databases?....Pages 153-162
The spatial heterogeneity of a river bottom: a key factor determining macroinvertebrate communities....Pages 163-171
River ecotones: carabid beetles as a tool for quality assessment....Pages 173-181
Secondary production of benthic communities at the habitat scale as a tool to assess ecological integrity in mountain streams....Pages 183-195
Performance of different biotic indices and sampling methods in assessing water quality in the lowland stretch of the Tiber River....Pages 197-208
Urbanization gradients in streams of Anchorage, Alaska: a comparison of multivariate and multimetric approaches to classification....Pages 209-223
Macroinvertebrate functional feeding group methods in ecological assessment....Pages 225-232
The statistical power of selected indicator metrics using macroinvertebrates for assessing acidification and eutrophication of running waters....Pages 233-243
Evaluating physical habitat integrity in relation to the biological potential of streams....Pages 245-256
Application of an adapted index of biotic integrity to rivers of Lithuania....Pages 257-270
Fish as indicators for the assessment of the ecological integrity of large rivers....Pages 271-278
A multi-level concept for fish-based, river-type-specific assessment of ecological integrity....Pages 279-289
Variation in a Great River Index of Biotic Integrity over a 20-year period....Pages 291-304
Effects of residual flow and habitat fragmentation on distribution and movement of bullhead (Cottus gobio L.) in an alpine stream....Pages 305-317
Habitat condition and fish assemblage structure in a coastal mediterranean stream (Yarqon, Israel) receiving domestic effluent....Pages 319-330
Benthic invertebrate and fish communities as indicators of morphological integrity in the Enz River (south-west Germany)....Pages 331-342
Identification of rivers with high and good habitat quality: methodological approach and applications in Austria....Pages 343-358
Using river habitat survey for environmental assessment and catchment planning in the U.K.....Pages 359-367
Effects of catchment properties on hydrochemistry, habitat complexity and invertebrate community structure in a lowland river....Pages 369-387
Integrated ecological assessment methods as a basis for sustainable catchment management....Pages 389-412
The development of integrated methods for assessing river conservation value....Pages 413-428
EMAP-Surface Waters: a multiassemblage, probability survey of ecological integrity in the U.S.A.....Pages 429-443
The Austrian way of assessing the ecological integrity of running waters: a contribution to the EU Water Framework Directive....Pages 445-452
Measuring the attainment of biological integrity in the USA: a critical element of ecological integrity....Pages 453-464
GIBSI — An integrated modelling system prototype for river basin management....Pages 465-475
Scientific base and modular concept for comprehensive assessment of streams in Switzerland....Pages 477-487

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The assessment of the ecological integrity of running waters is a prerequisite to an understanding of the effects of human alterations. The evaluation of degradation processes provides key information on how to avoid further negative impacts. The success of future conservation, mitigation and restoration activities will rely on sound assessment methodologies and their ecological relevance and applicability. Assessment methodologies are therefore an integral part of sustainable river management.
This book synthesizes and discusses state-of-the-art experiences in assessment methodologies. Including the latest knowledge on structures, processes and functions of running waters as a fundamental basis for developing adequate assessment methods, the book focuses on method development, application, and in particular on integrated assessment methods.
This book is directed at scientists and managers with the aim of more effective preservation, restoration and maintenance of the ecological integrity of running water ecosystems.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxi
Introduction: Sustaining living rivers....Pages 1-14
A perspective on the abiotic processes sustaining the ecological integrity of running waters....Pages 15-27
Restoring ecological integrity of great rivers: historical hydrographs aid in defining reference conditions for the Missouri River....Pages 29-48
The river-scaling concept (RSC): a basis for ecological assessments....Pages 49-60
Biological processes in running waters and their implications for the assessment of ecological integrity....Pages 61-70
Mayflies (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) and the assessment of ecological integrity: a methodological approach....Pages 71-83
Fundamentals of fish ecological integrity and their relation to the extended serial discontinuity concept....Pages 85-97
Assessing the ecological integrity of rivers: walking the line among ecological, political and administrative interests....Pages 99-109
Indicators and assessment methods for measuring the ecological integrity of semi-aquatic terrestrial environments....Pages 111-131
Towards the assessment of ‘ecological integrity’ in running waters of the United Kingdom....Pages 133-142
The influence of environmental variables on the abundance of aquatic insects: a comparison of ordination and artificial neural networks....Pages 143-152
Biomonitoring through biological traits of benthic macroinvertebrates: how to use species trait databases?....Pages 153-162
The spatial heterogeneity of a river bottom: a key factor determining macroinvertebrate communities....Pages 163-171
River ecotones: carabid beetles as a tool for quality assessment....Pages 173-181
Secondary production of benthic communities at the habitat scale as a tool to assess ecological integrity in mountain streams....Pages 183-195
Performance of different biotic indices and sampling methods in assessing water quality in the lowland stretch of the Tiber River....Pages 197-208
Urbanization gradients in streams of Anchorage, Alaska: a comparison of multivariate and multimetric approaches to classification....Pages 209-223
Macroinvertebrate functional feeding group methods in ecological assessment....Pages 225-232
The statistical power of selected indicator metrics using macroinvertebrates for assessing acidification and eutrophication of running waters....Pages 233-243
Evaluating physical habitat integrity in relation to the biological potential of streams....Pages 245-256
Application of an adapted index of biotic integrity to rivers of Lithuania....Pages 257-270
Fish as indicators for the assessment of the ecological integrity of large rivers....Pages 271-278
A multi-level concept for fish-based, river-type-specific assessment of ecological integrity....Pages 279-289
Variation in a Great River Index of Biotic Integrity over a 20-year period....Pages 291-304
Effects of residual flow and habitat fragmentation on distribution and movement of bullhead (Cottus gobio L.) in an alpine stream....Pages 305-317
Habitat condition and fish assemblage structure in a coastal mediterranean stream (Yarqon, Israel) receiving domestic effluent....Pages 319-330
Benthic invertebrate and fish communities as indicators of morphological integrity in the Enz River (south-west Germany)....Pages 331-342
Identification of rivers with high and good habitat quality: methodological approach and applications in Austria....Pages 343-358
Using river habitat survey for environmental assessment and catchment planning in the U.K.....Pages 359-367
Effects of catchment properties on hydrochemistry, habitat complexity and invertebrate community structure in a lowland river....Pages 369-387
Integrated ecological assessment methods as a basis for sustainable catchment management....Pages 389-412
The development of integrated methods for assessing river conservation value....Pages 413-428
EMAP-Surface Waters: a multiassemblage, probability survey of ecological integrity in the U.S.A.....Pages 429-443
The Austrian way of assessing the ecological integrity of running waters: a contribution to the EU Water Framework Directive....Pages 445-452
Measuring the attainment of biological integrity in the USA: a critical element of ecological integrity....Pages 453-464
GIBSI — An integrated modelling system prototype for river basin management....Pages 465-475
Scientific base and modular concept for comprehensive assessment of streams in Switzerland....Pages 477-487
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