How many indicator species are required to assess the ecological status of a river?

Budka, Anna

doi:10.1515/ohs-2019-0001

Figures & Tables

Venn diagram analysis of taxonomic differentiation of the five trophic classes (I–V). Numbers show the distribution of shared species.

Division of sites in terms of the sample completeness criterion in individual water quality classes (vertical line – average number of species; horizontal line – average information necessary to determine the MIR; highlighted area contains sites that do not meet both criteria)

Species profiles for macrophytes and the Perkal indices Pe Li,Wi and Pe ln(1/Si),ln(1/Di)

Taxa	Perkal indices
Taxa	Pe_Li,Wi	Pe_{ln(1/Si),ln(1/Di)}
Amblystegium riparium	−2.94	0.23
Potamogeton pectinatus	−2.94	−1.85
Rhizoclonium sp.	−2.94	−1.28
Stigeoclonium sp.	−2.94	3.04
Phalaris arundinacea	−2.39	−3.26
Ranunculus sceleratus	−2.39	1.12
Stachys palustris	−2.39	−1.46
Vaucheria sp.	−2.39	−0.06
Glyceria maxima	−1.85	−2.91
Polygonum hydropiper	−1.85	0.14
Rorippa amphibia	-1.85	-2.00
Sparganium erectum	−1.85	−2.70
Cladophora sp.	−1.42	−2.09
Enteromorpha sp.	−1.42	2.86
Carex acutiformis	−1.31	−0.73
Hippuris vulgaris	−1.31	3.99
Lysimachia vulgaris	−1.31	1.17
Myosoti s palustris	−1.31	−2.17
Oedogonium sp./Ulothrix	−1.31	0.51
Polygonum amphibium	−1.31	0.78
Potamogeton natans	−1.31	−0.63
Rumex hydrolapathum	−1.31	−1.78
Scrophularia umbrosa	−1.31	−1.35
Veronica beccabunga	−1.31	−0.77
Lemna minor	−0.88	−3.57
Polygonum persicaria	−0.88	0.21
Spirodela polyrhiza	−0.88	−1.92
Typha latifolia	−0.88	−1.42
Carex acuta	−0.77	−0.34
Carex paniculata	−0.77	0.49
Catabrosa aquati ca	−0.77	0.57
Glyceria plicata	−0.77	2.55
Hydrocotyle vulgaris	−0.77	2.60
Mentha aquati ca	−0.77	−2.05
Oenanthe aquati ca	−0.77	1.38
Rhynchostegium riparioides	−0.77	2.85
Myriophyllum spicatum	−0.33	−0.11
Potamogeton nodosus	−0.33	1.21
Typha angustifolia	−0.33	0.84
Lemna gibba	0.10	−1.38
Alisma plantago-aquati ca	0.21	-1.60
Berula erecta	0.21	−3.06
Carex riparia	0.21	−1.67
Lemna trisulca	0.21	−1.33
Nuphar lutea	0.21	−2.30
Potamogeton compressus	0.21	1.10
Potamogeton crispus	0.21	−1.54
Potamogeton perfoliatus	0.21	−0.58
Potamogeton pusillus	0.21	1.69
Sagittaria sagittifolia	0.21	−2.96
Scirpus lacustris	0.21	2.22
Sparganium emersum	0.21	−3.33
Veronica anagallis-aquati ca	0.21	−2.50
Conocepohalum conicum	0.32	2.00
Sium lati folium	0.32	−1.52
Acorus calamus	0.64	−0.47
Ceratophyllum demersum	0.64	−2.24
Ceratophyllum submersum	0.64	0.92
Butomus umbellatus	0.75	−1.41
Elodea canadensis	0.75	−3.30
Equisetum palustre	0.75	0.08
Glyceria fluitans	0.75	−1.23
Nasturtium officinale	0.75	2.85
Peucedanum palustre	0.75	2.85
Potamogeton obtusifolius	0.75	3.25
Ranunculus circinatus	0.75	0.56
Scirpus sylvaticus	0.75	−1.56
Calla palustris	1.29	3.11
Caltha palustris	1.29	0.73
Carex vesicaria	1.29	1.24
Cicuta virosa	1.29	0.13
Eleocharis palustris	1.29	2.18
Equisetum fluviatile	1.29	−1.58
Fontinalis anti pyretica	1.29	−0.40
Hydrocharis morsus-ranae	1.29	−1.30
Iris pseudacorus	1.29	−2.04
Nymphaea alba	1.29	2.07
Ranunculus trichophyllus	1.29	1.16
Viola palustris	1.40	3.41
Potamogeton lucens	1.73	0.42
Ranunculus peltatus	1.73	2.43
Potamogeton alpinus	1.83	3.63
Ranunculus fluitans	1.83	−0.48
Ranunculus aquatilis	2.27	−0.21
Calliergonella cuspidata	2.38	2.22
Ranunculus lingua	2.38	0.56
Carex rostrata	2.81	1.62
Potamogeton praelongus	2.81	0.04
Lysimachia thyrsiflora	3.35	2.69
Menyanthes trifoliata	4.44	2.78

Indicator values of Li and Wi for macrophytes and determined Si (percentage cover) and Di (incidence) and their informative value (i=1, 2,…, 90)

Taxa	L_i	W_i	P_i	S_i	ln(1/S_i)	D_i	ln(1/D_i)
Acorus calamus	2	3	1	0.007	4.955	0.006	5.053
Alisma plantago-aquati ca	4	2	1	0.012	4.465	0.019	3.953
Amblystegium riparium	1	1	1	0.003	5.902	0.006	5.170
Berula erecta	4	2	1	0.048	3.028	0.039	3.242
Butomus umbellatus	5	2	1	0.012	4.412	0.014	4.253
Calla palustris	6	2	1	0.000	7.955	0.001	7.249
Calliergonella cuspidata	8	2	2	0.001	6.586	0.001	7.249
Caltha palustris	6	2	1	0.003	5.869	0.003	5.863
Carex acuta	5	1	2	0.004	5.570	0.009	4.684
Carex acutiformis	4	1	4	0.006	5.050	0.010	4.610
Carex paniculata	5	1	2	0.002	6.143	0.005	5.303
Carex riparia	4	2	1	0.017	4.074	0.015	4.205
Carex rostrata	6	3	5	0.003	5.658	0.001	7.249
Carex vesicaria	6	2	2	0.002	6.334	0.002	6.151
Catabrosa aquatica	5	1	2	0.003	5.875	0.004	5.640
Ceratophyllum demersum	2	3	1	0.033	3.397	0.018	4.030
Ceratophyllum submersum	2	3	1	0.003	5.843	0.002	6.151
Cicuta virosa	6	2	2	0.004	5.583	0.005	5.303
Cladophora sp.	1	2	3	0.025	3.678	0.018	3.991
Conocepohalum conicum	7	1	5	0.002	6.254	0.001	7.249
Eleocharis palustris	6	2	2	0.001	7.309	0.001	6.556
Elodea canadensis	5	2	2	0.070	2.666	0.039	3.242
Enteromorpha sp.	1	2	2	0.001	7.563	0.001	7.249
Equisetum fluviatile	6	2	2	0.017	4.093	0.014	4.305
Equisetum palustre	5	2	2	0.003	5.794	0.006	5.052
Fontinalis anti pyretica	6	2	1	0.007	4.923	0.006	5.170
Glyceria fluitans	5	2	2	0.012	4.436	0.011	4.477
Glyceria maxima	3	1	2	0.036	3.324	0.041	3.189
Glyceria plicata	5	1	2	0.001	7.090	0.001	7.249
Hippuris vulgaris	4	1	1	0.000	9.306	0.001	7.249
Hydrocharis morsus-ranae	6	2	1	0.013	4.329	0.011	4.477
Hydrocotyle vulgaris	5	1	2	0.001	7.170	0.001	7.249
Iris pseudacorus	6	2	2	0.021	3.880	0.021	3.882
Lemna gibba	1	3	7	0.021	3.879	0.009	4.764
Lemna minor	2	2	2	0.075	2.590	0.053	2.945
Lemna trisulca	4	2	1	0.011	4.482	0.014	4.305
Lysimachia thyrsiflora	7	3	1	0.001	7.313	0.001	7.249
Lysimachia vulgaris	4	1	1	0.001	6.805	0.004	5.640
Mentha aquati ca	5	1	1	0.014	4.245	0.029	3.536
Menyanthes trifoliata	9	3	1	0.001	7.444	0.001	7.249
Myosoti s palustris	4	1	1	0.015	4.219	0.033	3.399
Myriophyllum spicatum	3	2	1	0.005	5.226	0.005	5.303
Nasturtium officinale	5	2	1	0.001	7.550	0.001	7.249
Nuphar lutea	4	2	2	0.030	3.513	0.021	3.848
Nymphaea alba	6	2	1	0.001	7.137	0.001	6.556
Oedogonium sp./Ulothrix	4	1	1	0.002	6.166	0.005	5.303
Oenanthe aquati ca	5	1	2	0.001	6.869	0.003	5.863
Peucedanum palustre	5	2	1	0.001	7.550	0.001	7.249
Phalaris arundinacea	2	1	2	0.050	3.004	0.050	3.001
Polygonum amphibium	4	1	1	0.001	6.592	0.005	5.303
Polygonum hydropiper	3	1	2	0.002	6.011	0.007	4.947
Polygonum persicaria	2	2	1	0.003	5.717	0.005	5.303
Potamogeton alpinus	7	2	1	0.000	8.748	0.001	7.249
Potamogeton compressus	4	2	2	0.002	6.120	0.002	6.151
Potamogeton crispus	4	2	1	0.017	4.095	0.013	4.359
Potamogeton lucens	4	3	6	0.005	5.391	0.003	5.863
Potamogeton natans	4	1	3	0.006	5.130	0.009	4.684
Potamogeton nodosus	3	2	1	0.002	6.290	0.002	6.151
Potamogeton obtusifolius	5	2	1	0.000	8.161	0.001	7.249
Potamogeton pectinatus	1	1	3	0.020	3.897	0.016	4.114
Potamogeton perfoliatus	4	2	3	0.008	4.788	0.006	5.052
Potamogeton praelongus	6	3	3	0.005	5.284	0.004	5.457
Potamogeton pusillus	4	2	2	0.001	6.558	0.001	6.556
Ranunculus aquatilis	5	3	2	0.009	4.689	0.004	5.640
Ranunculus circinatus	5	2	1	0.003	5.870	0.004	5.640
Ranunculus fluitans	7	2	2	0.009	4.659	0.005	5.303
Ranunculus lingua	8	2	1	0.004	5.621	0.003	5.863
Ranunculus peltatus	4	3	2	0.001	6.908	0.001	7.249
Ranunculus sceleratus	2	1	1	0.001	6.727	0.004	5.640
Ranunculus trichophyllus	6	2	4	0.002	6.201	0.002	6.151
Rhizoclonium sp.	1	1	1	0.013	4.363	0.011	4.477
Rhynchostegium riparioides	5	1	2	0.001	7.550	0.001	7.249
Rorippa amphibia	3	1	2	0.014	4.264	0.028	3.586
Rumex hydrolapathum	4	1	2	0.010	4.616	0.028	3.586
Sagittaria sagittifolia	4	2	3	0.047	3.052	0.035	3.357
Scirpus lacustris	4	2	1	0.001	7.376	0.001	6.556
Scirpus sylvaticus	5	2	2	0.015	4.190	0.014	4.253
Scrophularia umbrosa	4	1	2	0.008	4.772	0.018	4.030
Sium lati folium	7	1	1	0.010	4.592	0.019	3.953
Sparganium emersum	4	2	2	0.069	2.668	0.041	3.206
Sparganium erectum	3	1	1	0.030	3.498	0.036	3.317
Spirodela polyrhiza	2	2	1	0.016	4.162	0.023	3.783
Stachys palustris	2	1	1	0.008	4.771	0.021	3.882
Stigeoclonium sp .	1	1	2	0.000	7.844	0.001	7.249
Typha angustifolia	3	2	2	0.002	6.040	0.003	5.863
Typha latifolia	2	2	3	0.014	4.287	0.013	4.359
Vaucheria sp .	2	1	1	0.003	5.904	0.009	4.764
Veronica anagallis-aquati ca	4	2	2	0.029	3.538	0.028	3.560
Veronica beccabunga	4	1	1	0.005	5.277	0.013	4.359
Viola palustris	9	1	1	0.000	8.412	0.001	7.249

Descriptive statistics: maximum, minimum, mean and median values for the information value ln(1/Di) of plants found in five quality classes

ln(1/Di)	class I	class II	class III	class IV	class V
ln(1/D_i)_max	4.80	4.40	4.70	4.10	4.20
ln(1/D_i)_min.	3.60	3.40	3.40	3.50	3.50
ln(1/D_i)_mean	4.19	4.03	3.94	3.78	3.80
ln(1/D_i)_med	4.20	4.00	3.90	3.70	3.80

Maximum, minimum, mean and median MIR values in five quality classes

MIR	class I	class II	class III	class IV	class V
MIR_max	56.11	46.67	46.90	38.00	38.70
MIR_min.	35.77	34.09	32.41	20.78	18.29
MIR_mean	43.32	39.29	37.94	32.02	29.01
MIR_med	42.98	39.31	38.06	33.13	29.06

Information mean values for ln(1/D) at the study sites in five quality classes

class I			class II			class III			class IV			class V
ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI
32	8	4.6	30	12	4.0	3	28	4.3	4	14	3.6	79	17	3.8
36	19	4.4	38	14	3.9	14	12	3.7	8	14	3.7	82	18	3.6
37	17	4.1	43	10	3.8	58	23	3.9	63	12	3.8	84	10	3.9
39	10	3.6	49	14	4.0	66	17	3.7	200	14	3.9	95	10	4.2
224	19	4.4	51	14	3.9	109	13	4.1	238	14	4.1	170	13	3.5
237	9	4.0	137	9	3.4	141	6	3.4	259	12	3.7	171	21	4.1
529	6	4.3	140	13	3.8	210	12	4.7	295	12	3.8	176	14	3.9
591	11	3.9	143	14	3.8	226	14	4.0	427	11	4.0	190	16	4.0
598	10	4.8	151	14	4.4	236	19	3.9	429	8	3.7	243	18	3.8
599	15	3.8	153	9	4.1	435	12	3.7	432	12	3.6	260	17	4.0
601	10	4.7	201	14	3.9	439	17	3.8	444	11	3.7	262	13	3.8
616	21	4.5	256	14	3.6	451	8	4.4	474	7	3.5	277	11	3.5
639	12	3.7	423	14	4.4	462	17	3.9	475	10	3.6	426	18	3.9
640	28	4.5	452	7	4.4	469	10	3.7	530	14	4.0	430	6	3.6
645	24	4.3	600	11	4.3	531	16	3.6	562	11	3.5	437	6	3.8
647	18	4.6	602	13	4.0	552	11	4.3	573	8	4.0	438	7	3.6
686	22	3.9	625	14	4.4	634	21	4.0	628	10	3.7	443	9	3.6
693	21	4.0	630	11	4.1	694	14	3.7	670	25	4.0	549	9	3.7
703	10	3.9	641	14	4.2	697	20	3.9	671	14	3.9	650	13	4.1
723	14	3.8	699	14	4.1	707	14	4.0	713	10	3.7	667	14	3.6

How many indicator species are required to assess the ecological status of a river?

Figures & Tables

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Species profiles for macrophytes and the Perkal indices Pe Li,Wi and Pe ln(1/Si),ln(1/Di)

Indicator values of Li and Wi for macrophytes and determined Si (percentage cover) and Di (incidence) and their informative value (i=1, 2,…, 90)

Descriptive statistics: maximum, minimum, mean and median values for the information value ln(1/Di) of plants found in five quality classes

Maximum, minimum, mean and median MIR values in five quality classes

Information mean values for ln(1/D) at the study sites in five quality classes

Paradigm

My account

class I			class II			class III			class IV			class V
ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI
32	8	4.6	30	12	4.0	3	28	4.3	4	14	3.6	79	17	3.8
36	19	4.4	38	14	3.9	14	12	3.7	8	14	3.7	82	18	3.6
37	17	4.1	43	10	3.8	58	23	3.9	63	12	3.8	84	10	3.9
39	10	3.6	49	14	4.0	66	17	3.7	200	14	3.9	95	10	4.2
224	19	4.4	51	14	3.9	109	13	4.1	238	14	4.1	170	13	3.5
237	9	4.0	137	9	3.4	141	6	3.4	259	12	3.7	171	21	4.1
529	6	4.3	140	13	3.8	210	12	4.7	295	12	3.8	176	14	3.9
591	11	3.9	143	14	3.8	226	14	4.0	427	11	4.0	190	16	4.0
598	10	4.8	151	14	4.4	236	19	3.9	429	8	3.7	243	18	3.8
599	15	3.8	153	9	4.1	435	12	3.7	432	12	3.6	260	17	4.0
601	10	4.7	201	14	3.9	439	17	3.8	444	11	3.7	262	13	3.8
616	21	4.5	256	14	3.6	451	8	4.4	474	7	3.5	277	11	3.5
639	12	3.7	423	14	4.4	462	17	3.9	475	10	3.6	426	18	3.9
640	28	4.5	452	7	4.4	469	10	3.7	530	14	4.0	430	6	3.6
645	24	4.3	600	11	4.3	531	16	3.6	562	11	3.5	437	6	3.8
647	18	4.6	602	13	4.0	552	11	4.3	573	8	4.0	438	7	3.6
686	22	3.9	625	14	4.4	634	21	4.0	628	10	3.7	443	9	3.6
693	21	4.0	630	11	4.1	694	14	3.7	670	25	4.0	549	9	3.7
703	10	3.9	641	14	4.2	697	20	3.9	671	14	3.9	650	13	4.1
723	14	3.8	699	14	4.1	707	14	4.0	713	10	3.7	667	14	3.6

class I			class II			class III			class IV			class V
ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI
32	8	4.6	30	12	4.0	3	28	4.3	4	14	3.6	79	17	3.8
36	19	4.4	38	14	3.9	14	12	3.7	8	14	3.7	82	18	3.6
37	17	4.1	43	10	3.8	58	23	3.9	63	12	3.8	84	10	3.9
39	10	3.6	49	14	4.0	66	17	3.7	200	14	3.9	95	10	4.2
224	19	4.4	51	14	3.9	109	13	4.1	238	14	4.1	170	13	3.5
237	9	4.0	137	9	3.4	141	6	3.4	259	12	3.7	171	21	4.1
529	6	4.3	140	13	3.8	210	12	4.7	295	12	3.8	176	14	3.9
591	11	3.9	143	14	3.8	226	14	4.0	427	11	4.0	190	16	4.0
598	10	4.8	151	14	4.4	236	19	3.9	429	8	3.7	243	18	3.8
599	15	3.8	153	9	4.1	435	12	3.7	432	12	3.6	260	17	4.0
601	10	4.7	201	14	3.9	439	17	3.8	444	11	3.7	262	13	3.8
616	21	4.5	256	14	3.6	451	8	4.4	474	7	3.5	277	11	3.5
639	12	3.7	423	14	4.4	462	17	3.9	475	10	3.6	426	18	3.9
640	28	4.5	452	7	4.4	469	10	3.7	530	14	4.0	430	6	3.6
645	24	4.3	600	11	4.3	531	16	3.6	562	11	3.5	437	6	3.8
647	18	4.6	602	13	4.0	552	11	4.3	573	8	4.0	438	7	3.6
686	22	3.9	625	14	4.4	634	21	4.0	628	10	3.7	443	9	3.6
693	21	4.0	630	11	4.1	694	14	3.7	670	25	4.0	549	9	3.7
703	10	3.9	641	14	4.2	697	20	3.9	671	14	3.9	650	13	4.1
723	14	3.8	699	14	4.1	707	14	4.0	713	10	3.7	667	14	3.6

class I			class II			class III			class IV			class V
ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI	ST	SP	MI
32	8	4.6	30	12	4.0	3	28	4.3	4	14	3.6	79	17	3.8
36	19	4.4	38	14	3.9	14	12	3.7	8	14	3.7	82	18	3.6
37	17	4.1	43	10	3.8	58	23	3.9	63	12	3.8	84	10	3.9
39	10	3.6	49	14	4.0	66	17	3.7	200	14	3.9	95	10	4.2
224	19	4.4	51	14	3.9	109	13	4.1	238	14	4.1	170	13	3.5
237	9	4.0	137	9	3.4	141	6	3.4	259	12	3.7	171	21	4.1
529	6	4.3	140	13	3.8	210	12	4.7	295	12	3.8	176	14	3.9
591	11	3.9	143	14	3.8	226	14	4.0	427	11	4.0	190	16	4.0
598	10	4.8	151	14	4.4	236	19	3.9	429	8	3.7	243	18	3.8
599	15	3.8	153	9	4.1	435	12	3.7	432	12	3.6	260	17	4.0
601	10	4.7	201	14	3.9	439	17	3.8	444	11	3.7	262	13	3.8
616	21	4.5	256	14	3.6	451	8	4.4	474	7	3.5	277	11	3.5
639	12	3.7	423	14	4.4	462	17	3.9	475	10	3.6	426	18	3.9
640	28	4.5	452	7	4.4	469	10	3.7	530	14	4.0	430	6	3.6
645	24	4.3	600	11	4.3	531	16	3.6	562	11	3.5	437	6	3.8
647	18	4.6	602	13	4.0	552	11	4.3	573	8	4.0	438	7	3.6
686	22	3.9	625	14	4.4	634	21	4.0	628	10	3.7	443	9	3.6
693	21	4.0	630	11	4.1	694	14	3.7	670	25	4.0	549	9	3.7
703	10	3.9	641	14	4.2	697	20	3.9	671	14	3.9	650	13	4.1
723	14	3.8	699	14	4.1	707	14	4.0	713	10	3.7	667	14	3.6