Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Journal of the North American Benthological Society

Publisher

The University of Chicago Press

Rights and Access Note

This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Publication Date

9-2011

Publisher location

Chicago, IL

First Page

1033

Last Page

1048

Issue Number

4

Volume Number

30

Abstract/ Summary

Many state water-quality agencies use biological assessment methods based on lotic fish and macroinvertebrate communities, but relatively few states have incorporated algal multimetric indices into monitoring programs. Algae are good indicators for monitoring water quality because they are sensitive to many environmental stressors. We evaluated benthic algal community attributes along a landuse gradient affecting wadeable streams and rivers in Maine, USA, to identify potential bioassessment metrics. We collected epilithic algal samples from 193 locations across the state. We computed weighted-average optima for common taxa for total P, total N, specific conductance, % impervious cover, and % developed watershed, which included all land use that is no longer forest or wetland. We assigned Maine stream tolerance values and categories (sensitive, intermediate, tolerant) to taxa based on their optima and responses to watershed disturbance. We evaluated performance of algal community metrics used in multimetric indices from other regions and novel metrics based on Maine data. Metrics specific to Maine data, such as the relative richness of species characterized as being sensitive in Maine, were more correlated with % developed watershed than most metrics used in other regions. Few community-structure attributes (e.g., species richness) were useful metrics in Maine. Performance of algal bioassessment models would be improved if metrics were evaluated with attributes of local data before inclusion in multimetric indices or statistical models.

Citation/Publisher Attribution

Danielson, T.J., Loftin, C.S., Tsomides, L., DiFranco, J.L., & Connors, B. 2011. Algal bioassessment metrics for wadeable streams and rivers of Maine, USA. J. North American Benthological Society 30:1033-1048.

Publisher Statement

© 2011 Society for Freshwater Science

DOI

DOI: 10.1899/10-162.1

Version

publisher's version of the published document

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Rights Statement

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted.