Biological monitoring of running waters is a scientifically and economically valid approach for surveys and monitoring programmes to assess the water quality. Biological Monitoring of Rivers is a timely, up-to-date book that includes a good number of practical how-to-do chapters. Up-to-date assessment of biological water monitoring Practical how-to-do chapters help the practitioner Provides a broad survey of methods uses inside and outside the EU Gives perspectives for future applications

The aim of this book is to provide the reader with a basic understanding of the use of bioindicators both in assessing environmental quality and as a means of support in environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures.

With regional, national, and global processes affecting both the structure and function of lakes and rivers, assessment methodology must encompass many attributes to evaluate the impact of these processes on water quality. Many of the changes in biological communities correlate to resource exploitation, nonpoint pollutant interactions, and habitat alteration - factors that can be missed by routine chemical sampling. This creates the need for ecologically-based approaches to this problem. Biological monitoring is a fundamental part of an ecologically-based approach. Biological Monitoring of Aquatic Systems brings together contributions by authors recognized as leaders in the development and utilization of biological monitoring techniques for freshwater ecosystems. It provides a conceptual framework for the use of biological monitoring to assess the environmental health of freshwater resources. Biological monitoring is an important part of any water quality assessment program. Biological Monitoring of Aquatic Systems provides you with an understanding of water resources. It includes discussions concerning historical development, ecological basis, experimental design characteristics, case studies, and future concerns. As efforts to maintain and restore the world's water resources intensify, the need to develop accurate methods to assess the health of these resources becomes critical.

The purpose of this book is to present practical information on the planning and conduction of river water quality monitoring studies.

The project "Biological Monitoring in Nordic Rivers and Lakes" is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers and operates as part of the Nordic Council of Ministers Group on Monitoring and Data (NMD). A total of 24 scientists, technicians and administrators from the five Nordic countries have participated in the project in 1998-99. The project "Biological Monitoring in Nordic Rivers and Lakes" was originally initiated in the light of the coming Water Framework Directive that calls for common methods and approaches to assess the ecological quality of the aquatic environment. The participants in the project have gathered available information on the use of macroinvertebrates, macrophytes and fish as monitoring indicators. Finally, recommendations for common methods and strategies have been elaborated and proposals for future work and corporation are forwarded.

The monitoring of benthic diatoms, macrophytes, macroinvertebrates and fish will be the backbone of future water management in Europe. This book describes and compares the relevant methodologies and tools, based on a large data set covering rivers in most parts of Europe. The 36 articles presented will provide scientists and water managers with a unique insight into background and application of state-of-the-art monitoring tools and techniques.

Freshwater Biological Monitoring contains the proceedings of a Specialized Conference held in Cardiff, Wales, on September 12-14, 1984. Contributors explore advances in freshwater biological monitoring, paying particular attention to the interpretation of traditional community surveillance studies by means of the modern computer and multivariate statistical techniques and how such field community responses are related to laboratory studies of pollutants. The design, validation, and use of novel monitoring systems employing plants, invertebrates, and fish are considered, along with developments in the in vitro assessment of mutagenicity of chemicals present in water. This book is comprised of 16 chapters and begins with a review of issues surrounding the tests used in biological monitoring and the ways in which the information will be used. The discussion then turns to the usefulness of the colonization sampler in collecting macroinvertebrates indicative of river water quality in lowland rivers; biological assessment of water quality and conservation evaluation in Welsh rivers; and water chemistry, benthos, and drift in a fast-flowing river. The following chapters focus on eutrophication in rivers; toxicity testing with freshwater macroinvertebrates; and compliance biomonitoring. This monograph will be of value to policymakers and environmentalists concerned with water pollution control.