HR: 16:15h
AN: NB14C-04    [Abstracts]
TI: Monitoring Freshwater Biodiversity at Large Scales: An Assessment of Potential Indicators
AU: * Simmons, T
EM: micajah@cc.usu.edu
AF: Western Center for Monitoring and Assessment of Freshwater Ecosystems,, AWER Department Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5210 United States
AU: Hawkins, C P
EM: chuck.hawkins@usu.edu
AF: Western Center for Monitoring and Assessment of Freshwater Ecosystems,, AWER Department Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5210 United States
AU: Thieme, M
EM: michele.thieme@wwwfus.org
AF: Conservation Science Program, World Wildlife Fund, 1250 24th St NW, Washington, DC 20037 United States
AB: Conservation of freshwater biodiversity is a priority for both government agencies and national and international conservation organizations. A number of large-scale conservation plans specifically targeting freshwater biodiversity have been, or will soon be, implemented across the globe. Although numerous potential biodiversity indicators have been proposed for monitoring the status of freshwater ecosystems, few of these indicators have been evaluated. Choice of indicator is especially problematic in many parts of the developing world, where biodiversity data are sparse in general and budgets are limited. In contrast, many developed countries have created freshwater biological assessment programs, which are generally based on measuring aspects of macroinvertebrate assemblages. However, macroinvertebrate-based assessments have not been generally applied to biodiversity conservation, and the extent to which macroinvertebrate-based measures reflect trends or responses in other taxa is unclear. We reviewed the extensive biodiversity and bioassessment literature to identify a practical set of biodiversity indicators for monitoring the success of freshwater conservation plans. After defining the properties that such indicators should possess, we concluded that no single extant indicator can adequately assess the biodiversity status of freshwater fauna. We highlight areas for further research and suggest combinatorial approaches that may prove adequate in the interim.
DE: 9810 New fields (not classifiable under other headings)
SC: North American Benthological Society [NB]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly