Genus-level, trait-based multimetric diatom indices for assessing the ecological condition of rivers and streams across the conterminous United States.

ABSTRACT: Taxonomic inconsistency in species-level identifications has constrained use of diatoms as biological indicators in aquatic assessments. We addressed this problem by developing diatom multimetric indices (MMIs) of ecological condition using genus-level taxonomy and trait-based autecological information. The MMIs were designed to assess river and stream chemical, physical and biological condition across the conterminous United States. Trait-based approaches have the advantage of using both species-level and genus-level data, which require less effort and expense to acquire than traditional species-based approaches and eliminate the persistent taxonomic biases introduced over vast geographic extents. For large-extent assessment programs that require multiple taxonomic laboratories to process

SUBMITTER: Riato L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9393879 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature