Abstract
STAR is a European Commission Framework V project (EVK1-CT-2001-00089). The project aim is to provide practical advice and solutions with regard to many of the issues associated with the Water Framework Directive. This paper provides a context for the STAR research programme through a review of the requirements of the directive and the Common Implementation Strategy responsible for guiding its implementation. The scientific and strategic objectives of STAR are set out in the form of a series of research questions and the reader is referred to the papers in this volume that address those objectives, which include: (a) Which methods or biological quality elements are best able to indicate certain stressors? (b) Which method can be used on which scale? (c) Which method is suited for early and late warnings? (d) How are different assessment methods affected by errors and uncertainty? (e) How can data from different assessment methods be intercalibrated? (f) How can the cost-effectiveness of field and laboratory protocols be optimised? (g) How can boundaries of the five classes of Ecological Status be best set? (h) What contribution can STAR make to the development of European standards? The methodological approaches adopted to meet these objectives are described. These include the selection of the 22 stream-types and 263 sites sampled in 11 countries, the sampling protocols used to sample and survey phytobenthos, macrophytes, macroinvertebrates, fish and hydromorphology, the quality control and uncertainty analyses that were applied, including training, replicate sampling and audit of performance, the development of bespoke software and the project outputs. This paper provides the detailed background information to be referred to in conjunction with most of the other papers in this volume. These papers are divided into seven sections: (1) typology, (2) organism groups, (3) macrophytes and diatoms, (4) hydromorphology, (5) tools for assessing European streams with macroinvertebrates, (6) intercalibration and comparison and (7) errors and uncertainty. The principal findings of the papers in each section and their relevance to the Water Framework Directive are synthesised in short summary papers at the beginning of each section. Additional outputs, including all sampling and laboratory protocols and project deliverables, together with a range of freely downloadable software are available from the project website at www.eu_star.at.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
AQEM Consortium, 2002. Manual for the application of the AQEM system. A comprehensive method to assess European streams using benthic macroinvertebrates, developed for the purpose of the Water Framework Directive. Version 1.0, February 2002
E. K. Balon (1975) ArticleTitleReproductive guilds of fishes: a proposal and definition Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada 32 821–864
A. Baattrup-Pedersen K. Szoszkiewicz R. Nijboer M. O’Hare T. Ferreira (2006) ArticleTitleMacrophyte communities in unimpacted European streams: variability in assemblage patterns, abundance and diversity Hydrobiologia 566 247–260
A. Besse-Lotoskaya P. F. M. Verdonschot J. A. Sinkeldam (2006) ArticleTitleUncertainty in diatom assessment: Sampling, identification and counting variation Hydrobiologia 566 247–260
S. Birk D. Hering (2002) ArticleTitleWaterview Web-Database: a comprehensive review of European assessment methods for rivers FBA News 20 4
A. Buffagni S. Erba M. Cazzola J. Murray-Bligh H. Soszka P. Genoni (2006) ArticleTitleThe STAR common metrics approach to the WFD intercalibration process: Full application for small, lowland rivers in three European countries Hydrobiologia 566 379–399
A. Buffagni L. J. Kemp (2002) ArticleTitleLooking beyond the shores of the United Kingdom: addenda for the application of River Habitat Survey in southern European rivers Journal of Limnology 61 199–214
S. Birk D. Hering (2006) ArticleTitleDirect comparison of assessment methods using benthic macroinvertebrates: a contribution to the EU Water Framework Directive intercalibration exercise Hydrobiologia 566 401–415
S. Birk T. Korte D. Hering (2006) ArticleTitleIntercalibration of assessment methods for macrophytes in lowland streams: direct comparison and analysis of common metrics Hydrobiologia 566 417–430
Bis, B. & P. Usseglio-Polatera, 2004. Species traits analysis. STAR deliverable N2 to the European Commission, 148 pp
R. T. Clarke (2000) Uncertainty in estimates of river quality based on RIVPACS J. F. Wright D. W. Sutcliffe M. T. Furse (Eds) Assessing the Biological Quality of Freshwaters: RIVPACS and Similar Techniques Freshwater Biological Association Ambleside 39–54
R. T. Clarke J. Davy-Bowker L. Sandin N. Friberg R. K. Johnson B. Bis (2006a) ArticleTitleEstimates and comparisons of the effects of sampling variation using ‘national’ macroinvertebrate sampling protocols on the precision of metrics used to assess ecological status Hydrobiologia 566 477–503
R. T. Clarke M. T. Furse R. J. M. Gunn J. M. Winder J. F. Wright (2002) ArticleTitleSampling variation in macroinvertebrate data and implications for river quality indices Freshwater Biology 47 1735–1751 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2427.2002.00885.x
R. T. Clarke A. Lorenz L. Sandin A. Schmidt-Kloiber J. Strackbein N. T. Kneebone P. Haase (2006b) ArticleTitleEffects of sampling and sub-sampling variation using the STAR-AQEM sampling protocol on the precision of macroinvertebrate metrics Hydrobiologia 566 441–459
R. T. Clarke J. F. Wright M. T. Furse (2003) ArticleTitleRIVPACS models for predicting the expected macroinvertebrate fauna and assessing the ecological quality of rivers Ecological Modelling 160 219–233 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0304-3800(02)00255-7
InstitutionalAuthorNameDanish Environmental Protection Agency (1998) Biological Assessment of Watercourse Quality Guidelines, No. 5. – Danish Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Environment and Energy Copenhagen
P. E. Davies (2003) Development of a national river bioassessment system (AUSRIVAS) in Australia J. F. Wright D. W. Sutcliffe M. T. Furse (Eds) Assessing the Biological Quality of Freshwaters: RIVPACS and Similar Techniques Freshwater Biological Association Ambleside 113–124
J. Davy-Bowker R. T. Clarke R. K. Johnson J. Kokes J. F. Murphy S. Zahrádková (2006) ArticleTitleA comparison of the European Water Framework Directive physical typology and RIVPACS-type models as alternative methods of establishing reference conditions for benthic macroinvertebrates Hydrobiologia 566 91–105
S. Erba A. Buffagni N. Holmes M. O’Hare P. Scarlett A. Stenico (2006) ArticleTitlePreliminary testing of River Habitat Survey features for the aims of the WFD hydro-morphological assessment: an overview from the STAR Project Hydrobiologia 566 281–296
European Commission, 2000. Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy. European Commission PE-CONS 3639/1/00 REV 1, Luxembourg
European Commission, 2001. Common implementation strategy for the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). Strategic document as agreed by the Water Directors under Swedish presidency, 2 May 2001. European Commission, 81 pp
European Commission, 2002. Water Framework Directive (WFD) Common Implementation Strategy Working Group 2.5. Intercalibration: Towards a guidance on establishment of the intercalibration network and on the process of the intercalibration exercise. European Commission, 50 pp
European Commission, 2003a. Water Framework Directive (WFD) Common Implementation Strategy Working Group 2.3 Reference conditions for inland surface waters (REFCOND). Guidance on establishing reference conditions and Ecological Status class boundaries for inland surface waters. Final version, 30 April 2003. European Commission, 86 pp
European Commission, 2003b. Water Framework Directive Common Implementation Strategy Working Group 2.7 Monitoring. Guidance on monitoring for the Water Framework Directive. Final version. 23 January 2003. European Commission, 170 pp
European Commission, 2003c. Water Framework Directive Common Implementation Strategy Working Group 2.A Ecological Status (ECOSTAT). Overall approach to the classification of Ecological Status and Ecological Potential. European Commission, 86 pp
GAY, Cabinet en Environnement, 1994. Indice Biologique Global Normalisé. NF T 90-350. Guide Technique. Agences de l’eau et Ministère de l’Environnement, Paris
N. Friberg L. Sandin M. T. Furse S. E. Larsen R. T. Clarke P. Haase (2006) ArticleTitleComparison of macroinvertebrate sampling methods in Europe Hydrobiologia 566 365–378
Ghetti, P. E., 1997. Manuale di Applicazione. Indice Biotico Esteso (I. B. E.). I Macroinvertebrati Nell Contro uo Della Qualita Degli Ambienti di Acquae Correnti. – Provinzia Autonoma di Trento, Agenzia Provinciale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente, Trento
P. Haase J. Murray-Bligh S. Lohse S. Pauls A. Sundermann R. Gunn R. Clarke (2006) ArticleTitleAssessing the impact errors in sorting and identifying macroinvertebrate samples Hydrobiologia 566 505–521
J. M. Hellawell (1978) The Biological Surveillance of Rivers: A Biological Monitoring Handbook Water Research Centre Stevenage
J. M. Hellawell (1986) Biological Indicators of Freshwater Pollution and Environmental Management. Pollution Monitoring Series Elsevier Applied Science London, New York
D. Hering A. Buffagni O. Moog L. Sandin M. Sommerhäuser I. Stubauer C. Feld R. K. Johnson P. Pinto N. Skoulikidis P. F. M. Verdonschot S. Zahrádková (2003) ArticleTitleThe development of a system to assess the ecological quality of streams based on macroinvertebrates – design of the sampling programme within the AQEM project Internationale Revue der gesamten Hydrobiologie 88 345–361 Occurrence Handle10.1002/iroh.200390030
D. Hering C. K. Feld O. Moog T. Ofenböck (2006) ArticleTitleCook book for the development of a Multimetric-Index for biological condition of aquatic ecosystems: experiences from the European AQEM and STAR projects and related initiatives Hydrobiologia 566 311–324
D. Hering O. Moog L. Sandin P. F. M. Verdonschot (2004a) ArticleTitleOverview and application of the AQEM assessment system Hydrobiologia 516 1–21 Occurrence Handle10.1023/B:HYDR.0000025255.70009.a5
Hering, D., P. F. M. Verdonschot, O. Moog & L. Sandin (eds), 2004b. Integrated assessment of running waters in Europe. Hydrobiologia. 516 pp
Holmes, N. T. H., J. R. Newman, S. Chadd, K. J. Rouen, L Sharp & F. H. Dawson, 1999. Mean Trophic Rank: A Users’ Manual. R&D Technical Report No. E38, Environment Agency, Bristol
N. T. H. Holmes B. A. Whitton (1977) ArticleTitleMacrophytic vegetation of the River Swale, Yorkshire Freshwater Biology 7 545–558 Occurrence Handle10.1111/j.1365-2427.1977.tb01706.x
R. M. Hughes (1995) Defining acceptable status by comparing with reference conditions W. S. Davis T. P. Simon (Eds) Biological Assessment and Criteria. Tools for Water Resource Planning and Decision Making Lewis Publishers Boca Raton, FL 31–47
Illies, J. (ed.), 1978. Limnofauna Europaea, 2nd edn. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, New York; Swets and Zeitlinger B. V., Amsterdam
R. K. Johnson D. Hering M. T. Furse R. T. Clarke (2006a) ArticleTitleDetection of ecological change using multiple organism groups: metrics and uncertainty Hydrobiologia 566 115–137
R. K. Johnson D. Hering M. T. Furse P. F. M. Verdonschot (2006b) ArticleTitleIndicators of ecological change: comparison of the early response of four organism groups to stress gradients Hydrobiologia 566 139–152
M. G. Kelly A. Cazaubon E. Coring A. Dell’Uomo L. Ector B. Goldsmith H. Guasch J. Hürlimann A. Jarlman B. Kawecka J. Kwandrans R. Laugaste E.-A. Lindstrøm M. Leitao P. Marvan J. Padisák E. Pipp J. Prygiel E. Rott S. Sabater H. Dam Particlevan J. Vizinet (1998) ArticleTitleRecommendations for the routine sampling of diatoms for water quality assessments in Europe Journal of Applied Phycology 10 215–224 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1008033201227
Knoben, R. A. E., C. Roos & M. C. van Oirschot, 1995. Biological assessment methods for watercourses. UN/ECE Task Force on Monitoring and Assessment, 86 pp
J. Kokeš S. Zahrádková D. Němejcová J. Jarkovský J. Hodovský T. Soldán (2006) ArticleTitleThe PERLA system in the Czech Republic: a multivariate approach for assessing the ecological status of running waters Hydrobiologia 566 343–354
Latvian Standard Ltd., 1999 LVS 240:1999 Water quality – operative evaluation biological quality of small stream by saprobity index of macrozoobenthos community. In Catalogue of Latvian standards, Riga, Latvian Standard Ltd, 1999: Group 13.060, 1(11)–11
C. Lecointe M. Coste J. Prygiel (1993) ArticleTitle“OMNIDIA” software for taxonomy, calculation of diatom indices and inventories management Hydrobiologia 269/270 509–513 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00028048
A. Lorenz R. T. Clarke (2006) ArticleTitleSample coherence – a field study approach to assess similarity of macroinvertebrate samples Hydrobiologia 566 461–476
V. Mandl (1992) Draft EC directive on ecological quality of surface waters P. J. Newman M. A. Piavaux R. A. Sweeting (Eds) River Water Quality. Ecological Assessment and Control. Publication EUR 14606 EN-FR Commission of the European Communities Luxembourg 18
R. H. K. Mann (1996) ArticleTitleEnvironmental requirements of European non-salmonid fish in rivers Hydrobiologia 323 223–235 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00007848
J. L. Metcalfe (1989) ArticleTitleBiological water quality assessment of running waters based on macroinvertebrate communities: history and present status in Europe Environmental Pollution 60 101–139 Occurrence Handle15092393 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL1MXmtVWju7c%3D Occurrence Handle10.1016/0269-7491(89)90223-6
J. L. Metcalfe-Smith (1994) Biological water quality assessment of rivers: use of macroinvertebrate communities P. Calow G. E. Petts (Eds) The Rivers Handbook NumberInSeriesII Blackwell Scientific Publications London 144–170
W. W. Moore (1977) ArticleTitleSeasonal succession of algae in a eutrophic stream in southern England Hydrobiologia 53 181–192 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00029297
Murray-Bligh, J. A. D., M. T. Furse, F. H. Jones, R. J. M. Gunn, R. A. Dines & J. F. Wright, 1997. Procedure for collecting and analysing macroinvertebrate samples for RIVPACS. Joint publication by the Institute of Freshwater Ecology and the Environment Agency, 162 pp
Noble, R. & I. Cowx, 2002. Development, evaluation & implementation of a standardised fish-based assessment method for the Ecological Status of European rivers – a contribution to the water framework directive (FAME). A report to the European Commission, 100 pp
Norris, R. H., 1994. Rapid biological assessment, natural variability and selecting reference sites. Classification of rivers and environmental health indicators. In Uys, M. C. (ed.), Proceedings of a Joint South African/Australian Workshop, Cape Town, South Africa. Water Research Commission, Report No. TT/63/94: 129–166
M. T. O’Hare A. Baattrup-Pedersen R. Nijboer K. Szoszkiewicz T. Ferreira (2006) ArticleTitleMacrophyte communities of European streams with altered physical habitat Hydrobiologia 566 197–210
P. Pinto M. Morais M. Ilhéu L. Sandin (2006) ArticleTitleRelationships among biological elements (macrophytes, macroinvertebrates and ichyofauna) for different river types across Europe at two different spatial scales Hydrobiologia 566 75–90
Raven, P. J., N. T. H. Holmes, F. H. Dawson, P. J. A. Fox, M. Everard, I. R. Fozzard & K. J. Rouen, 1998. River Habitat Quality – The Physical Character of Rivers and Streams in the UK and Isle of Man. River Habitat Survey Report Number 2. Environment Agency, Bristol: Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Stirling: Environment and Heritage Service, Belfast, 1–84
T. B. Reynoldson R. C. Bailey K. E. Day R. H. Norris (1995) ArticleTitleBiological guidelines for freshwater sediment based on BEnthic Assessment of SedimenT (the BEAST) using a multivariate approach for predicting biological state Australian Journal of Ecology 20 198–219
T. B. Reynoldson K. E. Day T. Pascoe (2000) The development of the BEAST: a predictive approach for assessing sediment quality in the Great Lakes J. F. Wright D. W. Sutcliffe M. T. Furse (Eds) Assessing the Biological Quality of Freshwaters: RIVPACS and Similar Techniques Freshwater Biological Association Ambleside 165–180
D. M. Rosenberg T. B. Reynoldson V. H. Resh (2000) Establishing reference conditions in the Fraser River catchment, British Colombia, Canada, using the BEAST (Benthic Assessment of SedimenT) predictive model J. F. Wright D. W. Sutcliffe M. T. Furse (Eds) Assessing the Biological Quality of Freshwaters: RIVPACS and Similar Techniques Freshwater Biological Association Ambleside 181–194
A. Schmidt-Kloiber W. Graf A. Lorenz O. Moog (2006) ArticleTitleThe AQEM/STAR taxalist – a pan-European macro-invertebrate ecological database and taxa inventory Hydrobiologia 566 325–342
G. A. F. Seber E. D. Le Cren (1967) ArticleTitleEstimating population parameters from catches large relative to the population Journal of Animal Ecology 36 631–643 Occurrence Handle10.2307/2818
V. Sladecek (1973) ArticleTitleSystem of water quality from the biological point of view Archiv für Hydrobiologie Ergebnisse der Limnologie 7 1–218
F. Šporka H. E. Vlek E. Bulánková I. Krno (2006) ArticleTitleInfluence of seasonal variation on bioassessment of streams using macroinvertebrates Hydrobiologia 566 543–555
G. Springe L. Sandin A. Briede A. Skuja (2006) ArticleTitleBiological quality metrics: their variability and appropriate scale for assessing streams Hydrobiologia 566 153–172
R. Staniszewski K. Szoszkiewicz J. Zbierska J. Lesny S. Jusik R. T. Clarke (2006) ArticleTitleAssessment of sources of uncertainty in macrophyte surveys and the consequences for river classification Hydrobiologia 566 235–246
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, 1996. Bottenfauna i sjöars litoral och I vattendrag – tidsserier. [In Swedish: Benthic fauna in lake litoral and running waters – time series]. Swedish EPA monitoring handbook, Fresh waters. [Published digitally at: www.naturvardsverket.se]
K. Szoszkiewicz A. Buffagni J. Davy-Bowker J. Lesny B. H. Chojnicki J. Zbierska R. Staniszewski T. Zgola (2006a) ArticleTitleOccurrence and variability of River Habitat Survey features across Europe and the consequences for data collection and evaluation Hydrobiologia 566 267–280
K. Szoszkiewicz T. Ferreira T. Korte A. Baattrup-Pedersen J. Davy-Bowker M. O’Hare (2006b) ArticleTitleEuropean river plant communities: the importance of organic pollution and the usefulness of existing macrophyte metrics Hydrobiologia 566 211–234
P. F. M. Verdonschot (2006a) ArticleTitleEvaluation of the use of Water Framework Directive typology descriptors, reference sites and spatial scale in macroinvertebrate stream typology Hydrobiologia 566 39–58
P. F. M. Verdonschot (2006b) ArticleTitleData composition and taxonomic resolution in macroinvertebrate stream typology Hydrobiologia 566 59–74
H. E. Vlek F. Šporka I. Krno (2006) ArticleTitleInfluence of macroinvertebrate sample size on bioassessment of streams Hydrobiologia 566 523–542
J. G. Winter H. C. Duthie (2000) ArticleTitleStream epilithic, epipelic and epiphytic diatoms: habitat fidelity and use in biomonitoring Aquatic Ecology 34 345–353 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1011461727835
J. F. Wright P. D. Armitage M. T. Furse (1989) ArticleTitlePrediction of invertebrate communities using stream measurements Regulated Rivers: Research and Management 4 147–155
J. F. Wright D. W. Sutcliffe M. T. Furse (Eds) (2000) Assessing the Biological Quality of Freshwaters: RIVPACS and Similar Techniques Freshwater Biological Association Ambleside
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Furse, M., Hering, D., Moog, O. et al. The STAR project: context, objectives and approaches. Hydrobiologia 566, 3–29 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0067-6
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0067-6