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Is the biological classification of benthic diatom communities concordant with ecotypes?

  • ALGAE FOR MONITORING RIVERS
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Abstract

In this study a biological classification based on diatom communities (a posteriori classification) was used to search for the most appropriate a priori classification in reference conditions, on the basis of 31 reference sites encompassing eight watersheds in the NE Iberian Peninsula. We considered three different a priori systems for comparison: (i) a typological classification (ecotypes and subecotypes) based on geomorphology and water flow; (ii) the watershed as a unit, irrespective of its size; and (iii) a classification based on the geographical distance between sites under the assumption that biological characteristics are increasingly similar in geographically closer sites. Classification in ecotypes and subecotypes was the most robust with minor differences between them. The watershed (hydrological units) classification was significant though weaker than the typological classification and there was a larger environmental variation within watersheds than within ecotypes. Finally, results showed that geographically closer sites were not more biologically similar in terms of diatom community composition. We can conclude that the ecotypological environmental-based classifications developed by the local water agency did adequately describe the biological classification based on epilithic diatoms.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the Catalan Water Agency. Additional funding was obtained from the project CONSOLIDER-INGENIO SCARCE CSD2009-0065. We are grateful for the comments of two anonymous reviewers on the manuscript. We also thank Luc Ector for handling the Special volume of Hydrobiologia ‘Use of Algae for Monitoring Rivers’.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), H2O Building, Scientific and Technologic Park of the University of Girona, Emili Grahit 101, 17003, Girona, Spain

    Elisabet Tornés & Sergi Sabater

  2. Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, 17071, Girona, Spain

    Elisabet Tornés & Sergi Sabater

  3. Faculty of Sciences, University of A Coruña, Campus da Zapateira, 15071, A Coruña, Spain

    Manel Leira

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  1. Elisabet Tornés
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Correspondence to Elisabet Tornés.

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Guest editors: L. Ector, D. Hlúbiková & L. Hoffmann / Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium “Use of Algae for Monitoring Rivers”, Luxembourg, November 23–25, 2009

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Tornés, E., Leira, M. & Sabater, S. Is the biological classification of benthic diatom communities concordant with ecotypes?. Hydrobiologia 695, 43–55 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1119-8

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