1. Carolin Meier & Daniel Hering (University of Duisburg-Essen)
Ecological classification in Germany using the example of the german river assessment system with benthic invertebrates (PERLODES)
Carolin Meier & Daniel Hering (University of Duisburg-Essen)

2. Content
Concept
Development
Implementation and application
Combination of the biological quality elements
Role of physico-chemical elements

3. Content
Concept
Development
Implementation and application
Combination of the biological quality elements
Role of physico-chemical elements

4. Ephemera danica Müller, 1864
Concept
Locomotion type: borrowing
Microhabitat: sand (Psammal)
Habitat: lowland and mountain rivers which are hydromorphologically divers
Feeding type: active filter feeder
Demands of the adult: landmarks for swarming
Reaction to stress: high oxygen demand, acid-intolerant
Ephemera danica Müller, 1864

5. Forms of impairment („stressors“)
Concept
Forms of impairment („stressors“)
Eutrophication
Land use
Hydro-morphological degradation
Organic pollution
Microhabitat degradation
Acidification

6. Forms of impairment („stressors“)
Concept
Forms of impairment („stressors“)
Eutrophication
Land use
Hydro-morphological degradation
Organic pollution
Microhabitat degradation
Acidification

7. } Stressor-specific assessment Concept Reference condition
Need for action }
Assessment
formula
Information on the
saprobic status
acidic status
Information on
other stressors
Ecological
status
Taxalist

8. } Modul “Organic Pollution” Modul “Acidification”
Concept
Stressor-specific assessment
Reference condition
Modul “Organic Pollution”
Assessment
formula
Information on the
saprobic status
acidic status
Information on
other stressors
Ecological
status
Modul “Acidification”
Taxalist
Modul “General Degradation” }
Need for action

9. Stressor-specific assessment
Concept
Stressor-specific assessment
Information on the
saprobic status
acidic status
Information on
other stressors
German Standard DIN (1992)
Acid quality classes
according to Braukmann & Biss (2004)
Taxalist
Stream type specific assessment - formulas:
Metric 1
Metric 2
Metric 3
...

10. Content
Concept
Development - of the module „General Degradation“ - of PERLODES
Implementation and application
Combination of the biological quality elements
Role of physico-chemical elements

11. Selection of metrics Development module „General Degradation“
Calculation
of ca. 80 metrics
with each taxalist
Database 1
Taxalists
Database 2
Abiotic site data
land use in the catchment
- hydromorphological quality
Correlation analysis
Selection of parameters,
which indicate the effects of degradation

12. Selection of metrics Development module „General Degradation“
Calculation
of ca. 80 metrics
with every taxalist
Selection of
candidate metrics
Correlation analysis
Selection of parameters,
which indicate the effects of degradation

13. Selection of metrics Development module „General Degradation“
Calculation
of ca. 80 metrics
with every taxalist
Selection of
candidate metrics
Selection of
core metrics
Correlation analysis
Selection of parameters,
which indicate the effects of degradation

14. Calculation of the Quality Class
Development module „General Degradation“
Calculation of the Quality Class
Calculation of the metric results
Transfer of each result into a value between 0 and 1 (score)
Calculation of the Multimetric Index as the weighted mean of the scores: Fauna-Index accounts for 50% of the final result
Transfer of the Multimetric Index into a Quality Class: . high > good > moderate > poor > bad <= 0.2

15. } Calculation of the Ecological Quality Class Development PERLODES
Reference condition
Measures }
Information about
organic pollution
acidification
general degradation
Value
Ecological
Quality Class
Taxalist

16. Calculation of the Ecological Quality Class
Development PERLODES
Calculation of the Ecological Quality Class
The Ecological Quality Class is calculated from the results of the individual modules:
. Module “Organic Pollution” = “high” or “good”: combination of the modules by the worst case principle
. Module “Organic Pollution” = “moderate”, “poor” or “bad”: organic pollution is likely to affect the module “general degradation” too; in these cases the result of the module “general degradation” might be corrected by additional criteria; afterwards, the end result is calculated by the worst case principle

17. Content
Concept
Development
Implementation and application
Combination of the biological quality elements
Role of physico-chemical elements

18. Tools for implementation and application
Implementation + application
Tools for implementation and application
The website [
A manual for application
Training materials
The software ASTERICS (AQEM/STAR Ecological River Classification System)

19. Content
Concept
Development
Implementation and application
Combination of the biological quality elements
Role of physico-chemical elements

20. Indication potential of organism groups
Combination
Indication potential of organism groups
Organic pollution
Eutrophication
Acidification
Hydro-morphology
Habitat patch
Early warning
Catchment
Late warning

21. Hering et al., Hydrobiologia (2006) 566:109-113
Combination
Indication potential of organism groups
Eutrophication Pollution
Land use
Hydro-morphology
Microhabitats
General degradation
Hering et al., Hydrobiologia (2006) 566:

22. Combination of the biological quality elements
Different organism groups indicate different stress types on different scales.
Therefore the one-out all-out principle will be used on the quality element level (according to the WFD CIS Guidance document No. 13 "Overall approach to the classification of ecological status and ecological potential").

23. Combination
WFD CIS Guidance document No. 13 "Overall approach to the classification of ecological status and ecological potential" (Fig. 3, p. 11)

24. Content
Concept
Development
Implementation and application
Combination of the biological quality elements
Role of physico-chemical elements

25. Differentiation between background and orientation values ...
Physico-chemical elements
Differentiation between background and orientation values ...
. Background values: between high and good status
. Orientation values: between good and moderate status/potential
... are not binding only if:
1. The level or range for a physico-chemical quality element has been exceeded in a significant number of water bodies in the type as a result of anthropogenic alterations where the monitoring results for the biological quality elements are better than moderate status/potential and
2. the biological methods being used in the monitoring are sensitive to the effects of anthropogenic changes in the condition of the physico-chemical quality element on the values for the biological quality elements and the functioning of the ecosystem and
3. there is no delay before the biological effects of the range or level being exceeded are reflected in the biological monitoring results.

26. Background values for rivers (Draft from March 2007)
Physico-chemical elements
Background values for rivers (Draft from March 2007)
+ temperature

27. Orientation values for rivers (Draft from March 2007)
Physico-chemical elements
Orientation values for rivers (Draft from March 2007)
+ temperature

28. Conclusions
In general the classification according to WFD CIS Guidance document No. 13 "Overall approach to the classification of ecological status and ecological potential“ works well in Germany.

29. Further information