Does the analysed size fraction of benthic foraminifera influence the ecological quality status and the interpretation of environmental conditions? Indications from two northern Norwegian fjords
The introduction of the European Water Framework Directive has increased the interest in benthic foraminifera as a biomonitoring tool. This prompted the need to standardise the methods used to analyse benthic foraminifera, including which sediment fraction to analyse. In some regions benthic foramin...
Published in: | Ecological Indicators |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Elsevier
2022
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108423 https://doaj.org/article/e9976e7397f545aea8430675913a5c6e |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:e9976e7397f545aea8430675913a5c6e |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:e9976e7397f545aea8430675913a5c6e 2023-05-15T15:12:23+02:00 Does the analysed size fraction of benthic foraminifera influence the ecological quality status and the interpretation of environmental conditions? Indications from two northern Norwegian fjords Anouk T. Klootwijk Elisabeth Alve 2022-02-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108423 https://doaj.org/article/e9976e7397f545aea8430675913a5c6e EN eng Elsevier http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X21010888 https://doaj.org/toc/1470-160X 1470-160X doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108423 https://doaj.org/article/e9976e7397f545aea8430675913a5c6e Ecological Indicators, Vol 135, Iss , Pp 108423- (2022) Ecological quality status (EcoQS) Benthic foraminiferal biomonitoring Foraminiferal test size Diversity indices Sub-arctic region Ecology QH540-549.5 article 2022 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108423 2022-12-30T20:17:55Z The introduction of the European Water Framework Directive has increased the interest in benthic foraminifera as a biomonitoring tool. This prompted the need to standardise the methods used to analyse benthic foraminifera, including which sediment fraction to analyse. In some regions benthic foraminifera produce small (< 125 µm) adult tests, and the current study assessed the effect of analysing the > 63 µm or > 125 µm fraction on determining the Ecological Quality Status (EcoQS) in two fjords in northern Norway. The diversity indices Shannon-Wiener index (H’log2) and Hurlbert’s rarefaction index (ES100), and the multi-metric Norwegian Quality Index (NQI), from both the > 63 µm and > 125 µm fraction resulted in the same or similar EcoQS, reflecting good environmental conditions in both fjords. The same applied to the AZTI’s Marine Biological Index (AMBI), except at one location which had moderate EcoQS. At this location especially, more foraminifera with a tolerant or opportunistic response to organic matter enrichment occurred in the > 63 µm fraction than in the > 125 µm fraction. Hence, the higher H’log2 and ES100 of the > 63 µm fraction can be somewhat misleading as it indicates better environmental conditions, whereas the AMBI indicates more organic matter input. The Stainforthia group and Epistominella vitrea, indicating organic matter enrichment and increased primary productivity were, however, mostly absent in the > 125 µm fraction. Their absence in this fraction could have consequences for monitoring potential anthropogenic pressure factors and identifying long-term changes in environmental conditions when using this fraction. This study suggests the > 125 µm would be mostly sufficient for determining the EcoQS in northern Norway. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Foraminifera* Northern Norway Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Norway Ecological Indicators 135 108423 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Ecological quality status (EcoQS) Benthic foraminiferal biomonitoring Foraminiferal test size Diversity indices Sub-arctic region Ecology QH540-549.5 |
spellingShingle |
Ecological quality status (EcoQS) Benthic foraminiferal biomonitoring Foraminiferal test size Diversity indices Sub-arctic region Ecology QH540-549.5 Anouk T. Klootwijk Elisabeth Alve Does the analysed size fraction of benthic foraminifera influence the ecological quality status and the interpretation of environmental conditions? Indications from two northern Norwegian fjords |
topic_facet |
Ecological quality status (EcoQS) Benthic foraminiferal biomonitoring Foraminiferal test size Diversity indices Sub-arctic region Ecology QH540-549.5 |
description |
The introduction of the European Water Framework Directive has increased the interest in benthic foraminifera as a biomonitoring tool. This prompted the need to standardise the methods used to analyse benthic foraminifera, including which sediment fraction to analyse. In some regions benthic foraminifera produce small (< 125 µm) adult tests, and the current study assessed the effect of analysing the > 63 µm or > 125 µm fraction on determining the Ecological Quality Status (EcoQS) in two fjords in northern Norway. The diversity indices Shannon-Wiener index (H’log2) and Hurlbert’s rarefaction index (ES100), and the multi-metric Norwegian Quality Index (NQI), from both the > 63 µm and > 125 µm fraction resulted in the same or similar EcoQS, reflecting good environmental conditions in both fjords. The same applied to the AZTI’s Marine Biological Index (AMBI), except at one location which had moderate EcoQS. At this location especially, more foraminifera with a tolerant or opportunistic response to organic matter enrichment occurred in the > 63 µm fraction than in the > 125 µm fraction. Hence, the higher H’log2 and ES100 of the > 63 µm fraction can be somewhat misleading as it indicates better environmental conditions, whereas the AMBI indicates more organic matter input. The Stainforthia group and Epistominella vitrea, indicating organic matter enrichment and increased primary productivity were, however, mostly absent in the > 125 µm fraction. Their absence in this fraction could have consequences for monitoring potential anthropogenic pressure factors and identifying long-term changes in environmental conditions when using this fraction. This study suggests the > 125 µm would be mostly sufficient for determining the EcoQS in northern Norway. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Anouk T. Klootwijk Elisabeth Alve |
author_facet |
Anouk T. Klootwijk Elisabeth Alve |
author_sort |
Anouk T. Klootwijk |
title |
Does the analysed size fraction of benthic foraminifera influence the ecological quality status and the interpretation of environmental conditions? Indications from two northern Norwegian fjords |
title_short |
Does the analysed size fraction of benthic foraminifera influence the ecological quality status and the interpretation of environmental conditions? Indications from two northern Norwegian fjords |
title_full |
Does the analysed size fraction of benthic foraminifera influence the ecological quality status and the interpretation of environmental conditions? Indications from two northern Norwegian fjords |
title_fullStr |
Does the analysed size fraction of benthic foraminifera influence the ecological quality status and the interpretation of environmental conditions? Indications from two northern Norwegian fjords |
title_full_unstemmed |
Does the analysed size fraction of benthic foraminifera influence the ecological quality status and the interpretation of environmental conditions? Indications from two northern Norwegian fjords |
title_sort |
does the analysed size fraction of benthic foraminifera influence the ecological quality status and the interpretation of environmental conditions? indications from two northern norwegian fjords |
publisher |
Elsevier |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108423 https://doaj.org/article/e9976e7397f545aea8430675913a5c6e |
geographic |
Arctic Norway |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Norway |
genre |
Arctic Foraminifera* Northern Norway |
genre_facet |
Arctic Foraminifera* Northern Norway |
op_source |
Ecological Indicators, Vol 135, Iss , Pp 108423- (2022) |
op_relation |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X21010888 https://doaj.org/toc/1470-160X 1470-160X doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108423 https://doaj.org/article/e9976e7397f545aea8430675913a5c6e |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108423 |
container_title |
Ecological Indicators |
container_volume |
135 |
container_start_page |
108423 |
_version_ |
1766343071502434304 |