Recording of macroinvertebrates living in aquatic sediments the so called macrozoobenthos, has proved to be a valid parameter for assessing the ecological status of the water body when implementing the EU Water Framework Directive. The organisms are collected and determined according to a standardized procedure, and the abundances are recorded.
link: River assessment in Germany
With the help of an evaluation software, Asterics / Perlodes, the autocological data of the found organisms are converted into numerical values and compared with biocoenoses of reference sites. The organic load of the river is one of the four assessment modules of the river assessment system. In addition to the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive, the method is also used for the assessment of impacts of landfill and contaminated sites on surface waters.
link: Handbuch Altlasten (PDF)
In Cooperation with scientist from Frankfurt University we have develpped an assessment strategy basing on the caparission of the ecological condition and ecotoxicological burdens.
Integrating the fish embryo toxicity test as a triad element for sediment toxicity assessment based on the Water Framework Directive
Mariana Bartzke & Vera Delov & Petra Stahlschmidt-Allner & Bernhard Allner & Jörg Oehlmann
DOI 10.1007 / s11368-009-0170