Biological Monitoring Flashcards
What does BMWP stand for
Biological Monitoring Working Parties score
Why do we do biological monitoring
to assess changes to the river characteristics that we cant see, temporally
What are the uses of biological monitoring
Used as an early warning system, detect pollutants hazardous to human health, track pollution dispersal
How can BM be used In determining physical channel changes
can indicate hydrological changes
Why do BM’s not give you one possible pollutant type
Biological organisms are affective by many types of pollution
How would you tell the pollutant type from BM
would need a professional identification skills, may also need chemical testing
What information about the biological indicator (plant/animal) must you know before you carry out BM
life cycles
What difficulties can you encounter from trying to find out BM
sampling difficulties
which BM show us temporal scales of days or weeks
bacteria, protozoa, diatoms
which BM show us temporal scales of months to years
invertebrates
which BM show us temporal scales of years
fish
what are the negatives of fish as BM
can migrate away from pollution
What are the benefits of using macrophytes as BM
species fixed to the bank or bed, good indicators of suspended solids
What are the benefits of using Macro-invertebrates as BM
Qualitative sampling easy and well documented, good taxonomic keys, whole communities can respond to change, normally quick cheap and easy
What are the benefits of using algae as BM
useful indicators of eutrophication and turbidity
What are the benefits of using fish as BM
methods well developed, can indicate food chain effects, ease of identification
What are the benefits of using bacteria as BM
rapid response to changes, ease of sampling, indicator of faecal pollution
what are the negatives of macro invertebrates as BM
knowledge of life cycles necessary to interpret absence of some species
what are the negatives of macrophytes as BM
response to pollution not well documented, often tolerant of intermittent pollution
What event led to the first need for management of sewage in uk
The great stink in 1858
what is the saprobic system
recognized zones of downstream organic sources