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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Multimetric indices play a pivotal role in assessing river ecological quality, aligning with
the European Water Framework Directive (EU WFD) requirements. However, indices developed
specifically for large rivers are uncommon. Our objective was to develop a fish-based tool specifically
tailored to assess the ecological quality in Portuguese large rivers. Data were collected from seven sites
in each of three Portuguese large rivers (Minho, Guadiana, and Tagus). Each site was classified using
an environmental disturbance score, combining different pressure types, such as water chemistry, land
use, and hydromorphological alterations. The Fish-based Multimetric Index for Portuguese Large
Rivers (F-MMIP-LR) comprises four metrics: % native lithophilic individuals; % alien individuals; %
migrant individuals; and % freshwater native individuals, representing compositional, reproductive,
and migratory guilds. The index showed good performance in separating least- and most-disturbed
sites. Least-disturbed sites were rated ‘high’ or ‘good’ by F-MMIP-LR, contrasting with no such
classification for most-disturbed sites, highlighting index robustness. The three rivers presented
a wide range of F-MMIP-LR values across the gradient of ‘bad’ to ‘high’, indicating that, on a
large spatial extent, the biological condition was substantially altered. The F-MMIP-LR provides
vital information for managers and decision-makers, guiding restoration efforts and strengthening
conservation initiatives in line with the WFD.
Description
Keywords
ecological quality large rivers water framework directive MMI fishes freshwater ecosystems
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Faro, A.T.; Ferreira, M.T.; Oliveira, J.M. A Fish-Based Tool for the Quality Assessment of Portuguese Large Rivers. Fishes 2024, 9, 149. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9050149
Publisher
MDPI