Designing a standardised sampling method for invertebrate monitoringa pilot experiment in a motorway retention pond

摘要

The implementation of the European Water Framework Directive revealed the necessity to develop new tools designed for freshwater ecosystems monitoring. As a new assessment approach employing invertebrate monitoring, three artificial substra­tes (two benthic and one pelagic) were tested for 7, 14,21 and 35 days of exposure in a motorway retention pond located in Southern France. Two of these artificial substrates appeared to sample too narrow a range of taxa, which was confirmed by two-way ANOVA tests and diversity and evenness indices. Samples taken by the remaining artificial substrate, composed of six plastic plant stems fixed on a 15 x 15 cm square tile, were representative of the species assemblage found in the stormwa­ter retention ponds. The use of an artificial substrate as a standardised method for long terro invertebrate monitoring in ponds holds much potential.