Methods for aquatic ecosystem assessments

Aquatic ecosystem assessments are essential for understanding the health and ecological status of rivers, lakes, and other water bodies. These assessments help in identifying potential threats, monitoring changes over time, and developing effective management strategies. Although the rationale behind particular assessments depends on the particular target and thus largely determines the best suitable methodology, some standards apply in the general development of ecosystem assessments. 
The service is a training course that will address all relevant steps necessary to develop an aquatic ecosystem assessment based upon biological indicators from different indicator groups such as benthic macroinvertebrates or algae. Methods include data sampling methodology, data processing and preparation, statistical analysis and the development of multi-metric indexes, for example, for ecological status assessment.
The course will include i) general aspects of assessment systems, ii) methods to evaluate ecosystem health and ecological condition, iii) the analysis of potential physical, chemical, hydrological, and morphological stressor variables, iv) the analysis of biological indicators against those stressors and v) the combination of several composite metrics into a multi-metric index. The index development may specifically address water quality parameters, physical habitat parameters and biodiversity measures.