EDP Foz-Tua: Phytobenthos – Ecological Monitoring Program [2011-2015]

Study Extent

The data were collected along the Tua lower valley (Northeast Portugal), up to 52 km from the mouth, in the municipalities of Alijó, Carrazeda de Ansiães, Murça, Vila Flor and Mirandela

Sampling

Epilitic communities were sampled in accordance with the Sampling Protocol and analysis for phytobenthos - diatoms (INAG 2008). In each sampling point a number of stones totaling a colonized surface of ≈100 cm2 was examined, avoiding, whenever possible, the shaded areas, as well as the areas without current or with very high water velocity. All samples were fixed “in loco” with commercial formaldehyde (37%) and brought to laboratory, where they were subjected to the nitric acid method (INAG, 2008). For each sample, about 400 valves were counted in random and not overlapping optical fields. Diatomaceous communities were identified up to the lowest possible taxonomic level using several floras, namely those of Germain (1981) and Krammer and Lange-Bertalot (1986, 1988, 1991a and 1991b), as well as the IBD manual (Prygiel and Coste, 2000).

Quality Control

All taxa were identified by experienced researchers

Method steps

1. To be completed

The taxonomic coverage of this dataset spans 1 phylum, 4 classes, 16 orders, 19 famillies, 59 genera, and 245 species and infra-specific categories.

1. Bacillariophyta
   rank: phylum
2. Coscinodiscophyceae
   rank: class
3. Bacillariophyceae
   rank: class
4. Coscinodiscophyceae
   rank: class
5. Mediophyceae
   rank: class
6. Aulacoseirales
   rank: order
7. Bacillariales
   rank: order
8. Cocconeidales
   rank: order
9. Cymbellales
   rank: order
10. Eunotiales
    rank: order
11. Fragilariales
    rank: order
12. Licmophorales
    rank: order
13. Mastogloiales
    rank: order
14. Melosirales
    rank: order
15. Naviculales
    rank: order
16. Rhopalodiales
    rank: order
17. Stephanodiscales
    rank: order
18. Surirellales
    rank: order
19. Tabellariales
    rank: order
20. Thalassiophysales
    rank: order
21. Thalassiosirales
    rank: order
22. Aulacoseiraceae
    rank: family
23. Bacillariaceae
    rank: family
24. Achnanthidiaceae
    rank: family
25. Anomoeoneidaceae
    rank: family
26. Cymbellaceae
    rank: family
27. Eunotiaceae
    rank: family
28. Staurosiraceae
    rank: family
29. Ulnariaceae
    rank: family
30. Achnanthaceae
    rank: family
31. Melosiraceae
    rank: family
32. Amphipleuraceae
    rank: family
33. Neidiineae
    rank: family
34. Rhopalodiaceae
    rank: family
35. Stephanodiscaceae
    rank: family
36. Stephanodiscaceae
    rank: family
37. Surirellaceae
    rank: family
38. Tabellariaceae
    rank: family
39. Catenulaceae
    rank: family
40. Thalassiosiraceae
    rank: family

The data were collected along the river Tua (Northeast Portugal) and its mains tributaries, up to the intersection with rivers Rabaçal and Tuela (52 km from the mouth), in the municipalities of Alijó, Carrazeda de Ansiães, Murça, Vila Flor and Mirandela.