DEMNA : MacroInvertebrate occurrences in monitored surface water bodies of Wallonia
Citation
Chérot F, Coupremanne M (2017). DEMNA : MacroInvertebrate occurrences in monitored surface water bodies of Wallonia. Version 1.5. Service Public de Wallonie – Département d’Etude du Milieu Naturel et Agricole (SPW – DEMNA). Metadata dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/ew00u8 accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-08-24.Description
WARNING: SOME ERRORS WHERE SPOTED WITHIN THE DATASET. USE IS NOT RECOMMENDED BEFORE 2018 UPDATE. "DEMNA : MacroInvertebrate occurrences in monitored surface water bodies of Wallonia" is an occurrence dataset created by the Hydrobiology unit at the Department of Study of the Natural and Agricultural Environment (DEMNA- Public Service of Wallonia). The data come from an ongoing monitoring network on the biological quality of water bodies in Wallonia set up to undertake the Eu Water framework directive missions (since 2005). MacroInvertebrates are one of the 4 indicator groups used to assess the biological quality of water bodies with macrophytes(doi:10.15468/cumtkq), diatoms(doi:10.15468/vvkk9a) and fishes(doi:10.15468/jgddny). The occurrences are derived from standardized IBGN/IBGA samplings, and are completed with had hoc observations from non-specific monitorings. Some IBGN/IBGA target taxa have been removed from the dataset, due to the low taxonomic resolution used (classes, orders). The Current monitoring network is composed of more than 440 sites, distributed among small streams to the largest rivers/canals from the hydrographic districts of the Meuse, the Scheldt, the Rhine and the Seine (Wallonia areas). Some data can be previous to the set up of the current monitoring network, collected during other activies of the hydrobiology unit. The results of the Biological quality assessment can be acessed through cigale (http://geoapps.wallonie.be/CigaleInter/).More information is available upon request adressed to the DEMNA, and please note that this dataset does not replace any official convention on the provision of biological data delivered by the department. Maintenance of the dataset will be realised each year in order to include previous-year reported samlings.Purpose
Monitoring the biological quality of surface waterbodies in Wallonia, based on 4 biological indicator groups (with macrophytes, diatoms and fishes), for the EU water framework directive. MacroInvertebrates are used to determine IBGN / IBGA indicators, that are reported to Europe annualy.Sampling Description
Study Extent
The current monitoring network is composed of more than 440 sampling stations distributed among the Wallonia. The concerned habitats includes static water masses, canals, and small streams to largest rivers from the hydrographic districts of the Meuse, the Scheldt, the Rhine and the Seine. The current network and method designs were set up in 2005, but the dataset also includes older data coming from different sampling events performed by the hydrobioloy unit at the department for the study of the natural and agricultural environment.Sampling
The station is theoretically defined as a section of the watercourse equal to ten times the width of the wet bed. The sampling methodology consists of sampling eight different microhabitats characterized by eight substrate-speed couples. In practice, a section of length equal to 10 times the average width of the station often proves to be too short to find 8 microhabitats in narrow streams (in the order of one meter) and too long in largest streams (Several tens of meters). This value must therefore be adjusted to find 8 microhabitats. The substrate/velocity pairs whose surface in the station is <1/20 m² are not sampled. The 8 microhabitats are distributed between lotic zones and lentic zones, between mineral substrates and vegetable substrates, between the bed, the left and right banks. A push net ('Haveneau') is used. It must be solid, with a maximum 500 μm mesh size, frame width of 25 to 30 cm, frame height 20 to 25 cm, net length 50 to 60 cm, apical width of the net from 7 to 10 cm. In order to sample mineral substrates with particle sizes from 0.1 to 100 mm (corresponding to sands, gravels, stones, rollers), the operator in charge of the net sampling places the net against the current and stirs the substrate upstream with the foot on a surface of about 1/20 m² at a short distance from the net. He repeats this operation 5 times for the same type of substrate/velocity pairs, in 5 different places (for example from one bank to the other). To sample the bryophytes, the operator places the push net net in front of the current and treads a foot for about 1/20 m² in order to extract the macroinvertebrates which are then entrained in the net by the current. To sample the roots, heliphytes of the banks and other emerging spermaphytes, the operator, facing the current, shakes the substrate vigorously in the haveneau net, then examines it and detaches the fixed organisms. Three rows of nets will be applied for the roots, the heliphytes of the banks and the other emergent spermaphytes. The mineral substrates with particle sizes from 100 to 250 mm (corresponding to medium stones) are placed in a bucket of water and cleaned by the hand-picker. About ten stones will be sampled, equivalent to about 1/20 m². Large mineral substrates (granulometry higher than 250 mm, corresponding to "blocks", stones that are only possible to lift with two hands) are hand-cleaned in a bucket of water. Two or three blocks according to their size will be sampled, equivalent to about 1/20 m². To sample the immersed spermaphytes, the operator raises a clump of spermaphytes, pulls it out by hand and transfers it to its bucket. By holding the sample in the bucket, the operator expands the tuft into several fragments, shakes each fragment individually and energetically, and detaches the fixed organisms by hand. Net samples, usually composed of a mixture of plants, mineral fragments, and macroinvertebrates, are dumped into a bucket of water once this part of the sampling is completed. The samples taken by hand are directly transferred to a bucket. The solid contents of the buckets are resuspended and removed with a 500 μm mesh sieve. The sieve is then held in a light stream of water to remove the fine elements (vase, fine sand, etc.). Then, the remaining contents of the sieve are introduced into a flask containing about ten centimeters of water. A rapid visual examination can assess the abundance and diversity of macroinvertebrates, the dominant taxa and the probable indicator group. If the sample contains fragile organisms or very small sized organisms (mainly Peloptera and Ephemeroptera), these organisms can be delicately packaged separately, if necessary in ethanol (Fine Shellfish). The taxa observed with a single specimen or supposed to represent the indicator group are possibly isolated in a pill box, placed in the flask. A sufficient volume of water to cover the sample (5 to 10 cm) is added. The sample is fixed by adding 10% of a neutralized solution of formaldehyde and 90% of water, then it is homogenized carefully and delicately. As far as possible, formalin is added using a 50 ml syringe, otherwise by pouring directly. Protected organisms (Astacus astacus, Dytiscus spp, Hydrophilus piceus, Margaritifera margaritifera, Unio crassus, ...) will be carefully recorded on the field protocol in the boxes "other taxa noticed" and returned to the water . For this purpose, a 10 X magnifier is used.Quality Control
Field operators determine whether the sample could be identified directly after being sorted. Otherwise, the sorting operator stored the sample in alcohol (10% formalin) pending further identification in the laboratory. The final results are only imported into the unit database ('AQUABIO') once the sampling and determination are deemed valid. The samples are then labeled in 40 * 30 * 12 cm red plastic boxes (Manutan reference A025911 or equivalent) and stored permanently in the collection.Method steps
- Selecting the sampling area and preparing the route.
- Selection of substrates to be surveyed by station.
- Sampling of substrates.
- Cleaning the sample.
- Sample conditioning.
- Post-sampling identifications/verifications and counting.
- Report writing.
- Encoding in the Aquabio database.
Additional info
Dataset also include 'adhoc observations', that come from field observations made during other sampling event, not specific to IBGN/IBGA macroinvertebrates samplings. results of the waterbodies monitoring can be accessed through the catalog : http://geoapps.wallonie.be/CigaleInter/.Taxonomic Coverages
Freshwater macroinvertebrates from Wallonia. The observations include more than 670 taxa divided between species (more than 240), genus (more than 250) and families (more than 170). Thus, the dataset includes more taxa than expected for the IBGN/IBGA protocols, due to higher identifications and had hoc observations made by the laboratory staff.
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Animaliacommon name: animals rank: kingdom
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Arthropodacommon name: Arthropods rank: phylum
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Molluscacommon name: Molluscs rank: phylum
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Platyhelminthescommon name: Flat worms rank: phylum
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Annelidacommon name: Ringed worms rank: phylum
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Cnidariacommon name: cnidarians rank: phylum
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Bryozoacommon name: Moss animals rank: phylum
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Poriferacommon name: Sponges rank: phylum
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Nematomorphacommon name: Gordian worms rank: phylum
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Nematodacommon name: Roundworms rank: phylum
Geographic Coverages
Wallonia, Southern Belgium. Some exceptional data can be found in neighboring regions (Flanders) or countries (France, Luxembourg, etc.).
Bibliographic Citations
Contacts
Frédéric Chérotoriginator
position: qualified attached
Department d'étude du milieu naturel et agricole
Avenue Maréchal Juin 23
Gembloux
5030
Namur
BE
email: frederic.cherot@spw.wallonie.be
Frédéric Chérot
metadata author
position: Qualified attached
Department d'étude du milieu naturel et agricole
Avenue Maréchal Juin 23
Gembloux
5030
Namur
BE
email: frederic.cherot@spw.wallonie.be
Maxime Coupremanne
metadata author
position: Data liaison offier
Belgian Biodiversity Platform
22 Avenue de la faculté
Gembloux
5030
Namur
BE
email: mcouprem@gmail.com
François Darchambeau
principal investigator
position: Unit manager
Department d'étude du milieu naturel et agricole
Avenue Maréchal Juin 23
Gembloux
5030
Namur
BE
email: francois.darchambeau@spw.wallonie.be
Maxime Coupremanne
administrative point of contact
position: Data liaison officer
Belgian Biodiversity Platform
22 Avenue de la faculté
Gembloux
5030
Namur
BE
email: mcouprem@gmail.com
Frédéric Chérot
administrative point of contact
position: qualified attached
Department d'étude du milieu naturel et agricole
Avenue Maréchal Juin 23
Gembloux
5030
Namur
BE
email: frederic.cherot@spw.wallonie.be