Author(s): Maurizio Manera

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Keywords: Biomonitoring; Scientific diving; Lotic ecosystem; Sampling method; River

Abstract: Self-Contained Under-water Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) dive has been applied to the superficial waters of the Pescara Springs ( Sorgenti del Pescara , Popoli, Italy) to estimate the plant cover for biomonitoring scope, according to Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC. In particular, the photointerpretation of georeferenced images taken during the dive was adopted in order to evaluate submersed hydrophytes cover and to evaluate Macrophyte Biological Index for Rivers. One hundred and eighty-one digital images (a picture every 5.3 m on average) were taken during the dive span (956 m). The estimation of the percentage of vegetation cover according to species was performed by means of the photointerpretation of the aforementioned digital images. The area (in m 2 ) determined by orthophoto photointerpretation was divided for the total length of each tract, and the result was then multiplied for the length of each segment connecting each georeferenced, sampling point, in order to estimate the area of the single sampled site. Plant cover estimation obtained by means of georeferenced SCUBA dive appeared to be comparable with the data obtained from previous surveys and appeared to be a reliable, complementary method in submerged plant cover estimation for biomonitoring purposes.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15715124.2016.1167062

Year: 2016