Towards the assessment of `ecological integrity' in running waters of the United Kingdom

The development of methods to assess ecological integrity of running waters requires integrating physical and chemical parameters, as well as their effects upon biological structure, diversity and processes. River management in the U.K. has seen the development of a series of quality assessment methodologies with little integration between them. Methods which assess habitat structure in a biologically meaningful way offer the best approach to integrating measures of the effects of physical and chemical processes upon the river environment. Simultaneous measurement of surface flow types ('flow biotopes') and habitat structure ('functional habitats') showed clear links. These links could form the first stage in the development of a rapid, cost-effective measure of ecological integrity in rivers of the U.K.

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