The Trophic Index of Macrophytes (TIM) - A new tool for indicating the trophic state of running waters

Susanne Schneider, Arnulf Melzer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

148 Scopus citations

Abstract

In running waters, apart from structural degradation, nutrient input becomes increasingly important. To investigate the indicator values of as many species of submerged macrophytes as possible numerous samples of the sediment within macrophyte stands and the overlying water were taken in running waters throughout Bavaria, Germany. To develop the Trophic Index of Macrophytes (TIM), the concentrations of soluble reactive phosphorus of both the water body and the sediment pore water were used. Based on a weighted sum of the SRP-concentrations of the water body and the sediment pore water, indicator values were determined for a total of 49 species of submerged macrophytes. A detailed method is described on how and depending on which preconditions the trophic state of running waters Can be determined by the TIM. An example of the TIM in the stream Rotbach is given. It shows that the TIM is a useful means to detect differences in the phosphorus loading of running waters.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)49-67
Number of pages19
JournalInternational Review of Hydrobiology
Volume88
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2003
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Bavaria
  • Phosphorus
  • Sediment
  • Submerged macrophytes

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