Determination of the biological diatom index (IBD NF T 90-354): results of an intercomparison exercise

• Published in: Journal of applied phycology Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 27 - 39
• Main Authors: PRYGIEL, Jean, CARPENTIER, Patrice, LALANNE-CASSOU, Christian, LESNIAK, Christophe, MERCIER, Isabelle, MONCAUT, Philippe, NAZART, Maxence, NOUCHET, Nathalie, PERES, Florence, PEETERS, Valérie, RIMET, Frédéric, RUMEAU, Alain, ALMEIDA, Salomé, SABATER, Sergi, STRAUB, Francois, TORRISI, Mariacristina, TUDESQUE, Loïc, VAN DE VIJVER, Bart, VIDAL, Henri, VIZINET, Jessica, ZYDEK, Nathalie, COSTE, Michel, DRUART, Jean-Claude, ECTOR, Luc, GUILLARD, Didier, HONORE, Marie-Ange, ISERENTANT, Robert, LEDEGANCK, Peter
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.02.2002; Springer Verlag
• Subjects: Analysis methods; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Fresh water environment; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Natural water pollution; Pollution; Water treatment and pollution; Alpes-Maritimes; France; Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur; Europe; Heterokontophyta; Bacillariophyta; Algae; Variability; Water quality; Biological indicator; Index; Method; Rivers; Environmental monitoring; Counting; Thallophyta; IBD; FRANCE
• ISSN: 0921-8971; 1573-5176
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1015277207328

The Biological Diatom Index (IBD) has been used in France since 1994 for routine assessment of water quality. To accredit this approach as a standard sampling protocol, intercomparison exercises were conducted. The main principles behind the IBD are reviewed and the terms and conditions of the intercomparison exercise are described. Effects of variations in counting procedures, variability in the IBD calculation, variance decomposition for each operator, total variance decomposition for all operators merged, and the influence of taxon determination on index values are discussed. The main source of variability is misidentification; ways to reduce this variability are suggested. The value of such intercomparison exercises is reviewed.