Atlantic island freshwater ecosystems : challenges and considerations following the EU Water Framework Directive

• Published in: Hydrobiologia Vol. 544; no. 1; pp. 289 - 297
• Main Authors: HUGHES, Samantha Jane, MALMQVIST, Bjöm
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.08.2005; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Aquatic animals; Aquatic ecosystems; Aquatic environment; Archipelagoes; Biological and medical sciences; Biota; Ecological monitoring; Freshwater; Freshwater ecosystems; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Islands; Surface water; Synecology; ANE, Atlantic, Azores; ASE, Atlantic, Canary Is; ASE, Atlantic, Madeira; Europe; ecoregions; Water Framework Directive; Ecoregion; Biogeography; Ecology; Island; Freshwater environment; Aquatic environment; Macaronesia; Hydrobiology; Geographic distribution; islands; Ecosystem; ecological quality
• ISSN: 0018-8158; 1573-5117
• DOI: 10.1007/s10750-005-1695-y

The Water Framework Directive or WFD constitutes a major step forward in the protection of the aquatic environment and associated habitats, since it legislates for the characterization of surface water bodies across defined ecoregions and the development of ecological monitoring systems based upon elements of the aquatic biota. The Macaronesian archipelagos include the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands. The peripheral situation of the Macaronesian islands has set them apart from many European initiatives concerning the implementation of the WFD, which is biased towards better known continental systems. As a result, they have been included in the same ecoregion as the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands for management purposes. However, because of their oceanic situation and volcanic origin, the freshwater systems of the Macaronesian islands differ strongly from continental systems in watershed morphology and the composition of the biotic assemblages, which merits separate identification rather than inclusion within the larger Iberic-Macaronesian ecoregion and special attention concerning regional implementation of programmes of measures under the Directive.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]