Rivers play a fundamental role in the global hydrological cycle, and provide important services to humans and biodiversity. However, rivers have suffered water pollution and other anthropic aggressions for ages. Sustainable development involves that a review of the impact of human activity on rivers is necessary. This way, the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), establishes a framework for the protection of inland surface waters and promotes sustainable water use. According to the Directive, the aims of this work are: (1) to evaluate the ecological status of fluvial network of Aragon (NE Spain); (2) macroinvertebrate communities classification. Two survey methods (handnet and Surber) recommended in the Directive and international ISO standards, have been compared: correlations between them are high, although Surber enhanced community assessment. In 2001 and 2002, 140 points were surveyed to assess their ecological status according to macroinvertebrate communities. Reaches with high ecological status (72) were used to categorize three communities’ types: Pyrenean, Prepyrenean Mediterranean and Iberian Mediterranean rivers. Great rivers, Ebro River and Depression rivers are poor water quality. This presentation was shown in the congress "Campus de Excelencia, Corralejo, Fuerteventura, 19-26 mayo 2006", format changes were made before upload to Slideshare, and the last two slides (published works, contac info) added.

1. Ecological status, benthic
macroinvertebrate and odonate
communities of the fluvial
network of Aragon
Antonio Torralba-Burrial
Biología de Organismos y Sistemas
Universidad de Oviedo

2. Introduction
•
Rivers play a fundamental role in the global hydrological cycle, and
provide important services to humans and biodiversity. However,
rivers have suffered water pollution and other anthropic aggressions
for ages.
•
Sustainable development involves that a review of the impact of
human activity on rivers is necessary. This way, the Water
Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), establishes a framework for the
protection of inland surface waters and promotes sustainable water
use.
•
According to the Directive, the aims of this work are:
1. to evaluate the ecological status of fluvial network of Aragon (NE Spain)
2. macroinvertebrate communities classification

3. Survey methods
• WFD establishes that
methods used shall conform
to the international
standards
• For macroinvertebrate
communities in shallow
waters of rivers, WFD remits
to Surber and handnet
• These methods were
compared in 15 sites

4. • Similar results, high correlation coefficients and slopes near at 1

5. • Surber presented greater average efficiency in taxa number
Taxa
>
Surber
<
Wilcoxon’s test
IBMWP
IASPT
IBMWP taxa
Class
11
9
10
7
10
0
2
4
4
7
2
3
2
2
1
1
3
12
p
*
0.267
0.180
1.000
*
0.250
Z
-2.667
-1.732
-2.264
-0.282
-2.407
-1.732
p
**
0.083
*
0.778
*
0.083
Handnet
=
Sign test
EPT
The number of stations in which taxa number, EPT groups, IBMWP and IASPT indexes, IBMWP taxa
number and ecological state class with Surber are higher, lower or equal than with handnet are
showed (n = 15). * = p <0,05; ** = p<0,01.
• And Surber allows quantitative samplings (individual/m2)

6. Ecological status
• In 2001 and 2002, 140 points
were surveyed with Surber net to
assess their ecological status
according to macroinvertebrate
communities

7. Ecological status
• In 2001 and 2002, 140 points
were surveyed with Surber net to
assess their ecological status
according to macroinvertebrate
communities
• IBMWP index was used
• Subsequently, taxa densities and
invasive alien species presence
changed slightly the ecological
status class assigned
Macroinvertebrate taxa
Tolerance Sensibility
Siphlonuridae, Heptageniidae, Leptophlebiidae, Potamanthidae, Ephemeridae, Taeniopterygidae, Leuctridae,
Capniidae, Perlodidae, Perlidae, Chloroperlidae, Aphelocheiridae, Phryganeidae, Beraeidae, Odontoceridae,
Leptoceridae, Goeridae, Lepidostomatidae, Brachycentridae, Sericostomatidae, Athericidae, Blephariceridae.
(-)
(+)
(+)
(-)
Lestidae, Calopterygidae, Gomphidae, Cordulegastridae,
Aeshnidae, Corduliidae, Libellulidae, Psychomyiidae,
Philopotamidae, Glossosomatidae, Astacidae.
Ephemerellidae, Nemouridae, Rhyacophilidae,
Polycentropodidae, Limnephilidae, Ecnomidae
Platycnemididae, Coenagrionidae, Hydroptilidae,
Gammaridae, Atyidae, Corophiidae, Neritidae,
Viviparidae, Ancylidae, Thiaridae, Unionidae.
Oligoneuriidae, Polymitarcidae, Hydropsychidae,
Dryopidae, Elmidae, Helophoridae, Hydrochidae,
Hydraenidae, Clambidae, Tipulidae, Simuliidae,
Planariidae, Dendrocoelidae, Dugesiidae.
Baetidae, Caenidae, Haliplidae, Cucurlionidae,
Crysomelidae, Tabanidae, Stratiomyidae, Empididae,
Dolichopodidae, Dixidae, Ceratopogonidae,
Anthomyidae, Limoniidae, Psychodidae, Sciomyzidae,
Rhagionidae, Hidracarina, Sialidae, Piscicolidae.
Mesoveliidae, Veliidae, Hydrometridae, Gerridae, Nepidae, Naucoridae, Pleidae, Notonectidae, Corixidae, Helodidae, Hydrophilidae, Hygrobiidae, Dytiscidae, Gyrinidae, Asellidae, Ostracoda, Valvatidae, Hydrobiidae,
Lymnaeidae, Physidae, Planorbidae, Bithyniidae,
Sphaeriidae, Glossiphonidae, Hirudidae, Erpobdellidae.
Chaoboridae, Chironomidae, Culicidae, Ephydridae,
Muscidae, Thaumaleidae.
Oligochaeta, Syrphidae.

8. Ecological status
Most of the reaches had
high (54%) or good (31%)
ecological status.
However, 16% of them
presented lower level
(moderate, poor or bad),
unacceptable by WFD.

9. Macroinvertebrate communities
• Reaches with high
ecological status (72) were
used to categorize
communities’ types

10. Macroinvertebrate communities
• Reaches with high
ecological status (72) were
used to categorize
communities’ types
• 106 taxa (families mainly)
were identified

11. Macroinvertebrate communities
• Reaches with high
ecological status (72) were
used to categorize
communities’ types
• 106 taxa (families mainly)
were identified
• Taxa with wide regional
distribution showed high
average local densities

12. • Hierarchical cluster analysis of communities similarity, shows
three types: Pyrenean, Prepyrenean Mediterranean and
Iberian Mediterranean rivers.

13. • More powerfull, non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS),
used with taxa presence or taxa densities transformed (fourth
root) shows similar patterns.
• ANOSIM test showed significant differences among these
rivers types (p<0.05)

14. Indicative taxa
• SIMPER analysis
showed the taxa which
similarity was owed.
• IndVal show the taxa
indicative of each river
type.

15. Indicative taxa
• SIMPER analysis
showed the taxa which
similarity was owed.
• IndVal show the taxa
indicative of each river
type.

16. Indicative taxa
• SIMPER analysis
showed the taxa which
similarity was owed.
• IndVal show the taxa
indicative of each river
type.

17. Extension to the whole fluvial network
• Communities types
were applied to the
whole fluvial network of
Aragon.
• Besides the previous
types, great rivers and
depression rivers types
were added.
• ANOSIM test showed
significant differences
among all rivers types

18. • MDS analysis showed the station of the same river
type more nearby each other, with some stations
with more distance.

19. • Besides river type, ecological status is necessary to understand similarities
and differences among macroinvertebrate communities.

20. Conclusions
1. Surber and handnet shown highly correlated results to
macroinvertebrate samplings, although Surber
enhanced community assessment (greater average
efficiency and allows quantitative samplings).
2. There are four communities types: Pyrenean,
Prepyrenean Mediterranean, Iberian Mediterranean
and Great rivers. Ebro Depression rivers shown
differences, but their ecological status don’t allow
characterize them.
3. Pyrenean, Prepyrenean Mediterranean and some
Iberian Mediterranean rivers shown high or good
ecological status.
4. Aragonian Great rivers (especially Ebro River) and
Depression rivers are poor water quality.

21. Acknowledgments
• Francisco J. Ocharan supervised my doctoral works.
• Special thanks to Paloma Barrachina, of Environmental
Department of Aragon Government, for her support and
efforts).
• Juan Antonio Torralba, María Guzmán, Sergio Pérez &
Chesus Ferrer collaborated in some field works, José
Alberto Martínez & Vanessa Prol in laboratory works.
• Economic support of the works:

22. Some published works
• Torralba-Burrial A 2009 Estado ecológico, comunidades de
macroinvertebrados y de odonatos de la red fluvial de Aragón.
Zaragoza: Consejo Económico y Social de Aragón. 224 pp
• Torralba-Burrial A & FJ Ocharan 2007 Comparación del muestreo de
macroinvertebrados bentónicos fluviales con muestreador Surber y
con red manual en ríos de Aragón (NE Península Ibérica). Limnetica
26: 13-24
• Torralba-Burrial A & FJ Ocharan 2007 Protocolo para la evaluación
del estado ecológico de la red fluvial de Aragón (NE de España)
según sus comunidades de macroinvertebrados bentónicos.
Limnetica 26: 149-162
• Torralba-Burrial A & FJ Ocharan 2009 Temporalidad y perturbaciones
antrópicas en las comunidades de macroinvertebrados bentónicos
de la subcuenca del río Arba (Zaragoza, NE España). Boletín de la
Real Sociedad Española de Historia Natural (Sección Biológica) 103:
131-144

23. Thanks for your
attention
Antonio TORRALBA BURRIAL