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Differing effects of catchment land use on water chemistry explain contrasting behaviour of a diatom index in tropical northern and temperate southern Australia

Chessman, Bruce C. and Townsend, Simon A. (2010). Differing effects of catchment land use on water chemistry explain contrasting behaviour of a diatom index in tropical northern and temperate southern Australia. Ecological Indicators,10(3):620-626.

Document type: Journal Article
Citation counts: Scopus Citation Count Cited 6 times in Scopus Article | Citations

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Title Differing effects of catchment land use on water chemistry explain contrasting behaviour of a diatom index in tropical northern and temperate southern Australia
Author Chessman, Bruce C.
Townsend, Simon A.
Journal Name Ecological Indicators
Publication Date 2010
Volume Number 10
Issue Number 3
ISSN 1470-160X   (check CDU catalogue open catalogue search in new window)
Scopus ID 2-s2.0-75349103828
Start Page 620
End Page 626
Total Pages 7
Place of Publication Netherlands
Publisher Elsevier BV
Field of Research ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Abstract The DSIAR biotic index for freshwater diatoms, regarded as a potential indicator of impact from agricultural and urban land use on rivers in temperate south-eastern Australia, did not correlate significantly with an index of catchment condition in a tropical region of northern Australia. However, the relationships between the index and water chemistry, especially pH, salinity and concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, were consistent in both regions. The variable relationship between the index and catchment conditions can be explained by differing effects of catchment land use on stream-water chemistry in northern and southern Australia. In the south, land use has commonly resulted in increases in stream pH, salinity and nutrients, whereas in the north its impact on pH and salinity appears weak. These findings emphasise the need to interpret biological and ecological indices in the context of the varying causal pathways by which human activities affect stream ecosystems in different circumstances.
Keywords Diatom
DSIAR
Index
Indicator
Stream
Water quality
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2009.10.006   (check subscription with CDU E-Gateway service for CDU Staff and Students  check subscription with CDU E-Gateway in new window)
 
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Created: Fri, 29 Aug 2014, 17:36:23 CST by Anthony Hornby