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Diatom-based TP and TN inference models and indices for monitoring nutrient enrichment of New Jersey streams
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Diatom-based TP and TN inference models and indices for monitoring nutrient enrichment of New Jersey streams

Karin C. Ponader, Donald F. Charles and Thomas J. Belton
Ecological indicators, v 7(1)
2007

Abstract

Diatoms Index Inference model Nutrients Streams United States
We evaluated the potential for using diatoms to assess and monitor nutrient enrichment in New Jersey streams and rivers, and propose inference models and indices for regulatory purposes. We assessed the relationship between benthic diatom and water chemistry samples ( n = 101) collected from 45 sites in 3 ecoregions: Northern Piedmont, Northeastern Highlands and Ridge and Valley. Diatom assemblages were dominated by pollution-tolerant taxa. Multivariate analysis showed that nutrient concentrations explained significant proportions of the variation in diatom species composition. Weighted-averaging partial least square (WA-PLS) total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN) inference models ( n = 91) showed good predictive ability (TP model: r apparent 2 = 0.87 ; r boot 2 = 0.72 ; RMSE boot = 0.23 log 10 μg L −1 TP; TN model: r apparent 2 = 0.88 ; r boot 2 = 0.58 ; RMSE boot = 0.23 log 10 μg L −1 TN). Diatom TP and TN indices were created to simplify presentation of results for the general public by rescaling the inferred TP and TN values from 0 to 100. The obtained index scores were assigned to nutrient impairment categories for regulatory assessment purposes.

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#15 Life on Land
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Web of Science research areas
Biodiversity Conservation
Environmental Sciences
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