1. Harmonization is more important than experience—results of the first Nordic–Baltic diatom intercalibration exercise 2007 (stream monitoring)
- Author
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Heikki Simola, Tiina Eskola, Helen Luup, Amelie Jarlman, Bernt Sandell, Jurate Kasperoviciene, Juha Miettinen, Isabel Quintana, Eva Herlitz, Steffi Gottschalk, Mikołaj Kokociński, Raino-Lars Albert, Jan Weckström, Roland Bengtsson, Sirje Vilbaste, Eeva-Leena Anttila, Kai Piirsoo, Ieva Paunksnyte, Maria Kahlert, Janne Raunio, Christian Bigler, Veronika Gälman, and Iréne Sundberg
- Subjects
Fragilaria capucina ,Taxon ,Diatom ,Navicula ,Ecology ,Achnanthes minutissima ,Nitzschia palea ,European standard ,Plant Science ,Aquatic Science ,Biology ,Sources of error ,biology.organism_classification - Abstract
The goal of this study was a harmonization of diatom identification and counting among diatomists from the Scandinavian and Baltic countries to improve the comparison of diatom studies in this geographical area. An analysis of the results of 25 diatomists following the European standard EN 14407 during an intercalibration exercise showed that a high similarity was achieved by harmonization and not because of a long experience with diatoms. Sources of error were wrong calibration scales, overlooking of small taxa, especially small Navicula s.l., misidentifications (Eunotia rhomboidea was mistaken for Eunotia incisa) and unclear separation between certain taxa in the identification literature. The latter was discussed during a workshop with focus on the Achnanthes minutissima group, the separation of Fragilaria capucina var. gracilis from F. capucina var. rumpens, and Nitzschia palea var. palea from N. palea var. debilis. The exercise showed also that the Swedish standard diatom method tested here worked fine with acceptable error for the indices IPS (Indice de Polluo-sensibilite Specifique) and ACID (ACidity Index for Diatoms) when diatomists with a low similarity (Bray–Curtis
- Published
- 2008
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