T. G. Masaryk Water Research Institute

www.vuv.cz

Hydrosoft Veleslavín
Masaryk University in Brno

The objective of the proposed project is to extend the existing system of surface waters monitoring (http://www.mzp.cz/cz/monitoring_vod ) and the related public information system IS ARROW (http://hydro.chmi.cz/isarrow/) with a module for monitoring long-term changes in diversity of significant components of the biota of surface flowing waters (phytobenthos, macrophytes, macrozoobenthos, fish) in nature-close conditions. The importance of monitoring of long-term changes and biodiversity research is emphasized in Articles 7 and 12 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The above stated biota components are monitored for the needs of evaluation of the ecological status of surface waters under Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy (WFD) (http://www.mzp.cz/C1257458002F0DC7/cz/planovani_oblasti_vod/$FILE/OOV-RS_60_2000-20001222.pdf), namely by standard procedures in a network of control profiles detecting direct anthropogenic impacts, in particular (http://www.mzp.cz/cz/ramcovy_program_monitoringu). However, in order to detect changes in biodiversity in the conditions of a climate change, it is important to separate anthropogenic impacts as much as possible and to evaluate longer time periods. Therefore, monitoring of long-term changes is proposed to be carried out in a network of segments of watercourses showing minimum anthropogenic impacts, while using data obtained in “reference locations” in the past. Those locations were monitored in previous periods in order to set the background conditions for evaluating the ecological status within the intentions of the WFD, namely in years 1996-2000 and 2005-2008 for macrozoobenthos, and in the second phase for all components. Those data will serve as the baseline for the evaluation of changes in biological diversity. The primary activities of the project include designing the network for monitoring of long-term changes in biological diversity in watercourses in the Czech Republic. In this network, samples will be taken, analysed and evaluated for individual components of the biota in 2015 by standard procedures and in usual periods. Another important objective is to design and implement an innovative method of evaluation, interpretation and presentation of newly obtained data in the context of historical data. A system will also be designed for future monitoring with ten-year periodicity, i.e. in a cycle that approximates the solar cycle influencing the climate. The results of analyses, their evaluations and visualisations will be implemented in the existing IS ARROW in the form of a superstructure module. This procedure is highly effective because all background information, code lists and data obtained so far have already been entered in this IS. The environment of this IS will provide a context of comprehensive monitoring of the status of waters, particularly chemical monitoring. Presentation applications will be created to make the data and the resulting evaluation available for experts and general public. The project results will be utilizable for reaching Aichi CBD targets, particularly the strategic target 19 concerning enhancement of knowledge of biological diversity, and spreading, sharing and applying such knowledge. Information about flowing waters locations with high nature value will be utilizable for nature protection. Information about long-term trends will serve as the input for decision-making processes of the state administration. For the evaluation of the ecological status of waters in connection with planning in the field of waters, it will be important to be able to assess the degree of variability of the reference conditions based on which the status is classified. Classification of the status is connected with the implementation of measures to improve the water status in national plans of drainage basins so it also has an economic impact. The offices of the applicant, partners and the IS administrator – Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) are the co-creators of the existing system and some of the suppliers of the existing data. The offices have specialists in all types of required working activities and are able to initiate the work without delay, where the fieldwork will be carried out in the sample-taking season. The project sustainability is guaranteed by the fact that ČHMÚ as the administrator of IS ARROW is interested in extension with the proposed module and has promised to maintain it.

Approximately 344 301 EUR