IC Guidance Annex III: Reference conditions and alternative benchmarks

1. IC Guidance Annex III: Reference conditions and alternative benchmarks Sandra PoikaneJoint Research CentreInstitute for Environment and Sustainability

2. Reference conditions RC = ecosystem with no or minor human impact RC ?

3. RC – benchmark for intercalibration

4. IC Phase 1 : 2003-2008 Problems: Lack of reference sites Diverse reference criteria Diverse approaches for setting RC Comparability of reference conditions across MS, GIGs and BQEs ?? IC Guidance Annex III: Guidelines for deriving RC and alternative benchmarks

6. 1. General framework and definitions

7. Reference conditions National RC setting Common benchmarking MS: for national assessment systems and national types IC: for intercalibration for the common IC types using the common dataset Ref sites, historical data, paleoreconstruction, modeling, expert judgement Reference sites= Unimpacted sites for RC setting (if ref sites available) Altern benchmark sites= with similar impact for alternative benchmark If RC sites no available

8. 2. National RC setting • Spatial network of reference sites • Modelling aproaches • Expert judgement • Historical data • Paleological data • What is new ? • 2 kinds of reference sites (2.6)

9. Finding a balance Reference sites Non impacted Impacted but with reference conditions Pragmatic / realistic Idealistic / Academic Many sites survive screening Few sites survive screening “Realistically idealistic”

10. Tier 1 “true” reference sites sites with no or minimal  anthropogenic pressure fulfill  all REFCOND criteria for all pressures for all the BQEs Tier 2 “indicative” reference sites or “partial” reference sites greater anthropogenic disturbance certain BQE = reference e.g. “phytoplankton reference sites” with significant hydromorphological pressure 2.6. Reference sites - definitions

11. Reference conditions National RC setting Common benchmarking MS: for national assessment systems and national types IC: for intercalibration for the common IC types using the common dataset Ref sites, historical data, paleo, modeling, expert judgement Reference sites= Unimpacted sites for RC setting (if ref sites available) Altern benchmark sites= with similar impact for alternative benchmark If RC sites no available

12. 3. Common benchmarking 3.1. Tiered approach Alternative benchmarks 3.2. Transparent and Verifiable Independentof national reference setting 3.3. Harmonised criteria Based on common database (preferable approach) or separate datasets 3.4. Common approach to allow consistency on presur eidentification across water categories

13. Common benchmarking What is new ? • 3 tiers of sites • Common framework • Alternative benchmarks

14. Tier 1 “true” reference sites Tier 2 “indicative” reference sites or “partial” reference sites Reference sites - definitions

15. Tier 1 “True” reference sites Tier 2 – “Indicative” reference sites or “partial” reference sites Tiered approach Tier 3 – Alternative benchmark sites Similar level of disturbance Similar level of impairment to biology

16. Common framework ? Rivers RC Lakes Transitional WB Coastal WB Physico-chemical parameters Phyto plankton Common view for pressures / indicators / criteria ?

17. 3.4. Common framework • To come to a common understanding for reference conditions or an alternative benchmark • Similar methodologies should be adopted for the characterization of very low pressure levels or similar pressure levels • a list of the most important pressures for each water category, together with potential pressure indicators The most important pressure Potential pressure indicators Thresholds

18. Table on pressures (under development) Coastal and TW

19. 3.6. Reference sites= Unimpacted sites for RC setting (if ref sites available) Common benchmarking 3.7. Altern benchmark sites= with similar impact for alternative benchmarking (if RC sites not available)

20. RC setting (2.9 & 3.6) Abiotic reference criteria Statistically derived thresholds Agreed at water category level Reference sites Reference conditions Biological conditions need to be reviewed to avoid the influence of impacts caused by other pressures

21. Steps to establish status classes: • Application of RC criteria to sites • Reference benchmark • High/Good boundary • Good/Mod boundary • Mod/Def boundary • Def/Bad boundary High 2. Reference conditions 3 1 4 Condition of the biotic community Water category / type specific 5 6 Low 0.8% Level of pressure/stressor High Low i.e. Artificial land use

22. 3.8. Alternative Benchmark Abiotic criteria Similar level of human pressure Best available conditions Alternative benchmark sites Biological benchmark conditions Biological conditions need to be reviewed to avoid the influence of impacts caused by other pressures

23. Steps to establish status classes for alternative benchmarks : Application of abiotic criteria to select benchmark sites Establishing biological alternative benchmark High 2. Alternative Benchmark Condition of the biotic community Water category / type specific 1 Low 0.8% 4% Level of pressure/stressor High Low i.e. Artificial land use

24. 3.10. Virtual reference • To identify the position of benchmark we need “virtual reference” • Distance between “the virtual reference” – alternative benchmark • How to establish: • Few true reference sites • Extrapolating dose-response relationship • Virtual reference sites – literature, expert judgement • Muiltiple regression models

25. Steps to establish status classes for alternative benchmarks : • Application of abiotic criteria to select benchmark sites • Establishing biological alternative benchmark • Establishing “virtual reference” • Identification of the deviation of the selected benchmark from reference conditions High 3. VirtualReference 2. Alternative Benchmark 4 Condition of the biotic community Water category / type specific 1 Low 0.8% 4% Level of pressure/stressor High Low i.e. Artificial land use

26. Alternative Benchmark – example ?

27. Alternative Benchmark – example ?

29. Description of intercalibration type specific reference/benchmark communities

30. Example – CB Macrophytes

31. Sandy lowland streams - High

32. Sandy lowland streams - Good

33. Annex III in a nutshell • Common benchmark - important part in the intercalibration • Find reference sites and set RC • If not possible,,, find alternative benchmark ! • Describe ecology