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The European
Fish Index (EFI):
The European Fish Index is a multimetric fish-based assessment method
for the ecological status of European rivers developed during the
FAME project. The principle of the European Fish index is to
(1) predict reference
conditions for any newly sampled site by modelling 10 reference metrics
as a function of 13 abiotic, location and sampling variables. The
10 final metrics were selected as the most suitable ones based on
statistical tests of ca. 200 potential metrics. In terms of functional
aspects these metrics cover
- trophic structure of fish assemblages (density of insectivorous
and omnivorous species),
- reproductive guilds (density of phytophilic species, relative
abundance of lithophilic species),
- physical habitat (number of benthic and rheophilic species),
- tolerance (relative number of intolerant and tolerant species)
and to
- migratory fish behaviour (long-distance migrators, potamodromous
species).
(2) calculate observed
metrics based on sampled individuals
(3) measure the deviation
between observed and predicted reference metrics by using residuals
(4) transform the deviation
into probabilities that the metric belongs to the reference set
(5) calculate the final
index as mean of the 10 probability metrics.
In order to support the type-specific approach of the WFD, the European
Fish Types are an integrative part of the FAME assessment routine.
These fish types were developed based on non or only slightly degraded
sampling sites from 11 different ecoregions. Altogether, 15 types
on the European level were identified. Abiotic variables differentiating
these types are altitude, slope, mean air temperature, distance from
source, wetted width, main river region, conductivity, ecoregion,
and geographical position (longitude and latitude). These variables
are also used to predict the fish type for any newly sampled site.
Within the FAME project, several tools were developed to apply the
FAME assessment method in routine monitoring:
- The FAME Software is a software routine to calculate the EFI
as well as the EFT (Download FAME
software);
- The FAME Software manual provides a basic introduction into
the EFI and EFT and gives a detailed description of the software
(Download FAME
manual);
- Empty Input files for the EFI and for the EFT support the correct
organisation and structuring of data for import into the FAME
Software (Download Input
file EFI, Input file
EFT);
- We also provide two tables with existing sampling data for testing
and familiarization with the software; existing data were sampled
during the FAME project to test the standardized sampling procedure
(Download Test file EFI,
Test file EFT).
For data input the FIDES database (Fish Database of European Streams)
can be used. (Download
FIDES, FIDES manual).
Finally, the standardized sampling protocol can be downloaded (download
sampling protocol).
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