Water quality in UK streams and rivers could be worse than currently estimated because we are failing to monitor micro-organisms throughout the year, according to new research.
Water quality in UK streams and rivers could be worse than currently estimated because we are failing to monitor micro-organisms throughout the year, according to new research.
The composition of diatom communities, used as indicators of stream and river water quality, varies throughout the seasons, a new study by Lancaster University researchers reveals. This means that we may be underestimating the impacts of pollution in our watercourses, because these organisms are generally not monitored in winter when pollution can be at its highest.
Diatoms are single-celled algae that form one part of the stream-bed community. Environmental regulators monitor diatoms in watercourses to provide an indicator for the level of nutrients, especially phosphorus, that may be polluting streams and rivers. These nutrients, which come from many sources including fertilisers used in agriculture and from wastewater, may cause harm to wildlife in rivers and the oceans.
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Image Credit: Lancaster University
