Skip to main content
Log in

The European Union Water Framework Directive: opportunities for palaeolimnology

  • Comment
  • Published:
Journal of Paleolimnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  • Ammann B, Chaix L, Eicher U, Elias SA, Gaillard MJ, Hofmann W, Siegenthaler U, Tobolski K, Wilkinson B (1983) Vegetation, insects, molluscs, and stable isotopes from Late Würm deposits at Lobsigensee (Swiss Plateau). Studies in the late Quaternary of Lobsigensee 7. Revue Paléobiologie 2:221–227

    Google Scholar 

  • Amsinck SL, Johansson LS, Bjerring R, Jeppesen E, Søndergaard M, Jensen JP, Jensen K, Bradshaw E, Anderson NJ, Nielsen AB, Rasmussen P, Ryves D, Stavngaard B, Brodersen K, McGowan S, Odgaard BV, Wolin J (2003) Vandrammedirektivet og danske søer. Del 2: Palæoøkologiske undersøgelser. Danmarks Miljøundersøgelser. 120 s. Faglig rapport fra DMU. nr. 476

  • Andersen JH, Conley DJ, Hedal S (2004) Palaeoecology, reference conditions and classification of ecological status: the EU Water Framework Directive in practice. Mar Pollut Bull 49:283–290

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson NJ, Bugmann H, Dearing JA, Gaillard MJ (2006) Linking palaeoenvironmental data and models to understand the past and to predict the future. Trends Ecol Evol 21:696–704

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barbour MT, Swietlik WF, Jackson SK, Courtemanch DL, Davies SP, Yoder CO (2000) Measuring the attainment of biological integrity in the USA: a critical element of ecological integrity. Hydrobiologia 422/423:453–464

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Battarbee RW (1999) The importance of palaeolimnology to lake restoration. Hydrobiologia 395/396:149–159

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Battarbee RW, Anderson RW, Jeppesen E, Leavitt PR (2005b) Combining palaeolimnological and limnological approaches in assessing lake ecosystem response to nutrient reduction. Freshw Biol 50:1772–1780

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Battarbee RW, Monteith DT, Juggins S, Evans CD, Jenkins A, Simpson GL (2005a) Reconstructing pre-acidification pH for an acidified Scottish loch: a comparison of palaeolimnological and modelling approaches. Environ Pollut 137:135–149

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Battarbee RW, Morley D, Bennion H, Simpson GL (2007) A meta-database for recent palaeolimnological studies. PAGES News 15:23–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennion H, Fluin J, Simpson GL (2004) Assessing eutrophication and reference conditions for Scottish freshwater lochs using subfossil diatoms. J Appl Ecol 41:124–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bennion H, Johnes P, Ferrier R, Phillips G, Haworth E (2005) A comparison of diatom phosphorus transfer functions and export coefficient models as tools for reconstructing lake nutrient histories. Freshw Biol 50:1651–1670

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bennion H, Simpson G, Hughes M, Phillips G, Fozzard I (2003) The role of palaeolimnology in identifying reference conditions and assessing ecological status of lakes. In: Ruoppa M, Heinonen P, Pilke A, Rekolainen S, Toivo H, Vuoristo H (eds) How to assess and monitor ecological quality in freshwaters. Tema Nord 2003:547. Nordic Council of Ministers, Copenhagen, pp 57–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Birks HH, Birks HJB (2006) Multi-proxy studies in palaeolimnology. Veget Hist Archaeobot (2006) 15:235–251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradshaw EG, Rasmussen P (2004) Using the geological record to assess the changing status of Danish lakes. Geol Surv Denmark Greenland Bull 4:37–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradshaw EG, Nielsen AB, Anderson NJ (2006) Using diatoms to assess the impacts of prehistoric, pre-industrial and modern land-use on Danish lakes. Reg Environ Change 6:17–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carvalho L, Bingham N, Martin A (2000) Lagoonal charophyte conservation: a palaeoecological approach. Int Ver Theor Angew Limnol Verh 27:884–886

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke AL, Weckström K, Conley DJ, Anderson NJ, Adser F, Andrén E, de Jonge VN, Ellegaard M, Juggins S, Kauppila P, Korhola A, Reuss N, Telford RJ, Vaalgamaa S (2006) Long-term trends in eutrophication and nutrients in the coastal zone. Limnol Oceanogr 51:385–397

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cumming BF, Smol JP, Kingston JC, Charles DF, Birks HJB, Camburn KE, Dixit SS, Uutala AJ, Selle AR (1992) How much acidification has occurred in Adirondack region lakes (New York, USA) since preindustrial times? Can J Fish Aquat Sci 49:128–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson T, Sayer C, Bennion H, David C, Rose N, Wade M (2005) A 250 year comparison of historical, macrofossil and pollen records of aquatic plants in a shallow lake. Freshw Biol 50:1671–1686

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dearing JA, Battarbee RW, Dikau R, Larocque I, Oldfield F (2006) Human–environment interactions: learning from the past. Reg Environ Change 6:1–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Denys L (2006) Calibration of littoral diatoms to water chemistry in standing fresh waters (Flanders, Lower Belgium): Inference models for historical sediment assemblages. J Paleolimnol 35:763–787

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dixit SS, Smol JP, Charles DF, Hughes RM, Paulsen SG, Collins GB (1999) Assessing water quality changes in the lakes of the northeastern United States using sediment diatoms. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 56:131–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • European Union (1979) Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds. J Eur Commun L103:1–18

    Google Scholar 

  • European Union (1992) Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora. J Eur Commun L206:7–50

    Google Scholar 

  • European Union (2000) Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 on establishing a framework for community action in the field of water policy. J Eur Commun L327: 1–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Flower RJ, Juggins SJ, Battarbee RW (1997) Matching diatom assemblages in lake sediment cores and modern surface sediment samples: the implications for conservation and restoration with special reference to acidified systems. Hydrobiologia 344:27–40

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gell P, Tibby J, Fluin J, Leahy P, Reid M, Adamson K, Bulpin S, Macgregor A, Wallbrink P, Hancock D, Walsh B (2005) Accessing limnological change and variability using fossil diatom assemblages, south-east Australia. River Res Appl 21:257–269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grahn E, Karlsson S, Düker A (2006) Sediment reference concentrations of seldom monitored trace elements (Ag, Be, In, Ga, Sb, Tl) in four Swedish boreal lakes—Comparison with commonly monitored elements. Sci Total Environ 367:778–790

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guilizzoni P, Lami A, Manca M, Musazzi S, Marchetto A (2006) Palaeoenvironmental changes inferred from biological remains in short lake sediment cores from the Central Alps and Dolomites. Hydrobiologia 562:167–191

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haunia S (ed) (2002) Good ecological status: Reference conditions for surface waters. Proceedings of meeting 24–25 October 2001, Helsinki, Finland. EurAqua Eighth scientific and technical review. Helsinki

  • Hynynen J, Palomäki A, Meriläinen JJ, Witick A, Mäntykoski K (2004) Pollution history and recovery of a boreal lake exposed to a heavy bleached pulping effluent load. J Paleolimnol 32:351–374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karr JR, Dudley DR (1981) Ecological perspective on water quality goals. Environ Manage 5:55–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kauppila P, Weckström K, Vaalgamaa S, Korhola A, Pitkanen H, Reuss N, Drew S (2005) Tracing pollution and recovery using sediments in an urban estuary, northern Baltic Sea: are we far from ecological reference conditions. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 290:35–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Kauppila T (2006) Sediment-based study of the effects of decreasing mine water pollution on a heavily modified, nutrient enriched lake. J Paleolimnol 35:25–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kauppila T, Moisio T, Salonen VP (2002) A diatom-based inference model for autumn epilimnetic total phosphorus concentration and its application to a presently eutrophic boreal lake. J Paleolimnol 27:261–273

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leira M, Jordan P, Taylor D, Dalton C, Bennion H, Rose N, Irvine K (2006) Assessing the ecological status of candidate reference lakes in Ireland using palaeolimnology. J Appl Ecol 43:816–827

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marchetto A, Lami A, Musazzi S, Massaferro J, Langone L, Guilizzoni P (2004) Lake Maggiore (N. Italy) trophic history: fossil diatoms, plant pigments, and chironomids, and comparison with long term limnological data. Quatern Int 113:97–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Meriläinen JJ, Hynynen J, Palomäki A, Mäntykoski K, Witick A (2003) Environmental history of an urban lake: a palaeolimnological study of Lake Jyväsjärvi, Finland. J Paleolimnol 30:387–406

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miettinen JO, Kukkonen M, Simola H (2005) Hindcasting baseline values for water colour and total phosphorus concentration in lakes using sedimentary diatoms—implications for lake typology in Finland. Boreal Environ Res 10:31–43

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moss B, Stephen D, Alvarez C, Becares E, Van de Bund W, Collings SE, Van Donk E, De Eyto E, Feldmann T, Ferndandez-Alaez C, Ferndandez-Alaez M, Frankeng RJM, Garcia-Criado F, Gross EM, Gyllstrom M, Hansson LH, Irvine K, Jarvalte A, Jensen JP, Jeppesen E, Kairesalo T, Kornijow R, Krause T, Kunnap H, Laas A, Lill E, Lorens B, Luup H, Miracle MR, Noges P, Noges T, Nykanen M, Ott I, Peczula W, Peeters ETHM, Phillips G, Romo S, Russell V, Salujoe J, Scheffer M, Siewertsen K, Smal H, Tesch C, Timm H, Tuvikene L, Tonnoe I, Virro T, Vicente T, Wilson D (2003) The determination of ecological status in shallow lakes–a tested system (ECOFRAME) for implementation of the European Water Framework Directive. Aquat Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst 13:507–549

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Overpeck JT, Webb T, Prentice IC (1985) Quantitative interpretation of fossil pollen spectra-dissimilarity coefficients and the method of modern analogs. Quatern Res 23:87–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pollard P, Huxham M (1998) The European Water Framework Directive: a new era in the management of aquatic ecosystem health? Aquat Conserv: Mar Freshwat Ecosyst 8:773–792

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Räsänen J, Kauppila T, Salonen VP (2006) Sediment-based investigation of naturally or historically eutrophic lakes-implications for lake management. J Environ Manage 79:253–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen P, Anderson NJ (2005) Natural and anthropogenic forcing of aquatic macrophyte development in a shallow Danish lake during the last 7000 years. J Biogeog 32:1993–2005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reavie ED, Smol JP, Dillon PJ (2002) Inferring long-term nutrient changes in southeastern Ontario lakes: comparing paleolimnological and mass-balance models. Hydrobiologia 481:61–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Renberg I, Bindler R, Bradshaw E, Emteryd O, McGowan S (2001) Sediment evidence of early eutrophication and heavy metal pollution of Lake Mälaren, Central Sweden. Ambio 30:496–502

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rose N, Morley D (2006) Sediment accumulation rate changes in European lakes: a first report (WP2; Task 1.2). Euro-limpacs Deliverable 89. Project No. GOCE-CT-2003–505540

  • Sayer CD (2001) Problems with the application of diatom-total phosphorus transfer functions: examples from a shallow English lake. Freshw Biol 46:743–757

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sayer C, Roberts N, Sadler J, David C, Wade PM (1999) Biodiversity changes in a shallow lake ecosystem: a multi-proxy palaeolimnological analysis. J Biogeogr 26:97–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simpson GL, Shilland EM, Winterbottom JM, Keay K (2005) Defining reference conditions for acidified waters using a modern analogue approach. Environ Pollut 137:119–133

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Søndergaard M, Jeppesen E, Jensen JP, Amsinck SL (2005) Water Framework Directive: ecological classification of Danish lakes. J Appl Ecol 42:616–629

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smol JP (2002) Pollution of lakes and rivers: a paleoenvironmental perspective. Oxford University Press, New York, p 280

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor D, Dalton C, Leira M, Jordan P, Chen G, León-Vintró L, Irvine K, Bennion H, Nolan T (2006) Recent histories of six productive lakes in the Irish Ecoregion based on multiproxy palaeolimnological evidence. Hydrobiologia 571:237–259

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thoms MC, Ogden RW, Reid MA (1999) Establishing the condition of lowland floodplain rivers: a palaeo-ecological approach. Freshw Biol 41:407–423

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weckström K (2006) Assessing recent eutrophication in coastal waters of the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea) using subfossil diatoms. J Paleolimnol 35:571–592

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weckström K, Juggins S, Korhola A (2004) Quantifying background nutrient concentrations in coastal waters: a case study from an urban embayment of the Baltic Sea. Ambio 33:324–327

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilby RL, Orr HG, Hedger M, Forrow D, Blackmore M (2006) Risks posed by climate change to the delivery of Water Framework Directive objectives in the UK. Environ Int 32:1043–1055

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This paper was written with support from the European Union (FP6 Integrated Project ‘Euro-limpacs: European project to evaluate impacts of global change on freshwater ecosystems’ GOCE-CT-2003-505540). We thank Thomas Davidson and Carl Sayer for their comments and use of the Groby Pool data, to numerous colleagues in the ECRC for contributing ideas, and to Jarmo Meriläinen and an anonymous referee for their constructive reviews.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Helen Bennion.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bennion, H., Battarbee, R. The European Union Water Framework Directive: opportunities for palaeolimnology. J Paleolimnol 38, 285–295 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-007-9108-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-007-9108-z

Keywords

Navigation