MONITORAGGIO BIOLOGICO E CLASSIFICAZIONE DI QUALITÀ DEI FIUMI MEDITERRANEI: I QUADRI ITALIANO ED EUROPEO DI RIFERIMENTO

The main aspects and crucial points relating to the application of traditional biological assessment systems to highly variable streams are commented on, in the context of Italian and European legislation. Specific aspects are summarized of the Italian (D.L.vo 152/99) and European (EC\2000\60) legislation, regarding the regulation of monitoring activities in Italy. Beginning with an overview of current methods, some of the topics concerning the development of new assessment systems for Mediterranean rivers are discussed. The differences in benthic communities of pool and riffle areas, which present a different lentic/lotic character, are briefly considered, in order to examine the usefulness of differentiating the two areas in future monitoring scenarios.