Rob S E W Leuven

Publications of Rob S E W Leuven

• Risk assessment of aquatic invasive species introductions via European inland waterways

  Authors: Vadim E Panov, Boris Alexandrov, Kestutis Arbaciauskas, Rosa Binimelis, Gordon H Copp, Michal Grabowski, Frances Lucy, Rob S E W Leuven, Stefan Nehring, Momir Paunović, Vitaliy Semenchenko, Mikhail O Son

  01/2010: pages 140-143;

  ISBN: 978-954-642-446-4

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• Assessing the risks of aquatic species invasions via European inland waterways: from concepts to environmental indicators.

  Authors: Vadim E Panov, Boris Alexandrov, Kestutis Arbaciauskas, Rosa Binimelis, Gordon H Copp, Michal Grabowski, Frances Lucy, Rob S E W Leuven, Stefan Nehring, Momir Paunović, Vitaliy Semenchenko, Mikhail O Son

  Integrated environmental assessment and management. 02/2009; 5(1):110-26.

  Over the past century, the potential for aquatic species to expand their ranges in Europe has been enhanced both as a result of the construction of new canals and because of increased internationalOver the past century, the potential for aquatic species to expand their ranges in Europe has been enhanced both as a result of the construction of new canals and because of increased international trade. A complex network of inland waterways now connects some previously isolated catchments in southern (Caspian, Azov, Black, Mediterranean seas) and northern (Baltic, North, Wadden, White seas) Europe, and these waterways act as corridors for nonnative species invasions. We have developed a conceptual risk assessment model for invasive alien species introductions via European inland waterways, with specific protocols that focus on the development of environmental indicators within the socioeconomic context of the driving forces-pressures-state-impact-response framework. The risk assessment protocols and water quality indicators on alien species were tested for selected ecosystems within 3 main European invasion corridors, and these can be recommended for application as part of the Common Implementation Strategy of the European Commission Water Framework Directive, which aims to provide a holistic risk-based management of European river basins. The conceptual structure of the online Risk Assessment Toolkit for aquatic invasive alien species is provided and includes 3 main interlinked components: online risk assessment protocols, an early warning system, and an information transmitter for risk communication to end users.

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• Assessment of biocontamination of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in European inland waterways

  Authors: Kęstutis Arbačiauskas, Vitaliy Semenchenko, Michal Grabowski, Rob S.E.W. Leuven, Momir Paunović, Michail O. Son, Bela Csányi, Simona Gumuliauskaitė, Alicja Konopacka, Stefan Nehring, Gerard van der Velde, Vasiliy Vezhnovetz, Vadim E. Panov

  Aquatic Invasions. 08/2008; 3:211-230.

  Introductions of alien species, regardless of their actual or potential impacts, can be considered as a biocontamination of the ecosystem. A simple method to assess biocontamination is described andIntroductions of alien species, regardless of their actual or potential impacts, can be considered as a biocontamination of the ecosystem. A simple method to assess biocontamination is described and tested on benthic macroinvertebrate communities from European inland waterways. This method includes calculations of abundance contamination and richness contamination at ordinal taxonomic rank, from which integrated estimations of biocontamination are derived. Our method can be applied to data collected during routine water quality monitoring, and allows estimation of biocontamination at specific study sites as well as integrated assessment of ecosystems or assessment units. Results clearly show that the main European inland waterways are highly biologically contaminated. They also indicate that richness contamination precedes abundance contamination, and that severe abundance contamination may be caused even by a single ecologically aggressive alien species. Comparison of biocontamination indices and ecological quality status by conventional methods suggests that these metrics are negatively correlated, and richness contamination has a stronger negative affect than abundance contamination. Biocontamination warrants inclusion within the development of holistic estimates of ecological quality status and should be considered in water management policy.

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