Species versus generic identifications in water-quality monitoring and ecological studies of Trichoptera in North America: Is this question still unresolved after half a century?
Species-level identifications of the larval stages of caddisflies are available for only a limited number of taxa that are used currently in water-quality monitoring programs. This has been a long-lamented condition, but the proportion of species identifications available for aquatic forms that are...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | deu |
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Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Contributions to Entomology |
| Online Access: | https://contributions-to-entomology.arphahub.com/article/109330/download/pdf/ |
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| Summary: | Species-level identifications of the larval stages of caddisflies are available for only a limited number of taxa that are used currently in water-quality monitoring programs. This has been a long-lamented condition, but the proportion of species identifications available for aquatic forms that are used in these efforts has increased little over the past half-century. This is despite repeated and documented advantages that species-level identifications add to monitoring studies. Approaches to examining this question have ranged from anecdotal accounts of pollution tolerance among species within a genus to detailed analyses comparing information available through different hierarchical levels of taxonomy, from species to family. Justifications for not using species-level taxonomic resolution have ranged from financial considerations to suggestions that higher levels are equally as valid in showing trends as are species-level identifications. However, the evidence justifying the use of higher levels of taxonomy is lacking and more evidence favors the value of species-level identifications. Genetic techniques offer the promise of more larval-adult associations, more useful identification keys, and improved biological monitoring. |
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| ISSN: | 2511-6428 |