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: Vincent H. Resh
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut 2023-10-01
Series:Contributions to Entomology
Online Access:https://contributions-to-entomology.arphahub.com/article/109330/download/pdf/
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author Vincent H. Resh
author_facet Vincent H. Resh
author_sort Vincent H. Resh
collection DOAJ
description 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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spelling doaj-art-d3638b626dee4e69ad3d8411fb6d08592025-08-20T02:19:50ZdeuSenckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches InstitutContributions to Entomology2511-64282023-10-0173216116610.3897/contrib.entomol.73.e109330109330Species versus generic identifications in water-quality monitoring and ecological studies of Trichoptera in North America: Is this question still unresolved after half a century?Vincent H. Resh0University of California BerkeleySpecies-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.https://contributions-to-entomology.arphahub.com/article/109330/download/pdf/
spellingShingle Vincent H. Resh
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?
Contributions to Entomology
title 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?
title_full 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?
title_fullStr 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?
title_full_unstemmed 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?
title_short 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?
title_sort 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
url https://contributions-to-entomology.arphahub.com/article/109330/download/pdf/
work_keys_str_mv AT vincenthresh speciesversusgenericidentificationsinwaterqualitymonitoringandecologicalstudiesoftrichopterainnorthamericaisthisquestionstillunresolvedafterhalfacentury