Learning outcomes

At the end of this course unit, students will be able to explain the concept of a bioindicator and its usefulness for assessing the quality of aquatic environments. They will be able to compare different types of bioindicators and indices, understand their principles, advantages and limitations, and select an appropriate approach for a given situation.

Students will also be able to interpret changes in populations, communities, biodiversity or traits in response to environmental change, while taking into account the complexity of the relationships between environmental pressures and biological responses.

Goals

The course aims to provide a conceptual and applied understanding of the use of bioindicators to assess the quality of aquatic environments.

In particular, students learn why a biological response may provide information that differs from the direct measurement of an environmental driver, how different levels of biological organisation can be used as indicators, and what difficulties may arise when interpreting them.

The course also exposes students to different approaches and practical applications of bioindication, including through contributions from specialists and practical work.

Content

The course introduces the concept of a bioindicator, the properties expected of a useful indicator, and the reasons why biological responses can complement direct measurements of environmental drivers, including temporal integration of effects, indirect effects, mixtures of stressors, and constraints associated with directly measuring some environmental factors.

Different types of biological responses are examined, including population size, biodiversity and organismal traits. Particular attention is paid to the different components of biodiversity (α, β and γ diversity), changes in community composition, biotic homogenisation or divergence, and trait-based approaches.

Finally, the course examines the limitations of bioindication: different indicators may lead to different conclusions, responses may depend on spatial scale and taxonomic group, and attributing biological change to a particular environmental driver can be complex.

Table of contents

  1. Definition and properties of bioindicators

  2. Usefulness of bioindicators for environmental assessment

  3. Temporal integration of environmental pressures

  4. Indirect effects and mixtures of stressors

  5. Populations and biodiversity as bioindicators

  6. α, β and γ diversity

  7. Biotic homogenisation and divergence

  8. Biological traits as bioindicators

  9. Limitations and challenges in interpreting bioindicators

  10. Linking ecological change to environmental drivers

  11. Applications to the assessment of aquatic environmental quality

  12. Case studies and approaches presented by invited speakers

Exercices

The practical sessions of the course are divided into three main stages of work:


  • Description of the indices used to estimate the quality of Belgian rivers;
  • Analysis of the evolution of these indices within the framework of the Walphy project (hydromorphological restoration of a Walloon river);
  • Comparison of the indices used and identification of their strengths and weaknesses.

The practicals are therefore organized as follows:

First practical session:


  • Introduction and presentation of the organization of the practicals;
  • Discussion: what makes a “good” quality index?
  • Reading of the protocols relating to the different indices;
  • Answers to the questions “Methodology and hypotheses.”

Second practical session:


  • Evolution of the indices within the framework of the Walphy project;
  • Answers to the questions “Interpretations.”

Third practical session:


  • Comparison of indices based on the same type of data;
  • Discussion and conclusion: what makes a “good” quality index?
  • Group presentations of the indices: methodology, interpretations, and comparisons.


Teaching methods

Teaching combines an introduction to general concepts, contributions from invited specialists, practical sessions, exercises, group work and student presentations.

Particular emphasis is placed on active participation. Students are expected to take notes, ask questions, participate in discussions and compare the different approaches presented during the course. Practical sessions provide opportunities to apply bioindication concepts to concrete situations.

Assessment method

Assessment is divided as follows:

  • Active student participation during the course: 40%

  • Group presentations during the module: 20%

  • Individual open-book interview: 40%

Active student participation is assessed throughout the seminar series. Each student must prepare at least one question for each presentation. Students will be selected at random to ask their questions. Over the course of the entire seminar series, each student will be required to have asked a minimum number of questions. This number will be communicated during the introductory session.

Group presentations take place during the module and account for 20% of the final grade.

The individual interview takes place at the end of the module and is open-book. It covers the concepts addressed during the theoretical classes, activities carried out during the practical sessions, contributions from invited speakers, and presentations given by the students.

Sources, references and any support material

The course slides, instructions for the practical work and assessment, and materials provided for the different course activities constitute the main course resources.

Presentations and other resources provided by the invited speakers complement these materials and form part of the material that may be addressed during the final assessment.

Language of instruction

French
Training Study programme Block Credits Mandatory
Master in Biology of Organisms and Ecology Finalité approfondie 1 2 No
Master in Biology of Organisms and Ecology Finalité didactique 1 2 No
Master in Biology of Organisms and Ecology Finalité approfondie 2 2 No
Master in Biology of Organisms and Ecology Finalité didactique 2 2 No