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. 2019 Dec 10;695:133888. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133888

Table 1.

Abbreviations and terminology used throughout this paper.

Abbreviation Meaning
BQE Biological quality element (biological communities, e.g., phytoplankton, benthic invertebrates, used to assess ecological status)
Classification The WFD classification scheme for ecological status specifies five status classes: high, good, moderate, poor and bad, based on the extent of deviation from reference (=near-natural) conditions
DIN Dissolved inorganic nitrogen: nitrate-N + nitrite-N + ammonium-N, measured on a filtered water sample
Ecological status Assessment of the quality of the structure and functioning of surface water ecosystems; determined by biological quality elements, supported by hydromorphological and physico-chemical quality elements
Good ecological status WFD objective for all water bodies; defined as a slight variation from undisturbed conditions
N Nitrogen
Nutrient criteria Water quality standards used to protect the waters from nutrient enrichment, consisting of nutrient parameter, metrics and threshold
 • Parameter N or P fraction measured (TN, TP, SRP etc.)
 • Metrics Statistics used (mean, median, percentile, annual, seasonal etc.)
 • Threshold Nutrient concentration representing the threshold between two quality classes; good-moderate class threshold – between good and moderate class
P Phosphorus
SRP Soluble Reactive Phosphorus: measures dissolved inorganic P + readily-hydrolysed (labile organic-, condensed- and colloidal-) P fractions in a filtered water sample with no digestion stepa
TN Total Nitrogen: measures dissolved + particulate inorganic and organic N fractions in an unfiltered water sample with a digestion step
TP Total Phosphorus; measures TRP + dissolved and particulate organic P fractions in an unfiltered water sample with a digestion step.
TRP Total Reactive Phosphorus: measures SRP + readily-hydrolysed particulate P fractions in an unfiltered water sample without a digestion stepa
Water Framework Directive WFD Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for community action in the field of water policy.