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On the use of meiofauna in ecological monitoring: who needs taxonomy?
Herman, P.M.J.; Heip, C.H.R. (1988). On the use of meiofauna in ecological monitoring: who needs taxonomy? Mar. Pollut. Bull. 19(12): 665-668. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0025-326X(88)90386-4
In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. Macmillan: London. ISSN 0025-326X; e-ISSN 1879-3363, more
Peer reviewed article  
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Keywords
    Aquatic communities > Benthos > Meiobenthos
    Biocoenosis
    Classification > Taxonomy
    Composition > Community composition
    Detection > Pollution detection
    Monitoring > Environmental monitoring > Pollution monitoring
    Pollution > Water pollution > Marine pollution
    Species diversity
    Taxa > Species > Indicator species
    Marine/Coastal
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Abstract
    Taxonomic problems have hindered the widespread use of meiobenthos for the purpose of pollution monitoring despite its potential usefulness. The question whether it is necessary to go down to species level in order to distinguish assemblages and stations was studied. From a practical point of view, it may be sufficient to identify the animals to genus or family level. It is proven that this result is not due to ecological similarities between congeneric or confamiliar species. Randomly assembled "families" allowed a separation of the stations as clear as that based on taxonomic groups. The information contained in species abundances was preserved, at least partially, when the species are grouped, even at random. The grouping in higher taxonomic categories was as good as any, and more convenient than all the others.
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