Keeping it simple: Benefits of targeting riffle-pool macroinvertebrate communities over multi-substratum sampling protocols in the preparation of a new European biotic index

In the context of the EU Water Framework Directive and associated AQEM project, the MMS-GUR protocol may facilitate the comparison of different rivers by sampling macroinvertebrate communities from similar rhithron or epipotamon habitats and focussing on pollution-sensitive taxa. It has the further advantage of reducing the time and effort spent in sampling and sorting. Increasing the resolution of taxonomic information to the genus level may also improve the standard of water quality assessment.