`Assessing the biological quality of fresh waters: RIVPACS and other techniques', edited by John F. Wright, David W. Sutcliffe and Mike T. Furse.
`Assessing the biological quality of fresh waters: RIVPACS and other techniques', edited by John F. Wright, David W. Sutcliffe and Mike T. Furse. Published by the Freshwater Biological Association, Ambleside, June 2000. ISBN 0 900386 62 2. 400 pages. Price £40 softback, £60 hardback (including p. & p.).

RIVPACS - Australia

The Australian River Assessment Scheme (AUSRIVAS) was developed during the 1990s in response to a greater awareness of the threats to Australian freshwater ecosystems. AUSRIVAS is based on a RIVPACS type approach but inevitably has a number of distinct features from the UK RIVPACS model. There are individual AUSRIVAS models specific to each region’s macroinvertebrate fauna and environmental conditions, which increases the predictive accuracy of the scheme overall. Nationally standardised sampling methods, sample processing methods and taxonomic resources were also developed and tested at an early stage. Different microhabitats within the stream channel are sampled separately and (depending on the region) either 200 individuals are laboratory sub-sampled from each habitat sample or live-picked in the field (200 individuals or for a set period of time) to give an estimation of the assemblage composition.

The model uses unweighted pair-group mean arithmetic averaging (UPGMA) to classify the sites according to their macroinvertebrate fauna and then uses step-wise multiple discriminant function analysis (MDFA) to select the predictor variables best able to discriminate among the classification clusters. Separate models were constructed for different seasons, combined seasons and each in-stream habitat in each region. A model was also constructed for a region on the island of Java in Indonesia.

More details of AUSRIVAS can be obtained from: http://ausrivas.canberra.edu.au/ (external link).