Are trophic and diversity indices based on macrophyte communities pertinent tools to monitor water quality?

Diversity and trophic indices based on macrophyte communities were calculated to test their pertinence to monitoring water quality in the Northern Vosges (NE of France). Highly significant correlations were found between the four tested chemical variables (bicarbonate, calcium, phosphorus and ammonium nitrogen) and trophic indices and between them and abundance and richness. Trophic indices and McIntosh's index appeared to be more effective in predicting water quality than diversity indices. Diversity indices do not necessarily provide any direct information on the quality or degree of degradation of the environment from which the sample was taken, whereas trophic indices do. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.