1. Developing, understanding and using nutrient boundaries
ECOSTAT Nutrient workshop
6-7 November 2018, Bucharest, Romania
Developing, understanding and using nutrient boundaries
presenting the
Nutrient Toolkit

2. Emotions during day 1 of workshop

3. Session 3a Choice of method, steps in the CIS Guide
Section 3
Overview of process (‘road map’)
Provides guidance on selecting methods, however all methods should be tested and results compared, wherever possible.
Section 4.2
Overview of stepwise procedure

4. Overview of process (‘road map’) page 35 CIS
Section 3 CIS

5. Overview of process
Choice of approaches using flowcharts to illustrate the decisions needed when selecting methods for specific data sets not intended as a prescriptive flow diagram
3.1. Choice of approaches A (continuous data)
deals with methods where biological data in the form of an EQR, or a continuous metric, are available
3.2. Choice of approaches B (weak linear relationship, r2 < 0.36)
deals with situations where the relationship between nutrient and biology is weak (e.g. multiple pressures occur; other environmental gradients)
3.3. Choice of approaches C (categorical methods)
contains categorical methods. These methods place more reliance on an appropriate class width and do not allow for situations where nutrient concentrations do not span the entire status class. Require significant differences of nutrient concentrations between the classes
Section 3 CIS

6. Choice of approaches A continuous
Page 38 CIS

7. Choice of approaches B weak r2
Page 40 CIS

8. Choice of approaches C categorical
Page 42 CIS

9. Overview of stepwise procedure
Step 1: assemble a data set
Use summary data not spot samples
Ensure nutrient and biological data are spatially and temporally matched
Step 2: inspect the data
scatterplots; boxplots; outliers; linear response range; trends & patterns
Step 3: fit linear regression models
Step 4: calculate categorical methods
Step 4a: compare results
Compare predicted boundary concentrations between methods tested
Step 5: compare boundary values
Compare predicted boundary concentrations with existing nutrient boundaries
(see also CIS result tables for common types sections 4.4 & 4.5)
Step 6: validate boundary values Session 4
independent data to demonstrate that predicted concentrations meet ecological
Expectations and are likely to protect key taxa associated with good status conditions
Pointing to resources in the toolkit that allow you to test each step
e.g. page 45 CIS
Section 4.2 CIS

10. We hope you can enjoy the nutrient toolkit!!
Use these pages as support while exploring your data and getting familiar with the resources made available.
We hope you can enjoy the nutrient toolkit!!