The Ecological Society of America published an article titled "Biological Integrity: A Long-Neglected Aspect of Water Resource Management" by James R. Karr. The article discusses the importance of biological integrity in water resource management and the need for more ecological expertise in assessing water quality. It highlights the limitations of current water quality monitoring methods that focus on physical and chemical indicators, and emphasizes the need for biological monitoring to assess the health of aquatic ecosystems. The article explains that while the Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 aimed to restore and maintain biotic integrity, the focus on easily measurable physical and chemical surrogates has led to a neglect of biological aspects. The Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is introduced as a tool for assessing biotic integrity in running waters, based on fish community attributes. The IBI has been widely applied in North America and has stimulated the development of similar approaches using other aquatic taxa. The article also discusses the challenges in implementing biological monitoring, including the need for standardized methods, the importance of regional reference sites, and the need for cost-effective approaches. It emphasizes the role of ecologists in contributing to water resource management and the importance of integrating ecological principles into water quality standards. The article concludes that the IBI provides a promising approach for assessing water resource quality by sampling biological communities in the field. It highlights the need for expanded use of ecological expertise in ambient biological monitoring to protect water resources. The IBI is described as a broadly based, multiparameter tool for assessing biotic integrity in running waters, and its use has been adopted by many states and federal agencies. The article also discusses the importance of considering cumulative impacts and the need for a more comprehensive approach to water resource management.The Ecological Society of America published an article titled "Biological Integrity: A Long-Neglected Aspect of Water Resource Management" by James R. Karr. The article discusses the importance of biological integrity in water resource management and the need for more ecological expertise in assessing water quality. It highlights the limitations of current water quality monitoring methods that focus on physical and chemical indicators, and emphasizes the need for biological monitoring to assess the health of aquatic ecosystems. The article explains that while the Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 aimed to restore and maintain biotic integrity, the focus on easily measurable physical and chemical surrogates has led to a neglect of biological aspects. The Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is introduced as a tool for assessing biotic integrity in running waters, based on fish community attributes. The IBI has been widely applied in North America and has stimulated the development of similar approaches using other aquatic taxa. The article also discusses the challenges in implementing biological monitoring, including the need for standardized methods, the importance of regional reference sites, and the need for cost-effective approaches. It emphasizes the role of ecologists in contributing to water resource management and the importance of integrating ecological principles into water quality standards. The article concludes that the IBI provides a promising approach for assessing water resource quality by sampling biological communities in the field. It highlights the need for expanded use of ecological expertise in ambient biological monitoring to protect water resources. The IBI is described as a broadly based, multiparameter tool for assessing biotic integrity in running waters, and its use has been adopted by many states and federal agencies. The article also discusses the importance of considering cumulative impacts and the need for a more comprehensive approach to water resource management.