Macrophytes are all aquatic higher plants, mosses and characean algae, but excluding single celled phytoplankton or diatoms.^[1] Common parameters used for characterization are taxon composition and abundance of sensitive to non-sensitive species.

Phytobenthos are vascular plants, heterotrophic organisms and photosynthetic algae (including cyanobacteria) living on or attached to substrate or other organisms in surface waters.^[2] Common parameters used for characterization are composition and abundance, growth rate, undesirable disturbance or balance of organisms, and bacterial tufts