1
|
Assie AF, Arimoro FO, Ndatimana G, Keke UN, Ayanwale AV, Edia EO, Edegbene AO. Development of a macroinvertebrate-based biotic index to assess water quality of rivers in Niger State, North Central Ecoregion of Nigeria. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:230. [PMID: 38305996 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12368-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
The increasing pollution of lotic ecosystems in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Nigeria, poses a threat to water quality, public health and biodiversity. It is therefore essential to develop appropriate tools and methods for monitoring these rivers, particularly in heavily affected areas, where these water resources are vital to the surrounding communities that are heavily dependent on them. To fill this gap, we propose to develop a multimetric index based on macroinvertebrates for the assessment of ecological quality of rivers in Niger State (NSRBI). Eighty-eight metrics were evaluated through a step-by-step statistical process (namely, range test and stability, redundancy test and relationship with abiotic variables), in which metrics that did not meet the conditions were excluded. At the end of this process, only four metrics (%Hemiptera, Diptera richness, Pielou equitability and % of very large individuals (size > 40 mm)) fulfilling all criteria were included in the index. These metrics were then scored on a continuous scale and divided into four water quality classes: "very poor", "poor", "fair" and "good". Evaluation of the performance of the index on test sites showed a correspondence of 90% between index result and environmental-based classification. Therefore, the NSRBI could be a valuable tool for monitoring and assessing the ecological conditions of rivers in Niger State and the North Central Nigeria ecoregion predominantly in urban and agricultural landscapes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Attobla Fulbert Assie
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, Niger State, Minna, PMB 65, 920101, Nigeria.
| | - Francis O Arimoro
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, Niger State, Minna, PMB 65, 920101, Nigeria
| | - Gilbert Ndatimana
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, Niger State, Minna, PMB 65, 920101, Nigeria
- Center of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management, University of Rwanda, P.O Box: 512, Butare, Huye, Rwanda
| | - Unique N Keke
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, Niger State, Minna, PMB 65, 920101, Nigeria
| | - Adesola V Ayanwale
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, Niger State, Minna, PMB 65, 920101, Nigeria
| | - Edia O Edia
- Laboratory of Environment and Aquatic Biology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Management, University Nangui Abrogoua, 02 BP 801, Abidjan 02, Lagunes, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Augustine O Edegbene
- Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State, 972261, Nigeria
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
de Necker L, van Rooyen D, Gerber R, Brendonck L, Wepener V, Smit NJ. Effects of river regulation on aquatic invertebrate community composition: A comparative analysis in two southern African rivers. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10963. [PMID: 38327690 PMCID: PMC10847884 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
While natural floods play a crucial role in shaping the composition of aquatic communities, the most rivers worldwide are regulated or dammed for anthropogenic purposes, resulting in alterations to the biological and chemical composition of these ecosystems. Studies have demonstrated various negative effects of river regulation on aquatic invertebrate communities globally. However, there is a scarcity of research in Africa, despite its vulnerability to anthropogenic impacts. This study aimed to compare aquatic invertebrate communities in the Phongolo River, an impacted regulated river, and the Usuthu River, a less impacted unregulated river, in South Africa. It further aimed to ascertain whether Lake Nyamithi, a naturally saline lake receiving water from both of the aforementioned systems, exhibited a stronger similarity to one of the two rivers in terms of its aquatic invertebrate composition. Aquatic invertebrate and water samples were collected from 2012 to 2018 over several surveys. The Usuthu River demonstrated a diverse and sensitive aquatic invertebrate community, emphasising its high conservation value. The Phongolo River demonstrated effects of anthropogenic impact, with taxa more resilient to changes in water quality and flow compared to the Usuthu River. Mismanagement and excessive water use may lead to the loss of any remaining sensitive aquatic invertebrate communities in this river. The presence of invasive molluscan in the Phongolo River and Lake Nyamithi also poses a threat to the native aquatic invertebrate communities. These invasive species are currently absent from the Usuthu River although other invasive species, such as the Australian redclaw crayfish, are found in both river systems. Lake Nyamithi displayed a unique aquatic invertebrate community, distinct from both rivers and their floodplains. This study provides important baseline information on the Usuthu River's aquatic invertebrates and emphasises the need to maintain adequate water flow in rivers and floodplains to protect biodiversity and sensitive species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lizaan de Necker
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and ManagementNorth‐West UniversityPotchefstroomSouth Africa
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (NRF‐SAIAB)MakhandaSouth Africa
| | - Divan van Rooyen
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and ManagementNorth‐West UniversityPotchefstroomSouth Africa
| | - Ruan Gerber
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and ManagementNorth‐West UniversityPotchefstroomSouth Africa
| | - Luc Brendonck
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and ManagementNorth‐West UniversityPotchefstroomSouth Africa
- Animal Ecology, Global Change and Sustainable Development, Department of BiologyUniversity of LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Victor Wepener
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and ManagementNorth‐West UniversityPotchefstroomSouth Africa
| | - Nico J. Smit
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and ManagementNorth‐West UniversityPotchefstroomSouth Africa
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (NRF‐SAIAB)MakhandaSouth Africa
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Bakonyi G, Vásárhelyi T, Szabó B. Pollution impacts on water bugs (Nepomorpha, Gerromorpha): state of the art and their biomonitoring potential. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:301. [PMID: 35344112 PMCID: PMC8960648 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-09961-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
As water pollution poses an increasing risk worldwide, it is timely to assess the achievements of the aquatic macroinvertebrate ecotoxicology to provide a sound basis for the discipline's future and support the development of biomonitoring. Aquatic and semi-aquatic bugs (Hemiptera: Nepomorpha, Gerromorpha) are ubiquitous in almost all water types, sometimes in high densities, and play a significant role in organic material turnover and energy flow. Nevertheless, they are ignored in the water pollution biomonitoring schemes. Here, based on 300 papers, we review and evaluate the effects of chemical pesticides, microorganism-derived pesticides, insecticides of plant origin, heavy metals, eutrophication, salinisation and light pollution which are summarised for the first time. Our review encompasses the results of 100 laboratory and 39 semi-field/field experiments with 47 pesticides and 70 active ingredients. Pyrethroids were found to be more toxic than organochlorine, organophosphate and neonicotinoid insecticides to water bugs, like other macroinvertebrate groups. Additionally, in 10 out of 17 cases, the recommended field concentration of the pesticide was higher than the LC50 values, indicating potential hazards to water bugs. The recommended field concentrations of pesticides used in mosquito larvae control were found non-toxic to water bugs. As very few replicated studies are available, other findings on the effects of pesticides cannot be generalised. The microorganism-derived pesticide Bti appears to be safe when used at the recommended field concentration. Data indicates that plant-derived pesticides are safe with a high degree of certainty. We have identified three research areas where water bugs could be better involved in water biomonitoring. First, some Halobates spp. are excellent, and Gerris spp. are promising sentinels for Cd contamination. Second, Micronecta and, to a certain extent, Corixidae species composition is connected to and the indicator of eutrophication. Third, the species composition of the Corixidae is related to salinisation, and a preliminary method to quantify the relationship is already available. Our review highlights the potential of water bugs in water pollution monitoring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gábor Bakonyi
- Department of Zoology and Ecology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100, Gödöllő, Hungary.
| | | | - Borbála Szabó
- Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, "Lendület" Landscape and Conservation Ecology, 2163, Vácrátót, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lin Q, Zhang Y, Marrs R, Sekar R, Wu N, Luo X. The effect of habitat restoration on macroinvertebrate communities in Shaoxi rivers, China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:677-689. [PMID: 34338980 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15559-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, the biodiversity of freshwater environments has decreased sharply due to anthropogenic disturbances that damaged ecosystem structures and functions. Habitat restoration has emerged as an important method to mitigate the degradation of river ecosystems. Although in many cases a post-project monitoring has been promoted to access the restoration progress, it is still unclear how aquatic community changes following river habitat restoration in China. Macroinvertebrate communities intermediately positioned within ecosystem food webs play a key role in ecosystem processes within river ecosystem, driving energy flow and nutrient cycling. Here, benthic macroinvertebrates are used as bio-indicators to assess the ecosystem health of degraded urban rivers, restored urban rivers, and undisturbed rivers. This study aims to determine (i) how habitat restoration influences macroinvertebrates diversity and how this compared to degraded and reference conditions; (ii) how did macroinvertebrate community compositions differ in restored, degraded, and reference sites; and (iii) the environmental factors shaping macroinvertebrate communities. Habitat restoration significantly increased the diversity and richness of macroinvertebrate community and intolerant species and shifted the community composition towards reference status. Habitat characteristics and water chemistry, including substrate diversity, water velocity, and both nutrients (TN) and organic pollutants (TOC), appeared to shape the turnover of these communities. Habitat characteristics contributed to most of the variation of the entire macroinvertebrate community. Our research indicates that habitat restoration is an efficient approach to restore the aquatic community and hence improve river ecosystem health for freshwater conservation and sustainable management in Zhejiang province. This study strengthens our understanding of the changes of macroinvertebrate community after habitat restoration and important controlling variables that attribute to these changes, which provides an important guidance for future freshwater management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoyan Lin
- The XIPU Institution, and Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation, The University of Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yixin Zhang
- Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation, The University of Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Gold Mantis School of Architecture, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Rob Marrs
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Raju Sekar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Naicheng Wu
- The XIPU Institution, and Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Geography and Spatial Information Techniques, Center for Land and Marine Spatial Utilization and Governance Research, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xin Luo
- Zhejiang Institute of Research and Innovation, The University of Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Arimoro FO, Meme FK, Keke UN. Effects of effluent discharges from a cement factory on the ecology of macroinvertebrates in an Afrotropical river. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:53444-53457. [PMID: 34031823 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-14514-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Cement factory waste water impacts on the ecology of macroinvertebrate assemblages of the Oinyi River, North Central area of Nigeria, were evaluated bi-monthly for 1 year as part of a study to understand the effects of pollution processes in the lotic system that may initiate the development of policy and improved regulation. Three sampling stations, each 100 m long, were selected along 11-km stretch of the river. Station 1, located upstream of the discharge point from the cement factory plant; station 2, immediately downstream of the effluent discharge point; and station 3, 4 km downstream, were sampled. The waste water from the cement effluent factory impacted negatively on the water chemistry by elevating the levels of some heavy metals (Mn, Zn, Cu, and Ni), and other physicochemical parameters such as turbidity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), conductivity, and total suspended solid. A total of 81 macroinvertebrate taxa combined were recorded from the river. The community structure, diversity, and abundance depicted distinct variation between the effluent-impacted site, and the upstream station as the most sensitive macroinvertebrate taxa such as Neoperla and Cheumatopsyche species was completely missing from the effluent-impacted site. The preponderance of some dipteran taxa (Tanypus sp., Eristalis tenax, Simulum sp., Empis sp., and Atherix sp.) and drastic reduction in the Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera (EPT) organisms in the impacted station is an indication that the chemical components of the cement effluent waste water were lethal to some aquatic forms. Extrapolations from canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) results revealed that turbidity, conductivity, BOD, orthophosphate-phosphorus, and heavy metals were strongly associated with the impacted station. Generally, the community structure of station 1 was more diverse with more sensitive taxa, different from those of stations 2 and 3, which were prone to intense human activities. The need for careful consideration of the water quality and indicator organisms is important for restoration of this river.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francis O Arimoro
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B, Minna, 65, Nigeria.
| | - Francis K Meme
- Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Delta State University, P.M.B. 1, Abraka, Nigeria
| | - Unique N Keke
- Applied Hydrobiology Unit, Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B, Minna, 65, Nigeria
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Oppong SK, Nsor CA, Buabeng GK. Response of benthic invertebrate assemblages to seasonal and habitat condition in the Wewe River, Ashanti region (Ghana). Open Life Sci 2021; 16:336-353. [PMID: 33889756 PMCID: PMC8042921 DOI: 10.1515/biol-2021-0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquatic macro-invertebrates play a vital role in the food chain of river ecosystem at several trophic guilds and consumer levels, and are used as biomonitoring tools for aquatic ecosystem health. However, hydrologic conditions of these ecosystems have been severely altered because of the increase in urban development and agricultural expansion. This study examined benthic invertebrate response to processes that structure their community in the Wewe River, segmented into intact, medium, and severe condition zones. We sampled in 100 stations in a period of 4 months in the wet (June–September, 2019) and 3 months in the dry (January–March, 2020) seasons. Geometric series, rarefaction, and Hill numbers models were used to quantify invertebrate assemblages, while ordination technique, canonical correspondence analysis, was used to evaluate the influence of predictive factors on their assemblages. A total of 2,075 individuals belonging to 20 family taxa were registered. There was no significant difference in benthic assemblages between the dry and wet seasons. Predictive factors accounted for 47.04 and 50.84% variances, respectively. Taxa distribution patterns differed significantly only in the severely disturbed zone during the wet season. Neptidae, Libellulidae, and Chironomidae were the most abundant taxa, indicating their broad range habitat preference and their ability to adapt to seasonal changes. Asellidae and Perlidae were the least detected, suggesting their sensitivity to elevated levels of some water quality parameters. The findings highlight the threats to the benthic community and overall functional state of the Wewe River, with the need to consider the proposed conservation interventions indicated in this study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel K Oppong
- Department of Wildlife and Range Management, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Kwame University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Collins Ayine Nsor
- Department Forest, Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Gabriel Kwabena Buabeng
- Department of Wildlife and Range Management, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Kwame University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sumudumali RGI, Jayawardana JMCK. A Review of Biological Monitoring of Aquatic Ecosystems Approaches: with Special Reference to Macroinvertebrates and Pesticide Pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 67:263-276. [PMID: 33462679 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-020-01423-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Biological monitoring is the evaluating changes in the environment using the biological responses with the intent of using such information in quality control of the ecosystem. Biomarkers and bioindicators are two main components of the hierarchy of biomonitoring process. Bioindicators can be used to monitor changes of ecosystems and to distinguish alteration of human impact from natural variability. There is a wide range of aquatic taxa such as macroinvertebrates, fish and periphyton, planktons which are successfully used in the biomonitoring process. Among them, macroinvertebrates are an important group of aquatic organisms that involves transferring energy and material through the trophic levels of the aquatic food chain and their sensitivity to environmental changes differs among the species. The main approaches of assessing freshwater ecosystems health using macroinvertebrates include measurement of diversity indices, biotic indices, multimetric approaches, multivariate approaches, Indices of Biological Integrity (IBI), and trait-based approaches. Among these, biotic indices and multimetric approaches are commonly used to evaluate the pesticide impacts on aquatic systems. Recently developed trait-based approaches such as SPEcies At Risk of pesticides (SPEAR) index was successfully applied in temperate regions to monitor the events of pesticide pollution of aquatic ecosystems but with limited use in tropics. This paper reviews the literature on different approaches of biomonitoring of the aquatic environment giving special reference to macroinvertebrates. It also reviews the literature on how biomonitoring could be used to monitor pesticide pollution of the aquatic environment. Thus the review aims to instil the importance of current approaches of biomonitoring for the conservation and management of aquatic ecosystems especially in the regions of the world where such knowledge has not been integrated in ecosystem conservation approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R G I Sumudumali
- Faculty of Graduate Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka
| | - J M C K Jayawardana
- Department of Natural Resources, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Assessment of the Impact of Forestry and Settlement-Forest Use of the Catchments on the Parameters of Surface Water Quality: Case Studies for Chechło Reservoir Catchment, Southern Poland. WATER 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/w11050964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to determine the impact of natural and anthropogenic factors on the values of 22 quality indicators of surface waters flowing out of two small catchments differing in physiographic parameters and land use, in particular forest cover and urbanization of the area. The research was carried out in the years 2012–2014 at four measurement-control points located on the Chechło river and the Młoszówka stream (Poland), which are the main tributaries of the retention reservoir. Basic descriptive statistics, statistical tests, as well as cluster analysis and factor analysis were used to interpret the research results. The water that outflowed from the forestry-settlement catchment of the Młoszówka stream contained higher concentrations of total phosphorus, phosphates, nitrite, and nitrate nitrogen and salinity indicators than outflow from the Chechło river. Water from the Młoszówka stream was characterized by more favourable oxygen conditions. Higher oxygen concentration in the catchment influenced a large slope of the watercourse and thus higher water velocity, which is promoted by the mixed process. In the case of the forest catchment of the Chechło river, the water quality was generally better than in the Młoszówka stream, mainly in cases of total suspended solids TSS, total phosphorus TP, phosphates PO43−, total nitrogen TN, nitrite N–NO2−, nitrate N–NO3−, and salinity parameters. Despite it being a short section of the river taken into the study, favourable self-purification processes like mixed, nitrification, and denitrification were observed in its water. The research shows that forest areas have a positive effect on the balance of most substances dissolved in water, and natural factors in many cases shape the quality and utility values of surface waters on an equal footing with anthropogenic factors. In the case of a large number of examined parameters and complex processes occurring in water, the interpretation of the results makes it much easier by applying multivariate statistical methods.
Collapse
|
9
|
Wan Abdul Ghani WMH, Abas Kutty A, Mahazar MA, Al-Shami SA, Ab Hamid S. Performance of biotic indices in comparison to chemical-based Water Quality Index (WQI) in evaluating the water quality of urban river. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2018; 190:297. [PMID: 29675764 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-018-6675-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In order to evaluate the water quality of one of the most polluted urban river in Malaysia, the Penchala River, performance of eight biotic indices, Biomonitoring Working Party (BMWP), BMWPThai, BMWPViet, Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT), ASPTThai, BMWPViet, Family Biotic Index (FBI), and Singapore Biotic Index (SingScore), was compared. The water quality categorization based on these biotic indices was then compared with the categorization of Malaysian Water Quality Index (WQI) derived from measurements of six water physicochemical parameters (pH, BOD, COD, NH3-N, DO, and TSS). The river was divided into four sections: upstream section (recreational area), middle stream 1 (residential area), middle stream 2 (commercial area), and downstream. Abundance and diversity of the macroinvertebrates were the highest in the upstream section (407 individual and H' = 1.56, respectively), followed by the middle stream 1 (356 individual and H' = 0.82). The least abundance was recorded in the downstream section (214 individual). Among all biotic indices, BMWP was the most reliable in evaluating the water quality of this urban river as their classifications were comparable to the WQI. BMWPs in this study have strong relationships with dissolved oxygen (DO) content. Our results demonstrated that the biotic indices were more sensitive towards organic pollution than the WQI. BMWP indices especially BMWPViet were the most reliable and could be adopted along with the WQI for assessment of water quality in urban rivers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wan Mohd Hafezul Wan Abdul Ghani
- School of Environmental Science and Natural Resources, Faculty Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Ahmad Abas Kutty
- School of Environmental Science and Natural Resources, Faculty Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Akmal Mahazar
- School of Environmental Science and Natural Resources, Faculty Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Salman Abdo Al-Shami
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, P. O. Box 741, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Suhaila Ab Hamid
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Minden, Penang, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Luo K, Hu X, He Q, Wu Z, Cheng H, Hu Z, Mazumder A. Impacts of rapid urbanization on the water quality and macroinvertebrate communities of streams: A case study in Liangjiang New Area, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 621:1601-1614. [PMID: 29054671 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.10.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/08/2017] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Rapid urbanization in China has dramatically deteriorated the water quality of streams and threatening aquatic ecosystem health. This study aims to 1) assess the impacts of urbanization on water quality and macroinvertebrate composition and 2) address the question of how urbanization affects macroinvertebrate distribution patterns. Environmental variables over multispatial scales and macroinvertebrate community data were collected on April (dry season) and September (wet season) of 2014 and 2015 at 19 sampling sites, of which nine had a high urbanization level (HUL), six had moderate urbanization level (MUL) and four had low urbanization level (LUL), in the Liangjiang New Area. The results of this study showed that macroinvertebrate assemblages significantly varied across the three urbanization levels. The sensitive species (e.g., EPT taxa) were mainly centralized at LUL sites, whereas tolerant species, such as Tubificidae (17.3%), Chironomidae (12.1%), and Physidae (4.61%), reached highest relative abundance at LUL sites. The values of family biotic index (FBI) and biological monitoring working party (BMWP) indicated the deterioration of water quality along urbanization gradient. Seasonal and inter - annual changes in macroinvertebrate communities were not observed. The results of variation partitioning analyses (CCAs) showed that habitat scale variables explained the major variation in macroinvertebrate community composition. Specifically, the increased nutrient concentrations favored tolerant species, whereas high water flow and substrate coarseness benefitted community taxa richness, diversity and EPT richness. Considering the interactions between scale-related processes, the results of this study suggested that urbanization resulted in less diverse and more tolerant stream macroinvertebrate assemblages mainly via increased nutrient concentrations and reduced substrate coarseness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kun Luo
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, 400045, China; National Centre for International Research of Low-Carbon and Green Buildings, Chongqing University, 400045, China; Department of Biology, University of Victoria, PO Box 3020, STN CSC, Victoria, BC V8W 3N5, Canada
| | - Xuebin Hu
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, 400045, China; National Centre for International Research of Low-Carbon and Green Buildings, Chongqing University, 400045, China.
| | - Qiang He
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, 400045, China; National Centre for International Research of Low-Carbon and Green Buildings, Chongqing University, 400045, China
| | - Zhengsong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, 400045, China; National Centre for International Research of Low-Carbon and Green Buildings, Chongqing University, 400045, China
| | - Hao Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, 400045, China; National Centre for International Research of Low-Carbon and Green Buildings, Chongqing University, 400045, China
| | - Zhenlong Hu
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, 400045, China; National Centre for International Research of Low-Carbon and Green Buildings, Chongqing University, 400045, China
| | - Asit Mazumder
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, PO Box 3020, STN CSC, Victoria, BC V8W 3N5, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Masum KM, Mansor A, Sah SAM, Lim HS. Effect of differential forest management on land-use change (LUC) in a tropical hill forest of Malaysia. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2017; 200:468-474. [PMID: 28618318 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2016] [Revised: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Forest ownership is considered as a vital aspect for sustainable management of forest and its associated biodiversity. The Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015 reported that privately owned forest area are increasing on a global scale, but deforestation was found very active in privately owned hill forest areas of Malaysia. Penang State was purposively chosen as it has been experiencing rapid and radical changes due to urban expansion over the last three decades. In this study, analyses of land-use changes were done by PCI Geomatica using Landsat images from 1991 to 2015, future trends of land-use change were assessed using EXCEL forecast function, and its impact on the surrounding environment were conducted by reviewing already published articles on changing environment of the study area. This study revealed an annual deforestation rate of 1.4% in Penang Island since 1991. Trend analysis forecasted a forest area smaller than the current forest reserves by the year 2039. Impact analysis revealed a rapid biodiversity loss with increasing landslides, mudflows, water pollution, flash flood, and health hazard. An immediate ban over hill-land development is crucial for overall environmental safety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kazi Mohammad Masum
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Penang 11800, Malaysia; Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, Shahjalal University of Science & Technology, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh.
| | - Asyraf Mansor
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Penang 11800, Malaysia; Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Penang 11800, Malaysia.
| | - Shahrul Anuar Mohd Sah
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Penang 11800, Malaysia; Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Penang 11800, Malaysia.
| | - Hwee San Lim
- School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Penang 11800, Malaysia.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Moreno Rodriguez F, Caro Caro CI, Pinilla GA, Osorio DP. ESTADO ACTUAL DEL CONOCIMIENTO SOBRE MICROALGAS DEL PERIFITON Y MACROINVERTEBRADOS BENTÓNICOS EN EL DEPARTAMENTO DEL META, COLOMBIA. ACTA BIOLÓGICA COLOMBIANA 2017. [DOI: 10.15446/abc.v22n3.60619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
El departamento del Meta cuenta con un elevado potencial hidrológico que se traduce en oportunidades para los sectores agrícola, pecuario y ambiental. Por otra parte, se han incrementado considerablemente las actividades de la industria petrolera, lo cual ha traído nuevos retos y amenazas a la región. En consecuencia, los ríos del departamento se ven afectados por vertimientos de diferentes tipos, por captaciones y por modificaciones de los entornos de ribera y de los ambientes bentónicos. Sin embargo, es poco lo que se conoce acerca de estos sistemas y de las comunidades de microalgas y macroinvertebrados que los habitan, las cuales cumplen un papel fundamental en el funcionamiento ecológico de los ríos. Por esta razón se analizan las características más relevantes de dichas comunidades y se discuten las modificaciones que las actividades humanas provocan sobre la estabilidad ecológica de los ríos en un contexto regional. Adicionalmente, se presenta un listado de los taxones de microalgas perifíticas y macroinvertebrados bentónicos registrados para el departamento del Meta.
Collapse
|
13
|
Tengku Ibrahim T, Othman F, Mahmood N. Assessment of water quality of Sembilang River receiving effluent from controlled municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill in Selangor. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1088/1757-899x/210/1/012019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
|
14
|
Determination of food sources and trophic position in Malaysian tropical highland streams using carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chnaes.2016.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|
15
|
Bian B, Zhou Y, Fang BB. Distribution of heavy metals and benthic macroinvertebrates: Impacts from typical inflow river sediments in the Taihu Basin, China. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS 2016; 69:348-359. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.04.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
|
16
|
Nor Zaiha A, Mohd Ismid MS, Shahrul Azri MS. Effects of logging activities on ecological water quality indicators in the Berasau River, Johor, Malaysia. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2015; 187:493. [PMID: 26154860 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-015-4715-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2015] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Influence of deforestation on biodiversity of aquatic organisms was investigated in a stream in the Ulu Sedili Forest Reserve. The stream was monitored five (5) times from December 2011 until December 2012 with 2-month intervals. Sampling of benthic communities was carried out using rectangular dip net while water quality study using a YSI ProPlus meter and the rest were done in the laboratory. Physicochemical parameters and water quality index (WQI) calculation showed no significant difference among the investigated events. WQI classified the Berasau River between Class II (good) to III (moderate) of river water quality. In total, 603 individuals representing 25 taxa that were recorded with Decapods from genus Macrobrabchium were widely distributed. Several intolerant taxa, especially Ephemeroptera and Odonata, were also observed in this river. According to Pearson's correlation analysis, the richness and diversity indices were generally influenced by water quality parameters represented by WQI (P < 0.01). In conclusion, logging activities have strong attributes for variation in benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Nor Zaiha
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Water Security (IPASA), Research Institute for Sustainable Environment (RISE), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ebau W, Rawi CSMD, Din Z, Al-Shami SA. Toxicity of cadmium and lead on tropical midge larvae, Chironomus kiiensis Tokunaga and Chironomus javanus Kieffer (Diptera: Chironomidae). Asian Pac J Trop Biomed 2015; 2:631-4. [PMID: 23569984 DOI: 10.1016/s2221-1691(12)60110-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2012] [Revised: 02/02/2012] [Accepted: 03/17/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the acute toxicity of cadmium and lead on larvae of two tropical Chironomid species, Chironomus kiiensis (C. kiiensis) Tokunaga and Chironomus javanus (C. javanus) Kieffer. METHODS Different larval instars (first-fourth) were exposed using a static non-replacement testing procedures to various concentrations of cadmium and lead. RESULTS In general, younger larvae (first and second instars) of both species were more sensitive to both metals than older larvae (third and forth instars). The toxic effects of the metals on C. kiiensis and C. javanus were influenced by the age of the larvae (first to fourth instars), types of metals (cadmium or lead) and duration of larval exposure (24, 48, 72 and 96 h) to the metals. CONCLUSIONS Cadmium was more toxic to the chironomids than lead and C. javanus was significantly more sensitive to both metals than C. kiiensis (P<0.05).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Warrin Ebau
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Long-Term Changes in the Water Quality and Macroinvertebrate Communities of a Subtropical River in South China. WATER 2014. [DOI: 10.3390/w7010063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
19
|
Liu JS, Guo LC, Luo XL, Chen FR, Zeng EY. Impact of anthropogenic activities on urban stream water quality: a case study in Guangzhou, China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 21:13412-13419. [PMID: 25009093 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-3237-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2013] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities are increasingly impacting the quality of urban surface water, particularly in regions undergoing intensive urbanization, such as Guangzhou of South China with a large urban stream network. To examine such impacts, we conducted field sampling on December 24, 2010, May 24, 2011, and August 28, 2011, representative of the low-, normal-, and high-flow periods, respectively. The first sampling was timed immediately after the closing of the 16th Asian Games (November 12-27, 2010) and the 10th Asian Para Games (December 12-19, 2010) held in Guangzhou. Assessments based on a pollution index method showed that the urban streams under investigation were extremely polluted, with direct discharge of untreated domestic sewage identified as the main pollution contributor. In addition, stream water quality around urban villages with high population densities was worse than that within business districts away from the urban villages. Pollution control measures implemented in preparation for the Asian Games were effective for urban streams within the business districts, but less effective for those adjacent to the urban villages. However, short-term efforts may not be able to achieve sustainable urban water quality improvements. In the case of Guangzhou, minimizing or even eliminating direct point-source inputs to the urban streams is perhaps the best option.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Song Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Che Salmah MR, Al-Shami SA, Abu Hassan A, Madrus MR, Nurul Huda A. Distribution of detritivores in tropical forest streams of peninsular Malaysia: role of temperature, canopy cover and altitude variability. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2014; 58:679-690. [PMID: 23483291 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-013-0648-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2012] [Revised: 02/02/2013] [Accepted: 02/03/2013] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The diversity and abundance of macroinvertebrate shredders were investigated in 52 forested streams (local scale) from nine catchments (regional scale) covering a large area of peninsular Malaysia. A total of 10,642 individuals of aquatic macroinvertebrates were collected, of which 18.22% were shredders. Biodiversity of shredders was described by alpha (αaverage), beta (β) and gamma diversity (γ) measures. We found high diversity and abundance of shredders in all catchments, represented by 1,939 individuals (range 6-115 and average per site of 37.29±3.48 SE) from 31 taxa with 2-13 taxa per site (αaverage=6.98±0.33 SE) and 10-15 taxa per catchment (γ=13.33±0.55 SE). At the local scale, water temperature, stream width, depth and altitude were correlated significantly with diversity (Adj-R2=0.205). Meanwhile, dissolved oxygen, stream velocity, water temperature, stream width and altitude were correlated to shredder abundance (Adj-R2=0.242). At regional scale, however, water temperature was correlated negatively with β and γ diversity (r2=0.161 and 0.237, respectively) as well as abundance of shredders (r2=0.235). Canopy cover was correlated positively with β diversity (r2=0.378) and abundance (r2=0.266), meanwhile altitude was correlated positively with β (quadratic: r2=0.175), γ diversity (quadratic: r2=0.848) as well as abundance (quadratic: r2=0.299). The present study is considered as the first report describing the biodiversity and abundance of shredders in forested headwater streams across a large spatial scale in peninsular Malaysia. We concluded that water temperature has a negative effect while altitude showed a positive relationship with diversity and abundance of shredders. However, it was difficult to detect an influence of canopy cover on shredder diversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md Rawi Che Salmah
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Importance of regional diversity and environmental conditions on local species richness of aquatic macro-invertebrates in tropical forested streams. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467414000200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:We used aquatic macro-invertebrates as a model to investigate the relationship between the regional species richness (RSR) and local species richness (LSR) in Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 38 streams (local scale) in seven catchments (regional scale), were sampled for aquatic macro-invertebrates. Eleven environmental variables (i.e. pH, DO, velocity, temperature, width, depth, TSS, BOD, COD, ammonia and canopy cover) were measured to assess their importance for local species richness. The average species richness was 34.9 species per region and the average abundance was 1380 individual per region. The highest number of species was 41, while the lowest species richness was 31. We applied local-regional richness regression models to explore the nature of the RSR–LSR relationship and then used variation partitioning to determine the relative importance of RSR and environmental conditions on LSR. We found a linear RSR–LSR relationship, which indicates unsaturated communities for macro-invertebrates in Malaysian streams and absence of local control with strong effects of regional processes. Variation in LSR explained by RSR was 43%, while the variation fraction in LSR explained by environmental conditions was low (2%) and not significant. We conclude that the variation in LSR is mainly controlled by the regional diversity pool (i.e. RSR) for aquatic macro-invertebrates in Peninsular Malaysia. However, weak effects of environmental conditions may reflect relatively low variability in the habitat among investigated streams. Further studies at larger scales, and involving different regions in this area, will be useful to draw comprehensive conclusions about determinants of local species diversity for stream invertebrates.
Collapse
|
22
|
Serpa D, Keizer JJ, Cassidy J, Cuco A, Silva V, Gonçalves F, Cerqueira M, Abrantes N. Assessment of river water quality using an integrated physicochemical, biological and ecotoxicological approach. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2014; 16:1434-1444. [PMID: 24715158 DOI: 10.1039/c3em00488k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In order to maintain and improve the water quality in European rivers, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires an integrated approach for assessing water quality in a river basin. Although the WFD aims at a holistic understanding of ecosystem functioning, it does not explicitly establish cause-effect relationships between stressors and changes in aquatic communities. To overcome this limitation, the present study combines the typical WFD physicochemical and biological approaches with an ecotoxicological approach. The main goal was to assess river water quality through an integrated manner, while identifying potential risk situations for aquatic communities in the Cértima river basin (Portugal). To achieve this goal, surface water samples and macroinvertebrate specimens were collected under contrasting hydrological conditions (autumn and spring seasons) at three river sites exposed to distinct pollution levels defined according to the WFD (low, moderate and highly polluted). Physicochemical water quality status was defined according to the Portuguese classification for multipurpose surface waters, whereas biological water quality was assessed in accordance with the South Invertebrate Portuguese Index. Ecotoxicological assays included four standard species, a bacterial species (Vibrio fischeri), a unicellular algae (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata), a macrophyte (Lemna minor) and a crustacean (Daphnia magna), which were exposed to different river water concentrations. The study sites represented a clear and pronounced gradient of pollution, from the unpolluted reference site to the sites under moderate to high anthropogenic pressure. In the latter sites, clear signs of organic pollution were found, such as low dissolved oxygen concentrations, high nutrient loads and prevalence of highly tolerant macroinvertebrate species. Despite the evident signs of pollution, no clear evidence of toxicity was observed in test species, suggesting that ecotoxicological assays using standard laboratory species and methodologies might not be suitable for assessing the effects of organic pollution. Nevertheless, the integrated methodology presented in this study provided important additional information on the Cértima's water quality status. Its wider use could contribute to a more comprehensive assessment of the effects of anthropogenic pollution on the status and functioning of aquatic ecosystems under the WFD and, thereby, improve the scientific foundations for the sustainable future management of surface water resources.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dalila Serpa
- Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Nabizadeh R, Valadi Amin M, Alimohammadi M, Naddafi K, Mahvi AH, Yousefzadeh S. Development of innovative computer software to facilitate the setup and computation of water quality index. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE & ENGINEERING 2013; 11:1. [PMID: 24499556 PMCID: PMC3776286 DOI: 10.1186/2052-336x-11-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2013] [Accepted: 04/22/2013] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Developing a water quality index which is used to convert the water quality dataset into a single number is the most important task of most water quality monitoring programmes. As the water quality index setup is based on different local obstacles, it is not feasible to introduce a definite water quality index to reveal the water quality level. FINDINGS In this study, an innovative software application, the Iranian Water Quality Index Software (IWQIS), is presented in order to facilitate calculation of a water quality index based on dynamic weight factors, which will help users to compute the water quality index in cases where some parameters are missing from the datasets. CONCLUSION A dataset containing 735 water samples of drinking water quality in different parts of the country was used to show the performance of this software using different criteria parameters. The software proved to be an efficient tool to facilitate the setup of water quality indices based on flexible use of variables and water quality databases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ramin Nabizadeh
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Valadi Amin
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmood Alimohammadi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kazem Naddafi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Hossein Mahvi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran
- Center for Water Quality Research, Institute of Environmental Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Samira Yousefzadeh
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 14155-6446, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Jun YC, Won DH, Lee SH, Kong DS, Hwang SJ. A multimetric benthic macroinvertebrate index for the assessment of stream biotic integrity in Korea. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2012; 9:3599-628. [PMID: 23202765 PMCID: PMC3509474 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph9103599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2012] [Revised: 09/17/2012] [Accepted: 09/25/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
At a time when anthropogenic activities are increasingly disturbing the overall ecological integrity of freshwater ecosystems, monitoring of biological communities is central to assessing the health and function of streams. This study aimed to use a large nation-wide database to develop a multimetric index (the Korean Benthic macroinvertebrate Index of Biological Integrity—KB-IBI) applicable to the biological assessment of Korean streams. Reference and impaired conditions were determined based on watershed, chemical and physical criteria. Eight of an initial 34 candidate metrics were selected using a stepwise procedure that evaluated metric variability, redundancy, sensitivity and responsiveness to environmental gradients. The selected metrics were number of taxa, percent Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera (EPT) individuals, percent of a dominant taxon, percent taxa abundance without Chironomidae, Shannon’s diversity index, percent gatherer individuals, ratio of filterers and scrapers, and the Korean saprobic index. Our multimetric index successfully distinguished reference from impaired conditions. A scoring system was established for each core metric using its quartile range and response to anthropogenic disturbances. The multimetric index was classified by aggregating the individual metric ..scores and the value range was quadrisected to provide a narrative criterion (Poor, Fair, Good and Excellent) to describe the biological integrity of the streams in the study. A validation procedure showed that the index is an effective method for evaluating stream conditions, and thus is appropriate for use in future studies measuring the long-term status of streams, and the effectiveness of restoration methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Chul Jun
- Department of Environmental Science, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701, Korea;
| | - Doo-Hee Won
- Doohee Institute of Ecological Research, Korea Ecosystem Service Inc., Seoul 153-768, Korea;
| | - Soo-Hyung Lee
- The National Institute of Environmental Research, Inchon 404-170, Korea;
| | - Dong-Soo Kong
- Department of Biology, Kyonggi University, Suwon 443-760, Korea;
| | - Soon-Jin Hwang
- Department of Environmental Science, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701, Korea;
| |
Collapse
|