Inventory and Distribution of Benthic Macroinvertebrates, Indicators of Water Quality in Four Forested Watercourses in Centre Region of Cameroon

The inventory of benthic macroinvertebrate species was carried out in some streams of the Mefou catchment area, from August 2021 to August 2022, in order to determine the biological groups that make up the population and characterise these environments. The dataset acquired during this study made it possible to update the existing database and contribute to the knowledge of the biological groups associated in these environments, and to provide additional information on the existing ones in relation to bioindication. Overall 80 families were identified and, on the basis of frequencies of occurrence greater than 75%, 22 families were retained as potential biological indicators. The remarkable diversity of insects and the low abundance of Diptera reflect the low degradation of environments and the good quality of water. The high diversity indices obtained reflect the maintenance of the favourable ecological conditions that favours the development of a balanced and, integrated biological community capable of adapting to changes.

Macroinvertebrates as Bio Indicators of Water Quality in Pinyinyi River, Arusha Tanzania

Rivers are important for aquatic biodiversity. Anthropogenic activities degrade rivers and decrease their capacity to offer ecosystem services. This study used macroinvertebrates to assess the impact of anthropogenic activities on the Pinyinyi River during dry and wet season. Abundance of macroinvertebrates, average score per taxon and Shannon Weiner Species Diversity Index were used to state the ecological status of Pinyinyi River. Because the abundance of macroinvertebrates can be affected by change in water quality, some of the physicochemical parameters were also measured. A macroinvertebrates hand net is used to collect the macroinvertebrates per sampling point. DO, temperature, pH, turbidity and TDS were measured in-situ using HI-9829 Multiparameter and BOD was measured in the laboratory using Oxydirect levibond method. A total of 164 macroinvertebrates were collected and identified from Pinyinyi River during dry and wet season. They belong to 13 families. The most abundant taxa were mosquito larva, Diptera (41.07%) and aquatic caterpillar, Lepidoptera (23.21%) during dry season representing about 64.28% of the total macroinvertebrates whereas the least abundant taxa were pouch snail (16.07%) and dragonflies, Odonata (19.64%) during dry season representing about 35.72% of the total macroinvertebrates. The most abundant taxa collected during wet season were aquatic earthworm, haplotaxida (19.44%), midges, Diptera (17.59%), black flies, Diptera (15.74%) and creeping water bugs, hemiptera (12.96%) whereas the least abundant were pigmy back swimmers, hemiptera (2.78%), snail (3.7%), predacious dividing beetle (4.63%) and coleopteran (4.63%). Average Score per taxon of Pinyinyi River during dry season was 5.25 and 3.6 during wet season. The Shannon Weiner Species Diversity Index was 1.318 during dry season and 2.138 during wet season. Based on the score, Pinyinyi River is moderately polluted during dry season and seriously polluted during wet season. Based on index, Pinyinyi River has low diversity of macroinvertebrates during dry season and highly in diversity of macroinvertebrates during wet season. Moreover, it was found that, agricultural activities, livestock keeping, bathing and washing alter physicochemical parameters of Pinyinyi River and hence change the abundance of macroinvertebrates as well as the quality of water. The study, therefore, recommends that the source of pollutants should be controlled and the river regularly monitored by the relevant authorities.

Benthic Macroinvertebrates of Bull Run Creek: A Pre-Restoration Baseline

In North America, disturbed riparian zones have had a deleterious effect on the life cycles of anadromous fish, especially the commercially and culturally important salmon and steelhead. The result has been a significant reduction in the numbers and average size of these fish. Tributaries of the John Day River are important spawning waters for western populations of these fish, and the National Forest Service and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation are cooperating to restore floodplains and riparian zones in a number of these headwater tributaries. Herein we have conducted a pre-restoration study of macroinvertebrates and basic water quality parameters in one of these important spawning locations in central Oregon, Bull Run Creek. Results of the turbidity, pH, dissolved Oxygen, and temperature determinations indicate that overall water quality is good, and benthic macroinvertebrate sampling yielded a number of sensitive organisms, including members of Chloroperlidae, Peltoperlidae, Ryachophilidae, Odontoceridae, and Brachycentridae. At all sites, chironomid larvae (non-biting midge) dominated the assemblages. The EPT Index suggests that Bull Run Creek ranges from fair to excellent in terms of its ability to support sensitive species. Sorensen’s Similarity Coefficient indicates varying degrees of shared diversity between the sites, and Shannon’s entropy calculations suggest moderate to low species diversity at all sites, including the reference site on nearby Boundary Creek. Overall, this study indicates that Bull Run Creek is in fair condition and that it should benefit significantly from the restoration efforts.

Investigating Temporal Variation of Water Quality and Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Taudaha Lake, Kathmandu, Nepal

Taudaha Lake is one of the important wetlands in Nepal, as it provides critical habitats for thousands of migratory birds and fishes. Despite being a critically important water body, there is a lack of detail chemical and biological studies on this lake. The present study investigates the effects of seasonal water quality variations in distribution and abundance of macroinvertebrates in Taudaha Lake, during four different seasons in 2006. The results indicate that all the water quality parameters, except secchi depth, and total alkalinity, significantly varied among seasons. The gross primary productivity of the lake also significantly varied among the seasons, with highest primary production during summer (3.92 ± 0.18 gC/m3/day) and lowest during spring (2.44 ± 0.67 gC/m3/day). A total of 2166 individual benthic macroinvertebrates from 10 families and 7 orders were collected during the study period. Unlike water quality parameters, the macroinvertebrate species composition did not vary significantly among the seasons. The results suggested that the change in lake water quality did not have significant impacts on community metrics such as species diversity, species richness, and species evenness.

Anthropogenic Impacts on the Distribution and Biodiversity of Benthic Macroinvertebrates and Water Quality of the Boufekrane River, Meknes, Morocco

The area of the city of Meknes (Morocco) undergoes anthropic pressure, which acts mainly on the rivers. River water is used, without preliminary treatment, for farm irrigation. A study of the impacts of anthropogenic activities on the distribution and biodiversity of benthic macroinvertebrates and water quality of the Boufekrane River (Meknes) was conducted. Four pristine stations from the upstream and two stations at the downstream receiving anthropogenic impacts were selected along the River. For 12 consecutive months (from January to December 2010), based on the SEQ-V.2 scoring system, water quality index classes, the upstream stations recorded significantly higher biological monitoring scores and better water quality indices than those of the downstream. Four variables are involved actively in the individualization of the physico-chemical environment: COD, dissolved oxygen, TSS and temperature. The total number of macrobenthic taxa and their overall richness indices and diversity indices were significantly higher at the upstream stations than at the downstream stations. The relationships between the physicochemical and the macrobenthic data were investigated by biotypology analysis (PCA and FCA) and Pearson correlation analysis. The analyses showed that the richness and diversity indices were generally influenced by the total suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand and the electric conductivity of the river water. This study also highlighted the impacts of anthropogenic activities on the distribution and species diversity of macrobenthic invertebrate. Some sensitive (Trichoptera and Ephemeroptera) and resistant species (Oligochaeta such as Tubifex sp.) are identified as potential bioindicators of clean and polluted river ecosystems, respectively, in Morocco rivers. The data obtained in this study supported the use of the bioindicator concept (Innovative Biotechniques for controlling water quality) for North Africa rivers because it is more efficient than conventional methods.

Influence of Water Quality on the Variation Patterns of the Communities of Benthic Macroinvertebrates in the Lakes of the Central Highlands of Peru

The influence of water quality on the variation patters of benthic macroin-vertebrate communities in the lakes in the central highlands of Peru was eva-luated. Samples of water and sediments were collected in 23 different sam-pling sites last 2017. The physiochemical variables of water quality deter-mined on site were: DO, TDS, EC, temperature and pH. The results obtained revealed that the physiochemical indicators are within the environmental quality standards for water, except COD and BOD5. Regarding the benthic macroinvertebrates, four phyla were identified wherein the most common is the phylum Arthropoda having the abundance and richness of taxa. The PCA reduced the variables to a few significant components that caused variation in water quality between lakes. The cluster analysis in relation to the relative abundance of benthic macroinvertibrates grouped the 22 sampling sites into three groups with the similar characteristics. The PCoA analysis of the ben-thic macroinvertebrate communities showed a clear separation of sites. The SIMPER analysis at the family-level showed the distribution of the most common species. Therefore, at a significance level of 0.01 it demonstrates that there are significant differences between the number of species and abun-dance of the areas that were evaluated.

Relationship between Macroinvertebrates and Physico-Chemical Parameters to Access Water Quality of the Affon River in Bénin

The Affon River is one of the important rivers of the Ouémé River whose benthic diversity remained unknown. The present study aims to make the relationship between macroinvertebrates and physico-chemical parameters to access water quality of the Affon River. The measurement of physico-chemical parameters (temperature, pH, conductivity, transparency, depth and TDS, dissolved oxygen, ammonium, nitrite and phosphate) and the sampling of macroinvertebrates using a Surber net were carried out during floods in eight stations. A principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) were used. The indices of Shannon, Piélou, Simpson, Hilsenhoff, EPT and EPT/Chironomidae were used to assess the level of water pollution. The study identified 9755 macroinvertebrates divided into 4 classes, 14 orders and 49 families. Pollution-sensitive families (14 families) that are organic pollution indicators, as well as pollution-tolerant families (Chironomidae, Limnaeidae, Bithynidae, Physidae) were captured. Chironomidae were the most predominant and abundant family (FO = 100%). The predominance of Chironomidae coupled with the rarity of the Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera and Plecoptera would reflect the poor quality of the Affon River waters. The principal components analysis yielded groups of associations: The first group of stations Taneka 2 and 3 characterized by high values of ammonium and phosphate;and low values of conductivity and TDS;the second group of Tanéka 1 and Kolokondé 1 stations with low values of pH, transparency, ammonium and phosphates;and the third group of stations Kolokondé 2, Kpébouko1, Kpébouko 2 and Affon marked by high values of conductivity, TDS, transparency, depth and temperature. The canonical correspondence analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between Nemouridae and ammonium as well as between Perlidae, Taeniopterygidae, Ephemeridae, Heptageniidae, Isonychiidae, Elmidae and phosphate. This study is a crucial step for any management and monitoring of this river.

Spacial and Temporal Variation of Degradation of Organic Matter by Benthic Macroinvertebrates

Leaf litter input from riparian landscapes has been identified as both a major energy flow to stream ecosystems and as a food source for stream macroinvertebrates. In this study the benthic macroinvertebrate community was used to evaluate the decomposition of organic matter in river systems. The aim of this work was to study the decomposition of organic matter using the benthic macroinvertebrate colonization. The research was developed over five months (January 2011 to May 2011) in four different sites, distributed along the River Ferreira terminal area, northern Portugal. A litter bag experiment was used to examine the role of macroinvertebrate communities in the processing of organic material on the river. Litter bags were placed in the water and collected every 7, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 days. In litter bags was observed a high abundance of Oligochaeta and Chironomidae, which are characterized by being detritivorous-herbivores and filtering collectors, respectively, indicating the benthic macroinvertebrate more involved on the decomposition of organic matter. These results contributed to increase current knowledge about benthic macroinvertebrate communities and may serve as incentive for future research works.

Spatiotemporal Variation of Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Some Tropical Forest Streams of the Nyong Catchment (Cameroon)

With the aim of assessing the benthic macroinvertebrates’ diversity, a study was carried out in some tropical forest streams of the Nyong River catchment in Cameroon from February 2019 to February 2020. A total of 167 samples were carried out from 13 stations during 13 months. Some environmental variables were measured. These parameters varied more or less from station to station but significantly at the temporal level. In this study, 13,690 benthic macroinvertebrates belonging to 4 phyla, 7 classes, 16 orders and 93 families were collected. The benthic macroinvertebrates were more abundant and more diversified in the stations whose waters are well oxygenated and present a moderate current compared to the stations with a very weak current. The diversity varied significantly from 1.33 ± 0.14 bits/ind to 2.00 ± 0.35 bits/ind and the high values were found in stations with multiple substrates and well-oxygenated waters. Temporally, the diversity varied significantly from 1.10 ± 0.16 bits/ind in NM sampling station in February 2020 to 1.87 ± 0.1 bits/ind in the OB sampling station in September. In addition, the settlement was more abundant during the short dry season, more precisely during the month of August (1471 individuals) but richer during the long dry season during the month of February (54 families). The distribution of the abundances of the benthic fauna in the different stations made it possible to identify five typological groups using the rarefaction curves, the ascending hierarchical classification and the principal component analyses. Each of these five groups is characterized by a specific taxonomic richness, composition and abundance.

Structure and Composition of Macroinvertebrates during Flood Period of the Nokoue Lake, Benin

The Nokoue Lake is the largest lake of Benin Republic and it is also considered as one of the most productive lagoon ecosystems in West Africa. This productivity is decreasing and thus raises productivity issue for a better management and conservation. Macroinvertebrate can be useful for this purpose. A study was conducted to assess the spatial variation of macroinvertebrates during high flood period. A total of 3892 macroinvertebrates of fresh and brackish water were sampled during the survey. Structural analysis of the macroinvertebrate community revealed that it was made up of 16 orders, 48 families and 66 genera dominated by Insecta compared to Mollusca, Crustacea and the Annelida. Insects were dominated by Diptera (Chironomus sp. and Tanytarsus sp.), Coleoptera (Dystiscidae) and accounted for 57.1% of the sampled population. Mollusca, Crustacea, Annelida and Arachnida were the following most abundant and represented 23.9%, 10.7%, 8.1% and 0.2% of the total population, respectively. The Evenness index of Pielou was higher on the Station 8 (0.91 - 0.97), close to Oueme River. However, no significant difference (p > 0.05) was observed neither between station nor between month on the Shannon-Wiener index (2.06 - 4.31), Simpson index (0.04 - 0.40) and the taxa number (10 - 27). Macroinvertebrate assemblages and composition were primarily due to changes in water quality dependent on hydroclimatic changes and probably to anthropogenic actions. This suggests the need for real investigation of the macroinvertebrate biological capacity when formulating conservation strategies for the Nokoue Lake.

Short-Term Disturbance Effects of Outdoor Education Stream Classes on Aquatic Macroinvertebrates

Outdoor education programs frequently offer stream classes that teach students how to assess water quality based on the composition of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities. Repeatedly using the same site for stream classes can cause disturbance that could negatively impact aquatic macroinvertebrates. However, the impact of outdoor education stream classes on short term temporal trends of aquatic macroinvertebrates has not been evaluated. Our objective was to quantify whether outdoor education stream classes caused localized and short-term impacts on the aquatic macroinvertebrate community. We sampled aquatic macroinvertebrates over a five day period in May 2014 from an impacted riffle subjected to repeated substrate disturbance by outdoor education stream classes and an unimpacted riffle that was not subjected to stream classes within an agricultural stream in central Ohio. We did not observe a difference in macroinvertebrate community response variables between different time periods or among days within the impacted riffle as part of our within riffle analysis. We documented that macroinvertebrate abundance and dorsoventrally flattened clinger abundance was greater within the unimpacted riffle than the impacted riffle. Macroinvertebrate evenness was greater in the impacted riffle than the unimpacted riffle. In the impacted riffle percent clingers was greater on Monday than on Friday. Conversely, in the unimpacted riffle percent clingers was greater on Friday than on Monday. Our results indicated that outdoor education stream classes did not alter short term temporal trends of macroinvertebrate community structure within an impacted riffle, but the stream classes resulted in differences in community structure between an impacted and unimpacted riffle. Our results suggest that outdoor education centers should avoid repeatedly using the same site for their stream classes to prevent negatively impacting aquatic macroinvertebrates.

Effects of <i>Microcystis aeruginosa</i>on New Jersey Aquatic Benthic Macroinvertebrates

As increases in anthropogenic eutrophication and climate change contribute to more severe and frequent cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms in freshwater ecosystems worldwide, understanding the effects and consequences cyanobacterial blooms have on aquatic organisms is crucial. Microcystis aeruginosa is one of the most common cyanobacteria taxa found in cyanobacterial blooms, producing a number of toxins including Microcystins. This study examined the effects of Microcystis aeruginosa on aquatic benthic macroinvertebrates, specifically the pollution intolerant taxa Ephemeroptera, the pollution moderately intolerant taxa Zygoptera, and the pollution tolerant taxa Chironomidae. In a controlled lab environment, macroinvertebrates were exposed to approximately 100,000 cells/ml of Microcystis aeruginosa. The survival percentage was lower for macroinvertebrates exposed to Microcystis aeruginosa in all three tolerance groups (p < 0.001) while corresponding with the pollution tolerance levels of the species. Mayflies had a survival percentage of 38% in the treatment groups compared to a 98% survival percentage for control groups. Damselflies had a 43% survival percentage in the treatment groups compared to a 98% survival percentage in the control groups. Midges had a 72% survival percentage in the treatment groups compared to a 100% survival percentage in the control groups. These findings support the notion that cyanobacterial blooms have deleterious effects on freshwater ecosystems and can affect aquatic food webs.

Diversity of Macro Invertebrates of the River Rwizi in Western Uganda: A Citizen Science-BioBlitz Approach

This study elucidates the pivotal role of citizen science-BioBlitz methodologies for rapid assessment of the macro-invertebrate taxa within the threatened River Rwizi of South-western Uganda. Utilizing a comprehensive mixed-methods approach, the investigation focused on six distinct river segments to demonstrate the efficacy of participatory citizen science-BioBlitz approaches conducted by experts, students and community volunteers. BioBlitz events included rigorous macro-invertebrate sampling at each of the selected sites along River Rwizi on nine occasions, incorporating collaborative taxonomic identification procedures involving experts, students, and the local community. Analyzing pollution concerns, diversity metrics, and community narratives yielded insights into river health and socio-ecological dynamics. A total of 43 macro-invertebrate families across 17 orders were documented with class Insecta dominating. Participants in BioBlitz events expressed predominantly positive sentiments, emphasizing satisfaction, education, and heightened awareness, besides negative sentiments rooted in historical mistrust. Intriguingly, the study unveiled an unforeseen trend in macro-invertebrate taxa richness, rising from upstream to urban sprawl and diminishing at peri-urban downstream sites. The study underscores the potential of citizen science-BioBlitz methodologies in advancing community science education and unraveling the intricate dynamics of threatened river ecosystems. The insights offered are invaluable for policymakers and conservationists seeking effective strategies to address challenges in the River Rwizi and comparable ecosystems. .

Impact of Dewatering on the Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities in the Okpara River, Benin

Surface watercourses are areas of very high ecological and heritage value. Macroinvertebrates are bioindicators of the health of aquatic ecosystems. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of dewatering and re-watering cycles on benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) communities. Two data collections were carried out at two stations (Okpara 1 and Okpara 2) on the Okpara river before and after dewatering. Thus, 8 samples of benthic macroinvertebrates and 12 physico-chemical parameters (T°C, pH, Transparency, Depth, Conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen that were measured in situ, and BOD5, COD, NH4+, NO3-, NO2- and PO43-) were assayed in the laboratory. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to match physico-chemical data to MIB families. Shannon and Piélou diversity indices were used to determine the effects of dewatering on MIBs. The increase in temperature values of pH, BOD5, COD, NH4+, NO3-, NO2- and PO43-, after re-watering indicates the effect of dewatering on the quality of Okpara aquatic ecosystems. The benthic macrofauna collected consisted of 62.42% insects, 0.65% crustaceans, 6.48% molluscs, 0.72% worms and 0.14% arachnids. Whereas after re-watering, 21.67% insects, 0% crustaceans, 0.22% molluscs, 7.56% worms and 0.29% arachnids were recorded. Insects, crustaceans and molluscs were more abundant before dewatering than after. This was revealed by low abundances and taxonomic richness, as well as low Shannon index values of samples collected after re-watering.

Community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates in reclaimed and natural tidal flats of the Yangtze River estuary

Previous studies have found differences between communities of benthic macroinvertebrates living in constructed tidal flats compared with natural ones.We analyzed the distributional characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrates in a blowing sand reclamation area(Area A),a dike-building silting area(Area B),an out-ofsiltation area(Area C),and a natural tidal flat(Area D)in order to characterize the community structure and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates in a human-disturbed estuarine tidal-flat wetland.A total of 32 benthic macroinvertebrate species were identified(Area A=7;Area B=12;Area C=10;Area D=27).The diversity index was variable where:Area B<Area C<Area A<Area D.A higher average annual abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates was found at Area B(840.43±569.23)ind/m^(2) than in Area D(203.00±5.85)ind/m^(2),Area A(42.87±10.21)ind/m^(2),and Area C(17.64±1.50)ind/m^(2).The biomass in Area C(3.18±0.39)g/m^(2) was lower than in the other areas.One-Way ANOVAs detected significant differences(P<0.05)in the abundance and biomass within Area B among seasons;however,there were no significant seasonal differences(P>0.05)in the abundance and biomass of Areas A,C,and D.An abundance/biomass curve showed that the habitat in Areas A,B,and C could be categorized as moderately disturbed,whereas Area D was categorized as undisturbed.The results of cluster analysis suggested distinct assemblages in the four sampling areas.Reclamation raised the altitude of tidal flats,weakening the tidal power and changing the physical and chemical parameters of the water,leading to a change in the community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates.

Correlation study of some physico-chemical parameters and benthic macroinvertebrates metrics on the ecological impacts of floriculture industries along Wedecha River, Debrezeit, Ethiopia

Objective: To assess the quality of water using biological and chemical information correlation study. Methods: A total of 6 sites, one reference site less impaired to represent natural conditions from upstream, and 5 impaired sites in the downstream were sampled for macroinvertebrates and physicochemical parameters. Results: In the polluted sites with high nutrient enrichment and organic loading, only organisms with special physiological and morphological adaptations were found, such as Hydrobiidae, Physidae and Viviparidae snails. Physicochemical parameters: electrical conductivity, chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, sulphate, orthophosphate and nitrate-nitrogen and metrics: percent of Mollusca, percent of Physidae and percent of dominant taxa were used for monitoring, and expected to have strong positive relation with increasing disturbance. Conclusions: Therefore, floriculture industries wastewater discharged to the nearby rivers has enormous effect on the degradation of the ecosystem. To sustain the ecological conditions of the nearby rivers, wastewater treatment and environmental audit were suggested. Environmental assessment and environmental audit enable the floriculturist to keep humans and the environment safe. Taking care of workers, soil, water and the environment has to be seen with great care and caution because it is difficult to maintain a healthy community and carry out development in a degraded environment.

When nets meet environmental DNA metabarcoding:integrative approach to unveil invertebrate community patterns of hypersaline lakes

Saline and hypersaline wetlands account for almost half of the volume of inland water globally.They provide pivotal habitat for a vast range of species,including crucial ecosystem services for humans such as carbon sink storage and extractive resource reservoirs.Despite their importance,effective ecological assessment is in its infancy compared to current conventional surveys carried out in freshwater ecosystems.The integration of environmental DNA(eDNA)analysis and traditional techniques has the potential to transform biomonitoring processes,particularly in remote and understudied saline environments.In this context,this preliminary study aims to explore the potential of eDNA coupled with conventional approaches by targeting five hypersaline lakes at Rottnest Island(Wadjemup)in Western Australia.We focused on the invertebrate community,a widely accepted key ecological indicator to assess the conservational status in rivers and lakes.The combination of metabarcoding with morphology-based taxonomic analysis described 16 taxa belonging to the orders Anostraca,Diptera,Isopoda,and Coleoptera.DNA-based diversity assessment revealed more taxa at higher taxonomic resolution than the morphology-based taxonomic analysis.However,certain taxa(i.e.,Ephydridae,Stratyiomidae,Ceratopogonidae)were only identified via net surveying.Overall,our results indicate that great potential resides in combining conventional net-based surveys with novel eDNA approaches in saline and hypersaline lakes.Indeed,urgent and effective conservational frameworks are required to contrast the enormous pressure that these ecosystems are increasingly facing.Further investigations at larger spatial temporal scales will allow consolidation of robust,reliable,and affordable biomonitoring frameworks in the underexplored world of saline wetlands.

A Comparison of Two Macroinvertebrate Multi-Plate Sampling Methods to Inform Great Lakes Monitoring and Remediation Efforts

Hester-Dendy (HD) multi-plate samplers have been widely used by state and federal government agencies for bioassessment of water quality through use of macroinvertebrate community data. To help guide remediation and restoration efforts at the Niagara River Great Lakes Area of Concern site, a multi-agency study was conducted in 2014 to assess the contribution of seven major urban tributaries on the US side of the river toward the impairment of the Niagara River. As part of this study, macroinvertebrate communities were sampled using two co-located versions of HD samplers: one version used by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and another by the US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development. Samplers were deployed in tributaries in highly developed watersheds with high percent impervious surface. The two sampling methods varied in terms of number and size of plates, between-plate spacing, and deployment method. Comparison of the similarity/grouping of communities with multivariate ordination techniques, Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling and Multi-Response Permutation Procedure, showed that both methods were able to detect differences in communities at stations, despite some grouping by month and method. The indices and metrics derived from the two HD methods were found to give comparable but not identical assessments of water quality. Despite their differences, the methods were robust with respect to water quality categories derived from indices used nationally (HBI) and by NY state (BAP). For the common richness metrics, total taxa and EPT richness, there was no statistical difference between means from 3 samplings. Some metrics, especially percent tolerant collector-gatherer individuals, did show significant differences at certain stations. Indicator Species Analysis showed some taxa associated with each method. The observed community differences were thought mostly due to the difference in sampler deployment position. .

Macroinvertebrate Assemblage Changes as an Indicator of Water Quality of Perennial Endorheic Reed Pans on the Mpumalanga Highveld, South Africa

Reed pans are a very uncommon type of endorheic wetland, and as such the amount of information available is very limited. Thus, they are being impacted on by various agricultural, livestock and other anthropogenic activities. The objectives of this study were to determine the spatial and temporal variations of macroinvertebrate community structures in reed pans and the environmental factors (i.e., water quality) responsible for the maintenance of these structures. Reed pans were studied over four different seasons, during which time subsurface water, sediment and macroinvertebrate samples were collected and analyzed. The reed pans studied showed that the macroinvertebrates were able to reflect various changes in reed pans with regard to seasonal variability and anthropogenic impacts on water quality. These anthropogenic impacts caused the disappearance of sensitive macroinvertebrate taxa and the increase of tolerant macroinvertebrate taxa.

Comparing Freshwater Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities in Forest and Urban Streams of the Coastal Ecological Region of Cameroon

In this study conducted in the coastal zone of Cameroon, biological indices and functional feeding groups of benthic macroinvertebrates were used to assess the health status of two urban streams. For a better diagnosis, two streams located in coastal forest zone were used as a reference. Benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled monthly over a 3-month period (from May to July 2017) in six urban stations and six forest stations. Measurements of the physicochemical variables were done simultaneously. Physicochemical analysis revealed that urban streams are strongly polluted with high content of decaying organic matters, while forest streams are slightly polluted as indicated by the Principal Component Analysis. Concerning benthic macroinvertebrates, urban streams are poorly diversified with the proliferation of taxa tolerant to water pollution and belonging to the functional feeding groups of collectors-gatherers. Inversely, forest streams are more diversified and dominated by sensitive taxa, most belonging to the functional feeding groups of predators and shredders. These marked differences between biological indices and feeding mode of benthic macroinvertebrates in forest and urban rivers confirm the reliability of benthic macroinvertebrates as good indicators of freshwater ecosystem in the coastal zone of Cameroon.