Assessing the ecological status of small Mediterranean rivers using benthic macroinvertebrates and macrophytes as indicators

2019 ◽  
Vol 191 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Rodrigues ◽  
Paulo Alves ◽  
Ana Bio ◽  
Cristiana Vieira ◽  
Laura Guimarães ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Benthic Macroinvertebrates ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Mediterranean Rivers

scholarly journals Assessment of the Impact of Small Hydropower Plants on the Ecological Status Indicators of Water Bodies: A Case Study in Lithuania

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 433
Author(s):  
Laima Česonienė ◽  
Midona Dapkienė ◽  
Petras Punys
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Benthic Macroinvertebrates ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Fish Abundance ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Small Hydropower ◽  
Hydropower Plants ◽  
Physico Chemical ◽  
The Impact

Hydropower plants produce renewable and sustainable energy but affect the river’s physico-chemical characteristics and change the abundance and composition of the aquatic organisms. The impact of large HPPs on the ecological conditions of surface water bodies have been extensively studied, but less attention has been paid to environmental impact studies of small hydropower plants (SHPs). The impact of hydropeaking on both the river flow regime and ecosystems has been well-studied for peaking mode plants, mainly medium to large-sized ones. However, for small hydroelectric power plants, and especially for those in lowland rivers, the available information on water quality, benthic macroinvertebrates communities and fish abundance, and biomass is not sufficient. Ten small hydropower plants were selected, and the ecological status of water bodies was assessed in different parts of Lithuania. The studies were performed at the riverbed upstream from the SHPs, where the hydrological regime has not changed, and downstream from the SHPs. It was found that the small hydropower plants do not affect the physico-chemical values of the water quality indicators. This study demonstrated that the total number of benthic macroinvertebrates taxa (TS) is influenced by the concentration of nitrogen and suspended solids, the water flow, the river area, and the current speed; the number of EPT (Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies)) taxa is influenced by the concentration of nitrogen and suspended solids. The studied indicators do not have a significant impact on biomass. The SHPs affect the fish abundance and biomass. The Lithuanian fish index (LFI) is influenced by the average depth and area of the river. Some SHPs operating in lowland areas may yield somewhat significant hydrograph ramping but more detailed investigation is needed to support the significance of this impact on the biological indices.

An exploratory analysis of benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators of the ecological status of the Upper Yellow and Yangtze Rivers

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 871-882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baozhu Pan ◽  
Zhaoyin Wang ◽  
Zhiwei Li ◽  
Guo-an Yu ◽  
Mengzhen Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Benthic Macroinvertebrates ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Exploratory Analysis

scholarly journals Assessing the ecological status in species-poor systems: A fish-based index for Mediterranean Rivers (Guadiana River, SW Spain)

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1152-1161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virgilio Hermoso ◽  
Miguel Clavero ◽  
Francisco Blanco-Garrido ◽  
José Prenda
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Status ◽  
Mediterranean Rivers ◽  
Sw Spain

scholarly journals Ecological status of a newly impounded sub-saharan reservoir based on benthic macroinvertebrates community (Burkina Faso, West Africa)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Victor Bancé ◽  
Adama Ouéda ◽  
Idrissa Kaboré ◽  
Henri Zerbo ◽  
B. Gustave Kabré
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Benthic Macroinvertebrates ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Sub Saharan

scholarly journals Water Quality Assessment and Associated Stressing Factors of the Seti River Basin, Pokhara Sub Metropolitan City

1970 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandira Shrestha ◽  
Bandana Pradhan ◽  
Ram Devi Tachamo ◽  
Deep Narayan Shah ◽  
Subodh Sharma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
River Water ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Benthic Macroinvertebrates ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Class Ii ◽  
River Water Quality ◽  
Class Iii ◽  
Class V ◽  
Metropolitan City

The ASSESS-HKH Field Screening Methodology was carried out to assess the ecological river water quality status of nineteen small to medium sized rivers of the Seti River basin within Pokhara sub-metropolitan city during the lean flow period in March 2007. Multi habitat qualitative samplings for forty-six sites were conducted with 100 m stretch in each study river section. Five river water quality classes; class I (high), class II (good), class III (moderate), class IV (poor) and class V (bad) have been used to describe the effect of organic degradable pollution (saprobic approach). The response of benthic macroinvertebrates varied with organic pollution, sediment extraction and river crossings. The Harpan and Orlan (inlets) and Boksira (outlet) rivers of Phewa lake have water quality class III (moderately polluted) except Phirke river (outlet) which has class V. Most of the rivers outside the municipal boundaries have been identified as Class II indicating good water quality. The whole stretches of the Phusre and the Seti Rivers are still in good ecological condition. A total of 19 stressing factors have been identified along the river stretches, which have been grouped into five broad groups i.e., solid waste, effluent factors, activities and facilities, hydro-morphological degradation and ecological disturbances, and sanitation activity. The results are visualized by a colored water quality map which indicates the present ecological status of the Seti River basin. This map serves as an easy readable tool to identify hot spots and to show where immediate action is required. It also attracts the attention of the decision makers and enables timely measures to be taken for improving the deteriorating water quality of the rivers.Key words: screening methodology; benthic macroinvertebrates; water quality; Seti River basin; river pollutionDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jhm.v6i1.5488Journal of Hydrology and Meteorology, Vol. 6, No. 1 49-57

scholarly journals Effect of a Summer Flood on Benthic Macroinvertebrates in a Medium-Sized, Temperate, Lowland River

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 885
Author(s):  
Somsubhra Chattopadhyay ◽  
Paweł Oglęcki ◽  
Agata Keller ◽  
Ignacy Kardel ◽  
Dorota Mirosław-Świątek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Benthic Macroinvertebrates ◽  
Ecological Status ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Ammonium Nitrogen ◽  
Flood Peak ◽  
Taxa Richness ◽  
Extreme Hydrological Events ◽  
Summer Flood

Floods are naturally occurring extreme hydrological events that affect stream habitats and biota at multiple extents. Benthic macroinvertebrates (BM) are widely used to assess ecological status in rivers, but their resistance and resilience to floods in medium-sized, temperate, lowland rivers in Europe have not been sufficiently studied. In this study, we quantified the effect of a moderate (5-year return period) yet long-lasting and unpredictable flood that occurred in summer 2020 on the BM community of the Jeziorka River in central Poland. To better understand the mechanisms by which the studied flood affected the BM community, we also evaluated the dynamics of hydrological, hydraulic, channel morphology, and water quality conditions across the studied 1300 m long reach. Continuous water level monitoring, stream depth surveying, and discharge measurements. As well, in-situ and lab-based water quality measurements were carried out between March and August 2020. BM communities were sampled three times at eight sites along the reach, once before and twice after the flood. High flow velocities during the flood resulted in stream bed instability leading to sand substrate movement that caused streambed aggradation by up to 0.2 m. Dissolved oxygen and ammonium-nitrogen were major drivers of BM community structure. Taxa richness, abundance, and the BMWP-PL index declined significantly, whereas Shannon evenness and Simpson diversity indices showed no significant change in the first post-flood sampling, as indicated by Kruskal–Wallis and Tukey tests. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis showed that community composition was also significantly affected by the flood. Seven weeks after the flood peak (August 2020 sampling), BM communities had fully recovered from the disturbance. The results can serve as a first approximation of the resistance and resilience of BM communities for relevant applications in other medium-sized, low-gradient, temperate rivers.

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