Different levels of taxonomic resolution in bioassessment: a case study of oligochaeta in lowland streams

Abstract

Aim:This study evaluated the use of oligochaetes at different levels of taxonomic resolution as environmental indicators in Argentine lowland streams affected by different land uses. Methods: Sampling sites were grouped based on the physicochemical and habitat characteristics (low-, moderate-, and high-impact disturbance). Collection of the oligochaetes samples was carried out seasonally in sediment and vegetation habitats. Results: The increases in nutrients and organic matter produced elevated densities of the Oligochaeta, but when the disturbance also involved changes in the physical habitat or enhancements in toxic substances, the abundance decreased significantly to values even lower than those of non-impacted environments. The responses of Naidinae and Tubificinae were similar. The density of the Pristininae decreased with increasing impact, but those of the Enchytraeidae and Rhyacodrilinae increased at the most highly impacted sites. The Opistocystidae were not recorded in high-impact sites. Species richness and diversity (H') were lower in high-impact sites and even lower in sediments. Some species presented no restrictions in the habitat type or with the contamination level: Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri, Dero furcatus, D. digitata, D. pectinata, Pristina longiseta, and P. aequiseta. Moreover, Trieminentia corderoi, Slavina appendiculata, and Aulodrilus pigueti exhibited the highest abundances at low-impact sites and were not registered in high-impact sites. Conclusions: The Oligochaeta show a relatively wide ecological valence through their extensive number of species. Although lower taxonomic levels can give information about environmental status, test-species' sensitivities to different types and degrees of contamination will be of utmost relevance to the evaluation of ecological quality.Keywords: annelids, land use, habitat preferences, sediment, macrophyte.Resumo: Objetivo: Este estudo analisou as uso de oligoquetos em diferentes níveis de resolução taxonômica como indicadores ambientais em rios de planície Argentina afetadas por diferentes usos da terra. Métodos: Os sítios de amostragem foram agrupados com base nas características físico-químicas e habitat (perturbação baixa, moderada ou alta). Amostras de oligoquetos foram coletadas sazonalmente em habitats de sedimentos e vegetação. Resultados: Os aumentos de nutrientes e matéria orgânica resultaram em densidades elevadas de Oligochaeta, mas quando a perturbação também envolveu mudanças no habitat físico ou incrementos em substâncias tóxicas, a abundância diminuiu de forma significativa para valores ainda mais baixos que os de ambientes naõ perturbados. As respostas dos Naidinae e Tubificinae foram semelhantes. A densidade de Pristininae diminuiu com o aumento da perturbação, mas as densidades de Enchytraeidae e Rhyacodrilinae aumentaram nos locais mais altamente perturbados. Os Opistocystidae não ocorreram em locais de alta perturbação. A riqueza de espécies e a diversidade (H') foram menores em locais de perturbação elevada e ainda mais b...

Structural and functional responses of the oligochaete and aeolosomatid assemblage in lowland streams: a one-way-pollution-modelled ecosystem

“…The present study demonstrates that the Tubificinae (e.g., L. hoffmeisteri, L. udekemianus, Tubifex tubifex), Megadrili, Enchytraeidae, and Rhyacodrilinae were more closely associated with both sites in the Rodríguez Stream, while the Naidinae, Pristininae, and Opistocystidae were more extensively present at the Carnaval site. Similar studies had likewise indicated that the densities of Tubificinae, Enchytraeidae, and Rhyacodrilinae increased with organic pollution; whereas the abundance of Naidinae, Pristininae, and Opistocystidae declined with diminished environmental quality (Alves et al, 2006;Cortelezzi et al, 2012). The Tubificinae exhibit positive correlations with biogenic components such as nitrites, nitrates, and phosphates.…”

Taxonomic and Numerical Resolutions of Nepomorpha (Insecta: Heteroptera) in Cerrado Streams

“…A number of recent studies analyzing different levels of taxonomic resolution in macroinvertebrates under bio-evaluation have found that higher taxonomic levels provide relevant information on environmental status [47] , [26] , and when species are aggregated on a higher taxonomic level, some environmental or biological information is lost [45] . By contrast, taxonomic difficulties can lead to errors of identification, which may result in major problems of interpretation [11] , [48] .…”

Climatically induced temperature instability of groundwater‐dependent habitats will suppress cold‐adapted Clitellata species

“…In congruence with our second hypothesis, the diversity of substrate dwellers increased with the decreasing amount of inorganic particles, whereas the diversity of surface‐active species was mainly driven by the amount of organic matter and oxygen concentration. Substrate composition and organic matter content, hence, seems to be the main environmental constraints of clitellate diversity (also reported by Cortelezzi, Armendáriz, van Oosterom, Cepeda, & Capítulo, ; Timm et al, ; Uzunov, ). There are only few specialists preferring a coarse mineral substrate among substrate dwelling species, such as Haplotaxis cf.…”