Natural variation in macroinvertebrate assemblages and the development of a biological banding system for interpreting bioassessment data—a preliminary evaluation using data from upland sites in the south-western Cape, South Africa

Dallas, Helen F.; Day, Jenny A.

doi:10.1007/s10750-006-0374-y

Cited by 29 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 14 publications

(14 reference statements)

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“…Similar values (4.6 to 7.9) were found when Leptoceridae were present in research done in the high-altitude streams in Uganda [46]. In addition, the composition and abundance of macroinvertabrate taxa have been shown to have a relationship with pH [66] and subtle differences in this parameter may explain the differences in macrobenthos assemblages [65]. The potential of hydrogen has been used to predict the presence of some families of macrobenthos, such as Baetidae, Hydroptilidae and Simuliidae [38,46,67].…”

Section: Analysis Of the Explanatory Variables In Relation To Responssupporting

confidence: 74%

“…The color in natural water consisted mainly of the generic humic and fulvic fraction of dissolved organics [63], and its intensity could be increased in direct relation to the amount of precipitation and runoff [64]. The humic substances are organic acids and their accumulation and dissolution in water are associated with a reduction of pH [47,65]. The pH also had a negative correlation as a possible predictor of the presence of Leptoceridae, which was found when pH was between 6.33 and 8.…”

Section: Analysis Of the Explanatory Variables In Relation To Responsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Methodology to Model Environmental Preferences of EPT Taxa in the Machangara River Basin (Ecuador)

Jerves-Cobo

Everaert

Iñiguez-Vela³

et al. 2017

Water

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Rivers have been frequently assessed based on the presence of the EphemeropteraPlecoptera-Trichoptera (EPT) taxa in order to determine the water quality status and develop conservation programs. This research evaluates the abiotic preferences of three families of the EPT taxa Baetidae, Leptoceridae and Perlidae in the Machangara River Basin located in the southern Andes of Ecuador. With this objective, using generalized linear models (GLMs), we analyzed the relation between the probability of occurrence of these pollution-sensitive macroinvertebrates families and physicochemical water quality conditions. The explanatory variables of the constructed GLMs differed substantially among the taxa, as did the preference range of the common predictors. In total, eight variables had a substantial influence on the outcomes of the three models. For choosing the best predictors of each studied taxa and for evaluation of the accuracy of its models, the Akaike information criterion (AIC) was used. The results indicated that the GLMs can be applied to predict either the presence or the absence of the invertebrate taxa and moreover, to clarify the relation to the environmental conditions of the stream. In this manner, these modeling tools can help to determine key variables for river restoration and protection management.

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Section: Analysis Of the Explanatory Variables In Relation To Responssupporting

confidence: 74%

Section: Analysis Of the Explanatory Variables In Relation To Responsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Methodology to Model Environmental Preferences of EPT Taxa in the Machangara River Basin (Ecuador)

Jerves-Cobo

Everaert

Iñiguez-Vela³

et al. 2017

Water

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“…Macroinvertebrates are sensitive to change in their physico-chemical environment including flow-rate (Newbury, 1984), stream size and distance to the source (Minshall et al, 1985), substrate (Minshall & Minshall, 1977), vegetation (Dallas & Day, 2007), and temperature and stream discharge (Bournard et al, 1987;Boulton & Lake, 1992). Some of these factors are linked to seasonal variability especially flow-rate, temperature and stream discharge (Bunn et al, 1986).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Critical influence of seasonal sampling on the ecological quality assessment of small headwater streams

2008

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Variability in the ecological quality assessment of reference sites was tested on small headwater streams in Ireland. Although headwater streams constitute a large portion of the river channel network, they are not routinely monitored for water quality. Various metrics were used including the Irish Q-value and the newly developed Small Streams Risk Score (SSRS), and metrics applied elsewhere in the Atlantic biogeographic region in Europe, including the Biological Monitoring Working Party score (BMWP), the Average Score per Taxon (ASPT), the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera taxa (EPT), the Belgium Biotic Index (BBI) and the Danish Stream Fauna Index (DSFI). The AQEM (version 2.5a) assessment software was used to apply some of these metrics. The spring and summer datasets are used to test the performance of biotic metrics with respect to season, and the applicability of their use to assess the ecological quality of wadeable streams. The quality status of most sites assigned by the various metrics was high using the spring invertebrate data, and an apparent considerable deviation in quality status occurred when the summer data was applied. Seasonal differences were noted using all the biotic indices and are attributed to the absence of pollution-sensitive groups in summer. Seasonal variability in the water quality status was particularly evident in acidic streams draining noncalcareous geologies with peaty soils that had relatively lower numbers of taxa. Some indices applied reflect a greater seasonal difference in the quality category assigned. The least amount of variability between seasons was obtained using the ASPT and the SSRS risk assessment system. Results suggest that reference status is reliably reflected in spring when more pollution-sensitive taxa were present, and that a new ecological quality assessment tool is required for application in summer when impacts may be most severe. This highly heterogeneous freshwater habitat seems to have too few taxa present in the summer to reliably determine the ecological quality of the stream using the available indices.

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“…Cleared sites are associated with sand and gravel substrate, high levels of suspended solids and high conductivity, all a result of erosion of exposed, aliencleared banks (Maridet et al 1996;Uys 2003;Vuori and Joensuu 1996). High silt levels are usually accompanied by low densities of benthic organisms and a reduction in many but not all species (Dallas and Day 1993;King et al 2003;Rutherfurd et al 2000).…”

Section: Environmental Responses To Alien Disturbancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…substratum, current velocity, insolation) (Dallas and Day 1993), so that isolating the effect of a single variable is problematic. Between-river and seasonal factors dominated invertebrate responses in this study, as well as reducing the measured effect of specific EVs.…”

Section: Environmental Variables Affecting Faunal Distribution Patternsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of alien riparian vegetation and its removal on a highly endemic river macroinvertebrate community

2010

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Invasive alien trees along river banks can reduce indigenous biodiversity, while their removal can restore it. We assessed here family-and specieslevel responses of river benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages to three riparian vegetation types (natural, alien trees, cleared of alien trees) in the Cape Floristic Region biodiversity hotspot. High species beta diversity of this highly endemic fauna meant that between-river, as well as seasonal effects, dominated assemblage patterns. SASS5, a qualitative, rapid bioassessment technique, based on the sensitivity of the families present, was used as a measure of river health and, indirectly, of water quality. SASS indicated a decline in water quality conditions after alien clearing, a likely response to the greater insolation and apparent erosion of cleared banks, resulting in elevated temperatures and suspended solids and lowered oxygen levels. Overall, cleared and natural sites were more similar to each other than to alien sites, suggesting some post-clearing recovery. However, many sensitive, endemic taxa survived in alieninvaded sites, and more than in the natural sites. These endemic species made use of shady, cool, highoxygen levels under the alien tree canopy. However, endemics declined in overall abundance in sites cleared of aliens, being replaced by more tolerant, widespread taxa. Clearance of the alien trees opened up the rivers to sunny conditions, which had a major impact on community composition. Vegetation types, oxygen levels and river width were important environmental variables affecting these macroinvertebrate responses. Re-establishment of invertebrate biodiversity matched that of indigenous vegetation, with the most sensitive endemic taxa only recovering after establishment of bushy indigenous and shadeproducing fynbos. Therefore, for biodiversity conservation objectives to be achieved, it is essential that indigenous plants are maintained and encouraged during and after clearing to ensure the recovery of endemic and sensitive taxa.

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Natural variation in macroinvertebrate assemblages and the development of a biological banding system for interpreting bioassessment data—a preliminary evaluation using data from upland sites in the south-western Cape, South Africa

Cited by 29 publications

References 14 publications

A Methodology to Model Environmental Preferences of EPT Taxa in the Machangara River Basin (Ecuador)

A Methodology to Model Environmental Preferences of EPT Taxa in the Machangara River Basin (Ecuador)

Critical influence of seasonal sampling on the ecological quality assessment of small headwater streams

Effect of alien riparian vegetation and its removal on a highly endemic river macroinvertebrate community

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