Using the Biological Condition Gradient Model as a Bioassessment Framework to Support Rehabilitation and Restoration of the Upper Tana River Watershed in Kenya

Ndiritu, George G.; Terer, Taita; Njoroge, Peter; Muiruri, Veronica M.; Njagi, Edward L.; Kosgei, Gilbert K.; Njoroge, Laban; Kamau, Peris; Malonza, Patrick K.; Muchane, Mary Nyawira; Gathua, Joseph; Odeny, Damaris A.; Courtemanch, David L.

doi:10.3389/fenvs.2021.671051

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 63 publications

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“…The increasing quantities of turbidity and conductivity in water directly corresponded to the increasing gradient of landscape disturbances from forest to urban areas. Degraded landscapes are major sources of sediments that are easily eroded and transported by surface and subsurface water ows to lowland areas where wetlands and shallow groundwater resources are generally located (Ndiritu et al, 2021). Also, degraded soils allow constituents of organic and inorganic fertilizers to percolate and reach groundwater sources (Storger & Van Allen, 2014).…”

Section: Effects Of Land-use Changes On Groundwater Resources' Physic...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of Land Use Types on Shallow Groundwater Quality Sources in Mathira East Sub-County in Kenya

Wachira

Njambuya

Ndiritu

2023

Preprint

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The shallow groundwater sources of boreholes and wells form major sources of water for domestic and agricultural uses in rural areas of Kenya. Information on their status is inadequate thus hinder their sustainable management. This study investigated the relationship between land-use types, ground water sources and water quality, specifically water physicochemical parameters and feacal coliforms that were then used to calculate the water quality index (WQI). Thirty-six randomly selected groundwater sources were obtained from four stratified land-use types of forest, tea, coffee, and urban, with 18 samples each collected for either boreholes or shallow wells. The PCA grouped groundwater resources into three groups according to land-use types and sources. Spearman rank correction found nutrient levels of PO4 and NO3 were strongly correlated with turbidity, electric conductivity, total hardness, feacal coliforms and WQI with the same trends observed for wells. An overall one-way ANOVA found all water quality parameters significantly differed between land-use types for both boreholes and wells at p < 0.05. However, further post-hoc multi-comparison analyses using the Tukey test of unequal N showed not all water quality parameters changed significantly between land-use types, especially between forests and other land-use types. Comparisons of water sources (boreholes versus wells) using unpaired t-test showed most water quality parameters were significantly higher in wells than boreholes apart from pH, PO4, chloride (in the forest), dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, chloride (tea), Chloride (coffee) and (dissolved oxygen, PO4, fluoride (urban). The WQIs calculated without FC classified groundwater sources from good water to unsuitable for drinking whereas those with FCs parameters were all classified as completely unsuitable for drinking. Overall, this study found that a significant percentage of the population in the study area relied on shallow groundwater resources that were experiencing various levels of pollution from human settlements, urbanization, and agriculture. Consequently, there is an urgent need for the County and National governments to promote sustainable management of water resources to ensure healthy and safe water is available to its people for domestic and agricultural use.

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Section: Effects Of Land-use Changes On Groundwater Resources' Physic...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of Land Use Types on Shallow Groundwater Quality Sources in Mathira East Sub-County in Kenya

Wachira

Njambuya

Ndiritu

2023

Preprint

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Biomonitoring for Watershed Protection from a Multiscale Land-Use Perspective

et al. 2023

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The types and intensification of land use in the watershed affect the living organisms in aquatic ecosystems differently; this impact will also vary according to temporal and spatial scales. Understanding these interactions is crucial in the design of biomonitoring programs to detect the effect of different pollutants in freshwater ecosystems and improve watershed management and conservation strategies. Therefore, this paper qualitatively reviews biomonitoring studies in freshwater ecosystems to evaluate the impact of different land use types on multiple scales in watersheds. The paper is organized into four sections. The first section presents biomonitoring in different freshwater systems (streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs). In the second section, we describe the biomonitoring characteristics of the main land use types. In the third section, we explain how spatial and temporal scales affect biomonitoring. Finally, in the fourth section, we focus on biomonitoring planning and future prediction and discuss how to design biomonitoring programs and how to use models and eDNA in biomonitoring. Our review will assist in decision-making regarding biomonitoring programs in watersheds and will guide future studies on the different bioindicators for various land use types in diverse ecosystems worldwide.

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Using the Biological Condition Gradient Model as a Bioassessment Framework to Support Rehabilitation and Restoration of the Upper Tana River Watershed in Kenya

Cited by 2 publications

References 63 publications

Impacts of Land Use Types on Shallow Groundwater Quality Sources in Mathira East Sub-County in Kenya

Impacts of Land Use Types on Shallow Groundwater Quality Sources in Mathira East Sub-County in Kenya

Biomonitoring for Watershed Protection from a Multiscale Land-Use Perspective

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