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The physical characteristics, soil structure, vegetation, climatic conditions, and geological structures of the floating islands in Işıklı Lake, Saklıgöl, and Karagöl located within the borders of Denizli province were examined. Additionally, the effects of environmental factors on the chemical and biological properties of these lakes were investigated. According to the research findings, 11 different benthic invertebrate species were identified. While the water quality of Işıklı Lake and Karagöl was evaluated as "Good," Saklıgöl's water quality was measured at a "Moderate" level. Habitats such as mud, algae, moss, and macrophytes stand out in the lake areas. The relationship between temperature and dissolved oxygen levels was examined, revealing that increasing water temperature reduces dissolved oxygen levels. There were variations in ammonium nitrogen content in the examined lakes, indicating the significant impact of agricultural activities, particularly in Işıklı Lake and Saklıgöl. Karagöl's lower ammonium nitrogen content demonstrates the influence of environmental factors. The correlation between lake areas and environmental factors was emphasized, highlighting the impact of wind on the vegetation of floating islands. This study contributes to the understanding and preservation of the ecological and environmental structures of lakes in Denizli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomonitoring is an approach that uses indicators or sentinel species to assess the health or pollution of an environment, combining diversity based on specific taxonomic groups with the taxa's indicator of pollution into a single index or score. Benthic macroinvertebrates are among the most preferred and valuable indicators of the biotic index. Our study aims to evaluate water quality and ecological status using biotic and diversity indices based on benthic macroinvertebrates. The macroinvertebrate samples used in this study were collected seasonally from 16 stations determined in Karasu Stream. These samples consist of 14,747 specimens belonging to 9 orders and 40 families of Insecta, Malacostraca, Hirudinea and Oligochaeta. In addition, some physicochemical parameters were measured at the stations. The data obtained were analysed using the Turkey‐Biological Monitoring Working Group (TR‐BMWP), Average Score per Taxon (ASPT), Family Biotic Index (FBI), Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) taxon richness index, and Shannon–Wiener, Simpson and Hill's diversity indices. Our results showed that the last six stations of Karasu Stream were under pressure due to various anthropogenic effects. According to biotic indexes, the ecological quality status of the water in the stations was determined to be high or good in the first 10 stations and average, poor or bad in the last 6 stations. The results of our study showed that TR‐BMWP, FBI and EPT indices are more reliable in determining water quality than the ASPT index and reflect the environmental situation better. Since the TR‐BMWP index is adapted to macroinvertebrate taxa distributed in Türkiye, it can be used as a suitable tool for evaluating other rivers' water quality in Türkiye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metacommunity theory proposes that community structure and biodiversity are influenced by both local processes (such as environmental filtering) and regional processes (such as dispersal). Despite the extensive use of traditional bioassessments based on species‐environment relationships, the impact of dispersal processes on these assessments has been largely overlooked. This study aims to compare correlations between various bioassessment indices, including Shannon Weiner (H′), Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP), average score per taxon (ASPT), biotic index (BI), and EPT taxa index (EPT), based on macroinvertebrates collected from 147 sampling sites in a subtropical Chinese near‐natural catchment. Modified indices were calculated by removing species strongly influenced by dispersal processes to address the influence of dispersal processes. Their relationship with environmental factors was then compared to the original indices. The study employed random forest regression (RFR) to compare the explanatory power of environmental factors using the two sets of indices. The spearman rank correlation analysis was conducted to examine the correlation between indices and environmental factors. The river health assessment was performed based on both modified and original indices. The results reveal significant differences between original and modified indices (especially H′ and BI) providing a more accurate reflection of environmental conditions. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the different indices to various environmental factors varied, leading to differences in the bioassessment results between the modified and the original indices. Notably, original H′, BMWP, and ASPT overestimated the bioassessment results, whereas the original BI underestimated them. These findings offer valuable insights into bioassessment and river health assessment evaluation within the catchment and other interconnected freshwater ecosystems, such as lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands. Our study underscores the importance of assessing and mitigating the impact of dispersal processes on bioassessment to obtain a more precise representation of the status of freshwater ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global biodiversity is declining at an ever-increasing rate. Yet effective policies to mitigate or reverse these declines require ecosystem condition data that are rarely available. Morphology-based bioassessment methods are difficult to scale, limited in scope, suffer prohibitive costs, require skilled taxonomists, and can be applied inconsistently between practitioners. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding offers a powerful, reproducible and scalable solution that can survey across the tree-oflife with relatively low cost and minimal expertise for sample collection. However, there remains a need to condense the complex, multidimensional community information into simple, interpretable metrics of ecological health for environmental management purposes. We developed a riverine taxon-independent community index (TICI) that objectively assigns indicator values to amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), and significantly improves the statistical power and utility of eDNA-based bioassessments. The TICI model training step uses the Chessman iterative learning algorithm to assign health indicator scores to a large number of ASVs that are commonly encountered across a wide geographic range. New sites can then be evaluated for ecological health by averaging the indicator value of the ASVs present at the site. We trained a TICI model on an eDNA dataset from 53 well-studied riverine monitoring sites across New Zealand, each sampled with a high level of biological replication (nD16). Eight shortamplicon metabarcoding assays were used to generate data from a broad taxonomic range, including bacteria, microeukaryotes, fungi, plants, and animals. Site-specific TICI scores were strongly correlated with historical stream condition scores from macroinvertebrate assessments (macroinvertebrate community index or MCI; R² = 0:82), and TICI variation between sample replicates was minimal (CV = 0.013). Taken together, this demonstrates the potential for taxon-independent eDNA analysis to provide a reliable, robust and low-cost assessment of ecological health that is accessible to environmental managers, decision makers, and the wider community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water quality of rivers belonging to an arid sub‐basin in northern Argentina was evaluated in a longitudinal gradient, during the period of maximum dryness in 2017. The composition and structure of the phytobenthos were studied using biotic indices. A total of 126 spp. were determined, with a predominance of diatoms and Cyanobacteria. Most of the diatom species found were meso to polyhalobus and tolerant to organic contamination. Despite the rivers of the basin cross areas with very different land uses, no differences were recorded in phytobenthos abundances between sites. The Pantle & Buck Saprobity index classified the sub‐basin in the α‐mesosaprobability range, and the diatomaceous eutrophication/pollution index assigns poor quality to most of the sites. Salinity should induce phycoflora homogenization that limits the sensibility of biotic indices to anthropogenic impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of river waters and the water flows of their tributaries is very important and necessary for the protection, use, and improvement of their condition. According to the Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000) the use of benthic macroinvertebrates in river water quality monitoring is considered an efficient method. This study was conducted in 2019 in the Shushicë River, where its purpose was to assess the quality of river waters using the biotic index ASPT (BMWP) and the biotic index - SWRC. The sampling method used was based on the Kick net technique with a mesh size of 500 microns. From the sampling taken in four stations, 481 individuals belonging to two types (Arthropoda and Annelida), one class (Insecta), and one subclass (N/K Oligochaeta) were collected. The unidentified species belong to 8 orders (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, Haplotaxid, Odonata, Hoplonemertea) and 28 families. Based on the results obtained from the calculation of the ASPT (BMWP) biotic index, stations I and III result in a "Clean" bio classification, and stations II and IV result in a "Partially clean" bio-classification. From the SWRC Biotic index calculations, the first station and the fourth station result in a bio classification of "Good", the second station results in a bio classification of "Clean", and the third station results in a bio classification of "Excellent" Based on the Biotic index ASPT (BMWP) and SWRC we can say that the Shushic River has good water quality, and partially with a slight organic pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of organisms like macroinvertebrates in developing bioassessment tools, such as multimetric indices (MMIs), is gaining global recognition in monitoring the health status of lakes. The transition from traditional methods of physico-chemical parameters is due to the financial and time costs involved in their analysis while failing to provide accurate early warning signals on ecosystem conditions. Currently, there is scanty information on the use of MMIs in the conservation and management of lakes in Nigeria. This study aimed at developing a macroinvertebrate-based MMI to assess the ecological status of lakes in North Central Nigeria. The study was conducted on Tagwai and Old Gawu Lakes, from April to October 2022. Sampling sites were clustered based on organic pollution and categorized into reference (four) and impaired (four) sites. Out of 54 macroinvertebrate-based candidate metrics, only five were selected after discriminatory, stability, and redundancy tests (performed using R software). The final metrics were abundance of Ephemeroptera + Trichoptera; abundance of Coleoptera + Ephemeroptera; Gastropoda richness; Shannon Wiener index; and percentages of shredders + predators + scrapers, hereafter referred to as North Central Nigeria-Lakes Multimetric Index (NCN-LMMI). The NCN-LMMI values ranged as follows: 21–25, 16–20, 11–15, and 5–10 corresponding to categories I, II, III, and IV for water quality, as indications of good, fair, poor, and very poor ecological status of the lake, respectively. The developed NCN-LMMI will be a useful tool for aquatic resource managers and environmentalists to assess the ecological condition of lakes, mainly the North Central Nigeria municipal lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mongolia is a country with a quickly growing economy mainly based on mining of gold, copper, coal, and other minerals. Mining, urbanization, and agriculture impact the water quality in the upper Selenga River Basin in northern Mongolia, which is the center of the Mongolian economy. Previous measurements of pollution loads were alarming, but restricted to chemical measurements. Here, for the first time, we combine freshwater biomonitoring and laboratory water quality data across a broad gradient of water quality and land use intensity. We track the effects of different types of pollution on aquatic invertebrates and test their use as bioindicators. We collected water samples, environmental parameters, and macroinvertebrates at 36 sampling sites at the rivers of Tuul, Kharaa, and Orkhon and their tributaries Sugnugur, Boroo, Sharyn Gol, Gatsuurt, and Yeröö. PCA of catchment water quality distinguished three groups of pollutants prevalent at the sites: (1) nutrients, (2) saline components (Cl-, Na +, Mg2+, SO42-, Ca2+) and mining by-products (B, Sr, U, Mo), and (3) (heavy) metals, which often exceeded regulatory standards. We recorded a total of 59 macroinvertebrate taxa belonging to 32 families in seven insect orders plus Amphipoda and Gastropoda. Species diversity declined with higher impact. Five environmental factors structured macroinvertebrate community composition in RDA: elevation of sample location, site total nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, and water chemistry. We conclude that macroinvertebrate communities are an appropriate and inexpensive tool for monitoring water quality in Mongolia and suggest government action to establish a long-term monitoring program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The metacommunity theory proposes that community structure and biodiversity are influenced by both local processes (such as environmental filtering) and regional processes (such as dispersal). Despite the extensive use of traditional bioassessments based on species‐environment relationships, the impact of dispersal processes on these assessments has been largely overlooked. This study aims to compare correlations between various bioassessment indices, including Shannon Weiner (H′), Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP), average score per taxon (ASPT), biotic index (BI), and EPT taxa index (EPT), based on macroinvertebrates collected from 147 sampling sites in a subtropical Chinese near‐natural catchment. Modified indices were calculated by removing species strongly influenced by dispersal processes to address the influence of dispersal processes. Their relationship with environmental factors was then compared to the original indices. The study employed random forest regression (RFR) to compare the explanatory power of environmental factors using the two sets of indices. The spearman rank correlation analysis was conducted to examine the correlation between indices and environmental factors. The river health assessment was performed based on both modified and original indices. The results reveal significant differences between original and modified indices (especially H′ and BI) providing a more accurate reflection of environmental conditions. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the different indices to various environmental factors varied, leading to differences in the bioassessment results between the modified and the original indices. Notably, original H′, BMWP, and ASPT overestimated the bioassessment results, whereas the original BI underestimated them. These findings offer valuable insights into bioassessment and river health assessment evaluation within the catchment and other interconnected freshwater ecosystems, such as lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands. Our study underscores the importance of assessing and mitigating the impact of dispersal processes on bioassessment to obtain a more precise representation of the status of freshwater ecosystems.

Global biodiversity is declining at an ever-increasing rate. Yet effective policies to mitigate or reverse these declines require ecosystem condition data that are rarely available. Morphology-based bioassessment methods are difficult to scale, limited in scope, suffer prohibitive costs, require skilled taxonomists, and can be applied inconsistently between practitioners. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding offers a powerful, reproducible and scalable solution that can survey across the tree-of-life with relatively low cost and minimal expertise for sample collection. However, there remains a need to condense the complex, multidimensional community information into simple, interpretable metrics of ecological health for environmental management purposes. We developed a riverine taxon-independent community index (TICI) that objectively assigns indicator values to amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), and significantly improves the statistical power and utility of eDNA-based bioassessments. The TICI model training step uses the Chessman iterative learning algorithm to assign health indicator scores to a large number of ASVs that are commonly encountered across a wide geographic range. New sites can then be evaluated for ecological health by averaging the indicator value of the ASVs present at the site. We trained a TICI model on an eDNA dataset from 53 well-studied riverine monitoring sites across New Zealand, each sampled with a high level of biological replication (n = 16). Eight short-amplicon metabarcoding assays were used to generate data from a broad taxonomic range, including bacteria, microeukaryotes, fungi, plants, and animals. Site-specific TICI scores were strongly correlated with historical stream condition scores from macroinvertebrate assessments (macroinvertebrate community index or MCI; R2 = 0.82), and TICI variation between sample replicates was minimal (CV = 0.013). Taken together, this demonstrates the potential for taxon-independent eDNA analysis to provide a reliable, robust and low-cost assessment of ecological health that is accessible to environmental managers, decision makers, and the wider community.

With increasing impacts of climate change and human activities on marine ecosystems, accurate assessment of benthic ecological quality status (EcoQs) has become increasingly important for ecosystem management and restoration. Here, we used five macrobenthos-based biotic indices (the AZTI marine biotic index (AMBI), multivariate AZTI marine biotic index (M−AMBI), benthic index (BENTIX), benthic opportunistic annelid amphipod index (BO2A) and feeding evenness index (jFD)) to assess the EcoQs of Laizhou Bay in Bohai Sea, China, and examine the consistency among indices. The five biotic indices were then combined and integrated in a composite index to assess the benthic EcoQs of Laizhou Bay, and determine which areas had acceptable or unacceptable EcoQs. The EcoQs of Laizhou Bay differed depending on the selected index, and the agreement among indices was low according to Kappa analysis. AMBI and BO2A indicated that the EcoQs of all sampled stations in Laizhou Bay were acceptable, whereas M−AMBI, BENTIX and jFD indicated that the stations with acceptable EcoQs accounted for 69.56%, 82.61% and 52.1%, respectively. The final EcoQs based on a composite of the five biotic indices indicated that 83.78% of the total study area of Laizhou Bay was acceptable, while the unacceptable areas were distributed mainly in the estuarine area (e.g., Xiaoqing River and Mi River). Moreover, all five biotic indices and four species diversity indices (richness, Shannon, Simpson and Pielou indices) indicated that the area with acceptable EcoQs showed higher values than the area with unacceptable EcoQs. The functional diversity indices (FRic, FDis and RaoQ) also showed significantly higher values in acceptable than unacceptable areas. We argue that the use of our composite index combining multiple indices to assess benthic ecological quality yields more accurate results than the use of individual indices, and additionally provides valuable information for ecosystem management.

The increasing stress on lake ecosystems is affecting their functioning such as providing goods and services to inhabiting organisms and riparian communities. Monitoring of water quality is important for sustainable management and restoration of lake ecosystems. However, the costs associated with traditional approaches have become prohibitive, while not giving reliable early warning signals on resource conditions. Thus, the current shift in the use of bioindicators and multimetric indices (MMIs) in the monitoring of water quality is currently gaining global recognition with more emphasis on its application in lotic ecosystems. Therefore, this paper provides an elaborated insight into the application of macroinvertebrate-based MMIs in lentic ecosystems and the successes achieved so far. The various metrics and indices, the development strategies, application challenges, the use of macroinvertebrates as bioindicators, and the future projection of enhancing MMI usage in lentic environment monitoring, particularly in developing countries, are extensively covered. The use of MMI as a rapid lake biomonitoring tool needs to be adopted for sustainable applications in lake ecosystem management and as an integrated approach to monitoring human-induced stress especially in developing countries where there is a paucity of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advance of agricultural frontiers and industrialization in Amazonia has increased natural resource deterioration, resulting in degraded physical habitat structure and reduced local aquatic biodiversity. We evaluated the relative sensitivities of the Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP) and Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT) biotic indexes based on EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera) versus EPT taxa richness, EPT abundance, and Shannon-Wiener EPT diversity for evaluating anthropogenic impacts on Amazonian streams. We expected that EPT-BMWP and EPT-ASPT would be more sensitive in detecting environmental changes on stream biota than the other measures. We sampled 32 stream sites in eastern Amazonia distributed along an environmental gradient resulting from different land use intensities. All the biological metrics except EPT-ASPT were significantly responsive to anthropogenic pressures; however, EPT taxa richness was slightly more responsive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conserving freshwaters in West Anatolia requires biomonitoring tools to assess the ecological status of surface water bodies threatened by anthropogenic pollution. This study was carried out to determine water quality of Demirci Stream based on biotic indices. In this seasonal study, a total of seven sampling stations were determined. Asterics software was used to determine biotic and diversity index scores. Pearson's based correlations were applied in order to determine the proper biotic indices. Relationships between macrobenthic orders and physicochemical variables were revealed by Redundancy Analysis (RDA). Eleven taxonomic groups were found in Demirci Stream consisting of Hygrophlia, Arhynchobdellida, Isopoda, Tubificida, Amphipoda, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera and Hemiptera. As a result of this research, the sampling pints 1, 2, 3 and 4 were of good water quality class while sampling points 5, 6 and 7 were polluted. Arhynchobdellida, Tubificida and Diptera orders showed positive correlations with BOI5, EC, Cl−, TDS, ToC, NH4-N, NO2-N and NO3-N variables, while negatively correlated with DO, Sat-O2 and pH. SI, BMWP, ASPT and BBI were more proper than the FBI index to determine the water quality of Demirci Stream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of ongoing anthropogenic climate change, river water quality assessment has become increasingly important for maintaining ecological balance and supporting local and downstream livelihoods. This research aims to create a new water quality index (WQI) to assess water quality in the Andean highlands (>2000 m.a.s.l.) for climate change adaptation and mitigation. We examined water physicochemical and bacteriological parameters and the benthic macroinvertebrate (BM) community in three micro-watersheds in Achupallas, Ecuador, to achieve our goal. We analyzed water quality at 41 sampling points, and samples (replicates) were taken for nine consecutive months. In addition, we evaluated the accuracy of the WQI developed by the U.S. National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) in 1970 (WQINSF). The BM community in the Andes highlands was used to develop and calibrate a new WQI, the Andean Biotic Index* (ABI*). We calibrated the ABI* taxon score in the area where the WQINSF made the most accurate water quality measurements. Our results show that the sigma value framework quantifies WQINSF accuracy. Therefore, a higher sigma value means we measured water quality more accurately. There was no correlation between the WQINSF and the Andean Biotic Index (ABI). The ABI* considers the presence of BMs and their sensitivity to pollution to measure water quality. The results also show a strong statistical link between the ABI* and the WQINSF. The ABI* can aid mountain communities in adjusting to climate change. Mountain dwellers can monitor a stream's water quality by observing the BM communities. However, the ABI* is not a substitute for the WQINSF or biological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of the monitoring of water quality of Soueir river, two sampling companions were conducted from April to February during the two periods 2016/2017 and 2018/2019. The study consists of measuring 14 physico-chemical parameters and establishing the inventory of benthic macroinvertebrates upstream and downstream of Soueir river. The physico-chemical parameters were used to calculate the water quality index (WQI) and the exploitation of the results of the fauna inventory allowed us to determine the Shannon - Weiner diversity index (H') and the Belgian biological index (BBI). The comparative study of the results of the two periods shows that: - During the two sampling periods, the recorded values of the physico-chemical parameters are lower than the admitted standards, except for nitrates and ammonium which present high levels during certain periods of the year, sometimes exceeding the Moroccan standards. These high concentrations can be explained by the excessive use of chemical fertilizers in the activity and the decrease of the water flow. - The calculation of the water quality index (WQI) reveals that the water quality varies with a tendency towards degradation from upstream to downstream, the water becomes of poor quality or even non-drinkable. - The values of the BBI indicate that the water of Soueir river is not very polluted, and that the quality of the water decreases during the winter period due to the erosion of the substrate and the increase of the matter in suspension. - The diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates is greater downstream, due to the diversity of habitats and substrates. - The second sampling period reveals a slight improvement in the physico-chemical and biological qualities of the waters of Soueir river, which can be attributed to climatic conditions that were more favorable to the development cycles of benthic macro-invertebrates

The advance of agricultural frontiers and industrialization in Amazonia has increased natural resource deterioration, resulting in degraded physical habitat structure and reduced local aquatic biodiversity. We evaluated the relative sensitivities of the Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP) and Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT) biotic indexes based on EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera) versus EPT taxa richness, EPT abundance, and Shannon-Wiener EPT diversity for evaluating anthropogenic impacts on Amazonian streams. We expected that EPT-BMWP and EPT-ASPT would be more sensitive in detecting environmental changes on stream biota than the other measures. We sampled 32 stream sites in eastern Amazonia distributed along an environmental gradient resulting from different land use intensities. All the biological metrics except EPT-ASPT were significantly responsive to anthropogenic pressures; however, EPT taxa richness was slightly more responsive.

This study aims to analyses the response of meiofaunal organisms (foraminifera) to disturbances caused by the diffusers of domestic sewage outfall at Cigarras beach, SE Brazil. Hydrographical, sedimentological (grain size and geochemical), and living benthic foraminiferal recorded in 2006 and 2007 analyzed in ten stations were compared with the same results analyzed in two control/reference stations (sampled in 2008). The results of this work show that, in the benthic environment of the Cigarras region, moderated hydrodynamic conditions, relatively high total organic carbon, total nitrogen, total sulfur contents, oxic water column and anoxic sediments, organic matter supplied by marine productivity and from mixed sources prevail. Living foraminiferal assemblages denote that the Cigarras region is undergoing environmental degradation due to progressive organic enrichment directly influenced by the domestic sewage outfall. The effluents discharged by the domestic sewage constrained the composition of foraminiferal communities (which include mainly stress tolerant species) with probable impacts on the entire marine trophic chain. Noticeably, the tolerant species Ammonia tepida, Bolivina striatula and Buliminella elegantissima dominated at the stations under the influence of the sewage outfall. In addition, Ammonia parkinsoniana was found in moderate abundances, and the moderate level of TOC enrichment by the sewage outfall did not prevent the survival of this sensitive species. The ecological quality status inferred from the diversity index Exp(H'bc) calculated on foraminifera showed the poor ecological status of benthic habitats in the area. Overall, this work highlighted the adverse effects of the sewage outfall on the benthic ecosystem in front of the Cigarras beach in Brazil. Future works should investigate the current ecological quality of the area to figure out if any change occurred since the present study sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the applicability of taxonomic sufficiency in benthic ecological quality assessments, we analyzed the similarity of data matrices under different taxonomic levels and transformations based on macrofaunal data sampled from a semi-enclosed bay. The data matrix similarity revealed a highly significant correlation among the similarity matrices at the species level and those at the higher taxonomic levels (genus, family and order), while the correlation coefficients among the matrices decreased with increasing taxonomic levels. Second-stage CLUSTER plots showed that the quantitative genus level was the closest to the quantitative species level. The loss of family level data varied among seasons. The results of the response to environmental factors at the genus and family levels were similar to those at the species level. In the assessment of the benthic ecological quality of semi-enclosed bays, the level of macrofauna identification can be at the genus or family level to improve the cost performance, depending on logistical conditions.

Pollution status and benthic ecological quality of the two types of ports were assessed based on heavy metals and macrofaunal assemblages. Macrofaunal abundance and biomass in the industrial port were significantly higher than those in the fishing port. The dominant species of the two ports were Echinocardium cordatum and Nephtys oligobranchia. The AZTI marine biotic index (AMBI), multivariate AMBI, and Shannon-Wiener diversity index demonstrated that the benthic ecological quality of the two ports was moderate to good. The benthic ecological quality of the distant port sites was better than those of the nearby port sites. The geoaccumulation index and the Hakanson potential ecological risk index indicated that mercury posed a serious threat to port sediment pollution. AMBI, multivariate AMBI, and Shannon-Wiener diversity index were not good indicators for heavy metal pollution. The dominant species and Pielou’s evenness index were significantly correlated with heavy metal pollution and were good biological indicators.

This study has been carried out to determine water quality of Sangı Stream (West Anatolia, Turkey) and to compare the performance of indices used. Five biotic and three diversity indices have been used for determination of water quality of Sangı Stream. The assessment of water quality has been done based on benthic macroinvertebrate and physicochemical parameters. The following biotic indices have been used: Saprobi Index (SI), Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP), Average Score per Taxon (ASPT), Family Biotic Index (FBI), Belgian Biotic Index (BBI), as well as the following diversity indices: Shannon–Weaver index (SWDI), Simpsons index (SDI), Margalef index (MDI) and Evenness (E1). Principal component analysis (PCA) has been applied to the physicochemical variables. The similarities between the sampling stations have been clustered by using Cluster analysis (CLUS). Our results have shown the presence of 9 taxonomic groups in Sangı Stream: Crustacea, Oligochaeta, Gastropoda, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Odonata, Coleoptera, and Diptera. The water quality along the Sangı Stream has varied from high class quality in station 1, 2, 3 and 4, to good and moderate quality in station 5 and 6. The results indicate that the SI, BMWP, FBI and ASPT were sufficient in the estimation of water quality in the examined watercourse. This study has clearly shown that a specific biotic index according to the ecological characteristics of Turkey should be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of the monitoring of water quality of Soueir river, two sampling companions were conducted from April to February during the two periods 2016/2017 and 2018/2019. The study consists of measuring 14 physico-chemical parameters and establishing the inventory of benthic macroinvertebrates upstream and downstream of Soueir river. The physico-chemical parameters were used to calculate the water quality index (WQI) and the exploitation of the results of the fauna inventory allowed us to determine the Shannon - Weiner diversity index (H') and the Belgian biological index (BBI). The comparative study of the results of the two periods shows that during the two sampling periods, the recorded values of the physico-chemical parameters are lower than the admitted standards, except for nitrates and ammonium which present high levels during certain periods of the year, sometimes exceeding the Moroccan standards. These high concentrations can be explained by the excessive use of chemical fertilizers in the activity and the decrease of the water flow. The calculation of the water quality index (WQI) reveals that the water quality varies with a tendency towards degradation from upstream to downstream, the water becomes of poor quality or even non-drinkable. The values of the BBI indicate that the water of Soueir river is not very polluted, and that the quality of the water decreases during the winter period due to the erosion of the substrate and the increase of the matter in suspension. The diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates is greater downstream, due to the diversity of habitats and substrates. The second sampling period reveals a slight improvement in the physico-chemical and biological qualities of the waters of Soueir river, which can be attributed to climatic conditions that were more favorable to the development cycles of benthic macro-invertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work is to evaluate the ecological quality of waters along an environmentally heterogeneous basin, using macroinvertebrate biotic indices (BI). Twelve sampling sites were selected in the Río Grande basin, following an altitudinal gradient across the Puna, Monte and Yungas ecoregions. Sampling was conducted in the dry and rainy seasons, during three consecutive years (2012 to 2014). At each site, physico-chemical parameters were measured and benthic macroinvertebrates were collected. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to explore environmental variability in terms of physico-chemical parameters. The water quality of the basin was assessed by means of different biotic indices. Correlation analyses were performed between the biotic indices and the physicochemical parameters. Altitude, NaCl, total dissolved solids (TDS) and electrical conductivity were higher at the Puna and Monte sites, while river discharge, width and depth were higher at the Yungas sites. Biotic indices suggested good water quality. The BMWP (Biomonitoring Working Party) and family richness were the most suitable indices to simultaneously compare the rivers of the different ecoregions. The change in the composition of macroinvertebrate assemblages was observed at an altitude of 1500 m a. s. l., separating arid and humid zones and coinciding with inflection points of conductivity, NaCl and TDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification and evaluation of natural and biological resources of the rivers, it's very important and necessary for the protection, usefulness, and refinement of their condition. The usage of benthic macroinvertebrates in the monitoring of water quality of rivers is considered an efficient method according to the Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000). This research is conducted in the course of the year 2019 in the Drino River where its purpose was to assess its biological diversity regarding to index -Simpson and also to estimate the river's water quality using Family Biotic Index - FBI. The method used for sampling was based in technique Kick net with mesh size 500 micron. From the sampling taken in three stations, 1084 individuals were collected that belong to 25 families. The values of the FBI for the station I (FBI = 4.69) belong to the third class of the quality "Good," meanwhile station II (FBI = 2.95) and station III (FBI = 3.38) belong to the first class of quality "Excellent". Simpson Diversity Index where represents with value D = 0.84 showing a high level of diversity. The evaluation of the water quality according to the FBI as "Excellent" quality at two stations and "Very good" at one station was associated with the highest biological diversity according to "Simpson Index". We detect also correlation between the two ecological parameters taken under consideration. In the first station was observed a lower good water quality and a lower number of sampled individuals compared to the other two stations. This situation indicates possible organic pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seasonal and spatial variation in the phytoplankton community structure and the environmental variables were investigated in December (the dry season) 2016 and July (the rainy season) 2017 in the Jinjiang River Estuary, China. We identified a total of 138 species of phytoplankton, which were mainly Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, and Cryptophyta in the dry season; however, in the rainy season, only Bacillariophyta were found. In the Jinjiang River Estuary, the species evenness and the biodiversity index were higher in the rainy season and that the species diversity was higher in the dry season. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that the dominant species were statistically related to many of the environmental variables, including the water temperature (WT), pH, salinity (Sal), dissolved oxygen (DO), total phosphorus (TP), and total nitrogen (TN). Among the variables, the Sal, DO, TP, and TN had a significant influence on the dominant species distribution, and the WT and pH also affected the dominant species distribution to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish farming activities are essential to the economy of many countries. However, the discharge of fish farm effluents into nearby rivers can negatively impact benthic macroinvertebrates and water quality. In Malaysia, the correlation between water quality and benthic macroinvertebrates in areas impacted by fish farming has not been discussed comprehensively. Hence, this research investigated the connection between benthic communities and water quality in the Rawang sub-basin of the Selangor River using several statistical methods. Based on ease of accessibility and proximity to freshwater fish farms, and by using a random sampling method, seven sampling sites in six rivers were chosen including one reference site. Sampling of benthic macroinvertebrates and river water was carried out between April 2019 and March 2020. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that fish farming operations influence various water quality parameters such as dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), pH, and ammonia-nitrogen. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) revealed that families Aeolosomatidae, Chironomidae, Lumbriculidae, Naididae, Planorbidae, and Tubificidae are tolerant to organic pollution. Their abundance was correlated with high BOD5, COD, turbidity, TSS, and ammonia-nitrogen. On the other hand, the families Caenidae, Gomphidae, Aytidae, Leptophlebiidae, Thiaridae, and Viviparidae are sensitive to organic pollution and were correlated with DO concentration. This research revealed that the correlation between benthic macroinvertebrate communities and water quality in the area is affected explicitly by fish farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invertebrates are one of the most important terrestrial fauna and freshwater taxa.Benthic macroinvertebrates include aquatic insects and spiders, mites, crustaceans, andspecies of mollusks and worms that are aquatic in their immature stages and terrestrial intheir adult stage. Jajrud River originates from the Alborz Mountains and is a source ofdrinking water for people in eastern part of Tehran and the surrounding villages. For thetaxonomic identification of benthic macroinvertebrates, five stations downstream of Jajrudwere used. A Surber sampler device was used for sampling with dimensions 30 × 30 cmand mesh size of 250 microns in all four seasons of the year 2013 with three repetitions ateach station. In total, five orders (Ephemeroptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Trichoptera, andOligochaeta) and 13 families of benthic macroinvertebrates were identified. In all stations,the family Baetidae (Baetis sp .) belonging to the order Ephemeroptera had the highestabundance, and seasonally the highest abundance was detected in autumn, winter, summer,and spring respectively. After the identification of benthic macroinvertebrates, five bioticindices including EPT, HFBI, SIGNAL, NJIS, and MMIF were calculated for water qualityassessment in downstream of the Jajrud River. Regarding the results of the biotic indices, itcan be said that the water quality of downstream of Jajrud River is not favorable. Therefore,appropriate management measures should be taken to improve river water quality.

Fine sediment is a leading cause for the decline of aquatic biodiversity globally. There is an urgent need for targeted monitoring to identify where management methods are required in order to reduce the delivery of fine sediment to aquatic environments. Existing sediment-specific biomonitoring indices and indices for general ecological health (taxonomic and trait-based) developed for use in the UK were tested in a representative set of lowland rivers in England that consisted of a gradient of fine sediment pressures (deposited and suspended, organic and inorganic). Index performance was modelled against environmental variables collected during sampling and hydrological and antecedent flow variables calculated from daily flow data. Sediment-specific indices were indicative of surface sediment deposits, whereas indices for general ecological health were more closely associated with the organic content of fine sediment. The performance of biotic indices along fine sediment gradients was predominantly dependent on hydrological variability. Functional diversity indices were poorly related to different measures of fine sediment, and further development of traits-based indices and trait databases are recommended. In summary, the results suggest that sediment-specific biomonitoring tools are suitable for evaluating fine sediment stress in UK rivers when index scores are viewed within the context of local hydrology.

In the face of ongoing anthropogenic climate change, river water quality assessment has become increasingly important for maintaining ecological balance and supporting local and downstream livelihoods. This research aims to create a new water quality index (WQI) to assess water quality in the Andean highlands (>2000 m.a.s.l.) for climate change adaptation and mitigation. We examined water physicochemical and bacteriological parameters and the benthic macroinvertebrate (BM) community in three micro-watersheds in Achupallas, Ecuador, to achieve our goal. We analyzed water quality at 41 sampling points, and samples (replicates) were taken for nine consecutive months. In addition, we evaluated the accuracy of the WQI developed by the U.S. National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) in 1970 (WQINSF). The BM community in the Andes highlands was used to develop and calibrate a new WQI, the Andean Biotic Index* (ABI*). We calibrated the ABI* taxon score in the area where the WQINSF made the most accurate water quality measurements. Our results show that the sigma value framework quantifies WQINSF accuracy. Therefore, a higher sigma value means we measured water quality more accurately. There was no correlation between the WQINSF and the Andean Biotic Index (ABI). The ABI* considers the presence of BMs and their sensitivity to pollution to measure water quality. The results also show a strong statistical link between the ABI* and the WQINSF. The ABI* can aid mountain communities in adjusting to climate change. Mountain dwellers can monitor a stream’s water quality by observing the BM communities. However, the ABI* is not a substitute for the WQINSF or biological studies.

This study aims to analyses the response of meiofaunal organisms (foraminifera) to disturbances caused by the diffusers of domestic sewage outfall at Cigarras beach, SE Brazil. Hydrographical, sedimentological (grain size and geochemical), and living benthic foraminiferal recorded in 2006 and 2007 analyzed in ten stations were compared with the same results analyzed in two control/reference stations (sampled in 2008). The results of this work show that, in the benthic environment of the Cigarras region, moderated hydrodynamic conditions, relatively high total organic carbon, total nitrogen, total sulfur contents, oxic water column and anoxic sediments, organic matter supplied by marine productivity and from mixed sources prevail. Living foraminiferal assemblages denote that the Cigarras region is undergoing environmental degradation due to progressive organic enrichment directly influenced by the domestic sewage outfall. The effluents discharged by the domestic sewage constrained the composition of foraminiferal communities (which include mainly stress tolerant species) with probable impacts on the entire marine trophic chain. Noticeably, the tolerant species Ammonia tepida, Bolivina striatula and Buliminella elegantissima dominated at the stations under the influence of the sewage outfall. In addition, Ammonia parkinsoniana was found in moderate abundances, and the moderate level of TOC enrichment by the sewage outfall did not prevent the survival of this sensitive species. The ecological quality status inferred from the diversity index Exp(H’bc) calculated on foraminifera showed the poor ecological status of benthic habitats in the area. Overall, this work highlighted the adverse effects of the sewage outfall on the benthic ecosystem in front of the Cigarras beach in Brazil. Future works should investigate the current ecological quality of the area to figure out if any change occurred since the present study sampling.

The aim of this study is to examine the trophic state of three reservoirs located in the northwest of Algeria based on the physicochemistry of water and the community of rotifers. The measurements of the physicochemical variables were carried out monthly over a 2-year period from December 2015 to November 2017. The rotifers were sampled simultaneously. Abiotic and biotic indices such as the Carlson index, QB/T, and TSIROT were determined in order to classify the three reservoirs according to their trophic state. Thus, the diversity indices of Shannon-Wiener (H′), Margalef richness index (D), Pielou evenness (J′), and the density were calculated in order to study the structure of the rotifers. The Kruskal-Wallis test confirmed the heterogeneity of the physicochemical quality (P value < 0.05) among the three reservoirs. A total of 71 species were identified during this study. The result of the various indices affirms this heterogeneity and indicates a trophic state hypereutrophic for the Hammam Boughrara reservoir, eutrophic for the Bakhadda reservoir and meso-oligotrophic for Sidi Yacoub. The use of canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) has shown that the structure of rotifers is influenced by local environmental factors. Some species such as the genus Brachionus species have shown their preference for extreme conditions. The use of biotic indices is highly recommended for the trophic state evaluation of reservoirs for a better water resources management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the present study was to investigate the water quality of the Selendi Stream and to compare the performance of the indices. Biotic and diversity indices based on benthic macroinvertebrates have been applied using Asterics software programme. Klee's method, cluster analysis (CLUS) and principal component (PCA) analysis were applied to the physicochemical dataset. Seven sites were determined and samplings were carried out monthly. By using UPGMA analysis, similarities between the sites were clustered based on both benthic macroinvertebrates and physicochemical parameters. Pearson's based correlations were applied to the indices in order to determine the proper biotic indices. The results indicate that the BMWP Polish, BMWP Spanish, BMWP Hungarian, BMWP Greek versions and all versions of ASPT indices are more proper than FBI and BBI indices to determine the water quality of Selendi Stream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work is to evaluate the ecological quality of waters along an environmentally heterogeneous basin, using macroinvertebrate biotic indices (BI). Twelve sampling sites were selected in the Río Grande basin, following an altitudinal gradient across the Puna, Monte and Yungas ecoregions. Sampling was conducted in the dry and rainy seasons, during three consecutive years (2012 to 2014). At each site, physico-chemical parameters were measured and benthic macroinvertebrates were collected. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to explore environmental variability in terms of physico-chemical parameters. The water quality of the basin was assessed by means of different biotic indices. Correlation analyses were performed between the biotic indices and the physicochemical parameters. Altitude, NaCl, total dissolved solids (TDS) and electrical conductivity were higher at the Puna and Monte sites, while river discharge, width and depth were higher at the Yungas sites. Biotic indices suggested good water quality. The BMWP (Biomonitoring Working Party) and family richness were the most suitable indices to simultaneously compare the rivers of the different ecoregions. The change in the composition of macroinvertebrate assemblages was observed at an altitude of 1500 m a. s. l., separating arid and humid zones and coinciding with inflection points of conductivity, NaCl and TDS.

AMBI and M-AMBI are widely used biotic indices for assessing the ecological quality status of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in estuarine and coastal soft-bottom habitats. Identifying the species needed for estimating these indices, however, is both expensive and time-consuming, and requires a high degree of taxonomic expertise. The use of proxy taxa as a means of subsampling the target community may save time, resources, and the breadth of taxonomic expertise needed. Our study used macroinvertebrate benthic survey data from the Atlantic Coast of the United States to test the fidelity of molluscs as proxies of the whole community. We calculated the AMBI and M-AMBI scores for both the molluscan and whole communities and then adjusted the molluscan-only index scores to that of the whole community using the linear relationship between the two communities within a Bayesian framework. We found that the mollusc-only AMBI approach underperformed at classifying the ecological quality of the whole community, particularly regarding sample sites classified as needing remediation. The low performance of the mollusc-only AMBI approach is likely due to the dearth of molluscs with high environmental stress tolerances. In contrast, the mollusc-only M-AMBI outperformed AMBI at classifying ecological quality. The M-AMBI linear model correctly classified nearly all of the adjusted mollusc-only sample sites needing remediation. The increased efficacy of mollusc-only M-AMBI may be due to the incorporation of species richness and diversity into the index, as both metrics were highly correlated between the molluscan and whole communities. Mollusc-only M-AMBI did have some drawbacks, however, with fidelity decreasing as ecological quality decreased. Overall, our study highlights the potential utility of a mollusc-only approach for assessing the ecological quality of estuarine and coastal soft-bottom habitats.

Semi-enclosed bays have physical and chemical characteristics influenced by both land and sea systems and the quality of the benthic environment is always of great concern. Macrofauna are considered good indicators for evaluating the benthic ecological quality status owing to their biological characteristics. In this study, six biotic indices, namely the Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H′), Abundance-Biomass Comparison (ABC) curve, AZTI’s Marine Biotic Index (AMBI), multivariate-AMBI (M-AMBI), BOPA index, and BENTIX index, were used to evaluate the adaptability of different biological indices in the bioassessment of the benthic environment in a semi-enclosed bay. In the annual environmental assessment of the study area, the average values of the six indices (H′, ABC curve, AMBI, M-AMBI, BOPA, and BENTIX) were 4.494, 0.182, 2.433, 0.791, 0.033, and 3.813, respectively; accordingly, H′, M-AMBI, and BOPA met the high standards whereas the other indices met the good standards, indicating that the whole study bay was slightly disturbed and had good ecological quality. From the perspective of spatial variation, the benthic environment in the middle of the bay was better than that in the north; the environmental problems in the northeast were particularly noteworthy. In terms of temporal patterns, the benthic environment in winter and summer was significantly better than that in spring and autumn, with obvious seasonal differences. The present results indicate that the H′ and ABC curve based on benthic abundance and biomass should be avoided for environmental assessment in mariculture areas. AMBI and M-AMBI should be used with caution when the percentage of unassigned species is high, in which case H′ is the appropriate choice. When there are few unassigned species, M-AMBI is more conducive for accurate evaluation of the benthic environment than AMBI and H′.

Land use changes and the ways that natural resources are extracted and used pose severe threats to freshwater ecosystems globally. This is particularly pronounced in developing and densely populated countries, such as Rwanda. In-depth understanding of how ecosystems respond to threats could guide their restoration, conservation, and better management. The advancement of ecological monitoring tools is crucial for freshwater conservation. We developed and implemented an odonate-based tool, the Rwanda Dragonfly Biotic Index (RDBI), tailored to freshwater ecosystems in Rwanda as a metric to identify conservation priority sites and to monitor their restoration. The RDBI is determined based on three sub-indices: Distribution-Based Score (DBS), Threat-Based Score (TBS) and Sensitivity-Based Score (SBS). Species level-DBS increases from those that are widespread across all ecological zones to those that are restricted to only one ecological zone; TBS for a species ranges from those that are of least concern to those that are critically endangered, as per IUCN Red List; Species’ SBS increases from those thriving in a highly disturbed habitat to those occurring only in a relatively intact habitat. Using RDBI, we identified hotspot habitats for odonates in Rwanda and benchmark sites for restoration. Hotspots are defined based on species richness, presence of unique species, and RDBI scores. Benchmark sites for restoration are habitats with the highest RDBI in each ecological zone. The value of using RDBI in ecosystem monitoring rests on the fact that it can help identify priority sites for conservation, and it uses organisms that are charismatic and relatively easy to identify. This is essential for citizen engagement and drawing a long-term link between policymaking, on-the-ground practices, and impacts on freshwater ecosystems.

Macroinvertebrate assemblages are the most common bioindicators used for stream biomonitoring, yet the standard approach exhibits several time‐consuming steps, including the sorting and identification of organisms based on morphological criteria. In this study, we examined if DNA metabarcoding could be used as an efficient molecular‐based alternative to the morphology‐based monitoring of streams using macroinvertebrates. We compared results achieved with the standard morphological identification of organisms sampled in 18 sites located on 15 French wadeable streams to results obtained with the DNA metabarcoding identification of sorted bulk material of the same macroinvertebrate samples, using read numbers (expressed as relative frequencies) as a proxy for abundances. In particular, we evaluated how combining and filtering metabarcoding data obtained from three different markers (COI: BF1‐BR2, 18S: Euka02 and 16S: Inse01) could improve the efficiency of bioassessment. In total, 140 taxa were identified based on morphological criteria, and 127 were identified based on DNA metabarcoding using the three markers, with an overlap of 99 taxa. The threshold values used for sequence filtering based on the "best identity" criterion and the number of reads had an effect on the assessment efficiency of data obtained with each marker. Compared to single marker results, combining data from different markers allowed us to improve the match between biotic index values obtained with the bulk DNA versus morphology‐based approaches. Both approaches assigned the same ecological quality class to a majority (86%) of the site sampling events, highlighting both the efficiency of metabarcoding as a biomonitoring tool but also the need for further research to improve this efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomonitoring is a significant method for evaluating aquatic life forms and their environments. The longer the process continues, the results of it become more precise. Benthic macroinvertebrates' exposure to changes in environmental conditions makes them an important part of any biomonitoring program. This paper reviews a long-term water quality of the Buyuk Menderes River Basin which is the biggest river basin spread across the western Anatolia (Turkey). The study area was divided into three regions (Usak, Aydin, Denizli), primarily considering the provincial borders in the basin. A total of 40 sampling sites from the main river and its tributaries were selected. The prominent agricultural and industrial pollutants (textile, tannery and sugar factories) from each region have been taken into account. The most common and current biotic indices (BMWP Spanish version, ASPT, RBPIII, MMIF, EPT%, Diversity and Evenness) based on the pollution tolerance of benthic macroinvertebrates have been used to track water quality changes. The relationships between environmental variables (sO2, dO2, water temp., salinity, flow, TDS, Cond, pH, NO3-N, NO2-N, PO4-P, Fe+3, NH4-N) and bioindicators have been revealed by using multivariate analyses (NMDS, CCA). The region-based variations in water quality were compared with the Kruskal-Wallis test. The one-way variance analysis test (ANOVA) was used for the contrast between the biotic indices. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found among the regions in terms of Shannon-Wiener, Evenness, BMWP and MMIF indices. Regions were separated according to pollution sources, and the impact of provinces on water quality may vary according to their industry types. It has been observed that pollutants can spread across a basin for very long distances and reinstatement of the environmental conditions may require long periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The QBS-ar (Biological Quality of Soil, based on arthropods) index was applied in Coyhaique National Reserve (Chile). The aims of our research were to assess the abundance and diversity of soil microarthropods in different South American habitats, evaluating to what extent chemical parameters and seasonal changes of weather conditions can affect these organisms. Moreover we wanted to verify if the QBS-ar index was applicable in the Neotropical biogeographic region in order to distinguish between habitats subject to different levels and types of disturbance. Therefore, four habitats were investigated: primary native Nothofagus spp. forest (OG), native forest of secondary growth after fi res (SG), reforestation pine forest (PI) and anthropogenic grassland (PR). During each of seven sampling sessions (nearly one every 10 days) between October and December 2017, fi ve 1 liter soil cores were collected in each habitat. Microarthropods extracted by means of Berlese-Tullgren funnels were counted, identifi ed to the order level and evaluated based on their morphological adaptation to life in soil in order to assess QBS-ar values and related quality classes. Both microarthropod communities and QBS-ar values comparisons showed that OG and SG forests are close to each other, and the same is true for PI and PR. Soils of the former couple of habitats were characterized by a much higher biological quality level with QBS-ar values of 129.1 ± 20.2 and 111.8 ± 6.4, respectively, both corresponding to the quality class 6 (out of a maximum of 7). On the contrary, PI and PR scored QBS-ar values of 83 ± 13.5 and 80.3 ± 10.8, respectively, and quality classes ranged between 3 and 4. Relationships among dominant and subdominant microarthropod taxa and environmental variables were analysed. In particular some chemical properties of soils (pH, CaCO3, Nt, soluble P, exchangeable K, organic matter, C/N ratio) and weather variables (cumulated rainfalls and mean temperatures during the 7 days before each sampling session) were considered. This is the fi rst time the QBS-ar index has been applied in the Southern Hemisphere. Our results seem to indicate this index can be "exported" also to South America, resulting a useful tool for a user friendly assessment of the impact on terrestrial environments by different forms of disturbances and of habitat management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The order Odonata has been regularly used as an indicator of the ecosystem's condition. The objective of this review was to analyze the importance of Odonata for environmental assessments (assessment types, statistical approach, life stages, and sampling method, or particular metric), summarizing the current state, the trends, and identifying related research issues in the Neotropical region. Therefore, we selected 62 articles from 2007 to 2018 based on published research to monitor Odonata assessments in the Neotropical region. We compiled a database and ran statistical analyses for the observed frequencies. We found that ecosystem health was the most frequent assessment type and quality the most used objective. In the case of statistical tests and metrics, multivariate analyses and species richness were most used in these papers. However, because there is a great diversity of habitats in this region, there is no unique monitoring protocol to assess the quality of ecosystem health and it is needed to create a proposal for a standard evaluation protocol. Consequently, guidelines for monitoring are presented, and we suggest three stages to establish a specific protocol for each site, which records the set of species most sensitive to the exchange rate evaluated, as well as the use of rarefaction methods, the index of diversity based on the area under the curve, and multivariate analysis, among other recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the ecological status of Khamir, Tiyab and Jagin creeks and the impact of human activities on the studied ecosystems using AMBI biological indicator. During the study period, 165 macro-benthos taxa belong to seven phyla including Annelids (65 taxa), Mollusca (65 taxa), Arthropods (28 taxa), Echinoderms (3 taxa), Hydrozoans (2 taxa), Nemertea (1 taxon) and Nematoda (1 taxon) were identified. For the total abundance, Polychaeta showed the richest taxonomic feature with 62 species, contributed 37.57% of the total abundance. The average values of AMBI in the four seasons ranged from 1.12±0.09 (spring) to 5.08±0.15 (autumn). The highest values occurred at station 6 (spring, 4.12±0.81; summer, 5.01±0.56; autumn, 5.08±0.15; winter, 4.42±0.38), and the lowest values occurred at stations 7 (spring, 1.12±0.09; summer, 1.24±0.07), and 1 (autumn, 1.25±0.07; winter, 1.33±0.24). Results from ecological status of studied creeks using AMBI index throughout the year showed that Khamir creek classified as "slightly polluted" to "moderately polluted", Tiyab creek classified as "slightly polluted" to "heavily polluted" and Jagin creek classified as "slightly polluted". The findings of this study revealed that the AMBI index is suitable for separation of areas with less impacted by human activities from areas affected by these activities and could be used as a robust management tool for monitoring programs.

We developed an index of vulnerability for odonates (IVO) that occurred predominantly in Mexico to assess land use change. Vulnerability was defined as a function of A) habits of the species and B) ecological niche models. Index validation was done by relating it to rate of vegetation cover change, with the habitat preferences of each species and with species' sensitivity to habitat deterioration. Thus, the most sensitive species would be found in areas with no change in land use. IVO values ranged from a maximum of three (i.e., the most sensitive) to a minimum of one (i.e., the least sensitive). As it was demonstrated in other studies, odonates did not show a clear preference between conserved and perturbed land uses. Interestingly, the few sensitive species were clearly resilient and can be found in a wide range of land use types, thus they may be more generalist than previously thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

December 2017 and September 2018 by selecting five stations from Goksu Stream. In order to determine the water quality of the Goksu Stream, benthic macroinvertebrate fauna, some physicochemical parameters and biotic indices were used. pH, water temperature (C), DO (dissolved oxygen mg/L), EC (electrical conductivity uS/cm), salinity (%), depth (cm), flow rate (m/s), NH4-N (ammonium nitrogen mg/L), N02-N (nitrite nitrogen mg/L), N03-N (nitrate nitrogen mg/L, P03-P (phosphate mg/L), TP (total phosphorus mg/L), BOD (biochemical oxygen demand mg/L), TSS (total suspended solid mg/L) physicochemical parameters were measured. A number of biotic indices (Biological Monitoring Working Party-BMWP, Average Score Per Taxa-ASPT. Belgian Biotic Index-BBI) and diversity indices (Margalef, Simpson, Shannon Weaver, Simpson Evenness, Shannon Evenness). As a result of this study, a total of 35 taxa were detected. 10 taxa belong to Oligochaeta, 3 taxa belong to Gastropoda, 17 taxa belong to Insecta, 3 taxa belong to Malacos-traca, 1 taxa belong to Polychaeta and 1 taxa belong to Bivalvia. Oligochaeta (61.28 %) was determined to be the most dominant group among benthic ma-croinvertebrates. As a result of the physicochemical variables, macrozoobenthic organisms composition and applied biotic indeces, Goksu Stream has a low quality or high contaminated water quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major impacts on aquatic ecosystems worldwide caused by land use lead to changes in their natural conditions and limitation of water use for various needs. This paper presents the results of the study of the physical and chemical parameters and macroinvertebrate assemblage in the White Drin River (or: the Drim River, Alb. the Drini i Bardhë River) basin, the largest in Kosovo. Macroinvertebrate sampled at 11 sites in the river resulted in 5946 collected benthic organisms, which in taxonomic terms belong to 12 orders and 51 families. Of the total number of organisms, 72.28% were Insects, 25.39% Amphipoda crustaceans and 2.33% were Annelide worms and Mollusk. The used biotic indices Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP), Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT), average score per taxon (ASPT) and Stroud Water Research Center (SWRC) classify water quality in excellent category in the sampling site S1 near the source of the White Drin River, whereas in other sampling sites, as a result of pollution, water quality varies on category II–IV. The Pearson's correlation analyses shown that the physical and chemical parameters affect the water quality and the composition of macroinvertebrates. Our results show that the parameters that adversely affect the BMWP, EPT and ASPT biotic indices as well as the Shannon–Wiener, Mergalef and Menhinik diversity indices are: pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total suspended solids (TSS), nitrates (NO3–) and chlorides (Cl–). We can conclude that the anthropogenic impact on White Drin basin affects the physical, chemical and biological parameters of the water therefore these parameters should be constantly included in Biomonitoring and Management plans for water resources in Kosovo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benthic macroinvertebrates are used to evaluate water quality in 8 sampling stations in Lepenci river basin in Kosovo. Sampling was performed in spring, summer and fall 2017. Following biotic indices are used: EPT taxa richness, Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP), Average Score per Taxon (ASPT), Stroud Water Research Center index (SWRC), Family biotic index (FBI), as well as diversity indices: Shannon-Weaver index (H), Simpsons index (D), Hill's index (Hi), Mergalef index (DMe) and Menhicnik's index (DMa). Our results show the presence of 34 macroinvertebrate taxa in Lepenci river which belong to Insecta, Crustaceans and Annelidae. The water quality along the river show variation from high and good class upstream, to moderate, poor and bad, downstream. The Pearson's bivariate correlation used to analyze the relationship between physicochemical parameters with biotic and diversity indices showed a significant correlation (p < 0.01) of EC, TSS, O2, COD, BOD, NH4, and PO43- with biotic indices EPT, BMWP, ASPT, SWRC, FBI. We can conclude that the values of biotic and diversity indices have shown differences in water quality between polluted and unpolluted sites and reflect the ecological status of the river, therefore we can consider them as valuable tools for water quality assessment in rivers in Kosovo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]