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Macroinvertebrate metric indicators should be juxtaposed with the community conservation index as ecological tools for conservation evaluation of pristine freshwater ecosystems

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Abstract

The ecological significance of freshwater ecosystems for conservation in the temperate zone has been determined by aquatic biologists using a variety of ecological techniques. One such tool is the Community Conservation Index (CCI), which was primarily developed in Britain but is also recommended for international use. The current study intends to further test the CCI’s applicability and its sensitivity in identifying freshwater systems of high conservation importance. The pristine condition of three natural monument (Arinta, Ekor, and Oowu waterfalls) streams was evaluated in this study using the macroinvertebrate metric indicators, and the results were compared with their CCIs. The relative compositions of stress-sensitive species, facultative species, functional feeding guilds (FFGs), and modes of locomotion or microhabitat preference (ML/MP) were selected as the macroinvertebrate metrics. The fauna was dominated by the taxonomic group EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera), with the highest EPT-related metrics found at Oowu Waterfalls. Ironically, because a vulnerable species (i.e. Pentaphlebia stahli) is present there, the Ekor Waterfalls, which had the lowest values for the EPT-related metrics, had the highest CCI. Although both the CCI (>20) and macroinvertebrate metrics suggest that the three sites had high conservation value, the CCI proved to be more goal-oriented in determining the conservation value of pristine freshwater ecosystems. In light of the findings of this study, it is recommended that the CCI be utilized in conjunction with macroinvertebrate metric indicators for studies of a similar nature, particularly in Afrotropics’ protected and pristine sites that are a potential refuge for rare and threatened species.

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The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

Special thanks to the Ekiti State Ministry of Tourism, Abia Local Community, and the Owa Onire Community for granting the research team access to the sites. Authors would also like to thank the field assistants (Messrs Femi Idowu, Akpan, Emmanuel Cletus, Gabriel and Akanbi) for their logistical assistance during the field work.

Funding

This study was supported by a research grant (EA20/1246, 2020) awarded to Emmanuel O. Akindele by the British Ecological Society.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

    Emmanuel O. Akindele, Abiodun M. Adedapo, Ibrahim R. Fagbohun, Olanrewaju O. Aliu & Esther D. Kowobari

  2. Department of Animal Biology, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria

    Oluwaseun T. Akinpelu

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  1. Emmanuel O. Akindele
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Akindele, E.O., Adedapo, A.M., Fagbohun, I.R. et al. Macroinvertebrate metric indicators should be juxtaposed with the community conservation index as ecological tools for conservation evaluation of pristine freshwater ecosystems. Biologia 78, 1067–1078 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-023-01315-8

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