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Challenges using extrapolated family-level macroinvertebrate metrics in moderately disturbed tropical streams: a case-study from Belize

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Abstract

Family-level biotic metrics were originally designed to rapidly assess gross organic pollution effects, but came to be regarded as general measures of stream degradation. Improvements in water quality in developed countries have reignited debate about the limitations of family-level taxonomy to detect subtle change, and is resulting in a shift back towards generic and species-level analysis to assess smaller effects. Although the scale of pollution characterizing past condition of streams in developed countries persists in many developing regions, some areas are still considered to be only moderately disturbed. We sampled streams in Belize to investigate the ability of family-level macroinvertebrate metrics to detect change in stream catchments where less than 30% of forest had been cleared. Where disturbance did not co-vary with natural gradients of change, and in areas characterized by low intensity activities, none of the metrics tested detected significant change, despite evidence of environmental impacts. We highlight the need for further research to clarify the response of metrics to disturbance over a broader study area that allows replication for confounding sources of natural variation. We also recommend research to develop more detailed understanding of the taxonomy and ecology of Neotropical macroinvertebrates to improve the robustness of metric use.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Natural Environmental Research Council-Economic Research Council grant ES/F013035/1, the Rufford Small Grants Foundation (Grant 11376-2), and the Freshwater Biological Association Hugh Cary Gilson Memorial Award for 2012, and made possible by the Ya’axché Conservation Trust, particularly Devina Bol, Anignazio Makin, Octavio Cal, Pastor Ayala and Abelino Zuniga who provided assistance in the field and laboratory. We also thank Nabor Moya for clarifying the fuzzy-coding technique, Patrick Keenan and Phil Haygarth for assistance with nutrient analysis, and John Murphy for comments on an earlier draft. We gratefully acknowledge the Belize Fisheries Department, Belize Forest Department and Belize Agricultural Health Authority for permitting the study and export of specimens and the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency for permitting the import of specimens into the UK, and anonymous reviewers for their comments on earlier versions of this manuscript.

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  1. Rachael Carrie

    Present address: Institute of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, Worcestershire, WR2 6AJ, UK

  2. Michael Dobson

    Present address: APEM Limited, The Technopole Centre, Edinburgh Technopole, Milton Bridge Nr Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0PJ, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancashire, LA1 4YQ, UK

    Rachael Carrie & Jos Barlow

  2. The Freshwater Biological Association, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0LP, UK

    Michael Dobson

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Carrie, R., Dobson, M. & Barlow, J. Challenges using extrapolated family-level macroinvertebrate metrics in moderately disturbed tropical streams: a case-study from Belize. Hydrobiologia 794, 257–271 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-017-3100-z

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