Abstract
The study of community structure changes in relation to environmental gradients can help assessing and predicting community response to anthropogenic disturbances; however, such types of studies are rare in semi-arid regions. This study aimed at investigating the macroinvertebrate community composition in response to environmental variables in rivers of a semi-arid mountainous region, i.e., the Zagros mountain range, southwestern Iran. Environmental variables and macroinvertebrates were sampled at 54 sites in four seasons during 2018–2019. A total of 101 families of benthic macroinvertebrates from 8 classes and 21 orders were identified. Diversity and evenness indices showed significant temporal variation (p < 0.05). Also, taxa richness and Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera taxa showed strong seasonal stability, whereas spatial variation among all metrics was significantly different (p < 0.05). Taxa richness and density weekly correlated with altitudinal gradient. Correlation analysis, cluster analysis, non-metric multidimensional scaling, and canonical correspondence analysis demonstrated associations between community composition and environment variables, including definition of site groupings according to aggregated quality estimates. The results suggest that both physico-chemical variables of water (nitrate, total dissolved solids, Escherichia coli, temperature, chemical oxygen demand, and dissolved oxygen) and habitat structure (wetted river width, altitude, and riffles presence) determined the community composition of macroinvertebrates. Seasonal variation of community indices and community composition in our region seemed to differ from those estimated from subarctic, temperate and subtropical ecosystems. Our study provides a strong basis for further research, planning, and conservation of macroinvertebrate communities in the Karun River basin and similar river systems in the region.
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Acknowledgements
This research was partly funded by the Swiss Leading House for South Asia and Iran (ZHAW) as a collaborative project between Isfahan University of Technology and SUPSI. We are grateful to Iranian Ministry of Energy, Iran Water and Power Resources Development Company and Department of Environment for their in-kind support. The authors also appreciate Mojgan Zare-Shahraki and Alireza Esmaeili for their assistance with field work.
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Appendices
Appendix 1: List of benthic macroinvertebrates found in different sampling seasons across 54 sites in the Karun River basin
Class | Order | Family | Autumn | Winter | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arachnida | Trombidiformes | Feltriidae | − | + | + | + |
Hygrobatidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Lebertiidae | + | + | + | |||
Limnocharidae | + | − | − | + | ||
Sperchontidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Torrenticolidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Unionicolidae | − | − | + | − | ||
Wettinidae | + | + | + | − | ||
Insecta | Coleoptera | Curculionidae | + | − | − | − |
Dryopidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Dytiscidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Elmidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Gyrinidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Haliplidae | − | − | − | + | ||
Helophoridae | + | + | + | + | ||
Hydraenidae | + | + | + | − | ||
Hydrophilidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Psephenidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Staphylinidae | + | ++ | + | + | ||
Collembola | Isotomidae | + | + | + | + | |
Diptera | Anthomyiidae | + | + | + | + | |
Athericidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Blephariceridae | − | − | + | + | ||
Ceratopogonidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Chironomidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Dixidae | − | + | + | − | ||
Empididae | + | + | + | + | ||
Ephydridae | + | + | + | + | ||
Limoniidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Psychodidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Rhagionidae | − | + | + | − | ||
Scathophagidae | + | + | + | − | ||
Simuliidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Stratiomyidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Tabanidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Tipulidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Thaumaleidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Ephemeroptera | Baetidae | + | + | + | + | |
Caenidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Ephemerellidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Heptageniidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Isonychiidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Leptophlebiidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Neoephemeridae | − | + | + | + | ||
Oligoneuriidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Potamanthidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Prosopistomatidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Hemiptera | Corixidae | + | + | + | + | |
Mesoveliidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Pleidae | − | + | + | + | ||
Odonata | Aeshnidae | + | + | + | + | |
Calopterygidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Coenagrionidae | + | − | + | − | ||
Cordulegasteridae | + | − | − | + | ||
Euphaeidae | + | + | + | − | ||
Gomphidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Lestidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Libellulidae | + | + | + | − | ||
Platycnemididae | + | + | + | + | ||
Plecoptera | Capniidae | + | + | + | + | |
Leuctridae | + | + | + | + | ||
Nemouridae | + | + | + | + | ||
Perlidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Perlodidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Taeniopterygidae | + | − | − | − | ||
Trichoptera | Brachycentridae | − | − | − | + | |
Ecnomidae | + | − | − | + | ||
Hydropsychidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Hydroptilidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Leptoceridae | + | + | + | − | ||
Limnephilidae | − | + | + | + | ||
Philopotamidae | + | − | − | + | ||
Polycentropodidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Psychomyiidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Rhyacophilidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Bivalvia | Lamellibranchiata | Margaritiferidae | + | + | − | + |
Sphaeriidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Unionidae | + | + | − | − | ||
Gastropoda | Prosobranchia | Bithyniidae | + | + | + | + |
Hydrobiidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Melanopsidae | + | + | + | − | ||
Neritidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Potamididae | + | + | + | + | ||
Valvatidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Viviparidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Pulmonata | Lymnaeidae | + | + | + | + | |
Planorbidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Physidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Succineidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Crustacea | Amphipoda | Gammaridae | + | + | + | + |
Isopoda | Asellidae | + | + | + | + | |
Hirudinea | Arhynchobdellida | Erpobdellidae | + | + | + | + |
Rhynchobdellida | Glossiphoniidae | + | + | + | + | |
Piscicolidae | + | − | − | − | ||
Oligochaeta | Haplotaxida | Haplotaxidae | + | + | + | + |
Lumbricida | Lumbricidae | + | + | + | + | |
Lumbriculida | Lumbriculidae | + | + | + | + | |
Tubificida | Naididae | + | + | + | + | |
Tubificidae | + | + | + | + | ||
Turbellaria | Tricladida | Dugesiidae | + | + | + | + |
Planariidae | − | − | − | + |
Appendix 2: The abundance (A) and percentage of relative abundance (%RA) of Karun River basin’s benthic macroinvertebrates in different sampling seasons (total of 54 sites)
Family | Abbreviation | Autumn | Winter | Spring | Summer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | %RA | A | %RA | A | %RA | A | %RA | ||
Feltriidae | Felt | 0 | 0 | 69 | 0.12 | 13 | 0.03 | 52 | 0.02 |
Hygrobatidae | Hygr | 139 | 0.09 | 24 | 0.04 | 24 | 0.05 | 101 | 0.05 |
Lebertiidae | Lebe | 403 | 0.25 | 93 | 0.16 | 51 | 0.10 | 439 | 0.20 |
Limnocharidae | Limno | 34 | 0.02 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0.01 |
Sperchontidae | Sper | 414 | 0.26 | 56 | 0.09 | 89 | 0.18 | 615 | 0.27 |
Torrenticolidae | Torr | 596 | 0.37 | 23 | 0.04 | 375 | 0.76 | 3585 | 1.60 |
Unionicolidae | Union | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.004 | 0 | 0 |
Wettinidae | Wett | 102 | 0.06 | 72 | 0.12 | 39 | 0.08 | 0 | 0 |
Curculionidae | Curc | 83 | 0.05 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Dryopidae | Dryo | 59 | 0.04 | 23 | 0.04 | 26 | 0.05 | 53 | 0.02 |
Dytiscidae | Dyti | 62 | 0.04 | 43 | 0.07 | 26 | 0.05 | 59 | 0.03 |
Elmidae | Elmi | 941 | 059 | 214 | 0.36 | 166 | 0.34 | 422 | 0.19 |
Gyrinidae | Gyri | 146 | 0.09 | 24 | 0.04 | 17 | 0.03 | 60 | 0.03 |
Haliplidae | Hali | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.002 |
Helophoridae | Helop | 21 | 0.01 | 84 | 0.14 | 21 | 0.04 | 32 | 0.01 |
Hydraenidae | Hydra | 26 | 0.02 | 77 | 0.13 | 19 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 |
Hydrophilidae | Hydro | 20 | 0.01 | 23 | 0.04 | 15 | 0.03 | 18 | 0.01 |
Psephenidae | Psep | 47 | 0.03 | 32 | 0.05 | 21 | 0.04 | 43 | 0.02 |
Staphylinidae | Stap | 45 | 0.03 | 127 | 0.21 | 22 | 0.04 | 30 | 0.01 |
Isotomidae | Isot | 44 | 0.03 | 56 | 0.09 | 16 | 0.03 | 50 | 0.02 |
Anthomyiidae | Anth | 60 | 0.04 | 105 | 0.18 | 22 | 0.04 | 35 | 0.02 |
Athericidae | Athe | 51 | 0.03 | 61 | 0.10 | 40 | 0.08 | 25 | 0.01 |
Blephariceridae | Blep | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 103 | 0.21 | 142 | 0.06 |
Ceratopogonidae | Cera | 161 | 0.10 | 45 | 0.08 | 314 | 0.64 | 39 | 0.02 |
Chironomidae | Chir | 31,075 | 19.49 | 18,366 | 31.02 | 21,155 | 42.85 | 90,716 | 40.44 |
Dixidae | Dixi | 0 | 0 | 327 | 0.55 | 102 | 0.21 | 0 | 0 |
Empididae | Empi | 340 | 0.21 | 115 | 0.19 | 67 | 0.14 | 661 | 0.29 |
Ephydridae | Ephy | 18 | 0.01 | 31 | 0.05 | 17 | 0.03 | 53 | 0.02 |
Limoniidae | Limo | 1164 | 0.73 | 317 | 0.54 | 122 | 0.25 | 1503 | 0.67 |
Psychodidae | Psych | 42 | 0.03 | 68 | 0.11 | 91 | 0.18 | 65 | 0.03 |
Rhagionidae | Rhag | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0.05 | 55 | 0.11 | 0 | 0 |
Scathophagidae | Scat | 23 | 0.01 | 124 | 0.21 | 141 | 0.29 | 0 | 0 |
Simuliidae | Simu | 5662 | 3.55 | 3572 | 6.03 | 3488 | 7.07 | 16,363 | 7.29 |
Stratiomyidae | Stra | 88 | 0.06 | 142 | 0.24 | 61 | 0.12 | 120 | 0.05 |
Tabanidae | Taba | 509 | 0.32 | 230 | 0.39 | 128 | 0.26 | 590 | 0.26 |
Tipulidae | Tipu | 110 | 0.07 | 126 | 0.21 | 38 | 0.08 | 21 | 0.01 |
Thaumaleidae | Thau | 34 | 0.02 | 38 | 0.06 | 16 | 0.03 | 31 | 0.01 |
Baetidae | Baet | 26,887 | 16.86 | 8274 | 13.97 | 4728 | 9.58 | 54,538 | 24.31 |
Caenidae | Caen | 8355 | 5.24 | 694 | 1.17 | 3956 | 8.01 | 4230 | 1.89 |
Ephemerellidae | Ephe | 466 | 0.29 | 214 | 0.36 | 399 | 0.81 | 1094 | 0.49 |
Heptageniidae | Hept | 11,127 | 6.98 | 981 | 1.66 | 989 | 2 | 4782 | 2.13 |
Isonychiidae | Ison | 333 | 0.21 | 326 | 0.55 | 120 | 0.24 | 481 | 0.21 |
Leptophlebiidae | Lept | 341 | 0.21 | 44 | 0.07 | 203 | 0.41 | 514 | 0.23 |
Neoephemeridae | Neoe | 0 | 0 | 828 | 1.40 | 424 | 0.86 | 259 | 0.12 |
Oligoneuriidae | Olig | 2349 | 1.47 | 88 | 0.15 | 482 | 0.98 | 354 | 0.16 |
Potamanthidae | Potam | 106 | 0.07 | 42 | 0.07 | 92 | 0.19 | 140 | 0.06 |
Prosopistomatidae | Pros | 172 | 0.11 | 65 | 0.11 | 130 | 0.26 | 87 | 0.04 |
Corixidae | Cori | 37 | 0.02 | 40 | 0.07 | 30 | 0.06 | 45 | 0.02 |
Mesoveliidae | Meso | 61 | 0.04 | 46 | 0.08 | 21 | 0.04 | 89 | 0.04 |
Pleidae | Plei | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0.05 | 11 | 0.02 | 21 | 0.01 |
Aeshnidae | Aesh | 106 | 0.07 | 38 | 0.06 | 22 | 0.04 | 157 | 0.07 |
Calopterygidae | Calo | 84 | 0.05 | 41 | 0.07 | 39 | 0.08 | 26 | 0.01 |
Coenagrionidae | Coen | 68 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 0.11 | 0 | 0 |
Cordulegasteridae | Cord | 39 | 0.02 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 0.02 |
Euphaeidae | Euph | 33 | 0.02 | 26 | 0.04 | 14 | 0.03 | 0 | 0 |
Gomphidae | Gomp | 53 | 0.03 | 37 | 0.06 | 38 | 0.08 | 41 | 0.02 |
Lestidae | Lest | 41 | 0.03 | 51 | 0.09 | 21 | 0.04 | 20 | 0.01 |
Libellulidae | Libe | 78 | 0.05 | 69 | 0.12 | 89 | 0.18 | 0 | 0 |
Platycnemididae | Plat | 157 | 0.10 | 33 | 0.06 | 21 | 0.04 | 41 | 0.02 |
Capniidae | Capn | 280 | 0.18 | 74 | 0.12 | 33 | 0.07 | 174 | 0.08 |
Leuctridae | Leuc | 274 | 0.17 | 82 | 0.14 | 60 | 0.12 | 207 | 0.09 |
Nemouridae | Nemou | 356 | 0.22 | 238 | 0.40 | 44 | 0.09 | 87 | 0.04 |
Perlidae | Perli | 195 | 0.12 | 107 | 0.18 | 40 | 0.08 | 121 | 0.05 |
Perlodidae | Perlo | 189 | 0.12 | 251 | 0.42 | 41 | 0.08 | 52 | 0.02 |
Taeniopterygidae | Taen | 304 | 0.19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Brachycentridae | Brac | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 0.03 |
Ecnomidae | Ecno | 86 | 0.05 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 0.03 |
Hydropsychidae | Hydrop | 23,708 | 14.87 | 2978 | 5.03 | 1350 | 2.73 | 13,495 | 6.02 |
Hydroptilidae | Hydropt | 86 | 0.05 | 85 | 0.14 | 40 | 0.08 | 123 | 0.05 |
Leptoceridae | Leptoc | 189 | 0.12 | 34 | 0.06 | 24 | 0.05 | 0 | 0 |
Limnephilidae | Limn | 0 | 0 | 260 | 0.44 | 31 | 0.06 | 84 | 0.04 |
Philopotamidae | Phil | 572 | 0.36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 0.03 |
Polycentropodidae | Poly | 144 | 0.09 | 25 | 0.04 | 34 | 0.07 | 59 | 0.03 |
Psychomyiidae | Psyc | 784 | 0.49 | 430 | 0.73 | 90 | 0.18 | 75 | 0.03 |
Rhyacophilidae | Rhya | 164 | 0.10 | 99 | 0.17 | 53 | 0.11 | 89 | 0.04 |
Margaritiferidae | Marga | 21 | 0.01 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Sphaeriidae | Spha | 570 | 0.36 | 1082 | 1.83 | 129 | 0.26 | 230 | 0.1 |
Unionidae | Unio | 13 | 0.01 | 3 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Bithyniidae | Bith | 78 | 0.05 | 164 | 0.28 | 70 | 0.14 | 51 | 0.02 |
Hydrobiidae | Hydrob | 213 | 0.13 | 91 | 0.15 | 40 | 0.08 | 21 | 0.01 |
Melanopsidae | Mela | 28 | 0.02 | 24 | 0.04 | 15 | 0.03 | 0 | 0 |
Neritidae | Neri | 179 | 0.11 | 77 | 0.13 | 47 | 0.10 | 137 | 0.06 |
Potamididae | Potami | 40 | 0.03 | 59 | 0.10 | 20 | 0.04 | 31 | 0.01 |
Valvatidae | Valv | 569 | 0.36 | 389 | 0.66 | 236 | 0.48 | 155 | 0.07 |
Viviparidae | Vivi | 2329 | 1.46 | 1292 | 2.18 | 426 | 0.86 | 342 | 0.15 |
Lymnaeidae | Lymn | 83 | 0.05 | 146 | 0.25 | 31 | 0.06 | 102 | 0.05 |
Planorbidae | Plano | 153 | 0.10 | 149 | 0.25 | 220 | 0.45 | 141 | 0.06 |
Physidae | Phys | 2562 | 1.61 | 1372 | 2.32 | 289 | 0.59 | 1622 | 0.72 |
Succineidae | Succ | 106 | 0.07 | 63 | 0.11 | 36 | 0.07 | 35 | 0.02 |
Gammaridae | Gamm | 13,660 | 8.57 | 2589 | 4.37 | 1388 | 2.81 | 13,459 | 6 |
Asellidae | Asel | 35 | 0.02 | 51 | 0.09 | 24 | 0.05 | 62 | 0.03 |
Erpobdellidae | Erpo | 986 | 0.62 | 739 | 1.25 | 275 | 0.56 | 992 | 0.44 |
Glossiphoniidae | Glos | 276 | 0.17 | 91 | 0.15 | 36 | 0.07 | 116 | 0.05 |
Piscicolidae | Pisci | 16 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Haplotaxidae | Hapl | 122 | 0.08 | 33 | 0.06 | 21 | 0.04 | 48 | 0.02 |
Lumbricidae | Lumbri | 475 | 0.30 | 462 | 0.78 | 169 | 0.34 | 669 | 0.3 |
Lumbriculidae | Lumbcu | 343 | 0.22 | 74 | 0.12 | 35 | 0.07 | 71 | 0.03 |
Naididae | Naid | 7406 | 4.64 | 416 | 0.70 | 2020 | 4.09 | 5361 | 2.39 |
Tubificidae | Tubi | 8006 | 5.02 | 8279 | 13.98 | 3018 | 6.11 | 2837 | 1.26 |
Dugesiidae | Duge | 464 | 0.29 | 194 | 0.33 | 197 | 0.40 | 178 | 0.08 |
Planariidae | Plana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0004 |
Total means | - | 159,476 | 100 | 59,205 | 100 | 49,368 | 100 | 224,318 | 100 |
Appendix 3: Cluster analysis of the benthic macroinvertebrate community structure (the abundance data of each season separately, a) Autumn, b) Winter, c) Spring and d) Summer) in the Karun River basin
Appendix 4: NMDS results of sampling sites based on the benthic macroinvertebrate community structure (relative abundance of each season separately), a) Autumn, b) Winter, c) Spring and d) Summer) in the Karun River basin. Abbreviations as in Appendix 2
Appendix 5: Biplot of the CCA on sampling sites and environmental variables (the data of each season separately, a) Autumn, b) Winter, c) Spring and d) Summer) in the Karun River basin. Significant environmental variables are represented by arrows. Abbreviations as in Table 1
Appendix 6: Biplot of the CCA on the benthic macroinvertebrates abundances and environmental variables (the data of each season separately, a) Autumn, b) Winter, c) Spring and d) Summer) in the Karun River basin. Significant environmental variables are represented by arrows. Abbreviations as in Table 1 and Appendix 2
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Fathi, P., Ebrahimi-Dorche, E., Beyraghdar-Kashkooli, O. et al. Spatiotemporal variation in macroinvertebrate community composition along the stressor gradients in rivers of a middle-eastern basin. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 19, 8587–8612 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-022-04094-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-022-04094-y