Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Response of macroinvertebrate communities to anthropogenic pressures in Tajan River (Iran)

  • Section Zoology
  • Published:
Biologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Tajan River was investigated for one year in seven stations, analyzing the relationships between physical properties, water chemistry and aquatic macroinvertebrates. Biotic and diversity indices were compared with canonical unconstrained (CA) and constrained (CCA) ordination to test different methods able to estimate river ecology status. An upstream-downstream gradient was emphasized, in presence of anthropogenic stressors, coming from trout farms, paper factory, agriculture, urbanization, river regulation; the first CCA axis emphasized a natural gradient, bound to altitude, source distance, water temperature, the second CCA axis a pollution gradient. Biotic and diversity indices detected three polluted stations: S3, downstream the Korcha tributary, S6 downstream a paper factory and S7 situated after the Sari town. S4 showed high macroinvertebrates densities, which were attributed to the presence of a dam. Both multimetric and multivariate methods emphasized the need to separate the influence of natural variables from anthropogenic stressors in the Tajan River. To separate the influence of longitudinal gradient from the influence of pollution, it was suggested to evaluate the anthropogenic impact as deviation from a regression line, considering a multimetric index as dependent variable and source distance as predictor variable. The definition of reference sites was problematic in this poorly investigated area and a progress in taxonomic resolution is in any case recommended to better define the ecological status of these waters.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbaspour M., Hedayatifard H.R., Alizadeh S., Hassanzadeh H. & Karimi J.M. 2013. Bioassessment of macrobenthic fauna of the Cheshmeh Kileh River, Northern Iran. Amer. Euras. J. Agricult. Environ. Sci. 13(6): 747–753. DOI: 10.5829/idosi.aejaes.2013.13.06.73197

    Google Scholar 

  • APHA, AWWA & WEF. 2005. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 21st ed. American Public Health Association, Washington D.C., 1368 pp. ISBN: 0875530478

    Google Scholar 

  • AQEM Consortium. 2006. ASTERICS: AQEM/STAR Ecological River Classification System. Version 3.01.

    Google Scholar 

  • AQEM. 2002. Manual for the Application of the Aqem System. A Comprehensive Method to Assess European Streams using Benthic Macroinvertebrates. Developed for the Purpose of the Water Framework Directive. Version 1.0. Febrary 2002. www.aqem.de

    Google Scholar 

  • Aura C.M., Raburu P.O. & Hermann J. 2011. Macroinvertebrates community structure in Rivers Kipkaren and Sosiani, River Nzoia basin, Kenya. J. Ecol. Natur. Environ. 3(2): 39–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birk S. & Hering D. 2006. Direct comparison of assessment methods using benthic macroinvertebrates: a contribution to the EU Water Framework Directive intercalibration exercise. Hydrobiologia 566(1): 401–415. DOI: 10.1007/s10750-006-0081-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cao Y., Bark A.W. & Williams W.P. 1996. Measuring the responses of macroinvertebrate communities to water pollution: a comparison of multivariate approaches biotic and diversity indices. Hydrobiologia 341(1): 1–19. DOI: 10.1007/BF00012298

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper CH.M. & Knight S.S. 1991. Water quality cycles in two hill land streams subject to natural, municipal, and non-point agricultural stresses in the Yazoo Basin of Mississipi, USA (1985–1987). Verh. Int. Verein. Theor. Angew. Limnol. 24: 1654–1663.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Czerniawska-Kusza I. 2005. Comparing modified biological monitoring working party score system and several biological indices based on macroinvertebrates for water-quality assessment. Limnologica 35(3): 169–176. DOI: 10.1016/j.limno.2005.05.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elliott J.M., Humpesch U.H. & Macan T.T. 1988. Larvae of the British Ephemeroptera: a key with ecological notes. Freshwater Biological Association Scientific Publication 49, 145 pp. ISBN-10: 0900386479, ISBN-13: 978-0900386473

    Google Scholar 

  • Farajzadeh M. & Fallah M. 2009. Assessing the effect of land use changes on floods with using remote sensing in Tajan river. Geograph. Res. 64: 89–104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hering D., Buffagni A., Moog O., Sandin L., Sommerhäuser M., Stubauer I., Feld C., Johnson R., Pinto P., Skoulikidis N., Verdonschot P. & Zahrádková S. 2003. The development of a system to assess the ecological quality of stream based on macroinvertebrates - design of the sampling program within the AQEM Project. Int. Rev. Hydrobiol. 88(3–4): 345–361. DOI: 10.1002/iroh.200390030

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hering D., Feld C.K., Moog O. & Ofenböck T.O. 2006. Cook book for the development of a Multimetric Index for biological condition of aquatic ecosystems: experiences from the European AQEM and STAR projects and related initiatives. Hydrobiologia 566(1): 311–324 DOI: 10.1007/s10750-006-0087-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hering D., Moog O., Sandin L. & Verdonschot P.F.M. 2004. Overview and application of the AQEM assessment system. Hydrobiologia 516(1–3): 1–20. DOI: 10.1023/B:HYDR.0000025255.70009.a5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hilsenhoff W.L. 1988. Rapid field assessment of organic pollution with a family-level biotic index. J. North Amer. Benthol. Soc. 7(1): 65–68. DOI: 10.2307/1467832

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hynes H.B. 1977. A key to the adults and nymphs of the British stoneflies (Plecoptera). Freshwater Association Scientific Publication 17, 92 pp. ISBN: 0900386282

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson R.K., Wiederholm T. & Rosenberg D.M. 1993. Freshwater biomonitoring using individual organisms, population, and species assemblage of benthic macroinvertebrates, pp. 40–158. In: Rosenberg D.M. & Resh V.H. (eds), Freshwater Biomonitoring and Benthic Macroinvertebrates, Chapman & Hall, New York, 488 pp. ISBN: 0412 02251 6

    Google Scholar 

  • Karr J.R. 1998. Rivers as Sentile: Using the Biology of Rivers to Guide Landscape Management. Springer New York: Final report for USEPA, 28 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenney M.A., Sutton-Grier A.E., Smith R.F. & Gresens S.E. 2009. Benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators of water quality: the intersection of science and policy. Terrestrial Arthropod Reviews 2: 99–128. DOI: 10.1163/187498209X12525675906077

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lenat D. 1993. A biotic index for southeastern United States, Derivation and list of tolerance values with criteria for assessing water quality ratings. J. North Amer. Benthol. Soc. 12: 179–290.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lepš J. & Šmilauer P. 2003. Multivariate Analysis of Ecological Data Using Canoco 5. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 362 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levin I., Czerniawska-Kuza I., Szoszkiewicz K., Lawniczak A.E. & Jusik S. 2013. Biological indices applied to benthic macroinvertebrates at reference conditions of mountain streams in two ecoregions (Poland, the Slovak Republic). Hydrobiologia 709(1): 183–200. DOI: 10.1007/s10750-013-1448-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loch D.D., West J.L. & Perlmutter D.G. 1996. The effect of trout farm effluent on the taxa richness of benthic macroinvertebrates. Aquaculture 147(1–2): 37–55. DOI: 10.1016/S0044-8486(96)01394-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehrdadi N. & Bagvand A. 2004. An investigation of water quality of Tajan river and its impact on Caspian sea (Mazandaran province north of I. R. Iran). In: Proceedings of the Fifth Asia Pacific Industrial Engineering and Management Systems Conference 2004: 16.7.1–16.7.8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Metcalfe J.L. 1989. Biological water quality assessment of running waters based on macroinvertebrate communities: History and present status in Europe. Environ. Pollut. 60(1–2): 101–139. DOI: 10.1016/0269-7491(89)90223-6

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Milligan M.R. 1997. Identification Manual for the Aquatic Oligochaeta of Florida. Vol. I. Freshwater Oligochaetes. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water Facilities, Tallahassee. Florida, USA, 187 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Namin J.I., Sharifinia M. & Bozorgi Makrani A. 2013. Assessment of fish farm effluents on macroinvertebrates based on biological indices in Tajan River (north Iran). Casp. J. Environ. Sci. 11: 29–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ofenböck T., Moog O., Gerritsen J. & Barbour M. 2004. A stressor specific multimetric approach for monitoring running waters in Austria using benthic macro-invertebrates. Hydrobiologia 516(1–3): 251–268. DOI: 10.1023/B:HYDR.0000025269.74061.f9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pescador M.L., Rasmussen A.K. & Harris S.C. 2004. Identification Manual for the Caddisfly (Trichoptera) Larvae of Florida. Department of Environmental Protection, Florida, 132 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reynoldson T.B. 1992. An overview of the assessment of aquatic ecosystem health using benthic invertebrates. J. Aquat. Ecosyst. Health 1(4): 295–308. DOI: 10.1007/BF00044171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saeidi M., Karbasi A.R., Nabi Bid-hendi G.R. & Mehrdadi N. 2007. Impacts of human activities on accumulation of heavy metals in Tajan river water on Mazandaran province. Environ. Biol. 40: 41–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharifinia M., Namin J.I. & Bozorgi Makrani A. 2012. Benthic macroinvertebrate distribution in Tajan River using Canonical Correspondence Analysis. Casp. J. Environ. Sci. 10(2): 181–194.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma K.K. & Chowdhary S. 2011. Macroinvertebrate assemblages as biological indicators of pollution in a Central Himalayan River, Tawi (J&K). Int. J. Biodivers. Conserv. 3(5): 167–174.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shirood Mirzaie F., Ghorbani R., Hoseini S.A. & Abdi O. 2013. Effect of water fluctuations on macroinvertebrates communities of Gomishan Wetland, Iran. World J. Fish Mar. Sci. 5(2): 214–219. DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wjfms.2013.05.02.3313

    Google Scholar 

  • Song M.Y., Leprieur F., Thomas A., Lek-Ang S., Chon T.S. & Lek S. 2008. Impact of agricultural land use on aquatic insect assemblage in Garonne river catchment (SW France). Aquat. Ecol. 43(4): 999–1009. DOI: 10.1007/s10452-008-9218-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soofiani N.M., Hatami R., Hemami M.R. & Ebrahimi E. 2012. Effects of trout farm effluent on water quality and the macrobenthic invertebrate community of the Zayandeh-Roud River, Iran. North Amer. J. Aquacult. 74(2): 132–141. DOI: 10.1080/15222055.2012.672367

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Looy K., Tormos T. & Souchon Y. 2014. Disentangling dam impacts in river networks. Ecol. Indicators 37(Part A): 10–20. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2013.10.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Varnosfaderany M.N., Ebrahimi E., Mirghaffary N. & Safyanian A. 2010. Biological assessment of the Zayandeh Rud River, Iran, using benthic macroinvertebrates. Limnologica 40(3): 226–232. DOI: 10.1016/j.limno.2009.10.002

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Verdonschot P.F.M. 2006. Data composition and taxonomic resolution in macroinvertebrate stream typology, pp. 59–74. In: Furse M.T., Hering D., Brabec K., Buffagni A., Sandin L. & Verdonschot P.F.M. (eds), The Ecological Status of European Rivers: Evaluation and Intercalibration of Assessment Methods Developments in Hydrobiology 188, 296 pp. DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4020-5493-8 5

    Google Scholar 

  • Voelker D.C. & Renn D.E. 2000. Benthic Invertebrates and Quality of Streambed Sediments in the White River and Selected Tributaries in and near Indianapolis, Indiana, 1994–96. Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4276, USGS Science for a Changing World, 55 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Washington H.G. 1984. Diversity, biotic ad similarity indices. Water Res. 18(6): 653–694. DOI: 10.1016/0043-1354(84)90164-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yokoyama H., Nishimura A. & Inoue M. 2007. Macrobenthos as biological indicators to assess the influence of aquacultures on Japanese coastal environments. In: Bert T.M. (ed.), Ecological and Genetic Implications of Aquaculture Activities. Methods and Technologies in Fish Biology and Fisheries 6: 407–423. DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4020-6148-6_22

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agriculture, Marine Science and Technology, Hormozgan University, Banda Abbas, Iran

    Milad Shokri

  2. Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy

    Bruno Rossaro

  3. Sari University of Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources, Sari, Iran

    Hosein Rahmani

Authors
  1. Milad Shokri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bruno Rossaro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hosein Rahmani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Milad Shokri.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Shokri, M., Rossaro, B. & Rahmani, H. Response of macroinvertebrate communities to anthropogenic pressures in Tajan River (Iran). Biologia 69, 1395–1409 (2014). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-014-0448-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-014-0448-7

Key words

Search

Navigation