Abstract
The continuous increment in world population coupled with the greatest natural resource consumption and waste generation has an enormous impact on the environment. To date, using biological indicators (bioindicators) to evaluate the biological quality of natural environments is very common. Nonetheless, selecting those suitable for each ecosystem or contaminant is one of the most important issues for environmental sciences. Bacteria and helminths are mainly related to fecal contamination, while antibiotic-resistant bacteria, fungi, viruses, and microalgae are organisms used to determine deteriorated ecosystems by diverse contaminants. Nowadays, each bioindicator is used as a specific agent of different contaminant types, but detecting and quantifying these bioindicator microorganisms can be performed from simple microscopy and culture methods up to a complex procedure based on omic sciences. Developing new techniques based on the metabolism and physiological responses of traditional bioindicators is shown in a fast environmental sensitivity analysis. Therefore, the present review focuses on analyzing different bioindicators to facilitate developing suitable monitoring environmental systems according to different pollutant agents. The traditional and new methods proposed to detect and quantify different bioindicators are also discussed. Their vital role is considered in implementing efficient ecosystem bioprospection, restoration, and conservation strategies directed to natural resource management.
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Data availability
The datasets used or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
References
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Acknowledgements
Francisco J. Choix acknowledges CONAHCYT (Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencia y Tecnología, Mexico) for the support under the Program-Project 90 Cátedras CONAHCYT; Diana Fischer for English edition and Itzel Miyuki Choix-Valdez for graphic design.
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Choix, F.J., Palacios, O.A. & Nevarez-Moorillón, G.V. Traditional and new proposals for environmental microbial indicators—a review. Environ Monit Assess 195, 1521 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-12150-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-12150-4