Abstract
The increasing stress on lake ecosystems is affecting their functioning such as providing goods and services to inhabiting organisms and riparian communities. Monitoring of water quality is important for sustainable management and restoration of lake ecosystems. However, the costs associated with traditional approaches have become prohibitive, while not giving reliable early warning signals on resource conditions. Thus, the current shift in the use of bioindicators and multimetric indices (MMIs) in the monitoring of water quality is currently gaining global recognition with more emphasis on its application in lotic ecosystems. Therefore, this paper provides an elaborated insight into the application of macroinvertebrate-based MMIs in lentic ecosystems and the successes achieved so far. The various metrics and indices, the development strategies, application challenges, the use of macroinvertebrates as bioindicators, and the future projection of enhancing MMI usage in lentic environment monitoring, particularly in developing countries, are extensively covered. The use of MMI as a rapid lake biomonitoring tool needs to be adopted for sustainable applications in lake ecosystem management and as an integrated approach to monitoring human-induced stress especially in developing countries where there is a paucity of information.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
Not applicable
References
Alejandrino A, Puslednik L, Serb JM (2011) Convergent and parallel evolution in life habit of the scallops (Bivalvia: Pectinidae). BMC Evol Biol 11:164. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-11-164
Alemneh T, Ambelu A, Zaitchik BF et al (2019) A macroinvertebrate multi-metric index for Ethiopian highland streams. Hydrobiologia 843:125–141. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-019-04042-x
Álvarez-Blanco I, Blanco S, Cejudo-Figueiras C, Bécares E (2013) The Duero Diatom Index (DDI) for river water quality assessment in NW Spain: design and validation. Environ Monit Assess 185:969–981. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-012-2607-z
Anderson MJ, Santana-Garcon J (2015) Measures of precision for dissimilarity-based multivariate analysis of ecological communities. Ecol Lett 18:66–73. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12385
Appleton CC (2002) Mollusca. In: de Moor IJ, Day JA (eds) Guides to noda and moluthe freshwater invertebrates of Southern Africa. WRC Report No. TT 182/02. Water Research Commision, Gezina, South Africa, pp 42–125
Argillier C, Caussé S, Gevrey M et al (2013) Development of a fish-based index to assess the eutrophication status of European lakes. Hydrobiologia 704:193–211. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1282-y
Armitage PD, Moss D, Wright JF, Furse MT (1983) The performance of a new biological water quality score system based on macroinvertebrates over a wide range of unpolluted running-water sites. Water Res 17:333–347. https://doi.org/10.1016/0043-1354(83)90188-4
Arslan N, Salur A, Kalyoncu H et al (2016) The use of BMWP and ASPT indices for evaluation of water quality according to macroinvertebrates in Kucuk Menderes River (Turkey). Biologia (Bratisl) 71:49–57. https://doi.org/10.1515/biolog-2016-0005
Assefa WW, Beneberu G, Sitotaw B, Wondie A (2020) Biological monitoring of freshwater ecosystem health in Ethiopia: a review of current efforts, challenges, and future developments. Ethiop J Sci Technol 13:229–264. https://doi.org/10.4314/ejst.v13i3.5
Aura CM, Raburu PO, Herrmann J (2010) A preliminary macroinvertebrate index of biotic integrity for bioassessment of the Kipkaren and Sosiani Rivers, Nzoia River basin, Kenya. Lakes Reserv Res Manag 15:119–128. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1770.2010.00432.x
Baptista DF, Buss DF, Egler M et al (2007) A multimetric index based on benthic macroinvertebrates for evaluation of Atlantic Forest streams at Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Hydrobiologia 575:83–94. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0286-x
Baudisch SK, Brehm FDAB, Antonelli J et al (2022) Emergent contaminants in spring rivers and their relation to the benthic macroinvertebrates. Rev Bras Recur Hidricos 27:e18. https://doi.org/10.1590/2318-0331.272220210132
Beck MW, Hatch LK (2009) A review of research on the development of lake indices of biotic integrity. Environ Rev 17:21–44. https://doi.org/10.1139/A09-001
Bhatt JP, Pandit MK (2010) A macro-invertebrate based new biotic index to monitor river water quality. Current Science 99:196-203
Blocksom KA, Kurtenbach JP, Klemm DJ et al (2002) Development and evaluation of the lake macroinvertebrate integrity index (LMII) for New Jersey lakes and reservoirs. Environ Monit Assess 77:311–333. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016096925401
Boelee E, Rodrigues L, Senzanje A, et al (2010) Targeted water quality assessment in small reservoirs in Brazil, Zimbabwe, Morocco and Burkina Faso. Geophys Res Abstr 12:EGU2010–8162
Bogut I, Vidaković J, Palijan G, Čerba D (2007) Benthic macroinvertebrates associated with four species of macrophytes. Biologia (Bratisl) 62:600–606. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-007-0118-0
Bonada N, Prat N, Resh VH, Statzner B (2006) Developments in aquatic insect biomonitoring: a comparative analysis of recent approaches. Annu Rev Entomol 51:495–523. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.51.110104.151124
Brauns M, Garcia XF, Pusch MT, Walz N (2007) Eulittoral macroinvertebrate communities of lowland lakes: discrimination among trophic states. Freshw Biol 52:1022–1032. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2427.2007.01750.x
Brown ED, Williams BK (2016) Ecological integrity assessment as a metric of biodiversity: are we measuring what we say we are? Biodivers Conserv 25:1011–1035
Bukola D, Zaid A, Olalekan EI, Falilu A (2015) Consequences of anthropogenic activities on fish and the aquatic environment. Poultry, Fish Wildl Sci 03:1000138. https://doi.org/10.4172/2375-446x.1000138
Burton TM, Uzarski DG, Gathman JP et al (1999) Developement of preliminary invertebrate index of biotic integrigrity for Lake Huron coastal wetlands. Wetlands 19:869–882
Buss DF, Carlisle DM, Chon TS et al (2015) Stream biomonitoring using macroinvertebrates around the globe: a comparison of large-scale programs. Environ Monit Assess 187:4132. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-4132-8
Callisto M, Solar R, Silveira FAO et al (2019) A Humboldtian approach to mountain conservation and freshwater ecosystem services. Front Environ Sci 7:1–12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2019.00195
Cao Y, Hawkins CP, Olson J, Kosterman MA (2007) Modeling natural environmental gradients improves the accuracy and precision of diatom-based indicators. J North Am Benthol Soc 26:566–585. https://doi.org/10.1899/06-078.1
Chapman LJ, Schneider KR, Apodaca C, Chapman CA (2004) Respiratory ecology of macroinvertebrates in a swamp-river system of East Africa. Biotropica 36:572–585. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7429.2004.tb00351.x
Chen K, Hughes RM, Xu S et al (2014) Evaluating performance of macroinvertebrate-based adjusted and unadjusted multi-metric indices (MMI) using multi-season and multi-year samples. Ecol Indic 36:142–151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2013.07.006
Chessman BC, Trayler KM, Davis JA (2002) Family- and species-level biotic indices for macroinvertebrates of wetlands on the Swan Coastal Plain, Western Australia. Mar Freshw Res 53:919–930. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF00079
Chowdhury GW, Gallardo B, Aldridge DC (2016) Development and testing of a biotic index to assess the ecological quality of lakes in Bangladesh. Hydrobiologia 765:55–69. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-015-2399-6
Ciecierska H, Kolada A (2014) ESMI: a macrophyte index for assessing the ecological status of lakes. Environ Monit Assess 186:5501–5517. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-3799-1
Clarke RT, Wright JF, Furse MT (2003) RIVPACS models for predicting the expected macroinvertebrate fauna and assessing the ecological quality of rivers. Ecol Modell 160:219–233. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3800(02)00255-7
Czerniawska-Kusza I (2005) Comparing modified biological monitoring working party score system and several biological indices based on macroinvertebrates for water-quality assessment. Limnologica 35:169–176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.limno.2005.05.003
Dalu T, Cuthbert RN, Methi MJ et al (2022) Drivers of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in a Ramsar declared wetland system. Sci Total Environ 818:151683. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151683
de Pennart A, Matthews PGD (2020) The bimodal gas exchange strategies of dragonfly nymphs across development. J Insect Physiol 120:103982. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.103982
de Souza Rezende R, Monção FS, Junior JFG, dos Santos AM (2019) Macroinvertebrate associated with macrophyte beds in a Cerrado stream. Limnetica 38:639–652. https://doi.org/10.23818/limn.38.37
Demir AN, Fakioǧlu Ö, Dural B (2014) Phytoplankton functional groups provide a quality assessment method by the Q assemblage index in Lake Mogan (Turkey). Turk J Botany 38:169–179. https://doi.org/10.3906/bot-1301-60
Ding YF, Sun SJ, Feng J et al (2021) An assessment of lake ecology on the basis of the macrobenthos multi-metric index (MMI) in 11 lakes in the western region of Jilin, China. Water (Switzerland) 13:235. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13020235
Donohue I, Donohue LA, Ainín BN, Irvine K (2009) Assessment of eutrophication pressure on lakes using littoral invertebrates. Hydrobiologia 633:105–122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-009-9868-8
Edegbene AO, Elakhame LA, Arimoro FO et al (2019) Development of macroinvertebrate multimetric index for ecological evaluation of a river in North Central Nigeria. Environ Monit Assess 191:274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7438-8
Erasmus JH, Lorenz AW, Zimmermann S et al (2021) A diversity and functional approach to evaluate the macroinvertebrate responses to multiple stressors in a small subtropical austral river. Ecol Indic 131:108206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108206
Ertaş A, Yorulmaz B (2022) Comparative performance of the indices used for bioassessment of water quality of Sangı Stream (West Anatolia, Turkey). Russ J Ecol 53:318–327. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1067413622040026
Feng M, Zhang P, Cheng H et al (2022) Interactive effects of light and snail herbivory rather than nutrient loading determine early establishment of submerged macrophytes. Ecol Evol 12:e9070. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9070
Fore LS, Frydenborg R, Wellendorf N, et al (2007) Assessing the biological condition of Florida lakes: development of the Lake Vegetation Index ( LVI ). Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Tallahassee
Frydenborg R, Fore LS (2007) Evaluation of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages as indicators of lake condition. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida
Gabriels W, Lock K, De Pauw N, Goethals PLM (2010) Multimetric Macroinvertebrate Index Flanders (MMIF) for biological assessment of rivers and lakes in Flanders (Belgium). Limnologica 40:199–207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.limno.2009.10.001
Gamito S, Furtado R (2009) Feeding diversity in macroinvertebrate communities: a contribution to estimate the ecological status in shallow waters. Ecol Indic 9:1009–1019
Gerhardt A, Janssens De Bisthoven L, Soares AMVM (2004) Macroinvertebrate response to acid mine drainage: community metrics and on-line behavioural toxicity bioassay. Environ Pollut 130:263–274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2003.11.016
Glime JM (2017) Aquatic insects: Holometabola – Coleoptera, Suborder Adephaga. In: Glime JM (ed) Chapter 11-9: Bryophyte ecology: Bryological interaction. Michigan Technological University, Michigan, pp 1–15
Gnohossou PM (2006) La faune benthique d’une lagune Ouest Africaine (Le lac Nokoue au Bénin), diversité, abondance, variations temporelles et spatiales, place dans la chaine trophique. Dissertation, Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse
Haddeland I, Heinke J, Biemans H et al (2014) Global water resources affected by human interventions and climate change. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 111:3251–3256. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1222475110
Hallett LM, Jones SK, MacDonald AAM et al (2016) CODYN: an R package of community dynamics metrics. Methods Ecol Evol 7:1146–1151. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12569
Harrison S, Noss R (2017) Endemism hotspots are linked to stable climatic refugia. Ann Bot 119:207–214. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcw248
Haugerud NJ (2006) Macroinvertebrate index of biotic integrity for the Lake Agassiz plain ecoregion (48) of North Dakota. North Dakota Department of Health Division of Water Quality, Bismarck, North Dakota
Heatherly T (2003) Diversity and community structure of littoral zone macroinvertebrates in southern Illinois reclaimed surface mine lakes. Dissertation, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Helmer R, Hespanhol I (eds) (1997) Water pollution control - a guide to the use of water quality management principles. F & FN Spon, London, UK
Herbert DG, Smith GF, Hamer ML, Scholtz CH (2001) Taxonomy and systematics research in South Africa : vital research facing a crisis in capacity and resources. Unpublished Report to the National Reserach Foundation and the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, Pretoria, South Africa
Hering D, Feld CK, Moog O, Ofenbo T (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 566:311–324. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5493-8
Hilsenhoff WL (1977) Use of arthropods to evaluate water quality of streams. Technical Bulletin No. 100. Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin
Ho LT, Goethals PLM (2019) Opportunities and challenges for the sustainability of lakes and reservoirs in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Water 11:1462. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11071462
Huang GJ, Cai Y et al (2014) Development and application of benthic macroinvertebrate-based multimetric indices for the assessment of streams and rivers in the Taihu Basin, China. Ecol Indic 48:649–659
Iyagbaye LA, Iyagbaye RO, Omoigberale MO (2017) Assessment of benthic macro-invertebrates of freshwater ecosystem: a case study of Ovia River (Iguoriakhi), Edo State, Nigeria. Eur Sci Journal ESJ 13:405. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2017.v13n26p405
Johnson RK (2003) Development of a prediction system for lake stony-bottom littoral macroinvertebrate communities. Arch Fur Hydrobiol 158:517–540. https://doi.org/10.1127/0003-9136/2003/0158-0517
Jyväsjärvi J, Aroviita J, Hämäläinen H (2014) An extended Benthic Quality Index for assessment of lake profundal macroinvertebrates: addition of indicator taxa by multivariate ordination and weighted averaging. Freshw Sci 33:995–1007. https://doi.org/10.1086/676914
Kaboré I, Moog O, Alp M et al (2015) Using macroinvertebrates for ecosystem health assessment in semi-arid streams of Burkina Faso. Hydrobiologia 766:57–74. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-015-2443-6
Kaboré I, Ouéda A, Moog O et al (2022) A benthic invertebrates-based biotic index to assess the ecological status of West African Sahel Rivers, Burkina Faso. J Environ Manage 307:114503. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.114503
Karr JR, Chu EW (1999) Restoring life in running waters: better biological monitoring. Island Press, Washington
Karr JR, Dudley DR (1981) Ecological perspective on water quality goals. Environ Manage 5:55–68. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01866609
Kaufmann PR, Peck DV, Paulsen SG et al (2014) Lakeshore and littoral physical habitat structure in a national lakes assessment. Lake Reserv Manag 30:192–215. https://doi.org/10.1080/10402381.2014.906524
Kazanci N, Türkmen G, Basoren O (2015) Application of BMWP and using benthic macroinvertebrates to determine the water quality of a transboundary running water, Çoruh River ( Turkey ). Rev Hydrobiol 130:119–130
Kolwitz R, Marsson M (1909) Ecology of animal saprobia. In: Mackenthun KM (ed) Biology of water pollution. Federal water pollution control administration, US Department of the Interior, Washington DC, pp 85–95
Komarek A, Beutel R (2006) Problems in taxonomy and suggestions for a standardized description of new insect taxa. Entomol Probl 36:55
Koperski P (2011) Diversity of freshwater macrobenthos and its use in biological assessment: a critical review of current applications. Environ Rev 19:16–31. https://doi.org/10.1139/A10-023
Kornijów R, Strayer DL, Caraco NF (2010) Macroinvertebrate communities of hypoxic habitats created by an invasive plant (Trapa natans) in the freshwater tidal Hudson River. Fundam Appl Limnol 176:199–207. https://doi.org/10.1127/1863-9135/2010/0176-0199
Lakew A, Moog O (2015) A multimetric index based on benthic macroinvertebrates for assessing the ecological status of streams and rivers in central and southeast highlands of Ethiopia. Hydrobiologia 751:229–242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-015-2189-1
Laplace-Treyture C, Feret T (2016) Performance of the Phytoplankton Index for Lakes (IPLAC): a multimetric phytoplankton index to assess the ecological status of water bodies in France. Ecol Indic 69:686–698. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.05.025
Launois L, Veslot J, Irz P, Argillier C (2010) Selecting fish-based metrics responding to human pressures in French natural lakes and reservoirs: towards the development of a fish-based index (FBI) for French lakes. Ecol Freshw Fish 20:120–132. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0633.2010.00467.x
Lemm JU, Venohr M, Globevnik L et al (2021) Multiple stressors determine river ecological status at the European scale: towards an integrated understanding of river status deterioration. Glob Chang Biol 27:1962–1975. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15504
Lewis PA, Klemm DJ, Thoeny WT (2001) Perspectives on use of a multimetric lake bioassessment integrity index using benthic macroinvertebrates. Northeast Nat 8:233–246. https://doi.org/10.2307/3858374
Lobo EA, Heinrich CG, Schuch M et al (2016) Diatoms as bioindicators in rivers. In: Necchi O (ed) River Algae. Springer International Publishing Switzerland, pp 245–279
Lopez-Lopez E, Sedeno-Diaz JE (2015) Biological indicators of water quality: the role of fish and macroinvertebrates as indicators of water quality. In: Hanninen O, Armon RH (eds) Environmental indicators. Springer Science and Business Media, Dordrecht
Lücke JD, Johnson RK (2009) Detection of ecological change in stream macroinvertebrate assemblages using single metric, multimetric or multivariate approaches. Ecol Indic 9:659–669. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2008.08.005
Lv T, Guan X, Fan S et al (2022) Snail communities increase submerged macrophyte growth by grazing epiphytic algae and phytoplankton in a mesocosm experiment. Ecol Evol 12:e8615. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8615
Lynch AJ, Cooke SJ, Deines AM et al (2016) The social, economic, and environmental importance of inland fish and fisheries. Environ Rev 24:115–121. https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2015-0064
MacKellar L (2019) Summary for policymakers of the global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Popul Dev Rev 45:680–681. https://doi.org/10.1111/padr.12283
Magurran AE (2021) Measuring biological diversity. Curr Biol 31:R1174–R1177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.07.049
Martins I, Macedo DR, Hughes RM, Callisto M (2021) Major risks to aquatic biotic condition in a Neotropical Savanna River basin. River Res Appl 37:858–868. https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.3801
Mason WT, Lewis PA, Weber CI (1985) An evaluation of benthic macroinvertebrates biomass methodology. Environ Monit Assess 5:399–422
Mathuriau C, Silva NM, Lyons J, Rivera MLM (2011) Fish and macroinvertebrates as freshwater ecosystem bioindicators in Mexico: current state and perspectives. In: Spring ÚO (ed) Water resources in Mexico: Scarcity, degradation, stress, conflicts, management, and policy. Springer, Berlin, pp 251–261
Matomela NH, Chakona A, Kadye WT (2021) Comparative assessment of macroinvertebrate communities within three Afromontane headwater streams influenced by different land use patterns. Ecol Indic 129:107972. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107972
McFarland B, Carse F, Sandin L (2010) Littoral macroinvertebrates as indicators of lake acidification within the UK. Aquat Conserv Mar Freshw Ecosyst 20:105–116. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.1064
McGoff E, Aroviita J, Pilotto F et al (2013) Assessing the relationship between the Lake Habitat Survey and littoral macroinvertebrate communities in European lakes. Ecol Indic 25:205–214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2012.09.018
Meena RAA, Sathishkumar P, Ameen F et al (2018) Heavy metal pollution in immobile and mobile components of lentic ecosystems - a review. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25:4134–4148. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0966-2
Menetrey N, Oertli B, Lachavanne JB (2011) The CIEPT: a macroinvertebrate-based multimetric index for assessing the ecological quality of Swiss lowland ponds. Ecol Indic 11:590–600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2010.08.005
Merga LB, Mengistie AA, Alemu MT, Van den Brink PJ (2021) Biological and chemical monitoring of the ecological risks of pesticides in Lake Ziway, Ethiopia. Chemosphere 266:129214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129214
Metcalfe JL (1989) Biological water quality assessment of running waters based on macroinvertebrate communities: history and present status in Europe. Environ Pollut 60:101–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/0269-7491(89)90223-6
Miler O, Porst G, McGoff E et al (2013) Morphological alterations of lake shores in Europe: a multimetric ecological assessment approach using benthic macroinvertebrates. Ecol Indic 34:398–410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2013.06.002
Miler O, Aroviita J, Irvine K, et al (2012) A multimetric tool for the ecological assessment of hydromorphological lake shore degradation using benthic littoral invertebrates. WISER Final Proj Meet Final Conf 23–26 January 2012 Tallinn, Est 121–123
Miller SW, Wooster D, Li J (2007) Resistance and resilience of macroinvertebrates to irrigation water withdrawals. Freshw Biol 52:2494–2510. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2427.2007.01850.x
Mishra A (2010) Assessment of water quality using principal component analysis: a case study of the river Ganges. J Water Chem Technol 32:227–234. https://doi.org/10.3103/S1063455X10040077
Mjelde M, Hellsten S, Ecke F (2013) A water level drawdown index for aquatic macrophytes in Nordic lakes. Hydrobiologia 704:141–151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1323-6
Monaghan KA (2016) Four reasons to question the accuracy of a biotic index; the risk of metric bias and the scope to improve accuracy. PLoS One 11:e0158383. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0158383
Moncayo-Estrada R, Lyons J, Escalera-Gallardo C, Lind OT (2012) Long-term change in the biotic integrity of a shallow tropical lake: a decadal analysis of the Lake Chapala fish community. Lake Reserv Manag 28:92–104. https://doi.org/10.1080/07438141.2012.661029
Moog O, Schmutz S, Schwarzinger I (2018) Biomonitoring and bioassessment. In: Schmutz S, Sendzimir J (eds) Riverine ecosystem management: Science for governing towards a sustainable future. Springer Nature, Cham, pp 371–390
Moreno P, França JS, Ferreira WR et al (2009) Use of the BEAST model for biomonitoring water quality in a neotropical basin. Hydrobiologia 630:231–242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-009-9796-7
Nguyen HH, Everaert G, Gabriels W et al (2014) A multimetric macroinvertebrate index for assessing the water quality of the Cau river basin in Vietnam. Limnologica 45:16–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.limno.2013.10.001
Ntislidou C, Lazaridou M, Tsiaoussi V, Bobori DC (2018) A new multimetric macroinvertebrate index for the ecological assessment of Mediterranean lakes. Ecol Indic 93:1020–1033. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.05.071
Ntitslidou C, Rossaro B, Lazaridou M, Bobori DC (2021) What drives benthic macroinvertebrate dispersal in different lake substrata? The case of three Mediterranean lakes. Aquat Ecol 55:1033–1050. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-021-09880-3
O’Toole C, Donohue I, Moe SJ, Irvine K (2008) Nutrient optima and tolerances of benthic invertebrates, the effects of taxonomic resolution and testing of selected metrics in lakes using an extensive European data base. Aquat Ecol 42:277–291. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-008-9185-8
Ochieng H, Okot-Okumu J, Odong R (2019) Taxonomic challenges associated with identification guides of benthic macroinvertebrates for biomonitoring freshwater bodies in East Africa: a review. Afr J Aquat Sci 44:113–126. https://doi.org/10.2989/16085914.2019.1612319
Odabaşı DA, Odabaşı S, Ergül HA et al (2022) Development of a macroinvertebrate-based multimetric index for biological assessment of streams in the Sakarya River Basin, Turkey. Biologia (Bratisl) 77:1317–1326. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-022-01041-7
Odountan H, Abou Y (2015) Can macroinvertebrate assemblage changes be used as biological indicator of water quality of the Nokoue Lake (Benin)? J Environ Prot (Irvine, Calif) 06:1402–1416. https://doi.org/10.4236/jep.2015.612122
Odountan OH, de Bisthoven LJ, Abou Y, Eggermont H (2019) Biomonitoring of lakes using macroinvertebrates: recommended indices and metrics for use in West Africa and developing countries. Hydrobiologia 826:129214. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-018-3745-2
Odume ON, Muller WJ, Arimoro FO, Palmer CG (2012) The impact of water quality deterioration on macroinvertebrate communities in the Swartkops River, South Africa: a multimetric approach. African J Aquat Sci 37:191–200. https://doi.org/10.2989/16085914.2012.670613
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 516:251–268. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:HYDR.0000025269.74061.f9
Ogren SA, Huckins CJ (2014) Evaluation of suitability and comparability of stream assessment indices using macroinvertebrate data sets from the Northern Lakes and Forests Ecoregion. Ecol Indic 40:117–126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2014.01.018
Ortega GM, Gallardo CE, López-López E et al (2021) Water quality analysis in a subtropical river with an adapted Biomonitoring Working Party (BMWP) Index. Diversity 13:606. https://doi.org/10.3390/d13110606
Parikh G, Rawtani D, Khatri N (2021) Insects as an indicator for environmental pollution. Environ Claims J 33:161–181. https://doi.org/10.1080/10406026.2020.1780698
Parmar TK, Rawtani D, Agrawal YK (2016) Bioindicators: the natural indicator of environmental pollution. Front Life Sci 9:110–118. https://doi.org/10.1080/21553769.2016.1162753
Petriki O, Lazaridou M, Bobori DC (2017) A fish-based index for the assessment of the ecological quality of temperate lakes. Ecol Indic 78:556–565. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.03.029
Phillips G, Lyche-Solheim A, Skjelbred B et al (2013) A phytoplankton trophic index to assess the status of lakes for the Water Framework Directive. Hydrobiologia 704:75–95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1390-8
Pielou EC (1969) An introduction to mathematical ecology. Wiley, New York
Pinto R, Patrício J, Baeta A et al (2009) Review and evaluation of estuarine biotic indices to assess benthic condition. Ecol Indic 9:1–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2008.01.005
Poikane S, Johnson RK, Sandin L et al (2016) Benthic macroinvertebrates in lake ecological assessment: a review of methods, intercalibration and practical recommendations. Sci Total Environ 543:123–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.11.021
Pyron M, Lauer TE, LeBlanc D et al (2008) Temporal and spatial variation in an index of biological integrity for the middle Wabash River, Indiana. Hydrobiologia 600:205–214
Qu XD, Bae MJ, Chon TS, Park YS (2013) Evaluation of subsampling efforts in estimating community indices and community structures. Ecol Inform 17:3–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2013.06.005
Rajala S (2022) Seasonal variation of macrophyte chlorophyll content in lakes with variable water quality. Dissertation, University of Helsink
Ramachandra T V, Solanki M (2007) Ecological assessment of lentic water bodies of Bangalore. ENVIS Technical Report: 25. The Ministry of Science and Technology Government of India, Bangalore, India
Ramin K, Hassan V, Ghazal T, Ali J (2021) Bio ecology of aquatic and semi-aquatic insects of Order Hemiptera in the world. Int J Zool Anim Biol 4:157–178. https://doi.org/10.23880/izab-16000338
Rana A, Chhetri J (2015) Assessment of river water quality using macro-invertebrates as indicators: a case study of Bhalu Khola Tributary, Budhigandaki River, Gorkha, Nepal. Int J Environ 4:55–68. https://doi.org/10.3126/ije.v4i3.13230
Reavie ED, Kireta AR, Kingston JC et al (2008) Comparison of simple and multimetric diatom-based indices for Great Lakes coastline disturbance. J Phycol 44:787–802. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-8817.2008.00523.x
Revenga C, Campbell I, Abell R et al (2005) Prospects for monitoring freshwater ecosystems towards the 2010 targets. Philos Trans R Soc B Biol Sci 360:397–413. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2004.1595
Riato L, Hill RA, Herlihy AT et al (2022) Genus-level, trait-based multimetric diatom indices for assessing the ecological condition of rivers and streams across the conterminous United States. Ecol Indic 141:109131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109131
Rodriguez C, Campoy-Diaz AD, Giraud-Billoud M (2023) Short-term estivation and hibernation induce changes in the blood and circulating hemocytes of the apple snail Pomacea canaliculata. Metabolites 13:289. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo13020289
Rolauffs P, Stubauer I, Zahrádková S et al (2004) Integration of the saprobic system into the European Union Water Framework Directive: case studies in Austria, Germany and Czech Republic. Hydrobiologia 516:285–298. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:HYDR.0000025271.90133.4d
Ruaro R, Gubiani ÉA (2013) A scientometric assessment of 30 years of the Index of Biotic Integrity in aquatic ecosystems: applications and main flaws. Ecol Indic 29:105–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2012.12.016
Ruaro R, Gubiani ÉA, Hughes RM, Mormul RP (2020) Global trends and challenges in multimetric indices of biological condition. Ecol Indic 110:105862
Ruse L (2010) Classification of nutrient impact on lakes using the chironomid pupal exuvial technique. Ecol Indic 10:594–601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2009.10.002
Sartori L, Canobbio S, Cabrini R et al (2015) Macroinvertebrate assemblages and biodiversity levels: ecological role of constructed wetlands and artificial ponds in a natural park. J Limnol 74:335–345. https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2014.1018
Schad AN, Kennedy JH, Dick GO, Dodd L (2020) Aquatic macroinvertebrate richness and diversity associated with native submerged aquatic vegetation plantings increases in longer-managed and wetland-channeled effluent constructed urban wetlands. Wetl Ecol Manag 28:461–477. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-020-09724-1
Schartau AK, Moe SJ, Sandin L et al (2008) Macroinvertebrate indicators of lake acidification: analysis of monitoring data from UK, Norway and Sweden. Aquat Ecol 42:293–305. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-008-9186-7
Schoolmaster DR, Grace JB, Schweiger EW (2012) A general theory of multimetric indices and their properties. Methods Ecol Evol 3:773–781. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2041-210X.2012.00200.x
Schoolmaster DR, Grace JB, Schweiger EW et al (2013) An algorithmic and information-theoretic approach to multimetric index construction. Ecol Indic 26:14–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2012.10.016
Seymenov K (2022) An example of the adverse impacts of various anthropogenic activities on aquatic bodies: water quality assessment of the Provadiyska River (Northeastern Bulgaria ). Geogr Pannonica 26:142–151. https://doi.org/10.5937/gp26-38196
Shah RDT, Shah DN, Nesemann H (2011) Development of a macroinvertebrate-based Nepal Lake Biotic Index (NLBI): an applied method for assessing the ecological quality of lakes and reservoirs in Nepal. Int J Hydrol Sci Technol 1:125–146. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJHST.2011.040744
Sidabutar NV, Namara I, Hartono DM, Soesilo TEB (2017) The effect of anthropogenic activities to the decrease of water quality. IOP Conf Ser Earth Environ Sci 67:012034. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/67/1/012034
Šidagyte E, Višinskiene G, Arbačiauskas K (2013) Macroinvertebrate metrics and their integration for assessing the ecological status and biocontamination of Lithuanian lakes. Limnologica 43:308–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.limno.2013.01.003
Simaika JP, Samways MJ (2011) Comparative assessment of indices of freshwater habitat conditions using different invertebrate taxon sets. Ecol Indic 11:370–378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2010.06.005
Sládeček (1973) System of water quality from the biological point of view. Achieves Für Hydrobiol - Beih Ergebnisse Der Limnol 7:1–218
Solimini AG, Bazzanti M, Ruggiero A, Carchini G (2008) Developing a multimetric index of ecological integrity based on macroinvertebrates of mountain ponds in central Italy. Hydrobiologia 597:109–123. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-007-9226-7
Stevenson RJ, Zalack JT, Wolin J (2013) A multimetric index of lake diatom condition based on surface-sediment assemblages. Freshw Sci 32:1005–1025. https://doi.org/10.1899/12-183.1
Stoddard JL, Herlihy AT, Peck DV et al (2008) A process for creating multimetric indices for large-scale aquatic surveys. J North Am Benthol Soc 27:878–891. https://doi.org/10.1899/08-053.1
Suryani SAMP (2018) Pollution with saprobic index and nutrition value coefficient of fish. Int J Life Sci 2:30–41. https://doi.org/10.29332/ijls.v2n2.134
Szczerbiñska N, Galczynska M (2015) Biological methods used to assess surface water qu.pdf. Arch Polish Fish 23:185–196
Tallar RY, Suen JP (2016) Aquaculture Water Quality Index: a low-cost index to accelerate aquaculture development in Indonesia. Aquac Int 24:295–312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-015-9926-3
Tampo L, Kaboré I, Alhassan EH et al (2021) Benthic macroinvertebrates as ecological indicators: their sensitivity to the water quality and human disturbances in a tropical river. Front Water 3:662765. https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2021.662765
Taowu M, Qinghui H, Hai W et al (2008) Selection of benthic macroinvertebrate-based multimetrics and preliminary establishment of biocriteria for the bioassessment of the water quality of Taihu Lake, China. Acta Ecol Sin 28:1192–1200. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1872-2032(08)60038-4
Timm H, Möls T (2012) Littoral macroinvertebrates in Estonian lowland lakes: the effects of habitat, season, eutrophication and land use on some metrics of biological quality. Fundam Appl Limnol 180:145–156. https://doi.org/10.1127/1863-9135/2012/0203
Trigal C, García-Criado F, Fernández-Aláez C (2006) Among-habitat and temporal variability of selected macroinvertebrate based metrics in a Mediterranean shallow lake (NW Spain). Hydrobiologia 563:371–384. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0031-5
Tugiyono, Master J (2019) Fish condition factor as bioindicator of water quality on mangrove ecosystems at Labuhan Maringgai, Indonesia. In: Integrated Sci-Tech: The interdisciplinary research approach. University of Lampung, Indonesia, pp 612–630
Uherek CB, Gouveia FBP (2014) Biological monitoring using macroinvertebrates as bioindicators of water quality of maroaga stream in the maroaga cave system, presidente figueiredo, amazon, Brazil. Int J Ecol 2014:308149. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/308149
UNEP-WCMC (2016) The state of biodiversity in Africa: a mid-term review of progress towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Cambridge, UK
USEPA (2010) National Lakes Assessment: Technical Appendix. EPA 841-R009–001a, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water/Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C
Utami S, Fajar E (2022) Exploration of aquatic macroinvertebrates as a bioindicator of water quality in Nogosari River, Pacitan Regency. In: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Education and Technology (ICETECH 2021). Atlantis Press SARL, pp 91–98
Uyizeye E (2020) Developing an odonate-based index for monitoring freshwater ecosystems in Rwanda: towards linking policy to practice through integrated and adaptive managemen. Dissertation, Antioch University
Uzarski DG, Burton TM, Cooper MJ et al (2005) Fish habitat use within and across wetland classes in coastal wetlands of the Five Great Lakes: development of a fish-based index of biotic integrity. J Great Lakes Res 31:171–187. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0380-1330(05)70297-5
Vadas RL, Hughes RM, Bae YJ et al (2022) Assemblage-based biomonitoring of freshwater ecosystem health via multimetric indices: a critical review and suggestions for improving their applicability. Water Biol Secur 1:100054
Verma PU, Purohit AR, Patel NJ (2012) Pollution status of Chandlodia Lake located in Ahmedabad- Gujarat. Int J Eng Res Appl 2:1600–1606
Verneaux V, Verneaux J, Schmitt A et al (2004) The Lake Biotic Index (LBI): an applied method for assessing the biological quality of lakes using macrobenthos; the Lake Châlain (French Jura) as an example. Ann Limnol 40:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1051/limn/2004003
Vilmi A, Karjalainen SM, Landeiro VL, Heino J (2015) Freshwater diatoms as environmental indicators: evaluating the effects of eutrophication using species morphology and biological indices. Environ Monit Assess 187:243. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4485-7
Vimawala BV (2022) Urban morphology in relation to the waterfront and its integration with cities: understanding the Indian Notion. In: Rahman M (ed) Handbook of waterfront cities and urbanism, 1st edn. Routledge, New York, pp 42–57
Walley WJ, Hawkes HA (1997) A computer-based development of the biological monitoring working party score system incorporating abundance rating, site type and indicator value. Water Res 31:201–210. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1354(96)00249-7
Wang H-J, Pan B-Z, Liang X-M, Wang H-Z (2006) Gastropods on submersed macrophytes in Yangtze lakes: community characteristics and empirical modelling. Int Rev Hydrobiol 91:521–538. https://doi.org/10.1002/iroh.200510846
Wang J, Fu Z, Qiao H, Liu F (2019) Assessment of eutrophication and water quality in the estuarine area of Lake Wuli, Lake Taihu, China. Sci Total Environ 650:1392–1402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.09.137
Wesolek BE, Genrich EK, Gunn JM, Somers KM (2010) Use of littoral benthic invertebrates to assess factors affecting biological recovery of acid- and metal-damaged lakes. J North Am Benthol Soc 29:572–585. https://doi.org/10.1899/09-123.1
White J, Irvine K (2003) The use of littoral mesohabitats and their macroinvertebrate assemblages in the ecological assessment of lakes. Aquat Conserv Mar Freshw Ecosyst 13:331–351. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.586
Wondmagegn T, Mengistou S, Barker PA (2019) Testing of the applicability of European diatom indices in the tropical rift valley lake, Lake Hawassa, in Ethiopia. African J Aquat Sci 44:209–217. https://doi.org/10.2989/16085914.2019.1645640
Yadamsuren O, Morse JC, Hayford B et al (2020) Macroinvertebrate community responses to land use: a trait-based approach for freshwater biomonitoring in Mongolia. Hydrobiologia 847:1887–1902. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-020-04220-2
Young SS, Yang HN, Huang DJ et al (2014) Using benthic macroinvertebrate and fish communities as bioindicators of the Tanshui river basin around the greater Taipei area - Multivariate analysis of spatial variation related to levels of water pollution. Int J Environ Res Public Health 11:7116–7143. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph110707116
Yu P, You Q, Pang W et al (2021) Development of a periphytic diatom-based comprehensive diatom index for assessing the trophic status of lakes in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. Water (Switzerland) 13:3570. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13243570
Zhang Y, Cheng L, Kong M et al (2019) Utility of a macroinvertebrate-based multimetric index in subtropical shallow lakes. Ecol Indic 106:105527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.105527
Zhang B, Hughes RM, Davis WS, Cao C (2021) Big data challenges in overcoming China’s water and air pollution: relevant data and indicators. SN Appl Sci 3:469. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-021-04448-0
Zieritz A, Hoffman JI, Amos W, Aldridge DC (2010) Phenotypic plasticity and genetic isolation-by-distance in the freshwater mussel Unio pictorum (Mollusca: Unionoida). Evol Ecol 24:923–938. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-009-9350-0
Funding
This paper emanates from the African Water Resources Mobility Network (AWaRMN) Grant No. 2019–973/004–001, which has received funding from the Intra-African Academic Mobility Scheme of the European Union.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Conceptualization: G. N. and F. O. A.; literature searches: G. N. and D. N.; writing—original draft preparation: G. N.; writing—review and editing: G. N., D. N., and F. O. A.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval
Not applicable
Consent to participate
Not applicable
Consent for publication
Not applicable
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Responsible Editor: Thomas Hein
Publisher's note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Ndatimana, G., Nantege, D. & Arimoro, F.O. A review of the application of the macroinvertebrate-based multimetric indices (MMIs) for water quality monitoring in lakes. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 73098–73115 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-27559-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-27559-0