Abstract
Water quality and self-purification capacity of the Disam River (Iran) was studied using macroinvertebrate-based indices and Qual2kw mathematical modeling tools. We evaluated the water quality and self-purification status of the Disam River through biotic indices of macroinvertebrates and mathematical modeling (Qual2kw). A total of 10,370 macroinvertebrate specimens were collected monthly using a Surber sampler (30 × 30 cm) at five sampling sites from 2019 through 2020. The Hilsenhoff Family Biotic Index (HFBI) and Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT) indexes categorized the sampling sites 2 and 3 in “Moderate “ and “Very poor “ water quality classes. The Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera (EPT) index categorized the river at “Good", and the Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP) at “acceptable “ classes of water quality. We used Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) to explain the relationships between biotic indices and physicochemical parameters. The EPT index showed a positive correlation (axis1 = 1/43, axis2 = 0.065) with most physicochemical factors of the Qual2kw. Analyses of the Qual2kw output and macroinvertebrate occurrence showed that the family Chironomidae was dominant (S2 = 37.66% and S3 = 47.33%) in all seasons except summer. Family Baetidae was dominant in S2 (79%) and S3 (78%) with a weak positive correlation with increasing stream temperature (r = 0.21) and slightly negative correlation with increasing stream velocity (r = -0.053). Analyses of BOD and DO fluctuations confirmed the ongoing flushing of pollutants along the Disam River. Our findings highlight the importance of simultaneous study of biotic indices and mathematical modeling in assessment of “ecological integrity” and flexibility of aquatic ecosystems subjected to anthropogenic impacts.
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Abbreviations
- APHA:
-
American Public Health Association
- ASPT:
-
Average Score per Taxon
- BMWP:
-
Biological Monitoring Working Party
- CCA:
-
Canonical correspondence analysis
- DO:
-
Dissolved oxygen
- EC:
-
Electrical Conductivity
- EPT:
-
Percent of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera
- OBS:
-
Observation
- SIM:
-
Simulation
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The authors are grateful for the support provided by the University of Guilan, Iran.
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Ehsan Asadi Sharif: Investigation, organization, writing-original draft, statistics analysis,
Javid Imanpoure Namin: Conceptualization, organization, resources, plan management, funding gaining, Supervision.
Masoud Taheriyoun: Supervision, review and editing, incarnation.
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Highlights
• Biotic indices and the Qual2kw model were used to assess impacts of pollution in the Disam River.
• Human perturbation led to the replacement of pollution resistant macroinvertebrates at the second and third station.
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Asadisharif, E., Namin, J.I. & Taheriyoun, M. Biomonitoring, simulation, and evaluation of anthropogenic pollution in Disam River, Iran: use of macroinvertebrate-based biotic indices and Qual2kw model. Biologia 79, 775–789 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-023-01560-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-023-01560-x