Abstract
The area of the city of Meknes (Morocco) undergoes anthropic pressure, which acts mainly on the rivers. River water is used, without preliminary treatment, for farm irrigation. A study of the impacts of anthropogenic activities on the distribution and biodiversity of benthic macroinvertebrates and water quality of the Boufekrane River (Meknes) was conducted. Four pristine stations from the upstream and two stations at the downstream receiving anthropogenic impacts were selected along the River. For 12 consecutive months (from January to December 2010), based on the SEQ-V.2 scoring system, water quality index classes, the upstream stations recorded significantly higher biological monitoring scores and better water quality indices than those of the downstream. Four variables are involved actively in the individualization of the physico-chemical environment: COD, dissolved oxygen, TSS and temperature. The total number of macrobenthic taxa and their overall richness indices and diversity indices were significantly higher at the upstream stations than at the downstream stations. The relationships between the physicochemical and the macrobenthic data were investigated by biotypology analysis (PCA and FCA) and Pearson correlation analysis. The analyses showed that the richness and diversity indices were generally influenced by the total suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand and the electric conductivity of the river water. This study also highlighted the impacts of anthropogenic activities on the distribution and species diversity of macrobenthic invertebrate. Some sensitive (Trichoptera and Ephemeroptera) and resistant species (Oligochaeta such as Tubifex sp.) are identified as potential bioindicators of clean and polluted river ecosystems, respectively, in Morocco rivers. The data obtained in this study supported the use of the bioindicator concept (Innovative Biotechniques for controlling water quality) for North Africa rivers because it is more efficient than conventional methods.
Highlights
The quantity and quality of water resources are the major issues threatening the economic and social development of Africa mainly for countries located at arid and semi-arid region [1]
The analyses showed that the richness and diversity indices were generally influenced by the total suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand and the electric conductivity of the river water
The dissolved oxygen (DO) level is 70% (6.96 mg/l) saturation which is higher than the minimum (30%, 2.43 mg/l DO at 25.1 ̊C) required for protection of aquatic life [47] [48], total suspended solids (TSS), H2PO4−, NO3−, SO24−, Cl−, biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and conductivity values are low as compared to those in all the downstream sites
Summary
The quantity and quality of water resources are the major issues threatening the economic and social development of Africa mainly for countries located at arid and semi-arid region [1]. Water pollution is one of our most serious environmental problems. Pollutants that reach the aquatic environment are still a major environmental issue. Studies of river macrobenthic invertebrates as biological monitoring techniques have been widely reported and described in the literature [4]-[12]. Freshwater macroinvertebrate species vary in sensitivity to organic pollution and, their relative abundances have been used to make inferences about pollution loads. High diversity and richness of species is expected [13]. High impact due to human activities caused many changes to the assemblages and biodiversity of the river fauna [14]-[19]
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