Bioassessment in the aquatic ecosystems of highly urbanized agglomeration in India: An application of physicochemical and macroinvertebrate-based indices

Abstract

Abstract Benthic macroinvertebrates (B-macros) from fourteen sampling sites from lentic (lake), intermediate (canal) and lotic (river) ecosystems of Jamshedpur Steel City (JSC) were analyzed, to monitor the changes in their distribution in relation to water quality. JSC is one of the largest Urban Agglomeration in India, which houses more than 1200 industries. The effect of pollution on B-macros communities was analyzed by comparing the physicochemical characteristics (pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), alkalinity (ALK), dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand ( BOD 5 20 ), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and chloride (Cl-)) with that of diversity (Shannon Index and Simpson’s diversity index) and biotic indices (Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP), Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT), and Family Biotic Index (FBI)). Correlation analysis between the abundance of B-macros and that of physicochemical parameters indicated that EC and ALK are the driving factors for the abundance of B-macros. Scatter plots between physicochemical parameters and indices exhibited that ASPT was the most reliable method for bioassessment. This study would be useful for developing countries like India, where water management practices are almost negligible. Also, the use of B-macros in bioassessment will not only enable the policymakers and regulating agencies to understand the pollution level of any aquatic ecosystem, but also help them to add knowledge regarding the variety of aquatic fauna found in the ecosystems affected with several industrial and domestic pollutants. Moreover, this study will provide a reference to researchers for further identification of B-macros up to genus or species level.