Community structure of Chironomid larvae and their indicative significance for water quality in streams of Xianju National Park, China

Abstract

In August 2016, 59 sites of 13 streams in Xianju National Park were surveyed to explore the community structure of Chironomid larvae and their indicative significance for water quality. Water quality of the streams was evaluated based on Hilsenhoff biological index. The results showed that there were 37 clean sites, 19 mild polluted sites and three moderated polluted sites in Xianju National Park. We identified a total of 86 species of Chironomid larvae, belonging to 51 genera and four subfamilies, including 37 species in 19 genera of Chironominae; 35 species in 21 genera of Orthcladiinae; 12 species in 9 genera of Tanypodinae, two species in two genera of Diamesinae. Chironominae accounted for 40.3% of Chironomid larval density. Tanypodinae and Orthcladiinae were almost similar in Chironomid larval density, respectively accounted for 30% and 29.4% of the total. Diamesinae accounted for 0.3% of total Chironomid larval density. Conchapelopia sp. was the overwhelming dominant species and Polypedilum flavum, Rheocricotopus sp., Cricotupus vierriensis, Rheotanytarsus muscicola and Corynoneura carriana were the dominant species of Chironomid larvae. The result of indicator species analysis showed that Cricotupus vierriensis, Nanocladius dichromus, Tanytarsus formosanus, Tanytarsus mendex were indicator species of moderated pollution water, and that Rheocricotopus sp. was the indicator species of clean state water.