Index Of Biotic Integrity Research Articles

A new fish-based index of biotic integrity for lowland rivers in Flanders (Belgium)—Corrigendum

This Corrigendum corrects an error in Table 2 that was published in Breine et al. (2021) on the pages 114–115: the line concerning the weatherfish Misgurnus fossilis (Linnaeus, 1758) on the page break was erroneously removed during publication and is added here.

Predicting bend-induced heterogeneity in sediment microbial communities by integrating bacteria-based index of biotic integrity and supervised learning algorithms

Prioritizing the relationship between heterogeneity of sediment habitats and river bends is critical when planning and reconstructing urban rivers. However, the exact relationship between ecological heterogeneity and river bends remains ambiguous. Therefore, this research proposed a new approach to quantify and predict bend-induced ecological heterogeneity, incorporating the bacteria-based index of biotic integrity (Ba-IBI), path model, and random forest regression model. The developed Ba-IBI quantified heterogeneity in sediment microbial communities, ranging from low (1.40) to high (3.97). A path model was developed and validated in order to further investigate the relative contributions of environmental factors to the Ba-IBI. The established path model, which was considered acceptable with a CMIN/df = 1.949 < 4, suggested that primary environmental factors affecting the sediment bacterial communities were flow velocity and ammonium concentration in sediment. To further characterize the relationship between environmental factors and the Ba-IBI, a function was constructed using the random forest regression model that predicts the responses of sediment bacterial communities to environmental factors with R2 = 0.6126. The proposed approach and prediction tools will provide knowledge to improve natural channel design and post-project evaluations in river restoration projects.

A new fish-based index of biotic integrity for lowland rivers in Flanders (Belgium)

The first fish-based index to assess the ecological quality of lowland rivers in Flanders (Belgium) is based on data obtained from different fishing techniques without considering the gear specificity. As a consequence, this index could not be intercalibrated with other European indices which concentrate on one gear type only. In order to comply with the European Water Framework Directive, we developed a new fish-based index using data obtained from surveys in rivers with electric gear only. All 293 selected rivers belonged to the bream or barbel zone. An updated reference list of fish species was compiled based on previous work and recent data. Abiotic data were collected according to standard methods and habitat quality of all surveyed sites was pre-classified using pressure indicators. To develop the new index candidate metrics were selected from the literature and metric values were calculated. Linear mixed regression models selected metrics based on their response to the pre-classified habitat status. Correlation tests were performed to avoid redundancy among responsive metrics. Boundaries for metric scores were defined based on the calculated metric values. The new index of biotic integrity (IBI) was calculated by summation of the metric scores, and transformed to an ecological quality ratio (EQR), ranging between 0 and 1. Five integrity classes, ranging from bad to maximal ecological potential, were attributed and compared to the pre-classified habitat status of the site. In addition, the new index was also validated with an independent set of data. The new IBI proved to successfully assess the ecological status of the rivers.

Condition of macroinvertebrate communities in the Buffalo River Area of Concern following sediment remediation

The lower 10 km of the Buffalo River, a tributary to Lake Erie, was designated as an Area of Concern (AOC) in 1987 through the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement because sediment contamination and habitat alteration from past industrialization caused several Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs). Extensive remediation efforts conducted between 2011 and 2015 removed approximately 688,100 cubic meters of contaminated sediment from the Buffalo River AOC, and subsequent chemical analysis of sediments indicated that most remedial goals had been achieved. Benthic macroinvertebrate communities and sediment toxicity were evaluated in the AOC and an upstream reference area in 2017 and 2020 to determine whether remediation has improved benthic conditions sufficiently that the benthos BUI designation can be removed. Community condition was characterized using the New York State multi-metric index of biological integrity and bed sediments were used for 10-day toxicity tests with Chironomus dilutus and Hyalella azteca. Macroinvertebrate communities were classified as moderately to slightly impacted at most AOC sites compared to slightly impacted at most reference sites, but toxicity tests did not identify any evidence of toxicity in sediments from the AOC. A linear mixed effects model indicated that total organic carbon concentration in sediments, distance upstream from the river mouth, and the relative dominance of zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha were the primary predictors of macroinvertebrate community condition. These findings are consistent with those from other AOCs in New York which indicate that contemporary benthic communities are generally shaped by legacy habitat alterations rather than AOC-specific sediment contamination and toxicity.

Using multiple taxa and wetland classification schemes for enhanced detection of biological response signatures to human impairment

Wetland indices of biological integrity (IBIs) are a common component in monitoring the wetland water resources as required by the United States’ Clean Water Act (CWA). The effectiveness of an IBI to monitor disturbance is dependent on the metrics being consistently responsive to measures of human disturbance within a described classification category. We present IBIs designed for two types of commonly used wetland classification systems – the hydrogeomorphic (HGM) and the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI). The metrics making up the IBIs were derived from anuran, avian, macroinvertebrate, and vegetation communities; each representing increasing levels of resources associated with gathering the necessary data. Knowing which communities’ data best corresponds to impairment can maximize limited wetland monitoring resources, especially if the response differs based on the wetland vegetation type NWI or HGM position on the landscape. By combining these two classification schemes together, to better define a wetland’s form and context on the landscape, more of the variability in community metrics are explained by human impairment. Moreover, when multiple taxa are used within a single wetland classification scheme, the response of the multi-taxa community IBI to the human disturbance gradient is often more sensitive than one-taxa group alone. This approach, a combination of taxa, in hybrid 2-system classification schemes, creates additional utility in measuring the effectiveness of wetland assessments and, or restoration success.

Eutrophication dangers the ecological status of coastal wetlands: A quantitative assessment by composite microbial index of biotic integrity

The intertidal wetland ecosystem is vulnerable to environmental and anthropogenic stressors. Understanding how the ecological statuses of intertidal wetlands respond to influencing factors is crucial for the management and protection of intertidal wetland ecosystems. In this study, the community characteristics of bacteria, archaea and microeukaryote from Jiangsu coast areas (JCA), the longest muddy intertidal wetlands in the world, were detected to develop a composite microbial index of biotic integrity (CM-IBI) and to explore the influence mechanisms of stresses on the intertidal wetland ecological status. A total of 12 bacterial, archaea and microeukaryotic metrics were determined by range, responsiveness and redundancy tests for the development of ba-IBI, ar-IBI and eu-IBI. The CM-IBI was further developed via three sub-IBIs with weight coefficients 0.40, 0.33 and 0.27, respectively. The CM-IBI (R2 = 0.58) exhibited the highest goodness of fit with the CEI, followed by ba-IBI (R2 = 0.36), ar-IBI (R2 = 0.25) and eu-IBI (R2 = 0.21). Redundancy and random forest analyses revealed inorganic nitrogen (inorgN), total phosphorus (TP) and total organic carbon (TOC) to be key environmental variables influencing community compositions. A conditional reasoning tree model indicated the close associating between the ecological status and eutrophication conditions. The majority of sites with water inorgN<0.67 mg/L exhibited good statuses, while the poor ecological status was observed for inorgN>0.67 mg/L and TP > 0.11 mg/L. Microbial networks demonstrated the interactions of microbial taxonomic units among three kingdoms decreases with the ecological degradation, suggesting a reduced reliability and stability of microbial communities. Multi-level path analysis revealed fishery aquaculture and industrial development as the dominant anthropogenic activities effecting the eutrophication and ecological degradation of the JCA tidal wetlands. This study developed an efficient ecological assessment method of tidal wetlands based on microbial communities, and determined the influence of human activities and eutrophication on ecological status, providing guidance for management standards and coastal development.

Development of a Fish-Based Multimetric Index for the Assessment of Lagoons’ Ecological Quality in Northern Greece

Maintaining and improving the aquatic ecosystems in the community is the aim of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) 2000/60/EC. The WFD requires the water quality to be classified into five categories. Lagoons are dynamic ecosystems. The fish communities inhabiting them are highly affected by the environmental conditions prevailing both in the freshwater systems and in the marine environment. The current paper presented the first effort to develop a fish-based index (Lagoon Fish-based Index—LFI) for the assessment of the Mediterranean shallow lagoons, as almost all indices produced to date refer to freshwater or estuarine systems. For the development and calibration of the index, data were collected from nine lagoons situated in three estuarine systems in the East Macedonia and Thrace regions. The development of the LFI was based on the principles of the Indices of Biological Integrity (IBIs) that were primary used for the assessment of aquatic ecosystems in the USA. A total number of 25 metrics were selected as potential metrics for the LFI. These metrics describe attributes such as the abundance and composition of the fish fauna, the feeding strategies of the species, and the presence of sentinel species. Finally, eight metrics were included in the LFI.

Development of Ecosystem Health Assessment (EHA) and Application Method: A Review

Human industrialization has caused damage to ecosystems. In this context, researchers have developed several methods to assess the health of various types of ecosystems. In this paper, we evaluated the developmental history and status of ecosystem health (EH) and summarized the concept of EH. We also reviewed ecosystem health assessment (EHA) methods and analyzed the application of EHA methods. EHA methods are generally classified into biological indicator and index system method. The former method is mainly based on the number of dominant species, such as diatom, plankton, and macroinvertebrate. Results indicate that trophic diatom index (TDI), plankton index of biotic integrity (P-IBI), and Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) are the most commonly used indices. The latter method combines multiple ecosystem metrics and reflects ecosystem processes. The pressure–state–response (PSR) model most commonly uses the index system method. For the application of EHA methods, biological indicator methods are mostly applied in rivers/streams ecosystem, while the index system is primarily involved in urban ecosystems. Therefore, the information presented in this review may be helpful for the modification of EHA methods.

Determination of the direct and indirect effects of bend on the urban river ecological heterogeneity

The ecological heterogeneity created by river bends benefits the diversity of microorganisms, which is vital for the pollutant degradation and overall river health. However, quantitative tools capable of determining the interactions among different trophic levels and species are lacking, and research regarding ecological heterogeneity has been limited to a few species. By integrating the multi-species-based index of biotic integrity (Mt-IBI) and the structure equation model (SEM), an interactions-based prediction modeling framework was established. Based on DNA metabarcoding, a multi-species (i.e., bacteria, protozoans, and metazoans) based index of biotic integrity including 309 candidate metrics was developed. After a three-step screening process, eight core metrics were obtained to assess the ecological heterogeneity, quantitatively. The Mt-IBI value, which ranged from 2.08 to 7.17, was calculated as the sum of each single core metric value. The Mt-IBI revealed that the ecological heterogeneity of concave banks was higher than other sites. According to the result of the SEM, D90 was the controlling factor (r = −0.779) of the ecological heterogeneity under the influence of the river bends. The bend-induced redistribution of sediment particle further influenced the concentrations of carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur. The nitrogen group (r = 0.668) also played an essential role in determining the ecological heterogeneity, follow by carbon group (r = 0.455). Furthermore, the alteration of niches would make a difference on the ecological heterogeneity. This multi-species interactions-based prediction modeling framework proposed a novel method to quantify ecological heterogeneity and provided insight into the enhancement of ecological heterogeneity in river bends.

Assessing the effects of cascade dams on river ecological status using multi-species interaction-based index of biotic integrity (Mt-IBI)

Cascade dams have exerted significant effects on river ecosystems. To quantitatively assess dam-induced effects on river ecological status, a novel multi-species interaction-based index of biotic integrity (Mt-IBI) was developed. Benthic microbiota was selected as a bio-indicator for its sensitivity to the environmental disturbance. An environmental DNA metabarcoding tool was used to identify microbiota (bacteria, protozoan, and metazoan). The Mt-IBI was applied to assess the ecological status of the Hanjiang River, a representative dam-affected river in China. Fifteen sampling sites along the Hanjiang River were sampled in June 2018. Seven core metrics were screened from a total of 364 candidate metrics to calculate the value of the Mt-IBI. The Mt-IBI of the Hanjiang River ranged from 1.90 to 6.39, with a mean value of 4.02. The mean values of Mt-IBI at the reservoir and riverine side of dams were 2.11 and 3.81, respectively. The downstream reach without dam constructions had the highest mean Mt-IBI (5.79). Thus, the continuity of the river was strongly related to the Mt-IBI. Structural equation models (SEMs) were further established to identify the dominant environmental variables in the dam-affected river. The SEMs indicated that flow velocity (coefficient 0.749) was the most important determinant of ecological status in the Hanjiang River. Water organic matter also played a vital role in determining the ecological status of the Hanjiang River, and exerted the strongest direct effect (P < 0.001, r = 0.712). The reliability of SEMs was verified by building a support vector regression model (R2 = 0.8141). This study can provide new tools for ecological assessment and diagnosis, and provide a new perspective for the management of cascade dams.

AVALIAÇÃO DA INTEGRIDADE BIÓTICA DE RIACHOS A PARTIR DA ICTIOFAUNA

Almost four decades ago, ecologist James R. Karr published the first version of the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) to assess the health of aquatic ecosystems from fish assemblages. Since then, numerous adaptations, criticisms, and reinterpretations have emerged from this seminal study, covering diverse world biomes. In Brazil, the first versions of IBI for streams were developed in the South (in 2004). Over time, scientific production on this topic has shown a significant increase in the complexity of the approaches and methods used, mainly due to the advance in the basic knowledge about stream fish diversity, ecology, and biology. These studies include, for example, tests of metrics already proposed, proposals for new metrics, adaptations for different basins, and tests of the ecological responses of the ichthyofauna to different human-originated impacts. Even so, there are no standardized protocols for defining the metrics, nor for the introduction of these indexes in the stream monitoring routine. The objective of this article is to present a theoretical framework on the development of IBI for Brazilian streams, based on ichthyofauna, to discuss whether it is possible and feasible to standardize protocols for the development of IBIs and the prospects of applicability in Brazilian streams.

How Surface Water Management Can Benefit Fish Conservation in Urban Streams

Abstract We analyzed 33 y of fish community data collected from a low-order, urban stream in central Illinois, USA, to determine the effects of municipal wastewater management projects and urbanization on fish communities. From 1985 to 2017, species richness, number of pollution-intolerant species, and alternative index of biotic integrity significantly increased at sites across this system. Species diversity likewise increased, but was mostly significant only at sites downstream of the effluent outflow. Ceasing the chlorination of wastewater in 1990 resulted in significant increases in fish community metrics both upstream and downstream of effluent outflow, although effects varied from site to site. Completing a combined sewer overflow abatement project in 2008 resulted in some significant increases in species richness, diversity, and number of pollution-intolerant species at sites downstream of effluent outflow. From 2001 to 2016, the change in the number of pollution-intolerant species correlated inversely with the increased percentage of impervious cover in the study system. There was no significant correlation of other metrics with the change in percent impervious surfaces. These results suggest that urbanization at upstream sites limited to some extent the benefits of water management interventions that improved fish community metrics at downstream sites.

Development and testing of the phytoplankton biological integrity index (P-IBI) in dry and wet seasons for Lake Gehu

Taking Lake Gehu located in the Yangtze River Delta as the research object, the phytoplankton community and environmental variables at 18 sampling sites in Lake Gehu were monitored and investigated during the dry season (March) and the wet season (July) of 2020. On this basis, the phytoplankton biological integrity index (P-IBI) was established during dry and wet periods, and the health of the lake water ecosystem was evaluated. The results showed that the P-IBI in dry and wet periods was consistent throughout Lake Gehu, and the overall water ecological health assessment results were “moderate”. To test the stability of the P-IBI, the relationships between the P-IBI, its constituent parameters and a single water quality environmental factor were analyzed through redundancy analysis (RDA). The results showed that total nitrogen, the hypermanganate index, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen, ammonia nitrogen, and transparency were highly correlated with the P-IBI system. Comparing the composition of the P-IBI during dry and wet periods and the relationships between the P-IBI system and water quality factors in the two hydrological periods, it was found that the parameters of the P-IBI system differed greatly between the dry and wet periods. The number of significantly related water quality factors in the dry period was greater than that in the wet period, and the two-axis characteristic values, the correlations between the P-IBI system and the water quality factors, and the cumulative percentage of the dry period were higher than those in the wet period. In conclusion, the P-IBI exhibits temporal variation between hydrological periods, and the stability of the P-IBI evaluation system during the dry season is significantly better than that during the wet season.

Using of Index Biological Integrity of Phytoplankton (P-IBI) in the Assessment of Water Quality in Don River Section

The multimetric Phytoplankton Index of Biological Integrity (P-IBI) was applied throughout Rostov on Don city (Russia) on 8 Locations in Don River from April – October 2019. The P-IBI is composed from seven metrics: Species Richness Index (SRI), Density of Phytoplankton and total biomass of phytoplankton and Relative Abundance (RA) for blue-green Algae, Green Algae, Bacillariophyceae and Euglenaphyceae Algae. The average P-IBI values fell within the range of (45.09-52.4). Therefore, water throughout the entire study area was characterized by the equally "poor" quality. Negative points of anthropogenic impact detected at the stations are: Above the city of Rostov-on-Don (1 km, higher duct Aksai) was 38.57 in June, the lower inflow of the Temernik river which was 38.57- 41.42 in summer and below the spillway was 38.57 -34.28 in August. At these stations, samples with P-IBI values more than 56, characterizing water quality as "Fair", were not found in any of the observations. The negative effect on the water at the stations may be due to the influence of the closely located Aksai city and the impact of the Temernik River. In Russia P-IBI have not been used yet, so this study can be considered as the first study that’s conducted to assess the environmental status of the Don River by using the phytoplankton index of Biological Integrity and has developed scoring criteria of the Don River (P-IBI) and other watercourses of the south of Russia. The continuous monitoring relaying on the selection of the most suitable metrics score is recommended.

Development of fish-based indices of biological integrity for Minnesota lakes

Indices of biological integrity (IBIs) have been developed for a wide variety of locales and ecological systems to describe their biological condition. Due to variability in geophysical and chemical conditions, IBIs are often developed regionally and applied to similar ecological systems. Researchers in Minnesota previously developed a fish IBI (FIBI) for lakes; however, its application was limited to lakes 40–200 ha surface area and located in central Minnesota. The objectives of this study were to develop FIBIs and ecologically meaningful thresholds for application to a broader suite of Minnesota lakes with surface areas 40–4,050 ha. Fish communities in 419 lakes throughout Minnesota were sampled using gill nets, trap nets, backpack electrofishers, and beach seines between mid-June and early-September 2005–2013. Fish species were assigned to functional groups based on family, tolerance, primary feeding niche, special habitat use, and whether they were native to Minnesota. Lakes were classified into seven groups based on their geophysical and chemical attributes, and four groups were ultimately used in FIBI development. A suite of potential metrics was evaluated for each of the four FIBIs based on their relationships to measures of human-induced watershed and in-lake stressors and 8–15 were retained for each FIBI. Metrics that were retained were summed, and composite scores were scaled 0–100. Biological Condition Gradient (BCG) models were developed for each FIBI. The BCG models established thresholds for impairment and exceptional condition. The FIBIs and thresholds are being used to guide clean water planning, restoration, and protection efforts and to complement pollutant-based water quality sampling efforts in lakes during the Minnesota watershed assessment process.

Assessment of the Ecological Health of Afrotropical Rivers Using Fish Assemblages: A Case Study of Selected Rivers in the Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya

Streams and rivers are globally threatened ecosystems because of increasing levels of exploitation, habitat degradation and other anthropogenic pressures. In the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) in East Africa, these threats are mostly caused by unsustainable land use; however, the monitoring of ecological integrity of river systems has been hampered by a lack of locally developed indices. This study assessed the health of four rivers (Nzoia, Nyando, Sondu–Miriu and Mara) on the Kenyan side of the LVB using physicochemical water quality parameters and a fish-based index of biotic integrity (IBI). Fish tolerance ranking was derived from principal component analysis of water quality parameters, and the concept of niche breadth (NB). The relationship between fish species and water quality parameters was examined with canonical correspondence analysis, whereas community metrics and stressors were evaluated through Pearson network correlation analysis. Fish species richness, trophic structures, taxonomic composition and species tolerance were used to generate the metrics for fish-based IBI. NB showed that most of the fish species were moderately tolerant to poor water. Moderately tolerant and intolerant fish species were negatively correlated with a high level of organic loading in the Mara River. Fish-based IBI scores for the rivers ranged from 26 to 34, with Sondu–Miriu scoring the lowest. Our results show that the cumulative effect of stressors can adequately rank fish species tolerance according to the disturbance gradients and further develop regional metrics to assess river health. Despite the fact that fish communities are declining, continual management and enforcement of environmental regulations are important, with conservation and management of headwaters and low-order streams being essential while they are still species rich.

Stream Health Estimation for the Plum Creek Watershed

Overall health of a stream is one of the powerful indicators for planning mitigation strategies. Currently, available methods to estimate stream health do not look at all the different components of stream health. Based on the statistical parameters obtained from daily streamflow data, water quality data, and index of biotic integrity (IBI), this study evaluated the impacts on all the elements of stream health, such as aquatic species, riparian vegetation, benthic macro-invertebrates, and channel degradation for the Plum Creek watershed in Texas, USA. The method involved the (1) collection of flow data at the watershed outlet; (2) identification of hydrologic change in the streamflow; (3) estimation of hydrologic indicators using NATional Hydrologic Assessment Tool (NATHAT) before alteration and after alteration periods; (4) identification of the most relevant indicators affecting stream health in the watershed based on stream type; (5) preliminary estimation of the existence of stream health using flow duration curves (FDCs); (6) the use of stream health-relevant hydrologic indices with the scoring system of the Dundee Hydrologic Regime Assessment Method (DHRAM). The FDCs plotted together for before and after the alteration periods indicated the likely presence of a stream health problem in the Plum Creek. The NATHAT–DHRAM method showed a likely moderate impact on the health of Plum Creek. The biological assessments carried out, the water quality data monitored, and the land cover during pre- and post-alteration periods documented in a publicly available federal document support the stream health results obtained from this study.

A Review of Biological Monitoring of Aquatic Ecosystems Approaches: with Special Reference to Macroinvertebrates and Pesticide Pollution

Biological monitoring is the evaluating changes in the environment using the biological responses with the intent of using such information in quality control of the ecosystem. Biomarkers and bioindicators are two main components of the hierarchy of biomonitoring process. Bioindicators can be used to monitor changes of ecosystems and to distinguish alteration of human impact from natural variability. There is a wide range of aquatic taxa such as macroinvertebrates, fish and periphyton, planktons which are successfully used in the biomonitoring process. Among them, macroinvertebrates are an important group of aquatic organisms that involves transferring energy and material through the trophic levels of the aquatic food chain and their sensitivity to environmental changes differs among the species. The main approaches of assessing freshwater ecosystems health using macroinvertebrates include measurement of diversity indices, biotic indices, multimetric approaches, multivariate approaches, Indices of Biological Integrity (IBI), and trait-based approaches. Among these, biotic indices and multimetric approaches are commonly used to evaluate the pesticide impacts on aquatic systems. Recently developed trait-based approaches such as SPEcies At Risk of pesticides (SPEAR) index was successfully applied in temperate regions to monitor the events of pesticide pollution of aquatic ecosystems but with limited use in tropics. This paper reviews the literature on different approaches of biomonitoring of the aquatic environment giving special reference to macroinvertebrates. It also reviews the literature on how biomonitoring could be used to monitor pesticide pollution of the aquatic environment. Thus the review aims to instil the importance of current approaches of biomonitoring for the conservation and management of aquatic ecosystems especially in the regions of the world where such knowledge has not been integrated in ecosystem conservation approaches.

Interdecadal variability in ecosystem health of Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary using estuarine biotic integrity index

Interdecadal variability in ecosystem health of Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary using estuarine biotic integrity index

Index of Biotic Integrity based on fish assemblages for pampean streams and its implementation along the Del Azul stream (Buenos Aires province, Argentina)

Abstract: Aim Freshwater communities respond to abiotic and biotic changes in the environment, and are widely used as indicators of environmental integrity. Fish have been one of the most used biological groups for this purpose. The Del Azul stream located in the pampean region of Argentina has been monitored using a physicochemical approach with this monitoring being sporadic due to economic and operational constraints associated with the chemical analyses. In this paper we developed an Index of Biotic Integrity for the Del Azul stream (IBIA) based on Karr´s Index of Biotic Integrity as an alternative. Methods We computed two existent physicochemical indexes for comparison, one of them is the NSF-WQI and the other one is a local index referred to as Water Quality Index for Del Azul Stream and based on the former. Results The three indexes followed similar trends along the examined reaches, showing good conditions in the upper basin, poor conditions just downstream of the urban area and a recovery state further downstream in the basin. Conclusions Since the IBIA followed the same patterns as the physicochemical indexes, has a lower implementation cost and it is simpler to apply, we promote it as an alternative to the traditional physicochemical water quality monitoring for pampean streams.