EPT Taxa Richness Research Articles

The use of macroinvertebrate based biotic indices and diversity indices to evaluate the water quality of Lepenci river basin in Kosovo

Benthic macroinvertebrates are used to evaluate water quality in 8 sampling stations in Lepenci river basin in Kosovo. Sampling was performed in spring, summer and fall 2017. Following biotic indices are used: EPT taxa richness, Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP), Average Score per Taxon (ASPT), Stroud Water Research Center index (SWRC), Family biotic index (FBI), as well as diversity indices: Shannon-Weaver index (H), Simpsons index (D), Hill’s index (Hi), Mergalef index (DMe) and Menhicnik’s index (DMa). Our results show the presence of 34 macroinvertebrate taxa in Lepenci river which belong to Insecta, Crustaceans and Annelidae. The water quality along the river show variation from high and good class upstream, to moderate, poor and bad, downstream. The Pearson’s bivariate correlation used to analyze the relationship between physicochemical parameters with biotic and diversity indices showed a significant correlation (p < 0.01) of EC, TSS, O2, COD, BOD, NH4, and PO43- with biotic indices EPT, BMWP, ASPT, SWRC, FBI. We can conclude that the values of biotic and diversity indices have shown differences in water quality between polluted and unpolluted sites and reflect the ecological status of the river, therefore we can consider them as valuable tools for water quality assessment in rivers in Kosovo.

The impact of channelization on macroinvertebrate bioindicators in small order Illinois streams: insights from long-term citizen science research

Channelization can have far-reaching and long-term impacts on stream ecology. In this study, we demonstrate that channelization is associated with lower stream quality as measured by macroinvertebrate bioindicators when compared to unchannelized streams. Citizen scientists collected the data for this study between 1995 and 2014, performing 3021 sampling events during the months of May and June across 567 Illinois streams. We found significantly lower taxa richness, EPT taxa richness, and macroinvertebrate biotic index values in channelized sites. Our findings also show prevalent siltation in channelized sites that is likely negatively affecting macroinvertebrates, along with a possible lower availability of quality habitat. We also measured stream velocity and found that average velocity did not differ between our channelized and unchannelized sites. Our findings suggest stream velocity was not a driving factor in determining the differences in macroinvertebrate assemblages, although we cannot comment on the possible change in velocity from pre to post channelization at each site. This study allows for a large dataset that covers diverse streams across the entire state of Illinois. Our work provides example and encouragement for other researchers to take advantage of the power of citizen science, and the existing large datasets available from these projects.

Evaluation of EPT macroinvertebrate metrics in small streams located within the non-connected stormwater management region of Kansas City, Missouri, USA

AbstractDuring 2012-2014, we evaluated macroinvertebrate communities in streams draining the non-connected stormwater management region (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, or MS4) within the Kansas City metropolitan area utilizing the Missouri bioassessment protocols. Trends in aquatic life impairment status based on Missouri's Macroinvertebrate Stream Condition Index (MSCI), as well as richness and abundance of EPT indicator metrics (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera), were compared between rural control sites and both transitional and urban stream sites representing varying stages of land use conversion. As compared to non-urban control sites, EPT taxa richness was significantly lower at MS4 urban sites during all three years (p = 0.007 – 0.013) and MS4 transitional sites during one of three years (p=0.48). EPT abundance (%) was significantly lower at MS4 urban sites during all years (p = 0.008 – 0.013) and MS4 transitional sites during one of three years (p=0.34). Mean EPT abundances ranged between 0.6% - 10.3% at urban MS4 sites, and always exceeded 18% at control sites. Both EPT richness and abundance were lower at the MS4 control site but means for EPT and other core metrics at this site were most often similar to non-urban control sites based on analysis of variance (ANOVA). MS4 transitional sites with active development in their watersheds were partially-supporting in their impairment status, and EPT metrics had lower means and generally more variability than control sites. Temporal trends indicate non-urban control and MS4 control sites consistently meet fully-supporting impairment status based on overall MSCI scores, but no study sites currently meet regional expectations (as defined by state reference streams) for either of the EPT metrics. Results indicate that Missouri and Kansas biocriteria for both EPT metrics are not consistently being met at any stream sites in the Kansas City metro area, including fully-supporting control sites and MS4 streams that receive stormwater runoff in watersheds with urban development that is well-established or currently transitioning to urban or suburban land uses.

Relative importance of Conservation Reserve Programs to aquatic insect biodiversity in an agricultural watershed in the Midwest, USA

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) in the USA offer farmers government financial incentives to take erosive agricultural lands out of production. Many conservation practices are used along streams to improve habitat for stream biota. However, the ecological benefits of these programs to streams are yet to be demonstrated. This study investigates the responses of communities of three sensitive aquatic insect orders (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera or EPT) to CRP and CREP practices in the Kaskaskia River basin, a predominantly agricultural watershed in Illinois, USA. A total of 10,373 EPT specimens were examined from 84 sites across the basin during 2013–2015. Nine environmental variables were used to account for variance in EPT taxonomic diversity, and sets of best regression models were selected based on Akaike information criterion (AICc). AICc importance values and hierarchical variance partitioning revealed three important variables associated with EPT taxa richness: link (number of first order tributaries), soil permeability, and urban land. Two important variables were associated with Shannon and Simpson diversity measures: link and dissolved oxygen. The percentage of CRP/CREP land in the watershed was less important, suggesting that this mosaic of conservation practices as currently implemented in the basin may not affect EPT taxonomic diversity.

Benthic Macro-Invertebrate Survey in Little Beaver Creek, Kaw Lake Watershed

The Kaw Nation Environmental Department, as part of the water quality monitoring parameters in its non-point source pollution project conducted a benthic macro-inventebrat sampling and taxonomic classification as a stream bioassessment of Little Beaver and Bear Creeks. Little Beaver Creek is located in the tall grass prairie of Kay County, Oklahoma. It is one of the tributary creeks that enter Kaw Lake in the HUC 110060001. The macro-invertebrate samples were collected from three sites within Little Beaver Creek. The samples were collected in a net using a kick disturbance method referenced in U.S. EPA Rapid Bioassessment Protocol. A total of 10 orders and 46 taxa were identified. Taxa richness, EPT taxa richness, EPT abundance, Hilsenhoff Biotic Index and Shannon Weaver Diversity Index were calculated. It is the objective of this study to identify the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the water quality of the creeks and determine streams health as per the Clean Water Act stipulations. Based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Rapid Bioassessment protocol, the macro-invertebrate communities could be used as a tool to identify water quality and impaired streams as a result of non-point source pollution.

Land‐use legacy and the differential response of stream macroinvertebrates to multiple stressors studied using in situ experimental mesocosms

Summary The historical reduction in habitat heterogeneity and water quality of running waters is an ongoing challenge being addressed by resource managers worldwide. The persistent legacy of past land use, reflected in part by depauperate macroinvertebrate assemblages, is likely to affect the responses of macroinvertebrate assemblages to novel anthropogenic stressors and amendments (e.g. river restoration). The response of macroinvertebrate assemblages differing in the abundance of sensitive taxa to stressors was investigated using a mesocosm experiment conducted at five sites within two sub‐basins that differed in historic land‐use impacts. The sub‐basins were similar in morphology and water quality, but a higher dissolved organic carbon (DOC) level in the sub‐basin with a less sensitive assemblage reflected a greater agricultural influence. Macroinvertebrate assemblages were assessed monthly over an annual cycle in replicated in situ mesocosms manipulated with respect to substratum heterogeneity (fine, coarse) and water quality (nutrient amendments) following a full‐factorial design. Due to relatively high background nutrient levels, there was no effect of nutrient amendment on macroinvertebrate colonisation of mesocosms. In the sub‐basin harbouring a more sensitive macroinvertebrate assemblage, higher total and EPT taxa richness was found in coarse (heterogeneous) substratum than that in fine (homogeneous) substratum mesocosms, whereas this response was not observed in the sub‐basin with a less sensitive assemblage. In the former sub‐basin, coarse substratum mesocosms were more favourable for sensitive taxa, as they had more diverse flow patterns, less clogging of interstitial spaces and more benthic organic matter than fine substratum mesocosms. These results suggest that past land‐use legacies influencing current macroinvertebrate assemblages can underlie differential response patterns of macroinvertebrates to habitat mitigation measures in human‐dominated catchments.

A hierarchical zero‐inflated model for species compositional data—from individual taxon responses to community response

Healthy macroinvertebrate communities are typically composed of a few abundant taxa and many relatively rare taxa. These rare taxa tend to be sensitive to pollution and, in aggregate, are important indicators of water quality (e.g., EPT taxa richness that combines Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera taxa). Rare taxa lead to community data sets that contain large numbers of zero values that are often a source of difficulty in data processing and analysis. A hierarchical zero‐inflated Poisson model is developed to study the responses to watershed urbanization of a group of macroinvertebrates taxa (EPT taxa) often used as indicators of good water quality and a healthy stream ecosystem. The zero‐inflated Poisson model is parameterized with a unimodal curve for the abundance model and a logit‐linear model for the zero model. The hierarchical model is used to integrate responses of individual taxa into a community level response. The emphasis of the model is on estimating the probability that an observed 0 represents the true absence of a taxon. By modeling the probability of true absence as a function of watershed level urbanization intensity both at individual taxon level and at the community level, we are able to develop a stressor‐specific tolerance indicator to (1) separate truly sensitive EPT taxa from more tolerant taxa, and (2) compare the responses of different communities to the same stressor or responses of the same community in different regions. We document the development of the model and the process of integrating individual taxon models into a community model. The model is applied to a data set collected for study of the effect of urbanization on stream ecosystems.

Impacts of urbanization on stream habitats and macroinvertebrate communities in the tributaries of Qiangtang River, China

The impacts of watershed urbanization on streams have been studied worldwide, but are rare in China. We examined relationships among watershed land uses and stream physicochemical and biological attributes, impacts of urbanization on overall stream conditions, and the response pattern of macroinvertebrate assemblage metrics to the percent of impervious area (PIA) of watersheds in the middle section of the Qiantang River, Zhejiang Province, China. Environmental variables and benthic macroinvertebrates of 60 stream sites with varied levels of watershed urban land use were sampled in April, 2010. Spearman correlation analysis showed watershed urbanization levels significantly correlated with increased stream depth, width, and values of conductivity, total nitrogen, ammonia, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, and chemical oxygen demand for the study streams. There was significant difference in total taxa richness, Empheroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) taxa richness, and Diptera taxa richness, percentages of individual abundances of EPT, Chironomidae, shredders, filterers, and scrapers, and Shannon–Wiener diversity index between reference streams and urban impacted streams. In contrast, percentages of individual abundances for collectors, oligochaeta, and tolerant taxa, and biotic index were significantly higher in urban impacted than reference streams. All the above metrics were significantly correlated with PIA. The response patterns of total taxa richness, EPT taxa richness, and Shannon–Wiener diversity index followed a drastic decrease at thresholds of 3.6, 3.7, and 5.5% of PIA, respectively. Our findings indicate that stream benthic macroinvertebrate metrics are effective indicators of impacts of watershed urban development, and the PIA-imperviousness thresholds we identified could potentially be used for setting benchmarks for watershed development planning and for prioritizing high valued stream systems for protection and rehabilitation.

The effect of damming on biological quality according to macroinvertebrates in some Estonian streams, Central—Baltic Europe: A pilot study

AbstractThe effect of damming on the structure of the macroinvertebrate community and biological quality was studied in nine (the 3–6th order) lowland streams of Estonia, Central—Baltic ecoregion of Europe. Four habitats—reservoirs with accumulated fine sediments, reservoirs with hard bottom, and two corresponding below‐dam areas (both fast‐flowing)—were compared to study whether and how significantly the bottom substrata in dammed areas affected macroinvertebrates and biological quality downstream of dams. The standard kick‐net samples (1.25 m2, complemented with qualitative sample) were collected in autumn 2005—spring 2006. The multimetric biological quality, based on five macroinvertebrate indices (total taxa richness, EPT taxa richness, Average Score Per Taxon, Danish Stream Fauna Index, Shannon diversity) was estimated and compared with reference values. Biological quality in reservoirs with hard bottom and their downstream reaches corresponded to good, or even high quality. Conversely, damming affected biological quality significantly and negatively, above the dam if fine sediments were accumulated. The effect was the strongest within muddy reservoirs themselves (revealing moderate quality only). However, some harmful consequences of mud were observed also downstream of dams. The results also demonstrated that the indices of estimation of organic pollution and/or general quality were able to reflect significant changes in stream flow. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Bioassessment of Kordan Stream (Iran) Water Quality Using Macro-Zoobenthos Indices

Changes in water and habitat quality of Kordan Stream were examined using community structure and biotic indices at 3 sites during 2008-2009. This investigation resulted in inventories of benthic insect communities being obtained from this stream. It also resulted in two metrics being calculated from benthic insect communities. Of the metrics used, one indicated EPT taxa richness and one involved a biotic index, HFBI, for organic pollution. Water temperature, water velocity, water depth, dissolved oxygen, BOD5, pH, specific conductivity; phosphate and nitrate concentrations were within ranges usually capable of supporting a diverse biota. Samples were dominated by insects and yielded 142 macroinvertebrate taxa. The scores calculated for HFBI was lowest (4.67) and rated good water quality (some organic pollution probable) at site 1 and increased to 5.45 rated fair (fairly substantial pollution likely) at site 3. EPT ratings were under a little perturbation at three sites, suggesting high taxa richness and habitat quality in Kordan Stream.

Benthic macroinvertebrate communities in agriculturally impaired streams.

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE This work presents research into the taxonomic composition of macroinvertebrate communities in streams that are under the influence of agricultural pollution A total of 67 macroinvertebrate taxa (including 61 identified species) belonging to 40 families have been identified in the explored streams. The greatest species richness is recorded for the Trichoptera (18 species/1 taxa) and Mollusca (12 species). The molluscs Gyraulus albus, amphipods Gammarus pulex, caddisflies Hydropsyche pellucidula and oligochaetes are detected in all examined streams. There, the number of total benthic macroinvertebrate taxa is highly variable, ranging from 16 to 40. Results show that the examined streams depending on the benthic macroinvertebrate taxonomic composition and predominance of seperate macroinvertebrate groups undergo different pollution. Intolerant to pollution taxa such as Plecoptera, which are the most sensitive to pollution insects, have been found only in 5 of 12 examined streams and in low abundances. The richness and diversity of macrozoobenthos in some streams appear to respond to the water quality deterioration. The present study has found out that in the stream where the total macroinvertebrate taxa, EPT taxa richness are the lowest and a relative abundance of gatherers is the highest, the values of NH 4 -N, NO 3 -N, total N, PO 4 -P and total P in the stream water are the highest, too.

Development of a regional macroinvertebrate index for large river bioassessment

Abstract Large river bioassessment protocols lag far behind those of wadeable streams and often rely on fish assemblages of individual rivers. We developed a regional macroinvertebrate index and assessed relative condition of six large river tributaries to the upper Mississippi and Ohio rivers, Midwest USA. In 2004 and 2005, benthic macroinvertebrates, water chemistry, and habitat data were collected from randomly selected sites on each of the St. Croix, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Scioto, Wabash, and Illinois rivers. We first identified the human disturbance gradient using principal components analysis (PCA) of abiotic data. From the PCA, least disturbed sites showed strong separation from stressed sites along a gradient contrasting high water clarity, canopy cover, habitat scores, and plant-based substrates at one end and higher conductivity and nutrient concentrations at the other. Evaluation of 97 benthic metrics identified those with good range, responsiveness, and relative scope of impairment, as well as redundancies with other metrics. The final index was composed of Diptera taxa richness, EPT taxa richness, Coleoptera taxa richness, percent oligochaete and leech taxa, percent collector-filterer individuals, predator taxa richness, percent burrower taxa, tolerant taxa richness, and percent facultative individuals. Each of the selected metrics was scored using upper and lower thresholds based on all sites, and averaging across the nine metric scores, we obtained the Non-wadeable Macroinvertebrate Assemblage Condition Index (NMACI). The NMACI showed a strong response to disturbance using a validation data set and was highly correlated with non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination axes of benthic taxa. The cumulative distribution function of index scores for each river showed qualitative differences in condition among rivers. NMACI scores were highest for the federally protected St. Croix River and lowest for the Illinois River. Other rivers were intermediate and generally reflected the mixture of land use types within individual basins. Use of regional reference sites, though setting a high level of expectation, provides a valuable frame of reference for the potential of large river benthic communities that will aid management and restoration efforts.

DEVELOPMENT OF EMPIRICAL, GEOGRAPHICALLY SPECIFIC WATER QUALITY CRITERIA: A CONDITIONAL PROBABILITY ANALYSIS APPROACH

The need for scientifically defensible water quality standards for nonpoint source pollution control continues to be a pressing environmental issue. The probability of impact at differing levels of nonpoint source pollution was determined using the biological response of instream organisms empirically obtained from a statistical survey. A conditional probability analysis was used to calculate a biological threshold of impact as a function of the likelihood of exceeding a given value of pollution metric for a specified geographic area. Uncertainty and natural variability were inherently incorporated into the analysis through the use of data from a probabilistic survey. Data from wadable streams in the mid-Atlantic area of the U.S. were used to demonstrate the approach. Benthic macroinvertebrate community index values (EPT taxa richness) were used to identify impacted stream communities. Percent fines in substrate (silt/clay fraction, > 0.06 mm) were used as a surrogate indicator for sedimentation. Thresholds of impact due to sedimentation were identified by three different techniques, and were in the range of 12 to 15 percent fines. These values were consistent with existing literature from laboratory and field studies on the impact of sediments on aquatic life in freshwater streams. All results were different from values determined from current regulatory guidance. Finally, it was illustrated how these thresholds could be used to develop criterion for protection of aquatic life in streams.