Inform Management Decisions Research Articles

Assessing the impact of fire on spiders through a global comparative analysis.

In many regions fire regimes are changing due to anthropogenic factors. Understanding the responses of species to fire can help to develop predictive models and inform fire management decisions. Spiders are a diverse and ubiquitous group and can offer important insights into the impacts of fire on invertebrates and whether these depend on environmental factors, phylogenetic history or functional traits. We conducted phylogenetic comparative analyses of data from studies investigating the impacts of fire on spiders. We investigated whether fire affects spider abundance or presence and whether ecologically relevant traits or site-specific factors influence species' responses to fire. Although difficult to make broad generalizations about the impacts of fire due to variation in site- and fire-specific factors, we find evidence that short fire intervals may be a threat to some spiders, and that fire affects abundance and species compositions in forests relative to other vegetation types. Orb and sheet web weavers were also more likely to be absent after fire than ambush hunters, ground hunters and other hunters suggesting functional traits may affect responses. Finally, we show that analyses of published data can be used to detect broad-scale patterns and provide an alternative to traditional meta-analytical approaches.

Factors for improving the quality of life of the population of Russia

The study examines theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of the concept of «level and quality of life of the population», the main legal acts regulating the activities of authorities in this area in the Russian Federation. Effective methods of improving the standard of living and quality of life of the population of any state, ensuring their sustainable growth in a complex dynamic and unstable environment are the core of the modern economy. Process management, aimed at improving the standard of living and quality of life of the country’s population, first of all, the need to solve problems of high complexity and importance, for example, the dilemma of economic growth and living standards, in connection with the adoption of important informed management decisions on this problem, because this is a key and a difficult question. The relevance of the research topic is determined by the fact that in order to achieve a high standard of living and improve the quality of life of the population of our country, it is necessary to: implement the main goals of socio[economic development at the municipal, federal and state levels; getting rid of the differentiation of the socio[economic growth of regions, leading to the stratification of society; improving the quality of labor, production efficiency, the level of quality of products. Improving the quality of life makes it possible to provide additional jobs, develop all spheres of human life, change its infrastructure, change the demographic situation, determine the need to create a decent standard of living for the population, reduce the ranking of society in terms of income as a system of legal and socio[economic guarantees that provide decent and socially acceptable the quality of life of society.

Cryptosporidium serpentis Surveillance in Free-Ranging Snakes to Inform a Reintroduction Strategy for the Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi).

Understanding risk factors associated with reintroductions is important for making informed decisions within an adaptive framework. Biosecurity measures minimizing the risk of the introduction or spread of transmissible diseases are a priority when considering the release of captive-reared wildlife. Eastern indigo snake (EIS; Drymarchon couperi) reintroductions have been occurring in Alabama since 2010 and in Florida since 2017. During this effort the pathogen Cryptosporidium serpentis was detected, affecting several of the captive breeding snakes. Infected snakes were quarantined and removed from breeding efforts, which reduced snakes available for the reintroduction projects. To make informed management decisions about future reintroduction strategies, 155 free-ranging snakes were sampled at the two release sites and a third site in Georgia to evaluate the natural occurrence of C. serpentis. Additionally, 72 free-ranging EIS and other species incidentally encountered throughout the EIS range were tested opportunistically. All snakes sampled at the three focal sites tested negative, but one opportunistically tested EIS from South Florida tested positive. These results indicate that C. serpentis is present in the environment in at least one location, but at low levels. Our results suggest that, pending additional surveillance, C. serpentispositive snakes should not be included in reintroduction efforts, and that maintaining a high level of biosecurity is important in captive breeding programs.

Seasonal water source patterns in a northern Arizona pine forest

The relationships among stand density and seasonal plant water source patterns in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests are important for informed management decisions in a bimodal climate with increasing variability in winter and monsoon precipitation inputs. Winter precipitation recharges soil moisture, yet it has declined over the past 20 years in the southwestern United States, and monsoon precipitation is becoming more variable in both magnitude and timing. Near Flagstaff, Arizona in August 2013 (monsoon), October 2013 (post-monsoon), and May 2014 (post winter snow melt), we measured soil moisture, soil water δD at five depths, and xylem water δD in Muhlenbergia montana (a perennial C4 grass), Festuca arizonica (a perennial C3 grass), and P. ponderosa seedlings (< 2 years old), saplings (2–5 cm basal diameter), and mature trees (> 60 cm diameter at breast height) in treated (thinned and burned) and untreated (no thinning, no burning) stands. We found that soil moisture was higher at all soil depths in treated stands in May, after snow melt, and this pattern persisted through August in the deepest soil (60 cm). We also found that, in all sampling months, δD in xylem water of grasses and pine seedlings indicated use of shallower soil water than for pine saplings and mature trees, presumably due to differences in rooting depths. Additionally, in August, δD in xylem water of pine saplings and mature trees indicated greater reliance on a deeper water source in untreated stands than in treated stands, likely due to greater competition for shallow water in untreated stands. Our isotopic data indicate that grasses and seedlings used predominantly monsoon water in August and October, while pine saplings and mature trees used predominantly winter water during all sampling months. Importantly, our data indicate that regenerating trees (seedlings and saplings) used both winter and monsoon seasonal water sources, suggesting an increasingly important role for monsoon precipitation if winter precipitation inputs continue to decline. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that management actions can benefit forests via increased soil moisture, that overstory trees rely predominantly on winter precipitation, and that monsoon precipitation is important for herbaceous species and younger, regenerating overstory trees.

NF2 mutation associated with accelerated time to recurrence for older patients with atypical meningiomas

Purpose Meningiomas occur more frequently in older adults, with the incidence rates increasing from 5.8/100,000 for adults 35-44 years old to 55.2/100,000 for those 85+. Due to the increased risk of surgical management in older adults, there is a need to characterize the risk factors for aggressive disease course to inform management decisions in this population. We therefore sought to determine age-stratified relationships between tumour genomics and recurrence after resection of atypical meningiomas. Methods We identified 137 primary and recurrent Grade 2 meningiomas from our existing meningioma genomic sequencing database. We examined the differential distribution of genomic alterations in those older than 65 compared to younger. We then performed an age stratified survival analysis to model recurrence for a mutation identified as differentially present. Results In our cohort of 137 patients with grade 2 meningiomas, alterations in NF2 were present at a higher rate in older adults compared to younger (37.8% in < 65 vs. 55.3% in > 65; recurrence adjusted p-value =0.04). There was no association between the presence of NF2 and recurrence in the whole cohort. In the age-stratified model for those less than 65 years old, there was again no relationship. For patients in the older age stratum, there is a relationship between NF2 and worsened recurrence outcomes (HR = 3.64 (1.125 − 11.811); p = 0.031). Conclusions We found that mutations in NF2 were more common in older adults. Further, the presence of mutant NF2 was associated with an increased risk of recurrence in older adults.

Common garden study reveals frost-tolerant northern seed sources are best suited to expand range of Quercus rubra

Climate change is shifting the potential suitable range of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) faster than it can migrate, creating an adaptation lag.Quercus rubrais prominent in eastern North American forests and important for its carbon sequestration, ecological functions, and economic significance. Our study addresses which populations ofQ. rubraare best suited for climatic conditions at its northern and central United States range limits. Our findings can inform management decisions involving assisted migration, where species are transferred within their native range to mitigate the effects of climate change. We planted over 800 Q. rubra seedlings from twelve populations representing the current Q. rubra geographic range in two common gardens, one at the northern range limit (Alberta, Michigan, USA) and one in the central range (Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA). We observed Q. rubra aboveground growth, phenology (senescence, budburst), and frost damage for three years.At the central range site, southern seed source populations from warmer and wetter locations showed greater relative growth rate. At the northern range site, northern seed sources, from colder, drier locations, had greater relative growth rate. Southern seed sources generally had later phenological events which resulted in them sustaining more frost damage than northern seed source populations in the spring and autumn. Northern seed sources had earlier budburst and were able to utilize early growing season snow melt and higher solar radiation. Northern seed sources also senesced earlier, avoiding autumn frosts. More extreme weather events are predicted with climate change, which favors the phenology, frost tolerance, and greater growth rate of northern seed sources for assisted migration at the northern range limit.

Examining the Hydro-Climatic Drivers of Lagoon Breaching and Healing in a Deltaic Barrier

As sea-level rise (SLR) and human-made interventions affect coastal currents and sediment transport, coastal barriers have become more vulnerable to the effect of storms, hurricanes, and climate variability. The response of each barrier is unique and depends on wave regime, coastline orientation, weather conditions, bathymetry, and type of human-made interventions, among other factors. In the Magdalena River deltaic barrier, located on the Colombian Caribbean coast, coastal erosion has caused the loss of hundreds of square kilometers of critical ecosystems, such as wetlands and lagoons, since the 1960s. This work aims to analyze the short-term drivers behind the observed loss of lagoons, particularly the drivers of lagoon breaching events and subsequent healing along the deltaic barrier. Lagoon breaching events and healings were detected using satellite imagery, and the timing of these events was related to prior local atmospheric, oceanographic, and fluvial conditions. The findings reveal that the dynamics of the lagoons are driven by extreme river discharges and energetic wave conditions associated with storms or hurricanes. Healing is driven by the sediment supplied by littoral currents and average waves punctuated by energetic events. The cumulative effect of breaching and healing has resulted in a deltaic barrier that has rolled over the lagoons, reducing their size over time. These findings provide a better understanding of the forces of coastal retreat and will help inform future management decisions of the coastal zone.

Integrating social values with GPS tracks through Denali National Park and Preserve

This study advanced knowledge of the geospatial relationships between social values elicited during a participatory mapping exercise and on-ground travel patterns understood through Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking of backcountry visitors to a protected area in Alaska. As one of the first studies to combine social values and real-time use of a protected area landscape, we showcase how these combined forms of knowledge can be better understood when compared against biophysical conditions. Contrary to previous research, we observed that perceived social value hotspots, defined by an abundance of point data, did not fully align with use patterns, suggesting that visitors value areas that are not experienced first-hand. Specifically, backcountry travel routes in Denali were less dispersed than areas perceived to be important. Use was mostly concentrated in backcountry units close to the middle sections of the park road while highly valued units coincided with major landmarks, such as the peak of Denali. Travel cost induced by terrain conditions (summarized by elevation, slope and landcover), accessibility (measured by proximity to the park road), and long-view visual resources all contributed to how observed travel behavior deviated from perceived social values. These findings help inform policy and management decisions about outdoor recreation, visitor safety, and visual resource stewardship.

A rapid assessment of non-native fish distributions in two English river basins using environmental DNA

Environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys are increasingly used to inform management decisions for non-native species, for example, by detecting the presence and plotting distributions of species that may be in too low abundance for easy detection by conventional means. A recently-developed nested PCR protocol was used to assess the distributions of three non-native fish species in two river basins of southern England (River Test, Hampshire; River Ouse, Sussex). These river basins were known to contain three non-native fishes, either in the recent past or currently: two invasive small-bodied fish species (topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva, sunbleak Leucaspius delineatus), as well as a currently non-invasive species predicted to become invasive under future climate conditions, pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus. Water samples were collected at locations from headwater streams to estuary. Pumpkinseed and sunbleak were both detected downstream of an angling venue in the Sussex Ouse catchment known to contain those species, with an upstream expansion of sunbleak suggested by the detection of eDNA at a few upstream locations. Neither sunbleak nor topmouth gudgeon was detected in water samples from the River Test catchment, suggesting that neither species has persistent populations in that river catchment.

Monitoring and Evaluation Budgetary Practices on Project Service Delivery

Successful execution of projects is critical to the development and strategic variations within an institution. However, there have been setbacks due to the deficiencies in monitoring and evaluation (M&amp;amp;E) practices. M&amp;amp;E is an important part of any project&amp;rsquo;s success story because they oversee project effectiveness, efficiency, transparency, and accountability, among other things. A background review discloses the insufficiency of M&amp;amp;E practices within the institution. The purpose of the study was to examine how M&amp;amp;E budgetary practices affect project service delivery. The study&amp;rsquo;s theoretical foundation was based on resource-based theory. A descriptive study design was employed targeting administrators, project managers, nurses, chief of centers, and data collection staff. The study focused on a target population of 140 people. The study employed a sample size of 103 respondents using Fisher&amp;rsquo;s exact formula. The researcher exploited the purposive sampling technique during the study. Data collection instruments administered were questionnaires and key informant interviews. Reliability of instruments was through internal consistency using Cronbach&amp;rsquo;s Alpha Coefficient of 0.70 or greater while the validity of these instruments was done using content, face, and constructs validity. Quantitative data from questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics used including frequencies, standard deviation, mean, and percentages with the aid of a statistical package for social science (SPSS). Pearson Coefficient Correlation and Multiple regression models were used to make inferences and generalizations. The hypotheses test was graded at the 0.05 level of significance. The study findings indicated that there was a statistically strong significant positive effect of M&amp;amp;E budgetary practices on project service delivery (r=0.622; p&amp;lt;0.05). These findings indicated the alternate hypotheses was accepted and the null hypotheses was rejected. M&amp;amp;E budget serves as a cost and revenue indicator for project managers&amp;rsquo; daily operational activities. M&amp;amp;E budget is used to provide information and support management decisions, as well as monitor and control the organization throughout the year. This study recommends that the CBCHS institute budgetary adjustments in the budgetary processes and practices. This will help to predict the future expenses, and costs and accordingly work towards the expected revenues as well as cater adequately on the allocated resources.

Thirty-four years of Landsat monitoring reveal long-term effects of groundwater abstractions on a World Heritage Site wetland

Wetlands are among the most biodiverse yet endangered ecosystems on Earth. Despite being the most important wetland in Europe, the Doñana National Park (southwestern Spain) is no exception, and the increase of nearby groundwater abstractions for intensive agriculture and human supply has raised international concerns about the conservation of this iconic wetland. It is thus needed to assess wetlands' long-term trends and responses to global and local factors to make informed management decisions. In this paper, we used 442 Landsat satellite images to analyze the historical trends and drivers of the date of desiccation and maximum flooded area in 316 ponds located in Doñana National Park during a 34-year period (1985–2018) and found that 59 % of the ponds studied are currently desiccated. The use of Generalized Additive Mixed Models (GAMMs) showed inter-annual variation in rainfall and temperature as the most important factors determining pond flooding. However, GAMMS also showed that intensive agriculture and the nearby tourist resort were related to the desiccation or shrinking of ponds all over Doñana, finding that the strongest negative flooding anomalies (i.e. ponds flooding less than explained by climate alone) were located in proximity to pumping areas. These results suggest that current levels of groundwater exploitation may be unsustainable and require urgent measures to control abstractions to ensure the integrity of the Doñana pond network, and the persistence of >600 wetland-dependent species.

Filling global gaps in monitoring data with local knowledge

Filling global gaps in monitoring data with local knowledge

Evaluating Multimodel Ensemble Seasonal Climate Forecasts on Rangeland Plant Production in the California Annual Grassland

Seasonal precipitation and temperature directly affect total plant production in the California Annual Grassland (CAG). Technological advances have resulted in skillful seasonal climate forecasts (i.e., significant correlations between actual and forecasted climate), which could be input into plant production models to inform stocking and other rangeland management decisions. This study presents a procedure for forecasting plant production in the CAG ecosystem to predict annual plant production for grazing, restoration, or other rangeland management practices using a combination of historical gridMET climate data and seasonal hindcasts (i.e., retrospective forecasts, from the North American Multi-Model Ensemble program). The results of this study first confirmed high forecast skill, throughout the growing season at all sites. We also identified skillful plant production forecasts across most of the growing season at two sites and in three of the seven forecasting months at one study site. Forecasting climate and end-of-year plant production across the growing season at three CAG sites allowed us to identify the places and times in the growing season when forecasting might be most helpful in informing management decisions. Integrating plant production forecasting into rangeland management practices could significantly improve rangeland management outcomes. These procedures provide a user guide for creating plant production forecasts for any given area of interest and may be applicable across a wide range of other agricultural and rangeland management systems.

827 The Use of High Resolution Ultrasound in the Evaluation of Traumatic Peripheral Nerve Injury: A Systematic Literature Review

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic peripheral nerve injury (TPNI) represents a heterogeneous pathology with potential for severe disability. High-resolution ultrasound (HRU) has potential as a non-invasive diagnostic tool to assess injury and inform management decisions, potentially at an earlier time point than traditional electrodiagnostic testing. Standardized assessment of TPNI using HRU is not available in the current literature. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of pre-operative HRU in the setting of TPNI through a literature review. METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed adhering to PRISMA guidelines, yielding 84 articles for review. Inclusion criteria included papers that examined ballistic, sharp, and avulsion etiologies of TPNI, and that used ultrasound for initial evaluation of the TPNI. Exclusion criteria included papers with primarily pediatric patients, reviews, meta-analyses, papers not in English, and papers that focused on iatrogenic PNIs. RESULTS: 48 studies met inclusion and exclusion criteria, including 19 case studies, 8 retrospective studies, and 19 prospective studies describing 569 total patients who experienced TPNI. Mean age was 33 years. The studies characterized 121 median, 97 ulnar, 141 radial, and 222 other TPNI from 24 ballistic, 231 sharp, 78 avulsion, and 13 unspecified injuries. The most common HRU findings preoperatively were neuroma formation (79), fascicular swelling (141), and complete discontinuity of epineurium (155). The timing of HRU after TPNI was variable with 37% and 41% of patients undergoing HRU within 6 weeks after TPNI versus more than 6 weeks after TPNI respectively. CONCLUSIONS: HRU is a promising clinical tool for the evaluation of TPNI. Further work is needed to define the appropriate timing for when HRU can be used to evaluate TPNI, as well as radiographic findings that may be clinically relevant in operative evaluations.

Developing a Strategic Cost Management Model for a Potato Packing Facility

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to solve a real-life business problem by developing a new customised strategic cost management (SCM) model for the case study entity － a South African potato packing facility. Design/method/approach: The study followed a pragmatic philosophy where data were collected by observation and semi-structured interviews. The data focused on the following SCM techniques: Business process re-engineering, activity-based management, Kaizen costing, total quality management, and target costing. Findings: The investigation found that, except for target costing, all the SCM techniques belong in a SCM model. The investigation also revealed specific practical operational examples which were firstly analysed according to codes, and secondly aggregated, rewritten, and inductively reasoned in order to illustrate these processes in a new customised SCM model. Practical implications: After the operational processes were documented, a new customised SCM model was developed for the case study entity. The findings of the study could be helpful when other organisations manufacture, process, or pack various products to make informed management decisions. Originality/value: The value of the study lies in the likelihood to establish transferability － the process that was followed to develop a new customised SCM model could be replicated.

Comparing estimates of census and effective population size in an endangered amphibian

AbstractThe field of conservation has seen a shift in focus from monitoring trends in census population size to trends in ‘effective’ population size. Numerous genetic methods exist for estimating effective population size, resulting in uncertainty among conservation practitioners as to which methods are most appropriate when conducting population assessments or evaluating recovery efforts. Demographic approaches offer a promising avenue to provide a link between census and effective population size using life‐history information, but rarely do studies have all three sources of data (genetic, demographic, life history) necessary to perform an explicit evaluation of their performance. Using data from a long‐term study of reticulated flatwoods salamanders (Ambystoma bishopi) in western Florida, USA, we assessed the magnitude of temporal variation in census population sizes and the effective number of breeders of two breeding populations to (1) document changes in the number of breeding adults over the 9‐year study duration, (2) determine whether and provide similar information about population size and trends and (3) compare alternative demographic and genetic approaches for estimating . We found that genetic estimates of , particularly if averaged across multiple estimation methods, closely tracked spatiotemporal variation in . Demographic estimates of also closely tracked but were sensitive to the assumed variance in reproductive success. In the absence of genetic information, detailed knowledge of mating systems and the environmental factors that skew reproductive contributions appear necessary for demographic to reliably inform management decisions. In these populations, appears too small (&lt;40 individuals) to confer long‐term genetic resilience, highlighting the importance of restoring landscape connectivity and indicating that caution must be taken when sourcing animals for reintroduction efforts. More generally, our study reveals insights into the utility of alternative estimation methods in guiding recovery efforts of threatened and endangered species.

How science communications can help build societal perceptions of invasive alien species and their impacts on the environment

SummaryWhile scientific research highlights the threats of invasive alien species (IAS) to the environment and human livelihoods, another voice is rising that recognizes their beneficial impacts. With evidence increasing of the contrasting impacts of some IAS, the lack of communication between science and society makes decision-making processes more complex. Here, we consider the beneficial aspects of invasive alien plant species and take examples from other life forms to argue that, over time and space, the detrimental impacts of IAS might endanger sustainable livelihoods by increasing invasion debt manyfold. We therefore suggest that future studies reporting the positive impacts of IAS and those encouraging the management of IAS through their utilization should include value judgements that acknowledge the potential risks involved in the practice and the scale and context specificity of such studies. Studies highlighting the negative impacts of IAS should also recognize the context dependency of their findings and emphasize the benefits to be gained from the management of the IAS. We provide a more complete picture of IAS impacts that could help to inform management decisions in the face of different potential choices and the possible impacts of these choices on sustainable livelihoods in the long term.

Examining the commonalities and knowledge gaps in coastal zone vegetation simulation models

AbstractModels can be powerful tools to help scientists, policymakers, and practitioners forecast vegetation dynamics and inform management decisions in a variety of ecosystems. In coastal environments, vegetation moderates physical and hydrodynamic processes that conversely affect vegetation dynamics. Coastal management and the implementation of nature‐based solutions in the coastal environment requires models that can predict vegetation dynamics that are driven by ecological processes as well as physical processes (e.g., storms, sea level rise). To determine models that are capable of simulating biomass dynamics and assess their ability to make predictions within the context of climate change and environmental management, we reviewed coastal dynamic vegetation simulation models across the following coastal zone habitats: tidal wetlands (salt marsh, mangroves, and freshwater wetlands), seagrass beds, coastal forests (maritime and floodplain forests), and dune habitats. Fifty‐four models met the review criteria and were examined to assess their ability to simulate relevant ecological processes and the spatiotemporal scales at which they are applied. These models included a variety of exogenous and endogenous processes and integrate complex ecogeomorphological feedbacks affecting plant and soil community, hydrodynamic, and sediment transport dynamics. Most models reviewed utilized implicit approaches to predicting vegetation biomass and simulated a limited number of processes based on the principal drivers of habitat of interest. Key gaps identified were the exclusion of below‐ground biomass dynamics, limited inclusion of processes such as competition, facilitation, and succession, and the inability to simulate management actions. Future models should seek to move towards process‐based approaches where appropriate to enable their application to different systems and facilitate their use under novel environmental conditions.

Management of Higher Education Institutions as a New Tool for the Development of Higher Education

Higher education is extremely important for the socio-economic development and cultural enrichment of society, providing people with the relevant knowledge and skills to improve their skills and productivity in the context of further global development. Today, the task of effective resource provision and high-quality organization of the student learning process is extremely relevant in the world. The formation of a new mentality of all stakeholders in the educational process in a rapidly changing information environment is of great importance. This task requires constant monitoring and evaluation of the education system based on the collection, processing, and analysis of data necessary to make informed management decisions for the optimal development of higher education. The article aims to highlight the main patterns of management of higher education institutions with a view to their development reflected in the scientific literature, and to clarify certain practical characteristics of this process. In the process of preparing this study, the analytical and bibliographic methods, induction, deduction, and analysis were applied. The synthesis of information was used to study the scientific literature on issues related to the management of HEIs. Meanwhile, systemic-structural, comparative, logical, and linguistic methods, abstraction, and idealization were applied to study and process data. Among other things, the authors of the study conducted an online questionnaire survey to clarify certain aspects of this issue practically. Based on the results of the study, the theoretical aspects of the use of management tools as a tool for the development of HEIs have been studied. Moreover, some practical issues related to the management process in higher education have been characterized.

Bioassessment of multiple stressors in Afrotropical rivers: Evaluating the performance of a macroinvertebrate-based index of biotic integrity, diversity, and regional biotic indices

Many streams and rivers outside conservation areas across the Afrotropics face multiple stressors from land use change, urbanization, and excessive water withdrawals. Thus, there is a need to develop cost-effective tools for assessing and monitoring ecological changes to inform management decisions. Studies utilizing macroinvertebrate communities as indicators of the ecological condition of streams and rivers in the Afrotropics use diverse methods, including diversity, richness, biotic and multimetric indices. However, some of these indices are region- or country-specific, which limits their general use across multiple regions or countries. In this study, we address this challenge by testing and comparing the performance of diversity and richness indices (e.g., Shannon-Wiener and Simpson), regional biotic indices (the African Scoring System Version 5 [SASS5], Tanzanian River Scoring System [TARISS] and a biotic index developed for the Ethiopian highlands [ETHbios]), and a macroinvertebrate-based index of biotic integrity (M-IBI) in assessing the ecological condition of Afrotropical rivers with the transboundary Mara River, Kenya and Tanzania, as a case study. In this study, we analyzed water and habitat quality degradation caused by multiple stressors such as land use change, organic pollution and flow alteration and the corresponding responses in macroinvertebrate communities. We utilized macroinvertebrates data collected from 143 sites covering the entire gradient of the river and its major tributaries in Kenya and Tanzania. To develop the M-IBI, we used 12 metrics that describe macroinvertebrate community richness, composition, tolerance to disturbances (indicator taxa), and the composition of functional feeding groups. Although all the biotic indices were sensitive to poor water quality and human disturbance of the river, the M-IBI performed better than biotic indices (SASS5, Tanzanian River Scoring System, and Ethiopian highlands), diversity and richness indices by having a higher discriminatory ability of site categories according to different levels and types of disturbance. Diversity and richness indices performed poorly and failed to discriminate between stressor gradients in the river. This study demonstrates a need for testing and evaluating indices or protocols before adoption and use in biomonitoring streams and rivers in other countries and regions. There is an even greater need to assess the tolerance of macroinvertebrate taxa before inclusion in biotic indices for improved performance as discriminators of multiple stressors.