Characterisation of Macroinvertebrate Communities in Maritsa River (South Bulgaria)—Relation to Different Environmental Factors and Ecological Status Assessment
Open Access
- 4 October 2022
- Vol. 14 (10), 833
- https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100833
Abstract
A survey of the macrozoobenthos communities in the Maritsa River (South Bulgaria) was carried out in the summer of 2021. Benthic samples were collected and physicochemical parameters (water temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and nutrients) were measured at 15 sites located on the main river and its tributary system. The studied sites belonged to different river types and characterised the diversity of the ecological conditions—from unaffected to anthropogenically influenced river stretches. In addition, data from a study conducted in the summer of 2020 were used to analyse species–factor interactions in the river ecosystems and to assess the bio-indicative potential of the aquatic invertebrates. The dynamics of the taxonomic composition and abundance of the macrozoobenthos were analysed in relation to environmental factors. The physicochemical conditions of the water environment changed during the period of high water, which led to a reduction in the composition of the macrozoobenthos. Plecoptera and Trichoptera decreased in richness and abundance downstream and under human impacts. Ephemeroptera and Chironomidae were permanently present along the whole river. Oligochaeta increased in the lower river reaches and at sites with a greater amount of organic matter. The ecological status determined by the macrozoobenthos varied from high (site 1) to good, moderate and bad (site 13) at the studied sites.Keywords
This publication has 7 references indexed in Scilit:
- Diversity of Periphytic Chironomidae on Different Substrate Types in a Floodplain Aquatic EcosystemDiversity, 2022
- Characterisation of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities in Small Watercourses of the European Central Plains Ecoregion and the Effect of Different Environmental FactorsAnimals, 2022
- Impact Assessment of the Wastewater Treatment Plants’ Discharges on Maritsa RiverInternational Journal Bioautomation, 2021
- The role of macrozoobenthos and periphyton in bioindication of water resources quality in UzbekistanE3S Web of Conferences, 2021
- Application of Aquatic Insects (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera) in Water Quality Assessment of Malaysian HeadwaterTropical Life Sciences Research, 2017
- Analysis of benthic macroinvertebrate communities from the Lower sections of Large river in relation to different environmental factorsOpen Life Sciences, 2014
- Macrozoobenthos of floodplain waters of the rivers rhine and meuse in the Netherlands: A structural and functional analysis in relation to hydrologyRegulated Rivers: Research & Management, 1991