Determination of water quality in the Western Mediterranean River basin in Türkiye by using macrophyte indexes

Abstract

Abstract In this study, we determined the macrophyte diversity, ecological quality based on Macrophyte Biological Index for Rivers (IBMR), and the correlations between macrophytes and physicochemical variables in 17 rivers in the Western Mediterranean Basin in Türkiye. In addition to these, we performed hierarchical clustering analysis to determine similarities of stations according to the macrophyte diversity and physicochemical variables. The IBMR values ranged between 6 and 12. Consequently, we found that the basin is at the mesotrophic-eutrophic level. The high levels of biological oxygen demand, total phosphorus, and suspended solids associated with organic and physical pollution in most stations and the frequency of the emergent taxa support the IBMR results and trophic level of rivers. Also, we found that water bodies chemically similar are relatively floristically similar.