Impact of weirs in altering benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages and composition structure in the Luvuvhu River Catchment, South Africa

Author:

Munzhelele Humbulani E.,Barnhoorn Irene E. J.,Addo-Bediako Abraham,Ramulifho Pfananani A.,Luus-Powell Wilmien J.

Abstract

Stream flow weirs disrupt river flow regimes, physical conditions, and biological composition of rivers, posing significant threat to the river’s functionality, integrity, and sustainability. Home to diverse aquatic organisms, there is a lack of impact assessment of weirs on the stream of the Luvuvhu River Catchment (LRC). The aim of this study was to examine the impact of six weirs on aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages and composition across five streams. A total of six sampling surveys on macroinvertebrates and physico-chemical parameters were conducted upstream and downstream of six weirs in 12 months between June 2021 and June 2022. The South African Scoring System score (SASS score) and Average Score per Taxon (ASPT) indices were used to compare organisms’ response between upstream and downstream of weirs. Generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) were used to determine the effect of physico-chemical variables on macroinvertebrate assemblage, while the CCA was employed to assess similarities between downstream and upstream sampling points across various sites. A total of 18,914 macroinvertebrate individuals were observed from 65 families during the survey. In upstream sections, the SASS score was driven by habitat integrity, electrical conductivity, and water depth, while ASPT responded significantly to habitat integrity, pH, dissolved oxygen and electrical conductivity. In the downstream sections, the SASS score increased with an increasing habitat integrity score and river width, while decreasing with elevation and pH levels. ASPT increased with increasing habitat integrity and elevation in the downstream sections, while decreasing with increasing river width and water temperature. This study’s findings suggest habitat integrity is largely driving aquatic abundance and assemblage in the LRC, and it is therefore important to maintain the ecological integrity of rivers.

Publisher

Frontiers Media SA

Cited by 1 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3