BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS

of FRESHWATER
POLLUTION
Dr MICHAEL F. RYAN
SCHOOL of BIOLOGY and
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY of IRELAND
 Objectives

• Introduce concept of indicator and biotic indices

• Examine community of macroinvertebrates in
contrasting waters
• Physical & Chemical factors affecting freshwater
systems
• Nutrient cycles P&N, Concepts
• Anthropogenic Impacts (Eutrophication &
Acidification)
 Major Approaches to
Biomonitoring/assessment in last
30 years
•Single Metric - biotic indices
•Multivariate (Predictive models
(RIVPACS, AUSRIVAS, BEAST)
•Multimetric Indices
Index of Biological Integrity IBI & AQEM
system
 What are Biological Indicators
Organism/organisms or attributes of the
community which can be used to provide
information on:
• State of the environment
• Change from ‘normal conditions’
• Highlight the pressure causing a change.
 Ideal Indicator
from Rosenberg & Resh

• Taxonomically sound & easy to identify

• Widespread distribution
• Numerically Abundant
• Large body size
• Ecological requirements known (autecology)
• Narrow ecological demands
 Types of Indicators

• Senitel Organisms
• Community Level Indicators
• Organism Level Indicators
– biochemical indicators
– life history responses
– morphological deformities egs.
Community Level Indicators

• Number of taxa

• Representation of various taxa

- usually expressed as a biotic index -

MACROINVERTEBRATES
are a
key
INDICATOR
GROUP
Advantages of Macroinvertebrates in
Water Quality Assessment

• Wide diversity (species & functional groups)and

abundance
• Relatively sedentary - occurrence of most can be
related to conditions at place of capture
• Life cycle of 6 months or longer - provides overview
of prevailing physical/chemical conditions
• Sampling relatively easy and cheap.
• They respond to environmental stress - integrate the
effects of short-tem perturbations
 Disadvantages of using
Macroinvertebrates in
Water Quality Assessment

• Biological expertise needed to identify some

groups

• Autecology of various groups needed as

absences may be related to habitat or life
cycle factors
Macroinvertebrates respond to
environmental stress
• Oxygen depletion

• Direct toxicity
• Loss of microhabitat
• Siltation of habitat
• Food availability changes
• Competition from other species
Bioassessment Using
Macroinvertebrates
• Sample collection
• Sorting
• Identification
• Data Analyses
• Reporting
 Analyses Measures (Metrics)
evaluate and express the presence/level of
impact
5 possible categories:
Taxon Richness
Enumerations/Composition Measures
Community Diversity & Similarity Indices
Biotic Indices
Functional Feeding Group Measures
Multimetric Approach (4th Year)
 Biotic Indices
• Incorporate information on pollution
tolerance/biological tolerance to provide
overall measure of water quality (numerical
value)
Caution:
Most developed to describe impact of organic
pollution
• Generally applied to rivers
 .

Differences in tolerance of invertebrate groups to organic

pollution
 Macroinvertebrate Communities found in:
Clean Water
Moderate Pollution
Heavily Polluted
 Data required for
Biotic Indices

• Identification of indicator taxa (generally

family level)
• Some require enumeration of various taxa
• Scoring of indicator response to pollution
 Biotic Index Systems for
Macroinvertebrates
•Ireland - EPA Q-value score
•U.K. - BMWP score
(Biological Monitoring Working Party)
ASPT
•Belgian Biotic Index
•Saprobic Index
•Hilsenhoff Biotic Index
 Q-Values: Q1 to Q5
 Q-Value assigned
depending on mix of
pollution-sensitive v.
pollution-tolerant

 Q5 => the best quality

(Reference Conditions)

Q3/Q3-4 - eutrophic

 Q1/Q2 => highly polluted

 EPA Q-value Map
Seriously
Polluted

Slightly Polluted

Unpolluted
Moderately Polluted
 Using macroinvertebrate data to
produce a biotic index of water quality

All index systems are based on varying degree of

tolerance shown by species/families to pollution
(usually organic).
 EPA Q-values

• Macroinvertebrate families can be divided

into 5 pollution sensitive groups - A (highly
sensitive) to E (tolerant).

• The proportions of the various groups present

in the river indicates the prevailing water
quality - yields Q-values score from 1 to 5
 Sensitive
Groups
A to C
Group B -
Group A -
Less Sensitive
Most Sensitive

Group C - Relatively Sensitive

 Tolerant Forms - D to E

Group D -
Tolerant Forms

Group E - Most
Tolerant Forms
 EPA Q-Values

Organic waste input

 Macroinvertebrates grouped according to their sensitivity to organic pollution
TAXA Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E
Sensitive Less Sensitive Tolerant Very Tolerant Most Tolerant
Plecoptera All except Leuctra spp. Leuctra spp.
Heptageniidae Baetidae Baetis rhodani
Ephemeroptera Siphlonuriidae (excl. Baetis rhodani) Caenidae
Ephemera danica Leptophlebidae Ephemerellidae
Trichoptera Cased spp. Uncased spp.
Odonata All taxa
Megaloptera Sialidae
Hemiptera Aphelocheirus aestivalis All except A. aestivalis
Coleoptera Coleoptera
Chironomidae (excl. Chironomus spp.
Diptera Chironomus spp.) Eristalis sp.
Simuliidae Tipulidae
Hydracarina Hydracarina
Gammarus spp. Asellus spp.
Crustacea Austropotamobius pallipes Crangonyx spp.

Gastropoda Lymnaea peregra

Gastropoda (excl. Lymnaea peregra & Physa sp.
Physa sp.)
Lamellibranchiata Margaritifera margaritifera Anodonta spp. Sphaeriidae

Hirudinea Piscicola sp. All except Piscicola sp.

Oligochaeta Tubificidae
Platyhelminthes All
 Biological Assessment of Water Quality in Eroding Reaches (Riffles & Glides) of Rivers and Streams*
Biotic Indices (Q Values) and typical associated macroinvertebrate community structure. See overleaf for details of the Faunal Groups.
Macroinvertebrate
Faunal Groups**
Q5 Q4 Q3-4 Q3 Q2 Q1
Group A At least 3 taxa At least 1 taxon At least 1 taxon Absent Absent Absent
well represented in reasonable numbers Few - Common
Group B Few to Few to Numerous Few/Absent to Few/Absent Absent Absent
Numerous Numerous
Common to Numerous Common to Excessive
Few Baetis rhodani often (usually Dominant or Dominant to Few or Absent Absent
Group C Abundant Excessive) Excessive
Others: never Excessive
Group D Few or Absent Few or Absent Few/Absent to Few/Absent to Dominant to Few or Absent
Common Common Excessive
Group E Few or Absent Few or Absent Few or Absent Few or Absent Few / Absent to Dominant
Common
 Criteria for the EPA “Q value” Determination in Riffles and Eroding Areas.
-see footnote for explanation of relative numerical values
Q5 (Unpolluted, Class A) assigned if
a) Groups A and B the dominant forms. At least three Group A taxa present in at least fair numbers*
b) At least one Group A taxon common* or numerous*
c) Group C not more than common*
d) Groups D and E scarce* or absent
e) Macrophytes, if present, diverse and not excessive in development.
f) Filamentous algae, if present, not excessive in development.
g) Cladophora, sewage fungus and other slime growths/complexes absent.
h) substrata clean and unsilted.
i) DO close to 100% at all times

Q4 (Unpolluted, Class A) assigned if

a) At least one Group A taxon present in at least fair numbers.
b) Group B taxa dominant* or numerous*
c) Group C numerous* or common*
d) Groups D may be present in small numbers*
e) Group E scarce* or absent
f) Macrophyte and algal growths not excessive.
g) Cladophora, if present, not excessive in development.
h) Sewage fungus and other slime growths/ complexes absent.
I) Substrata may be lightly silted.
j) DO ranging from 80 to 120%.

Q3-4 (Slightly polluted -Class B) assigned if

a) At least one Group A taxon present in, at least small numbers*
b) Group B (Baetidae) dominant* or numerous*
c) Group C numerous* (Gammarus, Simuliidae usually co-dominant)
d) Groups D may be present in fair numbers*
e) Group E scarce* or absent
f) Macrpohyte and algal growths usually luxuriant, often excessive.
g) Cladophora, usually excessive in development.
h) Sewage fungus and other slime growths/ complexes may be present in small amounts
I) Substrata may be considerably silted.
j) DO ranging from < 80 to > 120%.
Q3 (Moderately polluted, Class C) assigned if
a) Group A absent (single specimens may be ignored).
b) Except for B. rhodani, which may be numerous* or dominant*, Group B scarce* or absent.
c) Group C dominant*. Gammarus, Hydropsyche and other species may be fungus infested
d) Groups D may be common*
e) Group E may be present in small numbers*
f) Macrophytes, if present silted and /or infested with epiphytic algae.
g) Cladophora usually excessive in development.
h) Sewage fungus and other slime growths / complexes may be considerable.
I) Substrata may be heavily silted.
j) DO ranging from <80 to >120%.

Q2 (seriously polluted, Class D) assigned if

a) Group A absent.
b) Group B absent.
c) Group C scarce* or absent
d) Groups D dominant*
e) Group E may be common* or numerous*
f) Macrophytes, if present silted and/or infested with epiphytic algae/sewage fungus.
g) Cladophora not usually apparent.
h) Sewage fungus and other slime growths/complexes usually considerable.
i) Substrata usually heavily silted. Often smells of sewage/detergent
j) DO usually quite low (20 - 50%)

Ql (Seriously polluted, Class D) assigned if

a) Group A absent.
b) Group B absent.
c) Group C absent
d) Groups D sparse* or absent
e) Group E dominant*
f) Macrophytes absent.
g) Cladophora absent.
h) Sewage fungus and other slime growths/ complexes present or absent.
i) Substrata usually heavily silted with anaerobic deposits. Often smells of H2S.
j) DO usually very low, often zero.
 Interpretation

Quality Ratings Pollution Status

Q5, Q4-5 and Q4 Unpolluted
Q3-4, Q3 and Q2-3 Slight to moderate pollution
Q2, Q1-2 and Q1 Serious pollution
 BMWP (Biological Working Party) Score
Families Score
Siphlonuridae Heptagenidae Leptophlebiidae Ephemerellidae Potamanthidae Ephemeridae 10
Taeniopterygidae Leuctridae Capniidae Perlidae Chloroperlidae Aphelocheiridae Phryganeidae
Molannidae Beraeidae Odontoceridae Leptoceridae Goeridae Lepidostomatidae
Brachycentridae Sericostomatidae
Astacidae 8
Lestidae Agriidae Gomphidae Cordulegasteridae Aeshnidae Corduliidae Libellulidae
Psychomyiidae Philopitamidae
Caenidae 7
Nemouridae
Rhycophlilidae Polycentropodidae Limnephilidae
Neritidae Viviparidae Ancylidae 6
Hydroptilidae
Unionidae
Corophidae Gammaridae
Platycnemididae Coenagriidae
Mesovelidae Hydrometridae Gerridae Nepidae Naucoridae Notonectidae Pleidae Corixidae 5
Haliplidae Hydrobiidae Dytiscidae Gyrinidae Hydrophilidae Clambidae Helododae
Dryopidae Elminthidae Chrysomelidae Curculionidae
Hydropsychidae
Tipulidae Simuliidae
Planariidae Dendrocoelidae
Baetidae 4
Sialidae
Piscicolidae
Valvatidae Hydrobiidae Lymnaeidae Physidae Planorbidae Sphaeriidae 3
Glossiphoniidae Hirudidae Erpobdellidae
Asellidae
Chironomidae 2
Oligochaeta (whole class) 1
 ASPT SCORE

List the families present in the sample, assign the

appropriate BMWP score to each family present.
Sum these to get the total BMWP score. The
Average Score Per Taxon (ASPT) value is then
computed by dividing the total BMWP by the
number of scoring taxa present in the sample. The
resulting value is between 1 and 10.
 Exercise 1

Exercis
EPA Faunal Groups Abundance BMWP
Family Score
Group A - Sensitive forms None present 0

e Group B - Less Sensitive Forms None present 0

Group C - Relatively Tolerant Forms

Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Baetidae 6 4
Coleoptera (beetles) Elminthidae 13 5
Total 19

Group D - Tolerant Forms

Oligochaeta (worms) Hirudinea (leeches) 15 3
Crustacea Asellidae (water louse) 36 3
Mollusca (snails) Lymnaeidae 53 3
Planorbiidae 120 3
Chironomidae 23 2
Total 247

Group E - Most Tolerant Forms

Oligochaeta (worms) Tubificidae 80 1
Total 80

Q value BMWP SCORE 24

ASPT 3 (8 scoring
families)