19 River water quality assessment in selected Yangtze tributaries: Method development and application

Monday, May 18, 2009: 1:30 PM
Imperial Ballroom
Sonja C. Jähnig , Faculty of Biology and Geography, Department of Applied Zoology / Hydrobiology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
Daniel Hering , Faculty of Biology and Geography, Department of Applied Zoology / Hydrobiology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
Fengqing Li , Institute of Hydrobiology: Center for Freshwater Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
Deep Narayan Shah , Hindu Kush Himalayan Benthological Society, Bhaktapur, Nepal
Ram Devi T. Shah , Hindu Kush Himalayan Benthological Society, Bhaktapur, Nepal
Qinghua Cai , Institute of Hydrobiology: Center for Freshwater Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
Water pollution is among the most severe environmental problems in China, particularly in the vicinity of residential and urban areas. In almost all Asian countries, river monitoring is predominantly based on the analysis of chemical data. However, biological data are a worthwhile addition for determination of the long-term ecological status of rivers and are particularly well-suited in case of steep pollution and disturbance gradients. A tool for river water quality assessment using benthic invertebrates has been developed for selected tributaries of the middle reaches of the Yangtze. Site selection was supported by a pre-classification protocol considering sensory features, hydromorphological conditions and biodiversity screening. Altogether 37 samples were taken in small and large streams in the subtropical mountain area of western Hubei (China) covering a pollution gradient, accompanied by an extensive field protocol on stream characteristics and physico-chemical water analyses. Sampling was performed once in April (pre-monsoon) and validated by rapid field assessment in September (post-monsoon). Taxa were identified up to the lowest possible level (usually family or genus). The proposed assessment system is computed as an average score per taxon. The presentation shows aspects of the method development, assigning indicator scores to taxa and current assessment results.
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