Bioassessment of Kordan Stream (Iran) Water Quality Using Macro-Zoobenthos Indices

Abstract

Changes in water and habitat quality of Kordan Stream were examined using community structure and biotic indices at 3 sites during [2008][2009]. This investigation resulted in inventories of benthic insect communities being obtained from this stream. It also resulted in two metrics being calculated from benthic insect communities. Of the metrics used, one indicated EPT taxa richness and one involved a biotic index, HFBI, for organic pollution. Water temperature, water velocity, water depth, dissolved oxygen, BOD5, pH, specific conductivity; phosphate and nitrate concentrations were within ranges usually capable of supporting a diverse biota. Samples were dominated by insects and yielded 142 macroinvertebrate taxa. The scores calculated for HFBI was lowest (4.67) and rated good water quality (some organic pollution probable) at site 1 and increased to 5.45 rated fair (fairly substantial pollution likely) at site 3. EPT ratings were "under a little perturbation" at three sites, suggesting high taxa richness and habitat quality in Kordan Stream.

Initial commented checklist of Iranian mayflies, with new area records and description of Procloeon caspicum sp. n. (Insecta, Ephemeroptera, Baetidae)

“…Despite relatively high number of recent (after 2000) publications on macroinvertebrates based on routine sampling of benthic communities, the knowledge on aquatic diversity seems to be very limited. Most studies include data on macroinvertebrates determined to family level (e.g., Nemati Varnosfaderany et al (2010), Montajami et al 2012, Abbaspour et al 2013, Bashti and Ostovan 2014, Eyidozehi et al 2014, Nasirian 2014, Aazami et al 2015, Shayeghi et al 2016) or generic level only (e.g., Egglishaw 1980, Mousavi Nadushan and Ramezani 2011, Mahboobi Soofiani et al 2012, Imanpour Namin 2013, Ghasemi and Kamali 2014, Seyyedsharifi et al 2014, Shokri et al 2014, Shayeghi et al 2015, Sharifinia et al 2016a,b), reporting predominantly common Palaearctic families and genera. Unfortunately, determination to species level (if present) is erroneous in most cases in question.…”