Biological quality of running waters in protected areas: the influence of size and land use

Abstract

There are still substantial questions about whether protected areas affect the quality and biodiversity of surface waters within their borders. In this study, the size and land use of 19 protected areas of Latium Region (central Italy) were related to the biological quality of 32 streams running inside them. Additionally, the biological quality of 18 out of the 32 streams was compared with the quality recorded on the same streams outside the boundaries of the protected areas. The biological quality was assessed using the Extended Biotic Index, which indicates the macroinvertebrate community health. The quality of 32 study streams running through the protected areas was not related to the size of these areas, but it did reflect land use. On average, the 18 study sites inside protected areas had biological quality similar to external control sites. In the protected areas, the biological quality of streams was higher than for the same streams in the surrounding territory provided that anthropogenic changes were fewer. These data indicate that the creation of protected areas per se does not increase freshwater biodiversity and that land use has a major impact on the biological quality of the stream in a protected area. As a consequence, a higher number of reserves or landscape designations specifically created for aquatic conservation is necessary and recovery programs aimed at restoring physical habitats and reducing sources of impact to aquatic life have to be pursued. Also, where the anthropogenic impact is high (e.g., as in the case of strongly urbanised areas), the creation of effective protected areas might improve the biological quality of water courses.Abbreviations: Ia -Index of anthropisation; IBE -Extended Biotic Index used in Italy to assess biological water quality.

Benthic macroinvertebrates as bioindicators of water quality in an Atlantic forest fragment

“…The use and management of the soil and the land use in the hydrographic basin of a headwater stream has a great influence on the benthic communities (MANCINI et al, 2003). Taking into account the current state of exploitation of the region where the RPPN Mata Samuel de Paula is located, this reserve represents an important Atlantic forest remnant that preserves good ecological conditions and favors the colonization of the freshwater ecosystem by taxa that indicate optimal environmental quality, such as Gripopterygidae, Helicopsychidae, Odontoceridae, and Leptophlebiidae.…”

Co-occurrence between macrophytes and macroinvertebrates: towards a new approach for the running waters quality evaluation?

“…The following k values were attributed to the respective CORINE land use categories: 1, natural woods; 2, pastures, meadows, bush areas, scrub and olive grove; 3, agricultural areas and urban green areas; 4, urban and industrial areas. The 1 km buffer was chosen since in this area macrophytes (personal observation) and macroinvertebrates (Mancini et al, 2005) appeared influenced by land use at this scale. The index therefore represents a good surrogate of anthropogenic disturbance (Larsen et al, 2010).…”

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“…O índice de antropização utilizado é uma adaptação do índice utilizado por Mancini et al (2005) e calculado conforme a seguinte equação:…”

“…No caso de toda a bacia, Mancini et al (2005) avaliaram a condição da bacia de drenagem classificando o uso e cobertura do solo em 4 categorias avaliados com um índice de antropização. Esse índice foi correlacionando com a qualidade biológica da água, avaliada pela diversidade de invertebrados bentônicos.…”