Model-Based Analysis of the Potential of Macroinvertebrates as Indicators for Microbial Pathogens in Rivers

Abstract

The quality of water prior to its use for drinking, farming or recreational purposes must comply with several physicochemical and microbiological standards to safeguard society and the environment. In order to satisfy these standards, expensive analyses and highly trained personnel in laboratories are required. Whereas macroinvertebrates have been used as ecological indicators to review the health of aquatic ecosystems. In this research, the relationship between microbial pathogens and macrobenthic invertebrate taxa was examined in the Machangara River located in the southern Andes of Ecuador, in which 33 sites, according to their land use, were chosen to collect physicochemical, microbiological and biological parameters. Decision tree models (DTMs) were used to generate rules that link the presence and abundance of some benthic families to microbial pathogen standards. The aforementioned DTMs provide an indirect, approximate, and quick way of checking the fulfillment of Ecuadorian regulations for water use related to microbial pathogens. The models built and optimized with the WEKA package, were evaluated based on both statistical and ecological criteria to make them as clear and simple as possible. As a result, two different and reliable models were obtained, which could be used as proxy indicators in a preliminary assessment of pollution of microbial pathogens in rivers. The DTMs can be easily applied by staff with minimal training in the identification of the sensitive taxa selected by the models. The presence of selected macroinvertebrate taxa in conjunction with the decision trees can be used as a screening tool to evaluate sites that require additional follow up analyses to confirm whether microbial water quality standards are met.

Effects of land use and water quality on greenhouse gas emissions from an urban river system

“…The mean altitude of the study area is 2655 m a.s.l. The annual average air temperature is 16.3 °C and the average rainfall is about 879 mm per year (Jerves-Cobo et al, 2018a). The rainy season starts from the middle of February until the beginning of July and from the second half of September until the first two weeks of November, while the rest of the year constitutes the dry season (Jerves-Cobo et al, 2020b).…”

Determination of Pollution Loads in Spillways of the Combined Sewage Network of the City of Cuenca, Ecuador

“…Cuenca is located in the southern part of the Andean mountains, in the geomorphological zone cataloged as the inter-Andean valley, located at an altitude that varies from 2300 to 2900 m ASL, expanding in a surface of 36 km 2 . The annual average temperature changes, according to the altitude, from 9 to 16.3 • C [28,29]. The rainy season runs from the middle of February until the beginning of July and from the second half of September until the first two weeks of November, while the rest of the year constitutes the dry season [24].…”

Advances in Ecological Water System Modeling: Integration and Leanification as a Basis for Application in Environmental Management

“…The effect of tipping points and environmental standards [21] can be analysed via models, as well as the uncertainty of assessment methods [22,23], or effects of particular choices made during assessments [24]. Models can also contribute to the leanification of data collection [5] and interpretation of data [25]. More conceptual approaches and (model) reviews can contribute to the overall improvement of the analysis of uncertainty, model development, and general applicability in water management, effective policy development, and improving water governance [26].…”

“…Integrated ecological models can support environmental management and policy development in various ways. These models provide insights into water-related disease control [4], assessments of environmental impact of wastewater and combined sewer overflows [5], wastewater treatment selection [6] and improvement [7], ecosystem services analysis [8,9], effects of land use on water quality [10] and aquatic community composition [11], as well as ecological water quality [12], determination of habitat restoration projects [13,14], distribution prediction and control of invasive species [15], integration of ecological insights into flood mitigation [16], and flow control related to reservoir management [17]. Moreover, models can be used for exploration purposes [18] and trade-off analysis [19], and environmental impact assessment [20] to inspire stakeholders and to support decision-making for policy developers.…”