An aquatic macroinvertebrate and and chemical database for reverine ecosystems

Abstract

A database has been developed comprising biological (macroinvertebrate) and chemical data derived from documented studies of riverine ecosystems within South Africa. The intrinsic variability of biotic and chemical components of these ecosystems has necessitated the adoption of a three-level hierarchical framework within which the biological and chemical data are accessed and queried. The primary level is the regional or geographic framework and includes water quality management regions, bioregions and political regions; the secondary level differentiates longitudinal components or subregions and the tertiary level is the site. Biological data, as percentage abundance, are given for each biotope sampled. The associated chemical data, standardised into SI units, are given for each site. The South African Scoring System (SASS), which is a rapid bioassessment method used to detect water quality impairment in riverine ecosystems, has also been incorporated to enable an estimate of water quality impairment to be established based on historical data.

Authors

Categories