Reliability of the Tanzania river scoring system (TARISS) macroinvertebrate index of water quality: a case study of the river Mpanga system, Uganda
Uganda does not have a biomonitoring system for assessing the water quality of its rivers basing on benthic macroinvertebrates. An alternative system has been suggested in Tanzania. Differences in characteristics between Tanzania and Uganda may contribute to differences in the physical and chemical...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Freshwater Ecology |
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| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02705060.2019.1631895 |
| _version_ | 1818048349472817152 |
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| author | Julius Tumusiime Casim Umba Tolo Marie-Claire Dusabe Christian Albrecht |
| author_facet | Julius Tumusiime Casim Umba Tolo Marie-Claire Dusabe Christian Albrecht |
| author_sort | Julius Tumusiime |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Uganda does not have a biomonitoring system for assessing the water quality of its rivers basing on benthic macroinvertebrates. An alternative system has been suggested in Tanzania. Differences in characteristics between Tanzania and Uganda may contribute to differences in the physical and chemical characteristics of rivers between the two countries, resulting in variations in macroinvertebrate assemblages and sensitivity levels in relation to disturbance. River Mpanga lies along the equator in western Uganda and shows heterogeneity of impacted and non-impacted sites along its course. The disturbance gradient of River Mpanga was determined using habitat integrity scores. The ability of the Tanzania River Scoring System (TARISS) to distinguish test from reference sites using macroinvertebrate assemblages was validated. Both qualitative and quantitative data were obtained through purposive sampling in both the wet and dry seasons. Macroinvertebrates were sampled following a slightly modified TARISS protocol. Canonical analysis of principle coordinates (CAP) showed that macroinvertebrate assemblages vary along a disturbance gradient, grouping test sites distinct from reference sites. Of the TARISS metrics, average score per taxon was able to distinguish between test and reference sites (p = .009) among the TARISS metrics. Five taxa not included in TARISS were found in river Mpanga and were assigned sensitivity scores based on CAP predictive model in PERMANOVA. It was concluded that TARISS could be reliable for eastern African river systems but should be updated and/or modified by users in different regions to include missing taxa. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T10:20:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-73045ec657b045e08f78cc775bd7bd8b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0270-5060 2156-6941 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T10:20:16Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Freshwater Ecology |
| spelling | doaj.art-73045ec657b045e08f78cc775bd7bd8b2022-12-22T01:52:52ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of Freshwater Ecology0270-50602156-69412019-01-0134154155710.1080/02705060.2019.16318951631895Reliability of the Tanzania river scoring system (TARISS) macroinvertebrate index of water quality: a case study of the river Mpanga system, UgandaJulius Tumusiime0Casim Umba Tolo1Marie-Claire Dusabe2Christian Albrecht3Mbarara University of Science and TechnologyMbarara University of Science and TechnologyMbarara University of Science and TechnologyMbarara University of Science and TechnologyUganda does not have a biomonitoring system for assessing the water quality of its rivers basing on benthic macroinvertebrates. An alternative system has been suggested in Tanzania. Differences in characteristics between Tanzania and Uganda may contribute to differences in the physical and chemical characteristics of rivers between the two countries, resulting in variations in macroinvertebrate assemblages and sensitivity levels in relation to disturbance. River Mpanga lies along the equator in western Uganda and shows heterogeneity of impacted and non-impacted sites along its course. The disturbance gradient of River Mpanga was determined using habitat integrity scores. The ability of the Tanzania River Scoring System (TARISS) to distinguish test from reference sites using macroinvertebrate assemblages was validated. Both qualitative and quantitative data were obtained through purposive sampling in both the wet and dry seasons. Macroinvertebrates were sampled following a slightly modified TARISS protocol. Canonical analysis of principle coordinates (CAP) showed that macroinvertebrate assemblages vary along a disturbance gradient, grouping test sites distinct from reference sites. Of the TARISS metrics, average score per taxon was able to distinguish between test and reference sites (p = .009) among the TARISS metrics. Five taxa not included in TARISS were found in river Mpanga and were assigned sensitivity scores based on CAP predictive model in PERMANOVA. It was concluded that TARISS could be reliable for eastern African river systems but should be updated and/or modified by users in different regions to include missing taxa.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02705060.2019.1631895biomonitoring macroinvertebrates freshwaterdisturbance gradientbioassessmentriver mpanga |
| spellingShingle | Julius Tumusiime Casim Umba Tolo Marie-Claire Dusabe Christian Albrecht Reliability of the Tanzania river scoring system (TARISS) macroinvertebrate index of water quality: a case study of the river Mpanga system, Uganda Journal of Freshwater Ecology biomonitoring macroinvertebrates freshwater disturbance gradient bioassessment river mpanga |
| title | Reliability of the Tanzania river scoring system (TARISS) macroinvertebrate index of water quality: a case study of the river Mpanga system, Uganda |
| title_full | Reliability of the Tanzania river scoring system (TARISS) macroinvertebrate index of water quality: a case study of the river Mpanga system, Uganda |
| title_fullStr | Reliability of the Tanzania river scoring system (TARISS) macroinvertebrate index of water quality: a case study of the river Mpanga system, Uganda |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reliability of the Tanzania river scoring system (TARISS) macroinvertebrate index of water quality: a case study of the river Mpanga system, Uganda |
| title_short | Reliability of the Tanzania river scoring system (TARISS) macroinvertebrate index of water quality: a case study of the river Mpanga system, Uganda |
| title_sort | reliability of the tanzania river scoring system tariss macroinvertebrate index of water quality a case study of the river mpanga system uganda |
| topic | biomonitoring macroinvertebrates freshwater disturbance gradient bioassessment river mpanga |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02705060.2019.1631895 |
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