Water and Sediment Chemistry as Drivers of Macroinvertebrates and Fish Assemblages in Littoral Zones of Subtropical Reservoirs
Reservoirs are human-made ecosystems with diverse purposes that benefit humans both directly and indirectly. They however cause changes in geomorphological processes such as sediment cycling and influence the composition and structure of aquatic biota. This study aimed to identify water and sediment...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/1/42 |
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| author | Linton F. Munyai Thendo Liphadzi Thendo Mutshekwa Mulalo I. Mutoti Lubabalo Mofu Florence M. Murungweni |
| author_facet | Linton F. Munyai Thendo Liphadzi Thendo Mutshekwa Mulalo I. Mutoti Lubabalo Mofu Florence M. Murungweni |
| author_sort | Linton F. Munyai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Reservoirs are human-made ecosystems with diverse purposes that benefit humans both directly and indirectly. They however cause changes in geomorphological processes such as sediment cycling and influence the composition and structure of aquatic biota. This study aimed to identify water and sediment quality parameters as drivers of macroinvertebrates and fish communities during the cool-dry and hot-wet seasons in the littoral zones of three subtropical reservoirs (Albasini, Thathe and Nandoni). Macroinvertebrates and fish were collected from three sites (<i>n</i> = 3 from each site) in each reservoir. A total of 501 and 359 macroinvertebrates and fish individuals were collected throughout the sampling period, respectively. The present study employed a two-way ANOVA in conjunction with redundancy analysis (RDA) to assess the relationships that exist between water and sediment variables, macroinvertebrates diversity and species abundances across seasons. Based on the two-way ANOVA model, significant differences were observed across reservoirs for evenness, Simpson’s diversity, and total abundance, while seasonal differences were observed for most metrics, with exception for evenness. The RDA results identified four water variables (i.e., water temperature, oxidation–reduction potential, pH and conductivity) and one sediment metal (Mg) as the most important parameters in driving the fish community structure. Field observations and metal results attest that the Nandoni reservoir shows high concentrations of metals in sediments as compared to other reservoirs, suggesting that anthropogenic activities such as car washing, brick making, recreation, fishing, wastewater treatment work and landfill site may be the major contributor of metals to the Nandoni reservoir, which accumulate in the littoral zones. Findings of this study highlight the need to analyze reservoir ecological conditions at several scales. The study of macroinvertebrates and fish, water, and sediment chemistry in the littoral zone laid the groundwork for proposing measures for conserving aquatic ecosystems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T14:55:40Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T14:55:40Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-c888c997c81d47d6b0b55b3efb3b08702024-01-10T15:11:26ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412023-12-011614210.3390/w16010042Water and Sediment Chemistry as Drivers of Macroinvertebrates and Fish Assemblages in Littoral Zones of Subtropical ReservoirsLinton F. Munyai0Thendo Liphadzi1Thendo Mutshekwa2Mulalo I. Mutoti3Lubabalo Mofu4Florence M. Murungweni5School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Mpumalanga, Nelspruit 1200, South AfricaDepartment of Geography and Environmental Sciences, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, South AfricaDepartment of Freshwater Invertebrates, Albany Museum, Makhanda 6139, South AfricaDepartment of Environmental, Water, and Earth Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0001, South AfricaSouth African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), Makhanda 6140, South AfricaDepartment of Geography and Environmental Sciences, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, South AfricaReservoirs are human-made ecosystems with diverse purposes that benefit humans both directly and indirectly. They however cause changes in geomorphological processes such as sediment cycling and influence the composition and structure of aquatic biota. This study aimed to identify water and sediment quality parameters as drivers of macroinvertebrates and fish communities during the cool-dry and hot-wet seasons in the littoral zones of three subtropical reservoirs (Albasini, Thathe and Nandoni). Macroinvertebrates and fish were collected from three sites (<i>n</i> = 3 from each site) in each reservoir. A total of 501 and 359 macroinvertebrates and fish individuals were collected throughout the sampling period, respectively. The present study employed a two-way ANOVA in conjunction with redundancy analysis (RDA) to assess the relationships that exist between water and sediment variables, macroinvertebrates diversity and species abundances across seasons. Based on the two-way ANOVA model, significant differences were observed across reservoirs for evenness, Simpson’s diversity, and total abundance, while seasonal differences were observed for most metrics, with exception for evenness. The RDA results identified four water variables (i.e., water temperature, oxidation–reduction potential, pH and conductivity) and one sediment metal (Mg) as the most important parameters in driving the fish community structure. Field observations and metal results attest that the Nandoni reservoir shows high concentrations of metals in sediments as compared to other reservoirs, suggesting that anthropogenic activities such as car washing, brick making, recreation, fishing, wastewater treatment work and landfill site may be the major contributor of metals to the Nandoni reservoir, which accumulate in the littoral zones. Findings of this study highlight the need to analyze reservoir ecological conditions at several scales. The study of macroinvertebrates and fish, water, and sediment chemistry in the littoral zone laid the groundwork for proposing measures for conserving aquatic ecosystems.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/1/42aquatic ecosystemsbiomonitoringcommunity structurelittoral macroinvertebratesmacrozoobenthosreservoir ecology |
| spellingShingle | Linton F. Munyai Thendo Liphadzi Thendo Mutshekwa Mulalo I. Mutoti Lubabalo Mofu Florence M. Murungweni Water and Sediment Chemistry as Drivers of Macroinvertebrates and Fish Assemblages in Littoral Zones of Subtropical Reservoirs Water aquatic ecosystems biomonitoring community structure littoral macroinvertebrates macrozoobenthos reservoir ecology |
| title | Water and Sediment Chemistry as Drivers of Macroinvertebrates and Fish Assemblages in Littoral Zones of Subtropical Reservoirs |
| title_full | Water and Sediment Chemistry as Drivers of Macroinvertebrates and Fish Assemblages in Littoral Zones of Subtropical Reservoirs |
| title_fullStr | Water and Sediment Chemistry as Drivers of Macroinvertebrates and Fish Assemblages in Littoral Zones of Subtropical Reservoirs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Water and Sediment Chemistry as Drivers of Macroinvertebrates and Fish Assemblages in Littoral Zones of Subtropical Reservoirs |
| title_short | Water and Sediment Chemistry as Drivers of Macroinvertebrates and Fish Assemblages in Littoral Zones of Subtropical Reservoirs |
| title_sort | water and sediment chemistry as drivers of macroinvertebrates and fish assemblages in littoral zones of subtropical reservoirs |
| topic | aquatic ecosystems biomonitoring community structure littoral macroinvertebrates macrozoobenthos reservoir ecology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/1/42 |
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