Macroinvertebrate metric indicators should be juxtaposed with the community conservation index as ecological tools for conservation evaluation of pristine freshwater ecosystems

• Published in: Biológia Vol. 78; no. 4; pp. 1067 - 1078
• Main Authors: Akindele, Emmanuel O., Adedapo, Abiodun M., Fagbohun, Ibrahim R., Akinpelu, Oluwaseun T., Aliu, Olanrewaju O., Kowobari, Esther D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.04.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aquatic ecosystems; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell Biology; Conservation; Ecology; Ecosystems; Fresh water; Freshwater ecology; Freshwater ecosystems; Guilds; Indicators; Life Sciences; Locomotion; Macroinvertebrates; Microbiology; Microenvironments; Microhabitats; Original Article; Plant Sciences; Rare species; Threatened species; Waterfalls; Zoology; Waterfall; Biodiversity; Protected area; Stress-sensitive taxa; Riparian forest; Functional feeding guilds
• ISSN: 1336-9563; 0006-3088; 1336-9563
• DOI: 10.1007/s11756-023-01315-8

The ecological significance of freshwater ecosystems for conservation in the temperate zone has been determined by aquatic biologists using a variety of ecological techniques. One such tool is the Community Conservation Index (CCI), which was primarily developed in Britain but is also recommended for international use. The current study intends to further test the CCI’s applicability and its sensitivity in identifying freshwater systems of high conservation importance. The pristine condition of three natural monument (Arinta, Ekor, and Oowu waterfalls) streams was evaluated in this study using the macroinvertebrate metric indicators, and the results were compared with their CCIs. The relative compositions of stress-sensitive species, facultative species, functional feeding guilds (FFGs), and modes of locomotion or microhabitat preference (ML/MP) were selected as the macroinvertebrate metrics. The fauna was dominated by the taxonomic group EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera), with the highest EPT-related metrics found at Oowu Waterfalls. Ironically, because a vulnerable species (i.e. Pentaphlebia stahli ) is present there, the Ekor Waterfalls, which had the lowest values for the EPT-related metrics, had the highest CCI. Although both the CCI (>20) and macroinvertebrate metrics suggest that the three sites had high conservation value, the CCI proved to be more goal-oriented in determining the conservation value of pristine freshwater ecosystems. In light of the findings of this study, it is recommended that the CCI be utilized in conjunction with macroinvertebrate metric indicators for studies of a similar nature, particularly in Afrotropics’ protected and pristine sites that are a potential refuge for rare and threatened species.