Functional groups of Afrotropical EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera) as bioindicators of semi-urban pollution in the Tsitsa River Catchment, Eastern Cape, South Africa

• DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13970
• Publication Date: 2022-12-15T10:32:51Z
• Authors: Frank Chukwuzuoke...; Augustine Ovie Ed...; Phindiwe Ntloko; Francis Ofurum Ar...; Chika Felicitas N...; Dennis Junior Cho...; Oghenekaro Nelson...
• Keywords: Bioindicator; Cape

We examined the distribution patterns of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera functional feeding groups (EPT FFGs) in five streams that drain semi-urban landscapes Tsitsa River catchment, Eastern Cape Province South Africa. undertook macroinvertebrate physicochemical analysis over four seasons between 2016 2017 at eight sites three land-use categories (Sites 1, 2 3), representing an increasing gradient pollution. Five EPT FFGs (shredders, grazers/scrapers, predators, collector-gatherers collector-filterers) were fuzzy coded analyzed using RLQ-R (environmental characteristics samples), L (taxa across samples) Q (species traits) fourth-corner analyses. Physicochemical variables, including phosphate-phosphorus, total inorganic nitrogen temperature, most influential variables significantly influenced River. RLQ model revealed varying responses to Of FFGs, collectors abundant study area, exhibiting disparate disturbances, with associated impacted phosphate-phosphorus. On other hand, collector-filterers decreased disturbance exhibited a significant negative association temperature. Overall, this provides further insights into environmental factors influence Afrotropical potential use as indicators anthropogenic pollution tropical rivers.