Assessment of the environmental quality of two urbanized lotic systems using multiple indicators

CALDERON, M.R.; MOGLIA, M.M.; NIEVAS, R.P.; COLOMBETTI, P.L.; GONZÁLEZ, S.P.; JOFRÉ, M.B.

RIVER RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS

JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD

Año: 2017 vol. 33 p. 1119 - 1129

1535-1459

Urbanization impacts ecosystems through loss and fragmentation of habitat, loss of diversity, increase in runoff, and contaminant discharges, and the invasion of exotic species. Potrero de los Funes Village (San Luis, Argentina) is experiencing not only a population increase during summer months due to tourism but also an accelerated growth of its permanent population. In order to evaluate the potential effects of urbanization, the environmental quality of Potrero de los Funes River and Las Chacras Stream was assessed, using physical?chemical and biological indicators. Macroinvertebrates, through the application of the Biotic Index for San Luis Sierras (BISLS), anuran amphibian richness and relative abundance, and riparian vegetation were used as bioindicators. While the Simplified Index of Water Quality (SIWQ) was used to characterize the physical?chemical quality of water at each site. SIWQ and BISLS scores were significantly different between sites (F7,28 = 9.88, p