Aquatic macroinvertebrates as indicators of water quality of the Teusaca river (Cundinamarca, Colombia)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine water quality, characterize its physicochemical state and evaluate the diversity of aquatic macroinvertebrates in three monitoring stations of the Teusacá River located in the department of Cundinamarca, Colombia. At each sampling station, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, temperature and pH were measured, water quality indices were estimated (BMWP / Col, ASTP, IBF, EPT), along with some biodiversity indexes (Shannon Weaver, Simpson Margalef and Menhinick). A total of 6781 aquatic macroinvertebrate were collected in three samplings in the months of July, September and November of 2017, belonging to 3 phylum, 5 classes, 11 orders and 21 families. The water quality of the Teusacá river is moderately contaminated, with a tendency to present highly polluted waters. Likewise, the water body presented a low biodiversity and a high dominance in the species collected from macroinvertebrates. The results obtained by the quality and diversity indices applied are independent of the temporality in which they carried out the respective sampling.