Evaluación de calidad del agua a través de macroinvertebrados acuáticos en la zona de protección hídrica, Quinllunga, parroquia San Simón, provincia de Bolivar

Abstract

The objective of the study was to evaluate water quality through aquatic macroinvertebrates, in Quinllunga water protection zone, San Simón parish, Bolívar province. The methodology had a quantitative approach that included physical and biological parameters, focusing on the presence/absence of macroinvertebrates during different climatic periods in three monitoring campaigns. The Riverbank Vegetation Cover Index (QBR-And) and River Habitat Index (RFI) predicted ecosystem quality. The specimens were identified using dichotomous keys and linked to 3 indices: Andean Biotic Index (ABI), Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP/Col) and Ephemeroptera, Plechoptera and Trichoptera orders (EPT). To validate data, a principal component analysis and canonical correspondence were executed. The research results showed that physical parameters did not directly influence the diversity of taxa. The variables (QBR-And) and (IHF) were useful to diagnose the health of the ecosystem, since they are significant, but not conditional, factors. By adding the biotic indices (ABI), (BMWP/Col), (EPT) you can have an integrated perspective of the health of the aquatic ecosystem. It was concluded that the research has originality for monitoring in the central Andes up to 4100 meters above sea level, it was confirmed that the ABI index is the most appropriate to evaluate macroinvertebrate diversity in high Andean areas. Likewise, the usefulness of incorporating the QBR and IHF indices was validated to evaluate ecosystem quality for the development of communities of aquatic organisms.