Assessment of Ecological Status of Streams by Macrophyte Biological Index in Kahramanmaras Province (Turkiye)

Abstract

Climate change and human-induced pollution threaten freshwater systems. In the present study, it was aimed to evaluate the macrophytes-stressor relations and ecological quality status based on the Macrophyte Biological Index for Rivers (Indice Biologique Macrophytique en Rivière [IBMR]) index of 25 streams sampled in the spring (rainy) and autumn (dry) seasons of 2021 in Kahramanmaraş province. A total of 53 macrophyte taxa were identified, and Lycopus europaeus, Mentha longifolia, Mentha aquatica, Juncus sp., Cladophora glomerata and Carex sp. were common taxa. Canonical correspondence analysis results indicated significant effects of total phosphorus, nitrite, dissolvent oxygen, electrical conductivity, bromate and boron on the distribution of macrophytes among streams, which was supported by results of the weighted average regression analysis. The IBMR indicated that the ecological quality status varied from bad to good in the studied streams. Deterioration in the water quality of a few ecosystems in the dry season compared to the rainy season was elucidated by the IBMR, which also distinguished the ecological conditions of streams. Results highlight that macrophyte species are one of the most important bioindicators to evaluate the ecological status of streams in Kahramanmaraş province due to their sensitivity to changes in environmental conditions. All suggest that IBMR can be used to evaluate the ecological health of streams in the Mediterranean region.