This research aims to develop an assessment tool of ecological status in the upstream area using macrozoobenthic community and its relationship to the physicochemical parameters of water and sediment, in Citarum River. The number of species and abundance of macrozoobenthos in the dry season was higher compared to rainy season. The predominant family (Pachychilidae, Hydropsychidae, Glossiphonidae, and Chironomidae) obtained in both season was significantly correlated with the physicochemical parameter. Based on the Shannon-Wiener index, diversity in upstream area of Citarum River during the dry season (1.68) was similar with the rainy season (1.80) and it showed that the diversity of macrozoobenthic community was moderately diverse in both seasons. The physicochemical parameters that strongly related with the presence and abundance of predominant macrozoobenthic taxa were turbidity, total suspended solid (TSS), total nitrogen, total phosphate, gravel particle, and organic carbon. By considering biological and physicochemical parameters obtained from this study, we developed a modified scoring system to assess the ecological status of upstream area in Citarum River. Based on the scoring system, the ecological status was quite polluted in dry season (2.19) and moderately polluted in rainy season (4.94).
The river plays an important role in daily human activities such as farming and industry. These activities in turn will produce liquid waste that may contribute to water pollution [
River biota has a higher sensitivity towards changes in the environment. Its current community structure (diversity, species richness, and abundance) is actually a reflection of gradual changes that occur in the environment [
Citarum River basin is one of the largest watersheds in Java Island. It is an important water source in West java and Jakarta. About 11.255 million people inhabited the watershed area. The river is also home to about 1000 industries that become the lifeline of many people, and also the greatest threat to the river. The problems of water quality degradation in Citarum River will increase year after year due to the increasing pollutant loads particularly from Bandung region located in the upper areas of the river basin if the pollutant is released without treatment. The deterioration of water quality caused by human activities in the upstream areas reduces the benefits of the resources taken by stakeholders in the downstream areas. Over the past 20 years, rapid urbanization and industrial growth have resulted in growing quantities of untreated domestic sewage, solid waste, and industrial effluents being dumped into the river. Pollution levels now have compromised public health, and the livelihoods of impoverished fishing families have been jeopardized by widespread dying fishes [
To compose a comprehensive management plan and periodic monitoring, a rapid assessment tool was needed. Therefore, this research aims to develop ecological status assessment method in Citarum upstream area by using macrozoobenthic community as an indicator and to observe its relation with physicochemical parameters.
This research was done in 7 different sampling stations in Citarum River upstream area, West java, Indonesia. The sampling stations were spread along the coordinate 107˚39'20.30"S - 107˚44'53"S, longitude 07˚04'29"E - 07˚13'27.27"E. This research was conducted from July 2014-September 2015 to represent variations in dry and rainy season.
Four stations were selected to serve as reference site for its minimal disturbance in the surrounding area. Station 1 (St.1; 1.586 m a.s.l.) was a natural spring located in Kampong Pejaten, Tarumajaya Village, Kertasari District, Bandung Regency. The spring flows to Cisanti Lake and merged into Citarum River. The area around St.1 was still dominated by dense riparian vegetation with 7% - 15% slope. Station 2 (St.2; 1.586 m a.s.l.) was a natural spring located in Kampong Cikembang, Cikembang Village, Kertasari District, Bandung Regency, Mt. Guha. The station was situated 3.24 km away from Citarum mainstream and was still dominated by dense riparian vegetation with 15% - 30% slope. Not far from St.2, anarea has been converted into a farming area. Station 3 (St.3; 1672 m a.s.l.) was located in Kampong Padawas, Cihawuk Village, Kertasari District, Bandung Regency, Mt. PuncakCae. The station was situated 4 km away from Citarum mainstream and was still dominated by dense riparian vegetation with 30% - 70% slope. Similar to St.2, the nearby area also has been converted for farming purpose. Station 4 (St.4; 1720 m a.s.l.) was located in Kampong Cirawa, Cibeureum Village, Kertasari District, Bandung Regency, Mt. Halimun. The station was situated 2.38 km away from Citarum mainstream and was still dominated by riparian vegetation (mostly cogon grass; Imperatacylindrica) with 30% - 70% slope. Similar to St.2, the nearby area has also been converted for farming purpose.
The other three stations were selected for land use conversion in its surrounding area for various purposes such as settlement, cattle farm, farming, and traditional sand mining. Station 5 (St.5; 1521 m a.s.l.) was located in Kampong Cikitu, Cibeureum Village, Kertasari District, Bandung Regency. The station was situated 1.82 km away from St.1 and was dominated by cogon grass with 7% - 15% slope. The effect of pollution from cattle farm can be seen physically from the water. Station 6 (St.6; 1057 m a.s.l.) was located in Kampong Babakan, Sukarame Village, Pacet District, Bandung Regency. The station was situated 12.6 km away from St.1 and was dominated by grass with 7% - 15% slope. Station 7 (St.5; 1521 m a.s.l.) was located in Kampong Andir, Wangisagara Village, Majalaya District, Bandung Regency. The station was situated 24.9 km away from St.1 and was dominated by bamboo with 2% - 7% slope. This area was also surrounded by settlement and an embankment was also built to support traditional sand mining activity. The research map location is shown in
Assessment of the water quality by analyzing physical and chemical parameters was also conducted to predict the status of organic pollution that occurred at all sites. Physicochemical parameters (pH, conductivity, temperature, and DO) were measured both in the field (in situ) and in the laboratory (ex situ). Other water quality parameters (BOD, COD, TSS, Turbidity, Total P and Total N) and sediment parameters (Organic-C, pH, Total P, Total N, and Particle distribution) were also measured in the laboratory. DO and conductivity was measured using Metler-Toledo Seven Gopro, temperature using 2550 B method, pH by 4500-H+-B model pH 6 Pocket-Sized pH meter Milwaukee.
For chemical parameters measurement, the water sample was stored in a plastic bottle at 4˚C and further analyzed according to APHA method [
The sampling of macrozoobenthos was done using Surber Net with mesh size of 0.5 mm and area of 1000 cm2 [
The macrozoobenthic community was analyzed using Shannon-Wiener diversity index. Shannon-Wiener diversity index is an index that commonly used for environmental management and serves as a tool to describe the community structure and detecting the amount of degradation in aquatic ecosystems [
With:
ni = number of individuals in species i,
N = total number of individuals in the community.
Determination of ecological status in Citarum River was done by using scoring system proposed by Canter (1977) with some modification. The system was based on physicochemical and diversity index (H’) of macrozoobenthic community. The modified system can be adapted with modifications for implementations in the Citarum river basin [
Criteria for the ecological status were as follows:
1) Not polluted or slightly polluted = final score ≤ 2;
2) Quite polluted = final score 2 - 4;
3) Moderately polluted = final score 4 - 6;
4) Heavily polluted = final score > 6.
The water quality in Citarum were highly affected by various factors, especially
No. | Parameter | Score | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | ||
1 | Total Suspended Solids (ppm) [ | <20 | >20 - 100 | 101 - 400 | >400 |
2 | Turbidity (NTU) [ | <15 | 15 - 30 | 30 - 45 | >45 |
3 | Total Nitrogen in sediment (ppm) [ | <2 | >2 - 4 | >4 - 6 | >6 |
4 | Total Phosphate (ppm) [ | <0.5 | >0.5 - 1 | >1 - 2 | >2 |
5 | C-Organic (%) [ | >30 | 20 - 30 | 10 - 20 | <10 |
6 | Gravel (%) [ | >20 | >10 - 20 | 5 - 10 | <5 |
7 | H’ (Diversity index) [ | >2.5 | 1.5 - 2.5 | 1 - 1.5 | <1 |
anthropogenic activities. Population growth and land use conversion around the Citarum River basin have caused the water quality to deteriorate. The correlation between conductivity, total suspended solids (TSS), and turbidity in each station is shown in
concentration in the sediment during dry season was higher compared to rainy season. Concentrations were higher in the dry season since the water flow was relatively calm, so the sediment was not as eroded as in the rainy season. The content of total N and total P had increased at St.4 and 5 in the rainy season, because the water runoff from the upstream and the surrounding vegetation brought sediments and accumulates it at the site. Besides these, organic matters come from fertilizers and traditional farming activities [
rainy season. Generally, in all station, most of the particle sizes in the sediment were dominated by sand. These particle size distributions were relatively equal during the dry and rainy season. From
Richness, abundance, diversity, and dominant family of the macrozoobenthic community during dry and rainy season in all stations are shown in
During the dry season, 25 to 48 taxa were obtained at St.1 to St.4 with the abundance ranged from 355 individuals m−2 to 589 individuals m−2. Meanwhile at
St.5 to St.7 there was 29 to 37 taxa and the abundance ranged from 1073 individuals m−2 to 7019 individuals m−2. The conversion of land use and the presence of anthropogenic activities on the study site led to changes in the number of taxa and abundance of certain taxa that are tolerant to organic pollution. Based on the season, richness and abundance of macrozoobenthos in the rainy season had decreased. This is due to increased water discharge, especially at stations that are often flooded [
Dry Season | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
St. | Taxa | Abundance (ind m−2) | Shannon-Wiener Index | Predominant Family |
1 | 48 | 526 | 2.2 | Pachychilidae, Chironomidae, Simuliidae |
2 | 34 | 589 | 1.5 | Chironomidae, Simuliidae |
3 | 42 | 543 | 2.3 | Chironomidae, Simuliidae, Capniidae |
4 | 25 | 355 | 1.7 | Chironomidae, Hydropsychidae |
5 | 35 | 7019 | 1.0 | Chironomidae, Glossiphoniidae, Tubificidae |
6 | 29 | 3913 | 1.4 | Chironomidae, Hydropschidae |
7 | 37 | 1073 | 1.7 | Chironomidae, Hydropsychidae |
Rainy Season | ||||
St. | Taxa | Abundance (ind m−2) | Shannon-Wiener Index | Predominant Family |
1 | 25 | 278 | 3.1 | Pachychilidae, Thiaridae |
2 | 14 | 524 | 1.1 | Chironomidae, Rhyacophilidae |
3 | 12 | 191 | 1.1 | Chironomidae |
4 | 15 | 346 | 2.1 | Chironomidae, Rhyacophilidae |
5 | 13 | 2123 | 0.6 | Chironomidae, Glossiphoniidae |
6 | 14 | 673 | 1.1 | Chironomidae, Hydropsychidae |
7 | 9 | 254 | 1.1 | Chironomidae, Hydropsychidae |
dry season [
The Shannon-Wiener index implies that, during the dry season, the macrozoobenthic community in St.1 to St.4 and St.7 were moderately diverse, meanwhile in St.4 and St.5 the diversity were low. In the rainy season, the diversity of macrozoobenthic community in St.1 was high, meanwhile in St.4 was moderate. In St.2, St.3, St.6, and St.7 the diversity were low and was very low in St.5.
BPLHD West Java Prov. [
The fact that Chironomidae can be found in all stations was in accordance with the study by Mayaningtias [
At St.5 during the dry season, the dominant macrozoobenthos were Chironomidae, Glossiphoniidae, and Tubificidae, while in the rainy season the dominant families were Glossiphoniidae and Chironomidae. Glossiphoniidae, which is a predator and prefers gravel substrate with some vegetation. Tubificidae presence may indicate bad water quality due to excess of food and bad water sanitation. This situation was often found on water that had undergone fecal contamination from cattle farms, domestic waste, and agricultural activities. Chironomidae and Hydrospychidae were also dominant in St.6 and 7.
Below in
The equations resulted from linear regression correlation analysis between the abundance of the dominant family, water quality, and the sediment concentration at all stations.
From the selected equations, we can concur that the highly correlated parameters were: conductivity, TSS, turbidity, total N, total P, organic C, and particle distribution (percentage of sand, silt, and gravel). The total N, P, and organic C were selected to modify the scorings system since the two parameters were correlated to nutrient availability. These nutrients can be in various form such as litter and dead animals. Furthermore, total P also describes the pollutant that being discharged from various activities in the surrounding. Moreover, total P has not been widely used as a parameter in river management.
TSS and turbidity were chosen since they can indicate that pollutants are being discharged to the river. Usually, the pollutant was organic. These two parameters have been widely used in river management. In addition to that, these two parameters are included in the Indonesian government regulation on water
Family | Dry Season | Rainy Season | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Pachychilidae | R = 0.82 | y = −25.68*T + 422.06 | R = 0.85 | y = −4.67*T + 168 |
Chironomidae | R = 0.86 | y = 29.47*G + 60.13 | R = 0.99 R = 0.99 R = 0.96 R = 0.94 | y = 570.88*Co − 9870 y = −1143.5*Pt + 4962.3 y = 1764*G − 7965 y = 262.3 Nt − 79.41 |
Glossiphoniidae | R = 0.8 | y = 3.82*TSS + 295152 | R = 0.99 | y = 0.08*TSS + 14.69 |
Hydropsychidae | R = 0.79 | y = 122.67*Pt + 36.08 | R = 0.99 R = 0.95 | y = −0.18*TSS + 36.57 y = −814*G + 62.43 |
S = Sand; G = gravel; Co = C-Organic; C = conductivity; Nt = total organic nitrogen; Ns = total organic nitrogen in sediment; Pt = total organic phosphate; Ps = phosphate in sediment; TSS = total suspended solid; T = Turbidity.
quality standard, making the newly developed tools not only suitable with local environmental condition but also with the local regulation.
Besides nutrient availability, substrate type is also highly correlated to the abundance and diversity of the macrozoobenthic community. Different taxa may prefer different substrate for attachment. The substrate type also provides shading and protection for the macrozoobenthos [
After selecting the key parameters from the research conducted by BPLHD of West java Prov. [
Based on the scoring system result of this research, ecological status in the dry season is quite polluted while in the rainy season it is moderately polluted. This is because during the rainy season, the runoff from the rain water brought eroded particles as well as fertilizers from farming activities surrounding the area [
Further research on bioassessment using benthic macro invertebrates to determine the water quality of the Citarum River upstream area suggests that at
Dry Season | Rainy Season | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Variable | Score | Score | ||||||
1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | ||
1 | Total Suspended Solids (mg/L) | <20 | >20 - 100 | 101 - 400 | >400 | <20 | >20 - 100 | 101 - 400 | >400 |
60.2 | 143.59 | ||||||||
2 | Turbidity (NTU) | <15 | 15 - 30 | 30 - 45 | >45 | <15 | 15-30 | 30 - 45 | >45 |
24.76 | 36.07 | ||||||||
3 | Total Nitrogen (ppm) | <2 | >2 - 4 | >4 - 6 | >6 | <2 | >2 - 4 | >4 - 6 | >6 |
2.89 | 1.31 | ||||||||
4 | Total Phosphate (ppm) | <0.5 | >0.5 - 1 | >1 - 2 | >2 | <0.5 | >0.5 - 1 | >1 - 2 | >2 |
0.9 | 1.18 | ||||||||
5 | C-Organic (%) | >30 | 20 - 30 | 10 - 20 | <10 | >30 | 20 - 30 | 10 - 20 | <10 |
33.71 | 23.53 | ||||||||
6 | Gravel (%) | >20 | >10 - 20 | 5 - 10 | <5 | >20 | >10 - 20 | 5 - 10 | <5 |
12.54 | 16.32 | ||||||||
7 | H’ (Diversity index) | >2.5 | 1.5 - 2.5 | 1 - 1.5 | <1 | >2.5 | 1.5 - 2.5 | 1 - 1.5 | <1 |
1.72 | 1.54 | ||||||||
Final Score | 2.19 | Quite Polluted | 4.94 | Moderately Polluted |
least there are three dominant sources of organic waste that pollute the water: traditional cattle farm, domestic waste, and liquid waste from textile industry [
Water quality and sediment parameters for TSS and turbidity concentration were higher in rainy season compared to the dry season. The highest conductivity parameter was at St.1. Total N, Total P, and COD in the dry season were higher compared to the rainy season. Total P, total N, and C-Organic in the sediments were higher in the dry season than the rainy season. The particle size distribution in the sediment showed no significant difference between the dry and rainy seasons.
The diversity and the abundance of macrozoobenthic fauna in the dry season were higher than that in the rainy season. The diversity can be categorized as moderately diverse. Based on the assessment of water quality in the upstream area of Citarum River using newly developed scoring system, the water quality was more polluted during the rainy season compared to dry season. Based on the scoring system index, the ecological status of the upstream area in Citarum River was quite polluted during dry season and moderately polluted during rainy season.
Chazanah, N., Sudjono, P., Hasby, F.A., Suantika, G. and Muntalif, B.S. (2017) Development of Bioassessment Tools for Ecological Status Using Macrozoobenthic Community in Upstream Area (Case Study: Citarum River, West Java, Indonesia). Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 9, 770-785. https://doi.org/10.4236/jwarp.2017.97051