Benthic macroinvertebrate composition and water quality status in Sungai Johor, Johor, Malaysia

Abstract

Anthropogenic influences on aquatic life community can be identified using biological monitoring approach to assess pollution levels and water quality. This study was conducted for three times from November 2015 to February 2016 to determine the effect of land use on benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in estuary of Sungai Johor. Five stations were selected and a 500 m reach of the stream was selected for each sampling site. Surber Net measuring 500 micron mesh size combined with a rectangular quadrat of 30 cm x 30 cm (0.09 m2) was used to sample macroinvertebrates. The results showed that un-disturbed river has complete sensitive taxa namely Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT). There were only two sensitive taxa namely Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera were found in the river which flows through palm oil plantation. Similar scenario was found in the river which flows through logging area where there were also two sensitive taxa namely Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera found in this river. The results obtained for urban river was the other way around where there was an absent of all three sensitive taxa (EPT) in the river which flows through urban area. Most of the macroinvertebrate taxa that were found in this station are pollution resistant taxa comprised Diptera, Odonata, Mesogastropoda, Basommatophora, Hirudinea and Haplotaxida. The results can be used as a biological indicator for river water quality assessment.