Open AccessAssessment of the impact of copper mining and related industrial activities on aquatic macroinvertebrate communities of the Pek River (Serbia)
Author(s) -
Jelena Canak-Atlagic,
Стефан Анђус,
Jelena Djuknic,
Ana Milivojević,
Katarina Kulic,
Jovo Pokrajac,
Bojana Tubić,
Momír Paunović
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
archives of biological sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.217
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 1821-4339
pISSN - 0354-4664
DOI - 10.2298/abs210314023c
Subject(s) - biota , biodiversity , community structure , diversity index , ecology , taxon , pollution , invertebrate , water quality , geography , environmental science , species richness , biology
The upper stretch of the Pek River is located in proximity to one of the largest mining sites in Serbia. To estimate the influence of copper mining on river biota, the quantitative and qualitative macroinvertebrate community structure was analyzed, and the ecological status of the river was assessed using standard biological indices. Data was gathered at 6 sites along the river. A total of 75 macroinvertebrate taxa were recorded. The reference site had the highest number of recorded taxa (48) and a high biodiversity (diversity index H=2.3). In contrast, the lowest number of taxa (8), a low diversity index value (H=1.15), and a very poor overall ecological status were recorded at site 2, which is heavily influenced by mining discharge. The Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera group (EPT) constituted 46.30% of the community at site 1 but was completely absent at site 2 where Diptera (70%) and Oligochaeta (20%) were dominant, reflecting a strong impact of the mining industry on the upper river stretch. A gradual improvement of water quality downstream of the pollution sources indicates that this medium-sized river has the capacity to overcome intensive pollution and to revitalize itself along its course.