Case study of the colonisation of artificial substrates by benthic macroinvertebrates in the lagoons of a wastewater treatment plant and in the watercourse receiving the affluent

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2001

Authors

Jesus, T (Author) Other; Vieira, N (Author) FCUP; Formigo, N (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Limnetica

Vol. 20

Pages: 197-203

ISSN: 0213-8409

Publisher: Associacion Espanola de Limnologia

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge

Scopus - 1 Citation

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-007-DEC

Abstract (EN): This work is part of a study on the depuration efficiency of a wastewater biological treatment plant (WTP) and on the impact of the plant on the watercourse receiving the effluent through the analysis of the benthic macroinvertebrate community. The objective of the present work is to give estimates of the colonisation time of artificial substrates by macroinvertebrates. The substrates were broken bricks held in plastic net bags. These were placed in the four lagoons of a WTP and in three points along the watercourse receiving the effluent. Samples were collected biweekly, during three months, and analysed using the benthic macroinvertebrate community method. The "best colonisation time" (BCT) was determined by analysis of the time variation of variables such as number of organisms, belgium biotic index, Shannon-Weaver diversity index and the Pielou equitability index. BCT corresponds to the moment when more than majority of values of these variables are maximal, BCT was usually thirty days. After this period a stabilisation or even decrease of these values was apparent. © Asociación Española de Limnología.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7