Abstract

RAMIREZ, Diego Fernando; TALERO, Grace Margarita  and  LOPEZ, Raúl Hernando. BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES AND WATER QUALITY IN A STRETCH OF THE RIVER BOGOTA. CAJICA-COLOMBIA. rev.udcaactual.divulg.cient. [online]. 2013, vol.16, n.1, pp.205-214. ISSN 0123-4226.

From February to September 2011, in shallow waters in three sections of a rural stretch of the Bogota River, located at Cajica (Cundinamarca), some soft substrate samples were taken. Given the importance of the river to the savannah of Bogota, the objective was to evaluate the water quality, based on some environmental variables, the benthic macroinvertebrates and the BMWP/col. and ASPT indexes. No significant differences were observed among the three sampling sections, but chronological variations related to the influence of rainfall, enhanced by a moderate La Niña episode were detected. Thus, precipitations and the limnological profile were associated with the abundance, biomass and taxonomic composition of the invertebrates. A sandy-loam substrate favored the density and biomass of Tubificiade (72.12%, 0.15g/m²) and Chironomidae (23.43%, 0.23g/m²), due to their adaptability to high concentration of organic matter and detritus and low O₂ values. These taxa and mainly Physidae, Glossiphoniidae, and Tipulidae indicated moderate pollution in the three sections (BMWP/ Col. A= 48, B= 48, C= 43) and eutrophication, as a result of human impact (wastewater and domestic discharges, and farming activities), affecting the river and its biota.

Keywords : Bogotá River; BMWP/Col.; pollution; sediments; benthos.

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