Effect of water quality on aquatic macroinvertebrates and fish present in the cause Atajo, Guapi, Cauca

Abstract

Freshwater systems are one of the most important natural resources for life. In spite of their importance, these ecosystems have suffered great impacts caused by human activities, which directly affect the aquatic biota and the quality of the water sources. Considering the value of aquatic macroinvertebrates and fish as bioindica- tors of water quality, this research demonstrates the effectiveness of these groups to respond to changes in their habitats. In quebrada Atajo, using the method of rapid ecological sampling, applying, were recorded for the macroinvertebra- tes, the genera Chironomus and Ablabezmyia, of the family Chironomidae belonging to the order Diptero. The cytoofauna presented a total of 29 individuals of the species, Astyanax fasciatus (20) and Reniloricaria jubata, (9) belonging to the family Characidae and Loricaridea respectively. The data obtained in this research show that there is a direct relationship between water quality and macroinvertebrate and fish communities, since ecological parameters such as richness, composition and abundance, which are characteristic of sources with good water quality, are affected deep in the ravine the Shortcut. Undoubtedly, the sensitivity of these groups to the changes in the environment is evident, where their response to the modifications is highly instantaneous. The fish in the ravine have considerably reduced their populations, a report that is closely related to the panorama of aquatic macroinvertebrates; since they largely model the occurrence of fish, as it is a fundamental part of the basis of the trophic structure of water.