TY  - EJOU
AU  - 
T1  - Is the Sosiani River Healthy? Investigating the Relationship between Water Quality Indicators and Macroinvertebrate Assemblages in the Sosiani River
T2  - International Journal of Geography and Geology

PY  - 2016
VL  - 5
IS  - 12
SN  - 2305-7041

AB  - The health of rivers is of great concern to governments and communities 
worldwide due to their important ecological functions. Numerous studies 
have established that water quality indicators have a positive effect on
 river health. However, only a few studies have examined equatorial 
rivers, and, to date, there has been no study on the Sosiani River in 
Kenya. As such, this study explored the health of the Sosiani River by 
considering how its aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages were affected 
by various water quality parameters. The research considered whether 
there was a relationship between water quality indicators and 
macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Sosiani River. This knowledge is of
 paramount importance to the communities and decision makers of the 
Sosiani catchment, and Kenya as a whole, since there is need to 
understand the relationship between the water quality indicators and the
 health of the river in order to allocate resources for its 
rehabilitation and maintenance. This study examined 10 sites, nine being
 “test” sites and one a “reference” site. The study established a 
significant relationship between water quality parameters and 
macroinvertebrate assemblages. The sites with natural riparian zone 
vegetation conditions were found to have more Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera,
 and Trichoptera macroinvertebrates when compared to those without or 
with exotic vegetation. In terms of absolute numbers of surface aquatic 
macroinvertebrates, sites characterised by dense stream bank vegetation 
had more macroinvertebrates than those characterised by forest with 
eroded, bare stream banks. From the study, it was therefore concluded 
that Sosiani River is healthier at head waters where there was natural 
forests compared to downstream where there was plantations, intensive 
farming and urban area. The study recommends that more detailed studies 
classify macroinvertebrates to gunus level and include 
microinvertebrates, since this may give a more accurate assessment of 
the river’s health. The study further recommends that identification 
keys for East African macroinvertebrates be developed.
KW  - River health
KW  - Macroinvertebrates
KW  - Water quality indicators
KW  - Sosiani river.
DO  - 10.18488/journal.10/2016.5.12/10.12.259.280