International Journal of
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Research Article Volume 9 Issue 4
Benthic invertebrates and associated fauna as bioindicators of water quality in the arroyo canal Candelaria, Southern Santa Fe Province, Argentina
Pablo Guillermo Rimoldi, Celia Inés Lamas
Received: November 22, 2025 | Published: December 19, 2025
Citation: Rimoldi PG, Lamas CI. Benthic invertebrates and associated fauna as bioindicators of water quality in the arroyo canal Candelaria, Southern Santa Fe Province, Argentina. Int J Hydro. 2025;9(4):166-171. DOI: 10.15406/ijh.2025.09.00417
Abstract
Benthic macroinvertebrates are widely used as bioindicators of ecological water quality due to their sensitivity to environmental disturbance and their central role in aquatic food webs. This study assessed the ecological condition of the Arroyo Canal Candelaria (ACC), a highly anthropized lowland stream in Southern Santa Fe Province, Argentina, using benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages and multiple biotic indices (IBMWP, IBF, IBPamp, ASPT), complemented by Shannon–Wiener diversity. A total of 6,584 individuals belonging to 22 families and several higher taxa were recorded. The upper and middle basin were dominated by tolerant groups (Oligochaeta, Nematoda, Chironomidae), exhibiting low richness and diversity, and consistently classified as “poor” or “very poor” by classical indices. In contrast, the lower basin showed increased richness, higher evenness, and the presence of insect groups indicative of improved habitat conditions. IBPamp, calibrated for Pampean streams, identified these sites as “good” to “very good,” highlighting discrepancies with traditional indices and underscoring the importance of regionally adapted tools. Overall, the results reveal a clear longitudinal gradient of degradation–recovery, reflecting both the spatial distribution of pollution sources and the partial resilience of the system. The findings emphasize the need for targeted wastewater management in the upper and middle basin and demonstrate the value of combining classical and locally calibrated indices with community metrics to accurately assess ecological quality in lowland streams.
Keywords: benthic macroinvertebrates, bioindicators, water quality, lowland streams, pampean region
©2025 Rimoldi, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.