加纳沿海地区人类活动日益增多,导致许多地表水体退化,对受影响地区的生态系统产生重大影响。因此,这种退化极大地影响了生态系统的健康,并破坏了它们提供的基本服务。本研究探索了使用底栖大型无脊椎动物作为加纳沿海河口降解的指标。每两个月从Ankobra收集水和沉积物样本,Kakum和Volta河口的物理化学参数,营养和大型底栖无脊椎动物。研究结果表明,耐污染类群如Capitellasp。,Nereissp.,Heteromastussp.,Tubifexsp.,Cossurasp.和Chiromansp。在卡库姆河口,而对污染敏感的分类群,如Scoloplossp。,Euridicesp.,Lumbronereissp.和Pachymelaniasp.在Volta河口.物种-环境相互作用显示溶解氧,温度,盐度,正磷酸盐,硝酸盐,铵,电导率,浊度,化学需氧量是最重要的参数,可以补充使用底栖大型无脊椎动物作为所研究河口环境质量的指标。河口中一些底栖大型无脊椎动物类群与环境因素存在相关性,表明低,沃尔特的中度和高度污染,Kakum和Ankobra河口,分别。然而,研究发现,卡库姆河口是比伏尔塔和安科布拉河口生态最健康的河口。因此,该研究表明,底栖大型无脊椎动物是生态系统健康变化的关键指标,建议将它们与其他环境数据结合起来,用于加纳沿海水域的污染监测。
Increasing human activities in coastal areas of Ghana have led to the degradation of many surface waterbodies, with significant consequences for the ecosystems in the affected areas. Thus, this degradation extremely affects the health of ecosystems and disrupts the essential services they provide. The present study explored the use of benthic macroinvertebrates as an indicator of estuarine degradation along the coast of Ghana. Water and sediment samples were collected bimonthly from Ankobra, Kakum and Volta estuaries for physicochemical parameters, nutrients and benthic macroinvertebrates. The findings revealed the dominance of
pollution-tolerant taxa such as Capitella sp., Nereis sp., Heteromastus sp., Tubifex sp., Cossura sp. and Chironomous sp. in Kakum Estuary while
pollution-sensitive taxa such as Scoloplos sp., Euridice sp., Lumbriconereis sp. and Pachymelania sp. in the Volta Estuary. The species-environment interactions showed dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity, orthophosphate, nitrates, ammonium, electrical conductivity, turbidity, and chemical oxygen demand as the most significant parameters that complement the use of benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators of environmental quality in the studied estuaries. There were correlations of some benthic macroinvertebrate taxa with environmental factors in the estuaries suggesting low, moderate and high levels of
pollution in the Volta, Kakum and Ankobra estuaries, respectively. Nevertheless, the study finds Kakum Estuary to be the ecologically healthiest estuary than the Volta and Ankobra Estuaries. Therefore, the study has shown benthic macroinvertebrates as a key indicator of ecosystem health alterations, and it is recommended that they should be incorporated with other environmental data for
pollution monitoring in Ghanaian coastal waters.