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Assessment of the biological water quality and response of freshwater macroinvertebrates to thermal stress in an Afrotropical warm spring

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Abstract

Freshwater macroinvertebrates have been widely used as environmental stress indicators. However, information on their response to natural thermal stress is relatively scarce, particularly in the tropics. Using the multimetric macroinvertebrate approach, the biological water quality of the warm and cold springs of the Ikogosi Warm Spring in Nigeria was evaluated, with a view to ascertaining the response of freshwater macroinvertebrates to natural thermal stress. Macroinvertebrates and water samples were collected from the warm (stressed) and cold (less-stressed) springs, as well as the confluence stream, within the renowned Ikogosi Warm Spring of Southwest Nigeria. The less-stressed cold spring had much more dissolved oxygen than the warm spring and other thermally stressed stations but less than the warm spring and other thermally stressed stations for water temperature, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, Ca2+, Mg2+, and water hardness. Generally, the macroinvertebrate taxonomic richness (30 species) and EPT richness (3 species) of the Ikogosi Warm Spring indicated an impaired freshwater system. Using the multimetric macroinvertebrate index (MMI), the warm spring was of poor biological water quality while the cold spring was of good biological water quality. At the confluence of both springs, the MMI declined to poor and moderate water quality. Although the thermal stress of the Ikogosi Warm Spring is natural, the government should take the necessary steps to regulate tourist activities so that the site’s naturalness is preserved and the water quality is not further degraded on account of human-induced stressors such as deforestation, waste dumping, and washing activities.

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Data availability

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are grateful to the General Manager of Ikogosi Warm Spring for approval to conduct this study. The field logistical assistance of Messrs Akpan and Femi Idowu is also kindly appreciated.

Funding

This study was supported by the British Ecological Society (grant number EA20/1246, 2020).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

    Ibrahim R. Fagbohun, Emmanuel O. Akindele, Abiodun M. Adedapo & Olanrewaju O. Aliu

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  1. Ibrahim R. Fagbohun
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  2. Emmanuel O. Akindele
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  3. Abiodun M. Adedapo
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  4. Olanrewaju O. Aliu
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Contributions

Ibrahim R. Fagbohun: investigation, formal analysis, writing-reviewing and editing. Abiodun Matthew Adedapo: investigation Olanrewaju O. Aliu: conceptualization. Emmanuel O. Akindele: conceptualization, methodology, supervision, funding acquisition, writing-original draft preparation, reviewing, and editing.

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Correspondence to Emmanuel O. Akindele.

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Fagbohun, I.R., Akindele, E.O., Adedapo, A.M. et al. Assessment of the biological water quality and response of freshwater macroinvertebrates to thermal stress in an Afrotropical warm spring. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 47755–47768 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-25670-w

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