Hello: I'm working with crustaceans as bioindicators of pollution or ecological perturbation in a coastal lagoon in México. I'm analyzing the issue at several scales of biological organization. This one in particular, is at community level, and to do that there are many biotic indexes. I'm interested in using the Biological Monitoring Working Party, but it seems to apply only for insects and the whole macroinvertebrate community. That is why I'm wondering if it's possible the use of the crustaceans only, and adjusting the index to species taxonomic level. Or if any of you have an article with some decapoda families' scores so I can use the equation... or create my own scores, assigning them to my species based on abundance or species' richness I don't know. I've been doing some research but there is so few (or maybe non), literature on the matter. Thank you for your attention.
Dear Hiram,
For my opinion you can try it for taxocoenoses of Crustaceans. I faced the same problem working with ciliates. Ciliates are representatives of protisto- (plankton, benthos or periphyton). But all these living forms are artificial. It conternt depends on qualification, approach to determination of size, included taxonomic groups, sampling method etc. So, necessary to use taxonomical identification, and in the very good level.
But ciliates are as minimum from 3-4 trophic levels, so it is community as well, and not so artificial, like macrobenthos, e.g., where you do not have to include larval stages that are smaller than... But it is seasonal for Crustacea!!! Iin mild climate you even have rest stages during cold period that can choose plankton for benthos. What to do in this case? Wait, when appear?
Some authors from Latin America (working on freshwater habitats) are using Crustacea, like supplement to insects, but not like a rule just insects in freshwater (vise versa to marine biotopes) are much more abundant then other groups of macrobenthos, but if take into account Copepods, and Cladocerans, it will be in a lot of cases other picture.
So, use, make your scale with control of pure chemical indices and contaminators and you will have good results. Try to use as well trophological (or other functional parameters), and good luck.
Andrey
Hello Hiram:
The revised BMWP scores for crustaceans are:
Asellidae: 2.1 points
Corophidae: 6.1 points
Gammaridae: 4.5 points
Astacidae: 9.0 points
For insects check this study we made for rivers in the andean region of Colombia with chemical indices and contaminators.
Regards,
Luis Miguel
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271704251_Evaluation_of_aquatic_macroinvertebrates_and_water_quality_in_streams_of_coffee_farms_in_Cundinamarca_and_Santander_Colombia
http://www.cies.staffs.ac.uk/bmwptabl.htm
Article Evaluation of aquatic macroinvertebrates and water quality i...
Dear Hiram
Effectively, BMWP index is for whole community of freshwater macroinvertebrates. Its use was designed to assess water quality in freshwater streams. You can find BMWP scores for freshwater crustacea, because this index (BMWP) is just for freshwater streams. I would not recommend its use in coastal lagoons. It is possible to apply any biotic integrity index. In this context, you can use the biotic and abiotic characteristics of the crustaceans of the coastal lagoon that you are studying. In addition, independently of the index that you decide to use, you need the phisicochemical characterization of the water to make correlations with the assemblage of crustaceans that you are studying.
Best regards.
For coastal waters, I would rather look to the AMBI index that is designed for such ecosystems (though also considering the whole invertebrate community and not crustaceans only). You'll more probably find your taxa in this index than in the BMWP. The principle is quite similar, with different indicator classes ranging from sensitive to oppotunistic taxa.
Here is the link to find the tool and more information :
http://www.azti.es/ficha/ambi-aztis-marine-biotic-index-2/#.VxXxS0apzqs
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