Ecological condition, biodiversity and major environmental challenges in a tropical river network in the Bago District in South-central Myanmar: First insights to the unknown

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  • Tor Erik Eriksen
  • Nikolai Friberg
  • John E. Brittain
  • Geir Søli
  • Andreas Ballot
  • Eirin Årstein-Eriksen
  • Tomas Adler Blakseth
  • Hans Fredrik Veiteberg Braaten

Freshwater ecosystems in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot face immediate threats through habitat loss and species extinction. Systems to monitor ecological status and trends in biodiversity are therefore crucially needed. Myanmar is part of Indo-Burma but with no past experience of biomonitoring in freshwaters. In this study, we aimed to assess the ecological and biodiversity status of a lowland river network in south-central Myanmar by identifying and quantifying pressures using macroinvertebrates as bioindicators. Novel data on water quality (nutrients, sediments and metals), hydromorphology (Morphological Quality Index; MQI), habitat quality (Litter-Siltation Index; LSI), land use, and macroinvertebrates were collected from 25 river sites. The dominant pressures on rivers were urban land use, inputs of untreated sewage, in-stream and riparian garbage littering, run-off from agricultural fields and plantations, as well as physical habitat degradation. Water chemistry data indicated inputs of sediments and nutrients to degraded streams, but no obvious metal pollution. The LSI and MQI indices indicated high perturbation in agricultural and urban areas, respectively. Ecological status was assessed using a first version of a modified Average Score per Taxon index (ASPT), while biodiversity was assessed by family richness within the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Coleoptera and Odonata (EPTCO), which was tested against the pressure gradient by principal component regressions. ASPT had high diagnostic capabilities (R2 = 0.68, p < 0.001) and showed that the index can be used to evaluate ecological water quality in this region. Biodiversity, expressed as family richness, also declined along the gradient (R2 = 0.59, p = 0.041), giving support to the fact that current land-use practices in this area are unsustainable.

Original languageEnglish
Article number125835
JournalLimnologica
Volume86
Number of pages12
ISSN0075-9511
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Royal Norwegian embassy in Myanmar / Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The study was a component of a larger collaborative project (The integrated water resources management ? institutional building and training) with Department of Forestry (FD), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC) of Myanmar and the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA). We thank Bo Ni, retired director of Watershed Management Division (FD), Zaw Win Myint ? the director of Watershed Management Division (FD), Ko Ko Oo (Irrigation and Water Utilization Management Department; IWUMD), Htay Aung (Directorate of Water Resources and Improvement of River Systems; DWIR), Toe Aung (FD) and Ingrid Nesheim (NIVA). A special acknowledgement is given to the monitoring sampling team in Myanmar: Phyo Wai (IWUMD), Phyo Thet Naing (FD), Mya Htet Aung (IWUMD), Thet Myat (FD), Htay Kywe (IWUMD), Zao Myo (FD), Phyo Thet (FD), Swuam Pyaye Aye Aung (FD), Eai Chit Thu Maung (FD) and Mr. Moe (FD). We also thank Frank K?hler (Australian Museum Research Institute), Boonsatien Boonsong and Damrong Chainthong (Kasersart University, Thailand), and Narumon Sangpradub (Khon Kaen University, Thailand) for helping us with the identification of certain macroinvertebrate taxa. We are also grateful for the useful comments provided by the editor and two anonymous referees.

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Royal Norwegian embassy in Myanmar / Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs . The study was a component of a larger collaborative project (The integrated water resources management – institutional building and training) with Department of Forestry (FD), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC) of Myanmar and the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA). We thank Bo Ni, retired director of Watershed Management Division (FD), Zaw Win Myint – the director of Watershed Management Division (FD), Ko Ko Oo (Irrigation and Water Utilization Management Department; IWUMD), Htay Aung (Directorate of Water Resources and Improvement of River Systems; DWIR), Toe Aung (FD) and Ingrid Nesheim (NIVA). A special acknowledgement is given to the monitoring sampling team in Myanmar: Phyo Wai (IWUMD), Phyo Thet Naing (FD), Mya Htet Aung (IWUMD), Thet Myat (FD), Htay Kywe (IWUMD), Zao Myo (FD), Phyo Thet (FD), Swuam Pyaye Aye Aung (FD), Eai Chit Thu Maung (FD) and Mr. Moe (FD). We also thank Frank Köhler (Australian Museum Research Institute), Boonsatien Boonsong and Damrong Chainthong (Kasersart University, Thailand), and Narumon Sangpradub (Khon Kaen University, Thailand) for helping us with the identification of certain macroinvertebrate taxa. We are also grateful for the useful comments provided by the editor and two anonymous referees.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Authors

    Research areas

  • Biomonitoring, Ecology, Macroinvertebrates, Streams, Water quality

ID: 306670510