Advancements in macroinvertebrate-based river bioassessment research in the Afrotropical region: review and steps towards a regional framework.

Abstract

Rivers and streams are critical components of ecosystems, providing essential resources and supporting diverse aquatic life. Rivers have different physical and chemical characteristics based on geology, latitude, longitude, and climate. These factors influence the aquatic taxa composition and their sensitivities to ecosystem degradation gradients. Assessing the health of these aquatic ecosystems is vital for effective conservation and management. In recent years, there has been growing interest among East African countries to develop and adapt nationwide frameworks for the assessment of ecological integrity based on benthic macroinvertebrates as bioindicators of streams and rivers. Nevertheless, current initiatives have not resulted in binding policy and standardized protocol. Scholars realize the lack of baseline research in the spatial and temporal variation of abiotic and biotic components of East African Rivers, which are the foundation for development and integration of biomonitoring techniques. This review article explores the commonly used bioassessment techniques applied to river ecological integrity assessment, their strength, challenges, and opportunities in their application in East African contexts. It builds on these findings to propose a systematic pathway that begins at the national level but is standardized towards the development of a comprehensive policy-level bioassessment framework for the Afrotropical region.