Use of macroinvertebrates as indicators of water quality in lotic ecosystems in Peru: A review

Abstract

Due to the sensitivity of many of these organisms to changes in water composition, water resources assessment using the aquatic macroinvertebrates found in lotic systems is a good indicator of water quality. The information regarding macroinvertebrates is taken from different indices, such as the Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP) score, Andean Biotic Index (ABI), and the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) Index, which are the most frequently used. For this review, using Google Scholar, Google Search and Scopus, information was collected from scientific articles on lotic systems related to the use of macroinvertebrates for the analysis of water quality in Peru over the past 21 years. The use of these indicators is shown to be an important alternative which enables management decisions for the mitigation and controlling of disturbances. At the same time, the results obtained in these 19 investigations, published in Spanish and English from 2004 to 2021, serve to indicate the status of the water resources that were evaluated.