Distribution of Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Some Rivers of the Ntem Basin in Southern Cameroon

Abstract

Water is an essential yet scarce commodity for human life due to its many uses. Depending on their condition, bodies of water can improve or degrade living conditions. The Mvila watershed in southern Cameroon, which experienced archaic urbanization coupled with incivism and urban disorder, was the site of a study examining the relationship between the ecology of benthic macroinvertebrates and abiotic parameters. This study was conducted monthly from December 2018 to December 2019. It involved sampling benthic macroinvertebrates and collecting water samples using standard methods. For the most part, the physicochemical parameters remained within the standards prescribed by the water quality grid. Throughout the study, the Sounou stream had the highest abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates, followed by the Lo'o and Bengo streams. For the trophic groups, predators were the most abundant, while filter feeders were the least abundant. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that certain physicochemical parameters had a negative influence on benthic macroinvertebrate taxa, while others had a positive impact on them. The parameters that negatively influenced them were temperature, pH, and conductivity, while the parameters that positively influenced them were suspended solids, colour, and turbidity. Finally, Shannon and Weaver's diversity indices and Pielou's evenness indicate a rich and diverse living environment with an equal distribution of organisms among the studied rivers. In conclusion, some environmental factors, such as temperature, pH, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen, influence the diversity and distribution of macroinvertebrates.