BIOINDICATOR

WHAT IS BIOINDICATOR:
Biological indicators are species that can be used to monitor the health of an environment.
They are any biological species whose function, population, or status can reveal what degree
of environmental integrity is present.

Living organism like plant and animal, give particular response for a particular changes in the
environment. When any particular changes are found in any ecosystem the bio indicators give
a response by changing in their biological, chemical, behavioural and physiological changes.

CLASSIFICATION OF BIOINDICATOR:
For the classification of bio indicator there are many scales like;

On the basic of pollution,

On the basic of habitat,

On the basic their physiology,

On the basic of their behaviour,

On the basic of structure etc.

According to the flora and fauna, bio indicators are classified as:

Plant as bio indicator,

Animal as bio indicator,

PLANT AS BIOINDICATOR :
Plant organisms play an important role in their natural habitats. They supply oxygen, control
organic substance circulation and biological balance of the soil and bottom deposits , provide
food and shelter to other organisms.

Plants are indicate about pollution and other environmental changes like rain, draught, pH,
alkalinity etc. many plant like Tradescanyia, Vicia faba etc. are act as bio indicator. Tropical
forest indicate heavy rain fall.

Lower group of plants, algae have extensively used as indicator of water pollution. Colonies
of Scenedesmus obliguos were used for monitoring cadmium and lead pollution in river basin
in Thailand and Germany.
Mosses and lichens are applied as indicators of environmental pollution due to their capacity
to accumulate and store heavy metals and other toxins.

MOSSES LICHENS

animal AS BIOINDICATOR :
Vertebrate animal like fish have been use as water pollution indicator for many years.

Rat tailed maggot lives in sewage polluted water.

Flatworm lives in slightly polluted water.

Fresh water shrimp lives only in fresh water.

FRESH WATER SHRIMP

MICROBES AS BIOINDICATOR :
Microorganisms can be used as indicators of aquatic or terrestrial ecosystem health. Some
microorganisms will produce new proteins, called stress proteins. When exposed to
contaminants like cadmium and benzene. These stress proteins can be used as an early
warning system to detect high levels of pollution.
 ALGAE AQUATIC MICROBES

Conclusion :
Every animal and plant has a specific quality therefore, in the management of environmental
health all the flora and fauna can be use according to their quality. With the help of these
indicators we can maintain the environmental problem.