DIVERSITY ASSESSMENT OF

MACROINVERTEBRATES
IN MAINIT RIVER,
ALANGALANG, LEYTE

Researched by:

Apostol, Kylamarie T.

Banado, Francis Ian C.

Caigoy, Mea Joy

Murillo, Jika

Terrado, Vina Q.

June 2023
 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Assessing biodiversity is an essential step in order for management plans to establish

baseline information about the area's profile in terms of diversity. There are different species

that occupy the different nooks in the web of life. It is significantly important that we know

what kind of species inhabit an ecosystem, and how many of each kind there are because it

helps us in understanding the ecosystem's structure, and function, and possibly predict future

changes. Assessing the diversity in an area is a fundamental tool in analyzing

macroinvertebrates species and their importance as part of our ecosystem (Naidu, 2015).

Globally, freshwater ecosystems have steadily gotten worse over the past few decades

as a result of increased human demand and a decline in aquatic biodiversity. (Fierro et al.,

2017). Of all the water on earth, freshwater makes up just 0.01% of the total amount of water

on earth and only occupies 0.8% of its surface. (Dudgeon et al., 2006). This ecosystem is

recognized as one of the main suppliers of ecosystem services (MEA 2005). Freshwater

ecosystems include lakes, ponds, streams, creeks, and most specially rivers which is the focus

of this study. It also includes, marshes, which lack trees but have a lot of grasses and reeds,

and swamps, which have woody plants and trees.

Rivers are regarded as the earth's and human civilization's lifeblood. It serves as a

surface water drainage system and transports water and nutrients across huge distances.

Numerous species find a home in rivers and find plenty of food there. Numerous physical,

chemical, and biological stresses are having a rising impact on them, which has an impact on

the species that live there. Rivers provide water for irrigation, domestic supply, power
generation and industry as well as a range of other ecosystem services and intrinsic and

biodiversity values (Moncrieff et al., 2017).

Fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages have been recognized as an excellent

bioindicator for observing ecosystem degradation among the many different types of fauna.

(Fierro et al., 2015). In this study which focus only on the aquatic macroinvertebrates, this

species is considered as an effective bioindicators of ecosystem health due to their different

sensitivities to habitat alteration and pollution. Additionally, they live all or a large portion of

their life in water, are simple to gather, and have varying levels of pollution tolerance. More

frequently than any other group of animals, macroinvertebrates are utilized to evaluate the

environmental quality of lotic systems. (Carter et al., 2017). Being mostly responsible for the

movement of organic matter from different sources within or outside of the stream through

the stream food web, macroinvertebrates play a crucial role in the ecology of stream

ecosystems. (Hauer et al., 2017).

Significance of the Study

This study which focuses on the assessment of macroinvertebrates diversity could be

of help in future research in effective watershed management. Diversity assessment can

provide information that may be used to convince people into protecting and preventing

further disruption of the freshwater ecosystem in Mainit River and help give background

knowledge of the importance of developing effective and suitable management plans. To the

best knowledge of the researcher, there are only a few studies conducted that aim to assess

macroinvertebrates diversity in the Philippines, most specifically at the researcher's chosen

site of study.
Objective of the Study

This study generally aims to assess the diversity of macroinvertebrates species in the

Mainit River, Binongto-an, Alangalang, Leyte. The specific objectives of the study were the

following;

1. to identify the macroinvertebrates species composition found in the Mainit River;

2. to determine the species richness, and abundance of this species; and

3. to determine species diversity index, equitability index, and similarity index.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

The study is limited only to the assessment of macroinvertebrate species in Mainit

River, Brgy. Cavite, Alangalang, Leyte. The assessment includes the identification of

macroinvertebrates species and determination of diversity indices (e.g., species richness,

diversity, and abundance) and the dominance index and the evenness index.

Definition of Terms

Assessment - The evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability of someone

or something.

Diversity - A variety of ethnic, sexual, and other identities.

Macroinvertebrates - Animals with no backbone inhabiting the aquatic ecosystem.

Species Abundance - The number of individual species present in an area.

Species Richness - The number of different species represented in an ecological

community, landscape, or region.

 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

World’s Biodiversity

The most unique feature of Earth is the existence of life, and the most extraordinary

feature of life is its diversity (Cardinale et al., 2012). Biodiversity refers to all the different

kinds of living organisms within a given area. It considers all types and kinds of organisms

existing on the planet including plants, animals, and other microorganisms (Cadre, 2013). All

species are connected to one another and appear to rely on one another. Many are required to

maintain roles at various times and locations in a changing world, despite the fact that they

may appear redundant when examining one function under a certain set of environmental

factors (Cardinale et al., 2011). Diversity matters because it has a big effect on the productivity

and stability of natural ecosystems, and on the services, they provide (Roe, 2019).

The gifts that nature has given to us are our safety net, however it is nearly at its limit

(Díaz, 2006). There is a consensus that the loss of biodiversity could reduce ecosystem

functions and services (Butchart et al., 2010). That is because the loss of biodiversity reduces

the capacity of ecosystems to function effectively and efficiently, which reduces nature's

capacity to support a healthy environment (Roe, 2019). Biodiversity is declining faster than at

any time in human history (Briggs, 2021), as according to statistics, the number of marine and

terrestrial species has decreased by 30%, and that of inland water species by 50%. There are

many factors that contribute to biodiversity loss, but habitat destruction and overexploitation

of species driven by our uncontrollable population growth and excessive consumption are by

far the largest offenders. Humankind's actions have reduced biological diversity through
habitat fragmentation and loss, direct overexploitation, pollution, and the introduction of alien

species (Brown, 2011).

River Ecosystem

Rivers serve as a critical element in many urban landscapes and their physical and

biological conditions through time could signify the over-all effects of urbanization (Ancog

et al., 2012). An open water ecosystem that are heavily influenced by their surrounding

environment. The water quality of this rivers is affected by several factors, such as land use,

habitation patterns, farming, and industrial activity along a river (Suriawiria, 2003). River

ecosystem services (rESS) offers significant advantages that have an impact on our daily life

like transportation, food, irrigation, drinking water, and more. Additionally, they also offer

crucial recreational opportunities, flood protection, and habitat for significant fish species in

human well-being (Jähnig et al., 2022). Rivers are important ecosystems that provide homes

for many species of plants, insects and fish. These in turn provide food for our native birds

and lizards. The riparian boundary is of particular importance to the river ecosystem because

this is where most animals and plants seek shelter.

Freshwater ecosystem is being challenged with degration by the different human

activities through the form of changes of flow regimes, changes in land use, and intensive

water abstraction, which in turn is generating negative impact on biodiversity and ecological

functionality (Bediako et al., 2022). Globally, the continuous Increase of decline of freshwater

ecosystem is attributed to the increase of anthropogenic activity and the effects of climate

change (Addo-Bediako et al., 2018). Freshwater ecosystems are threatened by pollution,

habitat loss and degradation, resulting in species population declines (Niba and Sakwe, 2018).
Importance of Macroinvertebrates

Ecological Importance

Aquatic macroinvertebrates include animals that live in wet environments such as

lakes, marshes, ponds, rivers, streams, and wetlands. They can even be found in buckets of

standing water or in puddles. This freshwater macroinvertebrates live in all kinds of freshwater

environments, from pristine mountain streams to wetlands to sewage ponds (Stumpf et al.,

2009). They make their homes under rocks or leaves, in the sediment or in the vegetation

along the sides of the waterway. Some creatures, like freshwater snails and mussels, spend

their entire lives in the water. Other creatures, like dragonflies and mosquitoes, live in the

water during their larval or nymph stages but out of the water as adults (Finn, 2009).

Aquatic macroinvertebrates serve multiple functions in freshwater ecosystems. They

play a crucial role in nutrient cycling, decomposition and translocation of materials (Wallace

and Webster 1996). Some studies have suggested that aquatic macroinvertebrates are

responsible for processing up to 73 percent of the riparian leaf litter that enters a stream

(Covich et al. 1999). In addition to their role as primary consumers processing live organic

material, they also serve as detritivores, consuming decomposing organic matter; as predators,

consuming macroinvertebrates and other small organisms; and as a prey, serving as food for

fish, amphibians, reptiles, aquatic birds, and mammals (Watson-Ferguson et al., 2006).

However, aside from that, this aquatic macroinvertebrates are also greatly affected by

watershed conditions, making them ideal bioindicators for pollution and other changes in

water conditions. They can live in nearly any freshwater body, with the exception of very

highly polluted or deep ground waters bodies (Strayer 2006). Additionally, a study made by

Banerjee et al., (2010) found that the increased in macroinvertebrate diversity accelerated the

recovery rate of ecosystems following environmental shocks.

Assessing Biodiversity of Macroinvertebrates

According to a study made by Coracero E. (2018), diversity assessment helps in

identifying and knowing our environment more, specifically learning what species are present

in an area. The Philippines is one of many countries that have potential when it comes to

conserving the diversity of life on earth. It is also known to be one of the most vulnerable

countries in the world to climate change, so ensuring our biodiversity is properly conserved is

a top priority. As a result of our abundance of biodiversity, our country is regarded as one of

the megadiverse countries (Biodiversity, 2014). Because of the extraordinary diversity of

habitats, wildlife, and genetic resources present within its 7,100 island boundaries, it is

regarded as a megadiverse country. Ecologically speaking, biodiversity contributes to the

ecosystem functions and services wherein there is control in the fluxes of energy, nutrient, and

organic matter, and the benefit to humanity is well served by the environment (Cardinale et

al., 2012).

Macroinvertebrates are animals that have no backbone and can be seen with the naked

eyes. They are generally composed of insects, crustaceans, molluscs, arachnids, and annelids.

These organisms are an important link in the food chain of freshwater ecosystems (Hussain,

2012) and can inhabit all types of running water (Kazanci et al., 2015). Studying

macroinvertebrate diversity is one of the most effective and inexpensive ways to estimate the

ecological quality of the waters. There have been several research reports on the use of

macroinvertebrates to assess the water quality in aquatic ecosystems which have been

extensively published by several researchers (Ogbeibu et al., 2001). Macrobenthic

invertebrate’s species are differently sensitive to a biotic and biotic parameter in their

environment. So, they are used as bioindicators of stat and water quality of aquatic

environment (Gawad, 2019). The species composition reflects water pollution because the

nature species changes to tolerant species (Xu et al., 2014).

Macroinvertebrates as Indicator of Water Quality

According to Triest et al. (2001), a variety of organismal groups can be used to assess

the biological and ecological state of running streams. As a result, macroinvertebrates are

employed to assess the state of a community and identify the root causes of environmental

degradation in a river or stream. In recent years, biological techniques have supplemented or

replaced physical and chemical measures for evaluating rivers (Barbosa et al. 2001).

Macroinvertebrate organisms inhabit river, lake and reservoir bottoms, and their

distribution is directly related to the food availability and quantity, sediment type, substrate

and water quality (Callisto, 2000). However, aquatic ecosystems are under increasing pressure

from various kinds of disturbances (Tachet et al., 2003), and both human land-use practices

and natural disturbance events can result in shifts in benthic community composition and even

ecosystem function at the watershed scale (Allan et al., 1997). When compared to chemical

and microbiological data, benthic macroinvertebrates offer a more precise understanding of

changes in those environments. (Ghasemi and Kamali, 2014). In freshwater systems, benthic

macroinvertebrates constitute a highly diversified faunal group that occupy a variety of niches

and environments. (Obade and Moore, 2018).

Macroinvertebrates have been used extensively in some countries as a biological

indicator to assess the health status and the ecological integrity of the water. They play an

important system role in the food chain. In addition, this macroinvertebrate is sensitive to the

different environmental changes and characteristics of habitat, usually caused by the presence

of human activity. Most of the uses of macroinvertebrates as a biological indicator are still

focused on the deterioration of water quality caused by organic pollution. However, this has

grown nowadays into various types of pollution such as heavy metals, sedimentation, and

climate change (Desi et al., 2013).

Factors Affecting Macroinvertebrates

Every environment within each river is slightly different, but there are trends to the

geographic distribution of the environmental factors within each river (Ried and Wood, 1971).

The flow and the chemical characteristic of rivers change with climatic regime. Current speed,

distance from headwaters and the nature of bottom sediments are principal determinants of

distribution of stream organism (Andrews, 1987).

In a previous study in Iligan City, Mandulog River and Iligan River are two major

riverine systems that flow into the estuaries. These rivers serve as the habitat for the

macroinvertebrates. However, anthropogenic impacts along the banks most notably in

downstream resulted to river pollution (Tampus et al., 2012). Activities such as quarrying,

sprawling urbanization, and water pollution are common issues in Mandulog and Iligan rivers

that have threatened the quality of freshwater in the area. The water quality of the riverine

system of Iligan City decreases as it approaches downstream affecting the macroinvertebrate

assemblage (Vedra & Ocampo, 2014). Thus, the presence of industries and other

anthropogenic activities in Iligan City may have contributed to the deteriorating conditions of

the rivers.

Currently, natural habitats of many organisms are often degraded in favor of urban

development and industrialization. Leunda et al. (2009) argued that nearly all river systems

suffer at least some degree of anthropogenic pressure that subsequently promotes faunistic

changes. In the case of Cebu City, a major economic and tourism hub in the Central

Philippines, most of its rivers are no longer navigatable because they seasonally dry out, as

well as unabated domestic and industrial pollution.

 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

Description of the Study Site

Mainit River is located in the province of Leyte traversing the municipalities of Jaro,

Alangalang and San Miguel with an area of 8,521.17 ha. (DOCSTO, 2011). A river that is a

class H - Hydrographic stream in Eastern Visayas (Leyte), Philippines with the region font

code of Asia/Pacific. It has the latitude 11° 08.558 0 latitude and 124° 46.762' longitude with

an elevation of 160 m above sea level. The climatic condition in the area is tropical in which

it received significant rainfall that averages to 2153 mm and the average temperature of

27.3°C. The type of soil in the area was clay loam soil which is suitable for agricultural

cultivation (Africa, 1996).

Mainit River is one of the main channels of the watershed. Its main tributaries are the

main sources of water for the three municipalities (Trasadas, 2013). The river is used as the

source of water for domestic and agricultural purposes such as irrigation for rice paddies. It is

actively mined out for sand and gravel in some part of Binongtoan. The river is subjected to

many activities like bathing, washing clothes. These activities change the condition of the

river and the riparian.

Figure 1. Map of Study Site – Mainit River, Alangalang, Leyte
Establishment of Sampling Sites

A total of two sampling stations were selected. All the selected sampling stations fall

within the chosen representative reach of the river, which was determined in consideration to

surrounding major land-uses. This was in relation to a study of Lenat et al. (1994), whose

results showed that there was little between-site overlap in dominant species among sites

adjacent to varying land-uses (forested and urban), indicating that land-uses strongly

influenced the invertebrate community.

Two sampling sites were established along the Mainit River. In each site, a 20 m

sampling reach was established and measured vertically near the riverbank, then samples were

taken from parts of the river forming a composite sample. The first site is located below the

residential zone of Mainit River where domestic discharges occur. This site has less vegetation

and is usually disturbed due to anthropogenic activities such as bathing, washing, and a

minimal quarrying. While the second site is in the riparian zone of Mainit River. to which this

area is more vegetated than the other and is usually shaded by trees.

Sampling Technique

The samples of macroinvertebrate species were collected from the two established

sampling station in Mainit River. Benthic macroinvertebrates were collected at the selected

sites using an improvised net. The method used for sample collection is called the kick-stir

sweep mixed with dipnet method following Dickens and Graham method (2002). Pick

sampling was also used in the sample collection following the method of de Jesus-Crespo and

Ramirez (2011).

At each site, sampling of different aquatic habitats (i.e. leaf packs, riffles and pools)

and different substrate type (i.e. sandy and rocky) were done to make sure that all benthic

macroinvertebrates in the sites was represented in the collection of samples.

Identification of Macroinvertebrates

Organisms collected were rinsed with water, separated from debris and sediment. After

collecting the samples, the content of the net was transferred and was placed into the labeled

sample containers. The macroinvertebrate samples were initially identified in the field with

the aid of unpublished thesis papers from VSU-Library, and the accuracy were further checked

through "Invertebrate Field Guide Manual" (Gerber and Gabriel, 2002), and "An Illustrated

Guide to the Freshwater Macroinvertebrates of Singapore" (Blakely, et al., 2010). Most

individuals were sorted in the field, counted, and released, to minimize the researcher's impact

in the field, however, macroinvertebrates which could not be identified in the field, a

representative sample were coplected and preserved in 70% ethanol for subsequent

identification.

Data Analysis

The data collected was classified and analyzed to identify the species composition,

richness and abundance of macroinvertebrates species. To calculate species diversity, and

evenness index, the software Paleontological Statistical Test (PAST) was utilized.

Sorenson’s coefficient similarity index (SCSI) emphasizes of joint appearance of

species presence in both compared paired groups rather than their mismatches of species

occurrences. The index is also termed as the Dice Similarity Index. SCSI is use for the pairwise

comparison of species compositions of the two (2) different sampling locations.

2𝑆𝑐
𝑆𝐶𝑆𝐼 =
𝑆𝑎 + 𝑆𝑏 + 𝑆𝑐
 Where:

Sc = number of species common in two samples

Sa = number of species unique to the station a

Sb = number of species unique to the station b

Classification of diversity indices

Fernando et al. (1998) presents the diversity indices including the species diversity,

evenness, and dominance.

Table 1. Ordinal classification of species diversity, evenness, and dominance indices (adopted
from Fernando et al., 1998

Relative Values Species Evenness Dominance

Diversity
Very High 3.50-4.00 0.75-1.00 0.75-1.00
High 3.00-3.49 0.50-0.74 0.50-0.74
Moderate 2.50-2.99 0.25-0.49 0.25-0.49
Low 2.00-2.49 0.15-0.24 0.15-0.24
Very Low 1.00-1.99 0.05-0.14 0.05-0.14
 CHAPTER IV

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Macroinvertebrates Species Composition

Among the two major phyla, Arthropoda was the most diverse group consisting of six

families whereas Mollusca was the least diverse group with only three families found in the

study sites. Seven orders were recorded in the sampling sites during the sampling time as seen

on table 2. The macroinvertebrates were grouped as Araneae (Pisauridae), Coleoptera

(Elmidae), Hemiptera (Gerridae, Veliidae), Odonata (Lebilludae), Trichoptera

(Hydropsychidae), Caenogastropoda (Pachychilidae, Thiaridae), and Unionida (Unionidae).

Families such as Veliidae and Elmidae dominated in the site located below the riparian area.

The most represented family in terms of genus species was Thiaridae with two (2) genus

recorded, followed by family Elmidae, Gerridae, Hydropsychidae, Libellulidae,

Pachychilidae, Pisauridae, Unionidae, and Veliidae with at least one genus species only.

There were five (5) macroinvertebrates genus species found in the river below

residential area of Mainit River, namely; Aquarius sp., Brechmorhoga sp., Dolomedes sp.,

Melanoides sp. and Tarebia sp. belonging to family Gerridae, Lebilludae, Pisauridae, and

Thiaridae respectively. While there are seven (7) macroinvertebrates genus species found on

the riparian site of Mainit River, namely; Ancyronyx sp., Cheumatopsyche sp., Dolomedes sp.,

Elliptio sp., Jagora sp., Rhagovelia sp. and Tarebia sp. belonging to family Elmidae,

Hydropsychidae, Pisauridae, Unionidae, Pachychilidae, Veliidae and Thiaridae respectively.

Among the identified macroinvertebrates species, Dolomedes sp. and Tarebia sp

appeared on both sites established.

Table 2. Systematic list of taxa of macroinvertebrates found in Mainit River, Alangalang,
Leyte. (2023)

PHYLUM ORDER FAMILY GENUS COMMON NAME

Arthropoda Araneae Pisauridae Dolomedes sp. Fishing spider

Coleoptera Elmidae Ancyronyx sp. Water beetle
Hemiptera Gerridae Gerris sp. Water strider
Veliidae Rhagovelia sp. Riffle bugs
Odonata Lebilludae Brechmorhoga sp. Clubskimmers
Trichoptera Hydropsychidae Cheumatopsyche sp. Net-spinner
Mollusca Caenogastropoda Pachychilidae Jagora sp. Gastropod mollusk
Thiaridae Melanoides sp. Trumpet snails
Tarebia sp. Quilted melania
Unionida Unionidae Elliptio sp. Freshwater mussels

Abundance Data

A total of seventy-two (72) individuals were counted and recorded in combination of

the two sampling sites in Mainit River. In terms of genus species abundance in different

sampling sites established, site 2 which is located at the riparian area of Mainit River have the

highest number of individuals with a total value of forty-eight (48), while site 1 which is

located below the residential zone of Mainit River, has a total of twenty-four (24) individuals.

In terms of the genus species abundance for each site, we have counted and recorded

a total of 8 individuals for Ancyronyx sp. from riparian site, Aquarius sp. with 4 individuals

in residential site, Cheumatopsyche sp. with 8 individuals in riparian site, Brechmorhoga sp.

with 3 individuals in residential site, Jagora sp. with 5 individuals in riparian site, Dolomedes

sp. with 4 individuals in residential site and 2 individuals in riparian site, Melanoides sp. with

8 individuals in residential site, Tarebia sp. with 5 individuals in residential site and 4

individuals in riparian site, Elliptio sp. with 3 individuals from riparian site, and lastly

Rhagovelia sp. with 18 individuals in the riparian site. The genus with the most abundant
number of individuals, ië Rhagovelia sp. which has eighteen (18) individuals in total. The high

abundance of Rhagovelia sp. could be due to habitat availability in the riparian site. Most

Rhagovelia sp. were found and collected in leaf litters and domestic discharge (i.e. floormat).

Species that were found in the residential site might be organisms that have the ability

to tolerate habitat disturbance and variability due to their extraordinary structural organization

(Santhosh et al., 2011). Although the diversity of species in the residential site is low, the

abundance of its individuals could be attributed to the kind of taxa tolerance this organisms

have. When the environment is disturbed, usually, the abundance of sensitive taxa is reduced

while that of more tolerant taxa is increased and therefore the assemblages become more

homogeneous (Sánchez-Fernández et al., 2010). The family Thiaridae is known to be less

sensitive in pollutants, thus although residential site is near the quarrying location, it has

numerous number of individuals belonging to Thiaridae family (Flores and Zafaralla, 2012).

Table 3. Macroinvertebrates species abundance on two sites in Mainit River, Alangalang,

Leyte. (2023)

NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS
GENUS NAME SITE 1 SITE 2
(RESIDENTIAL) (RIPARIAN)
Ancyronyx sp. 0 8
Aquarius sp. 4 0
Brechmorhoga sp. 3 0
Cheumatopsyche sp. 0 8
Dolomedes sp. 4 2
Elliptio sp. 0 3
Jagora sp. 0 5
Melanoides sp. 8 0
Tarebia sp. 5 4
Rhagovelia sp. 0 18

Diversity Indices

Genus species richness was found highest on site 2 with a total of 7 macro invertebrates

genus species. Higher species richness means more diverse ecosystem. In terms of diversity

index between two sites, site 1 which is located below the residential zone have a Shannon-
diversity value of 1.55 while site 2 which is in the riparian zone have a value of 1.71. In terms

of species evenness, site 1 has the highest value of 0.94, while site 2 have 0.72 evenness. Base

on the result, site 1 is more even in terms of its species. A higher value of species evenness

means macro invertebrates on site 1 are particularly similar in terms of abundance of the

different species. In terms of dominance index, site 1 is slightly higher to site 2 with a value

of 0.23 and 0.22 respectively.

Base on the categories presented by Fernando (1998), both site 1 and site 2 have very

low species diversity, but site 2 have higher diversity value compared to site 1. Although both

with low diversity according to the scale value of Fernando, 1998, site 2 has relatively higher

value than site 1. This site is in a forested area with minimal human impacts, and had a well-

protected bank with vegetation cover that offers wider habitat diversity to the aquatic biota. It

is known that riparian vegetation with higher plant surface area are likely to support large

macro invertebrate populations (Elias et al., 2014). Although site 2 is located further

downstream compared to site 1, higher diversity could be attributed to its habitat

heterogeneity, and could be due to self-purification. Lower diversity in the residential zone,

signified environmental pollution that could be attributed to habitat disturbances caused by

quarrying and other anthropogenic activities (Esenowo and Ugwumba, 2010). The diversity

and evenness indices at the two sampling sites seemed to reflect the water quality and the

organisms ability to tolerate certain conditions.

Table 4. Taxa richness, diversity, evenness and dominance indices of macroinvertebrates

species. (2023)

Diversity Indices
SITE
Richness Diversity Evenness Dominance
1 5 1.55 0.94 0.23
2 7 1.71 0.72 0.22
Sorensen’s Coeffiecient Similarity Index (SCSI)

The table below summarizes the paired Location 1 (A) X Location 2 (B) similarity

index. The results showed lower SCSI percentage of less than 50% in terms of the similarity

of species, which accounts with a SCSI percentage of 33.33%. As seen on the table, only 2

species out of 10 overall species recorded can be seen on both the established sites which in

turn resulted on its low similarity result. Low similarity index of species between the two

compared locations could be attributed to differences in their preferred habitat of organisms

(Estevo, 2017). Additionaly, organisms have their own habitat preferences as they have

different levels of tolerance to the environment's condition (Usu, 2007).

Table 5. Comparison of Species Composition of the Two Sampling Locations using

Sorensen’s Coefficient

Similarity
Presence of Species
Indices
Paired No. of No. of No. of Shared Total No. of
areas Unique Unique Species of Unique and
SCSI (%)
Species to Species to Location A & Shared
Location A Location B B Species

Location
1 (A)
X 3 5 2 10 33.33
Location
2 (B)
 CHAPTER V

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Summary

The study was conducted to assess the macroinvertebrates species in Mainit River,

Alangalang, Leyte. The specific objectives of the study were to (a) identify the

macroinvertebrates species composition found in the Mainit River; (b) determine the taxa

richness, and abundance of this species; and (c) determine species diversity index, equitability

index, dominance index and similarity index.

There were two sampling sites established along the Mainit River. In each site,

one 20 m sampling reach was established and measured vertically near the riverbank, then

samples were taken from parts of the river forming a composite sample. The samples of

macroinvertebrate species were collected using an improvised net and the method used for

sample collection are mixed of kick-stir sweep, dip net method and pick sampling. At each

site, sampling of different aquatic habitats (i.e. leaf packs, riffles and pools) and different

substrate type (i.e. sandy and rocky) were done to make sure species were represented

properly. Identification of samples were to the genus species level, using numerous field guide

manual rot macroinvertebrates.

A total of seventy-two individuals were counted and recorded during the sampling

collection of macroinvertebrates species, belonging to two major phyla, seven orders, nine

families and ten genus species. The most represented phyla was Arthropoda, while the least

represented was Mollusca. The genus with most abundant number of individuals was

Rhagovelia sp. with eighteen individuals.

Conclusion

In this study, the following conclusions were drawn;

1. A total of ten genus species were recorded from all the sites established in Mainit River,

belonging to nine families, seven order, and two phyla of macroinvertebrates.

2. The most represented phyla in this study is the arthropoda having 5 orders with 7

family and 7 genus species.

3. The site in riparian has higher taxa richness having 7 genus species, while the site

below residential area has 5 genus species.

4. The most diverse site in terms of its genus composition is site 2 which is located at the

riparian zone. The genus Rhagovelia sp.was recorded to have 18 individuals in total,

which is already the highest genus abundance recorded in this study.

Recommendation

Though Mainit River is already disturbed by human activities, there are still several

macroinvertebrate’s species present in the area. The following strategies and actions are

recommended:

1. Further study should be conducted on the water quality parameters in Mainit River,

to assess how effective macroinvertebrates are as a bioindicator of water quality.

2. Future studies should include the average score per taxon (ASPT) to briefly know the

water quality of river base on the tolerance score of all taxa.

3. A further study on macro invertebrate species in Mainit River is highly recommended

to identify different interventions that will be useful in protecting not only

macroinvertebrates but also other wildlife in the area and to continue preserving the

good health of the river.

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 APPENDIX A

DATA COLLECTION
 APPENDIX B
DATA GATHERED

(Macroinvertebrates Genus Species Recorded)

Cheumatopsyche sp. Rhagovelia sp.

Elliptio sp. Jagora sp.

 Tarebia sp. Melanoides sp.

Brechmorhoga sp. Dolomedes sp.

Ancyronyx sp