Coastal Research Unit of Zululand, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa; CSIR, Natural Resources and the Environment, PO Box 17001, Congella 4013, South Africa
Weerts, S.P., Coastal Research Unit of Zululand, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa, CSIR, Natural Resources and the Environment, PO Box 17001, Congella 4013, South Africa; Cyrus, D.P., Coastal Research Unit of Zululand, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, KwaDlangezwa 3886, South Africa
Effects of the transfer of water from the Thukela to the Mvuzane River were investigated using the SASS rapid bioassessment technique and more quantitative methods of guild composition and community analyses. Although the transfer was relatively small (< 1 m-3/s) it completely dominated natural flows in the recipient system. SASS monitoring was found to be useful as a rapid, field-based assessment of water quality and can he used to act as a 'red flag' to problems in the future. However, it was not sensitive to changes in the community structure at different sites and was inefficient as a tool to investigate the wider ecological impacts of the transfer scheme, most notably those associated with flow modification. Changes in the invertebrate fauna were most easily explained in terms of the effect of increased flow velocities and volumes on taxa that were classified as 'swimmers' and 'skaters'. Impacts via disruption to trophic pathways cannot be discounted and will most certainly occur with prolonged water transfer.
Bioassessment; Biomonitoring; Quantitative methods; Water transfers; assessment method; basin; biomonitoring; community composition; community structure; ecological impact; guild structure; invertebrate; river water; trophic status; Africa; KwaZulu-Natal; Mvuzane River; South Africa; Southern Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Thukela Basin; Invertebrata