MULTIDISCIPLINARY ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ALCANTARA RIVER (SICILY, ITALY) USING BIOINDICATORS

This study was developed within the framework of a broad international project, “Ecological water quality assessment of the Alcantara (Italy), James (U.S.A.) and Guadalfeo (Spain) rivers using bioindicators”, established by the Center for Integrative Mediterranean Studies (CIMS), a collaborative research center consisting of the University of Messina – Italy, Virginia Commonwealth University - USA, and the University of Cordoba – Spain. The primary objective of the study was the validation of a multi-disciplinary ecological approach at different taxonomic levels for biomonitoring of the Alcantara River (Sicily, Italy) using bioindicators. The study examined the primary physical, chemical and biological features of the river through an interdisciplinary and synoptic approach using bioindicators that included riparian plant physiology, the microbial, zooplanktonic and macroinvertebrate assemblages, Coleoptera (Insecta), and river hydrology. Sampling of the river and riparian areas was conducted at sites from the river’s headwaters to mouth. The study provided information on the ecological status of the Alcantara River along its course and tested the use of a variety of bioindicators, rather than a single biotic or physical attribute, to determine the river’s health.