Anthropogenic Pressures and Ecological Responses of Benthic Communities in the River Jhelum: A Critical Review

Abstract

Benthic macroinvertebrates are powerful indicators of river health because of their limited movement, tolerance to a range of pollution levels, and life cycles spanning several months. This critical review assesses how indicative of anthropogenic effects Jhelum River benthic communities are and how a defensible bi monitoring program can bolster river restoration and management. Studies specific to the Jhelum River provide a good foundation. Many studies have documented changes in the richness, diversity, and EPT values of benthic communities, as well as the effects of human activities on benthic communities, in different sections of the river and through sampling that spans multiple seasons. In addition to evaluating traditional indices of diversity, this review will also consider the EPT and other multimetric approaches; point score systems such as BMWP and ASPT; trait-based approaches to assessing community health; and the innovative DNA-based metabarcoding approaches using recent international examples. With respect to the Kashmir Himalaya, there will not be a one-size fits all answer; the natural variability of seasonal flow and unaltered biogeographic variation across the region are likely to mimic or confound the disturbance responses. Given the state of local knowledge and material resources, traditional monitoring will continue to be essential as will, and if rigorously implemented, improvements in the resolution and confidence of DNA-based metabarcoding approaches. Therefore, the Jhelum River biomonitoring and management program will include kick sampling, physicochemical assessments, and multimetric approaches. This program will determine the ecological status of the river to facilitate the management of sewage inputs, water discharges, and restoration efforts of the habitat and of the watershed.