How water quality in the Kabul River, Pakistan, can be determined with algal bio-indication

Abstract

Altogether 209 species of algae and cyanobacteria has been revealed in 2014-2015 from four sites in the Kabul River that flow across the Peshawar Valley. Green algae, diatoms, and Charophyta filamentous algae were diverse and characterize regional feature in the river basin with high agricultural activity. Species richness and algal abundance were increase down the river. Index saprobity S varied between 1.55 and 1.59 (Class III of water quality) and reflects decreasing of water quality down the river as a result of pollutants impact, which brings mostly the Swat tributary. Bio-indication results show prevalence of benthic or plankto-benthic species, temperate temperature indicators, slow streaming middle oxygenated waters inhabitants, salinity-indifferents, eurysaprobes, mesotrophes, and autotrophic algae with tolerance to middle concentration of Nitrates that reflects middle polluted waters III-IV Class of Water 152 Sophia Barinova et al. Quality in the Kabul River. Our analysis shows that integral bio-indication in water quality assessment with using of algal communities can give relevant results of self-purification possibility, which can be employed in purpose of monitoring the regional water quality as economy and resultative method.