Abstract
Ph.D.
The primary objective of the study was to determine the ecological integrity of the Klip River. The protocols applied during the study gave a reliable and good reflection of the overall ecological integrity, as well as the state of different components determining the overall integrity. The ecological integrity of the most recent assessment (February 1999) is summarized in Figure 8.2. It was decided to keep the different components determining ecological integrity (physico-chemical, physical, biological) separate and not to combine everything into one score. When expressed separate, such as in the case of Figure 8.2, it is possible to observed deterioration in overall ecological integrity at a site, and it is also evident which of the components are responsible for the degradation.
As mentioned previously, biological communities, and thus biotic integrity, are the best indicators of overall ecological integrity, due to the fact that they integrate both water and habitat related stresses over time. Habitat and water quality assessments are indications of the conditions prevailing at the time of sampling, while biota give an indication of the conditions prevailing over the long term. Invertebrates have shorter life cycles, and in many cases have a terrestrial phase, therefore they recolonise quicker than fish may be able to do after a pollution incident. Invertebrates can therefore be seen as indicators of short-term biological integrity, while fish indicate long-term biological integrity of a river.
Prof. G.J. Steyn