Ecological Integrity Assessment of Alpine Lotic Ecosystems: A Case Study of a High-Altitude National Park in Northern Pakistan

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F61989100%3A27350%2F25%3A10258178" target="_blank" >RIV/61989100:27350/25:10258178 - isvavai.cz</a>

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/17/13/1948" target="_blank" >https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/17/13/1948</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w17131948" target="_blank" >10.3390/w17131948</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Ecological Integrity Assessment of Alpine Lotic Ecosystems: A Case Study of a High-Altitude National Park in Northern Pakistan

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

This study assesses the ecological status of alpine lotic ecosystems in Khunjerab National Park, Pakistan, situated at approximately 4000 m in the Karakoram Range along the Pakistan-China border. An integrative approach was employed, evaluating alpine stream ecosystems through benthic macroinvertebrate indices in conjunction with physicochemical habitat parameters. Samples were gathered using kick nets and hand-picking at seventeen randomly selected sites in early spring and summer. The study recorded 710 summer taxa from 41 families and seven orders, and 1250 early spring taxa from 30 families and six orders. The abundance of macroinvertebrates increased in early spring, while taxonomic diversity increased during the summer. Statistical tests revealed a strong relationship between water quality conditions and biological features. The biotic index reached its peak in early spring, while diversity indices peaked in summer when Ephemeroptera dominated. Due to the macroinvertebrate source in early spring, the majority of EPT taxa were abundant at all alpine stream sites during early spring, except for upstream sites in summer. The indices from the biotic metric evaluation revealed low levels of natural environmental disturbance caused by humans. This research is significant in terms of natural resource conservation and health assessment based on the benthic fauna community structure in alpine streams.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Ecological Integrity Assessment of Alpine Lotic Ecosystems: A Case Study of a High-Altitude National Park in Northern Pakistan

Popis výsledku anglicky

This study assesses the ecological status of alpine lotic ecosystems in Khunjerab National Park, Pakistan, situated at approximately 4000 m in the Karakoram Range along the Pakistan-China border. An integrative approach was employed, evaluating alpine stream ecosystems through benthic macroinvertebrate indices in conjunction with physicochemical habitat parameters. Samples were gathered using kick nets and hand-picking at seventeen randomly selected sites in early spring and summer. The study recorded 710 summer taxa from 41 families and seven orders, and 1250 early spring taxa from 30 families and six orders. The abundance of macroinvertebrates increased in early spring, while taxonomic diversity increased during the summer. Statistical tests revealed a strong relationship between water quality conditions and biological features. The biotic index reached its peak in early spring, while diversity indices peaked in summer when Ephemeroptera dominated. Due to the macroinvertebrate source in early spring, the majority of EPT taxa were abundant at all alpine stream sites during early spring, except for upstream sites in summer. The indices from the biotic metric evaluation revealed low levels of natural environmental disturbance caused by humans. This research is significant in terms of natural resource conservation and health assessment based on the benthic fauna community structure in alpine streams.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

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OECD FORD obor

10500 - Earth and related environmental sciences

Projekt

—

Návaznosti

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2025

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Water

ISSN

2073-4441

e-ISSN

2073-4441

Svazek periodika

17

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

13

Stát vydavatele periodika

CH - Švýcarská konfederace

Počet stran výsledku

21

Strana od-do

nestránkováno

Kód UT WoS článku

001526077800001

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

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