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Role Of Fish as Bioindicators: A Review
Subject area: Science,Engineering and Technology · Area of research: Laboratory Technology
Abstract
Growing human population and industrialization have led to the pollution of most aquatic ecosystems and consequent deterioration in environmental water quality. Indicator organisms are needed to improve assessment programmes on the ecological impacts of anthropogenic activities on the aquatic environment. Fish have been widely documented as useful indicators of environmental water quality because of their differential sensitivity to pollution. This study discussed the roles of fishes as bioindicators as uses as biological indicators. The comprehensive knowledge of taxonomy, habitat requirements, and physiology of fish is a key prerequisite of using fish as indicators. No other aquatic organism is suitable for the application of so many different methods which allow the evaluation of the severity of toxic impacts by determining the accumulation of toxicants in tissues, by using histological and haematological approaches or by detecting morphological anomalies. Due to its complex habitat requirements the fish fauna is a crucial indicator of the ecological integrity of aquatic systems at different scales, from microhabitat to catchment. Thus bioindication using fish represents a good monitoring tool especially with regard to both pollution aspects and to river engineering, e.g. river restoration and management. In order to further strengthen the role of fish as valuable indicators of the ecological integrity of aquatic systems, research is required ranging from the ecological demands of certain target species to ecosystem processes. There is need to broaden knowledge in aquatic environmental impact assessment by the use of fish as a bioindicator to assess aquatic environment. This study recommends the use of fish as valuable biological indicators in aquatic environmental pollution assessment.
Keywords
Fish, Bioindicator, Environmental Pollution, Biological indicator, Organisms, Ecotoxicity
How to cite this paper
@article{1703057,
author = {Okwuosa, Obinna B., Eyo, Joseph E., Omovwohwovie Emmanuel E.},
title = {Role Of Fish as Bioindicators: A Review},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2019},
volume = {2},
number = {11},
pages = {354-368},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/17030571.pdf},
abstract = {Growing human population and industrialization have led to the pollution of most aquatic ecosystems and consequent deterioration in environmental water quality. Indicator organisms are needed to improve assessment programmes on the ecological impacts of anthropogenic activities on the aquatic environment. Fish have been widely documented as useful indicators of environmental water quality because of their differential sensitivity to pollution. This study discussed the roles of fishes as bioindicators as uses as biological indicators. The comprehensive knowledge of taxonomy, habitat requirements, and physiology of fish is a key prerequisite of using fish as indicators. No other aquatic organism is suitable for the application of so many different methods which allow the evaluation of the severity of toxic impacts by determining the accumulation of toxicants in tissues, by using histological and haematological approaches or by detecting morphological anomalies. Due to its complex habitat requirements the fish fauna is a crucial indicator of the ecological integrity of aquatic systems at different scales, from microhabitat to catchment. Thus bioindication using fish represents a good monitoring tool especially with regard to both pollution aspects and to river engineering, e.g. river restoration and management. In order to further strengthen the role of fish as valuable indicators of the ecological integrity of aquatic systems, research is required ranging from the ecological demands of certain target species to ecosystem processes. There is need to broaden knowledge in aquatic environmental impact assessment by the use of fish as a bioindicator to assess aquatic environment. This study recommends the use of fish as valuable biological indicators in aquatic environmental pollution assessment.},
keywords = {Fish, Bioindicator, Environmental Pollution, Biological indicator, Organisms, Ecotoxicity},
month = {May},
}