Species Diversity of Benthic Macroinvertebrates in a Stream Receiving Domestic and Oil Refinery Effluents

Abstract

The objectives of the present study of community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates in a stream receiving domestic and oil refinery effluents were to (1) determine seasonal environmental changes;(2) investigate effects of physico-chemical conditions on benthic macroinvertebrate populations;(3) relate quantitative composition of benthic macroinvertebrate populations to various degrees of pollutionj ( 4) apply methods derived from information theory to benthic macroinvertebrate community structure.This investigation is part of a larger survey of Skeleton Creek.Concomitant studies include a determination of primary productivity by diurnal oxygen curve analysis, a survey of community structure of fish populations and a study of the effects of organic enrichment on morphological characteristics of fish.