Abstract

Benthos is the organism that inhabit in bottom of an aquatic body. Benthic organisms such as macro, meio and micro fauna and flora play an important role in food chains in an aquatic ecosystem. Macrobenthic organisms may be influenced positively or negatively by physico-chemical parameters of the environment depending on their sources. According to environmental conditions benthic communities vary considerably. The amount of nutrients released from the sediment by benthic communities may vary. Various physical and chemical conditions of the water body such as depth, current of the water, organic contents of the sediments, contaminations of bed sediments environment, toxicity of sediments influence the abundance and distribution of macrobenthos. Macrobenthos are the most commonly used organisms for bio-monitoring in lotic habitat worldwide. It is evident that macrobenthos play an important role in improving and preserving water quality through mineralization and recycling of organic matters.

Keywords: Benthos; Macrobenthic; Invertebrate; DO; BOD; Intertidal