Determining the possible application value of diatoms as indicators of general water quality: A comparison with SASS 5

Abstract

The applicability of a European numerical diatom index, the Specific Pollution sensitivity Index (SPI), was tested in a river system where the SPI scores were compared both to chemical water quality and to scores yielded using a macro-invertebrate index of riverine health namely the South African Scoring System (SASS 5). This investigation showed that the SPI reflects certain elements of water quality with a high degree of accuracy. Due to the broad species base of SPI, few problems were encountered when using this system in the Southern Hemisphere. The conclusion is that SPI or a similar diatom index will provide a valuable addition to the suite of biomonitoring tools currently in use in South Africa.