Environmental Monitoring (bioindicators )

Title : Environmental Monitoring (Bioindicators

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Environmental monitoring using bioindicators has taken eminence in recent times after the realization that the future of many ecosystem supported animals , plants and microorganisms is in danger . Bioindicators are organisms or communities of organisms that react to pollution in the environment by altering their vital functions or by the accumulation of toxins (Underwood 2000 . They provide information on conditions of an ecosystem ranging from pH value data to metal concentration in the soil constitution or

water quality . Bioindicators also provide information on reaction by some plant species to environment changes which range from plant death to plant multiplication . Research indicates that changes in an ecosystem need to be monitored for comprehensive compilation of environmental inventories . In addition data needs to be collected in a long term repeated and regular manner from the properly selected bioindicators

Information assessment and measuring has to be done in a manner that results obtained portray a correct picture of changes in an environment and can therefore be used for a wider scope in policy formulation for biodiversity protection by relevant stakeholders and authorities . The use of multivariate analysis and multimetric indexing has been proposed as a better combination as it gives not only the pattern of changes in the ecosystem but also the impact of human activities on the selected ecosystem which is important in environmental protection policy formulation . Instruments required for effective and accurate measurement and assessment require significant investment which can only...