Macroinvertebrate community and ecological quality of springs in the Southeastern Basin of Arequipa - Peru

The community of aquatic macroinvertebrates present in springs in the Southeastern basin of Arequipa has been evaluated to obtain the first approximation of the structure and function of this community at two different times. The structure and function are expressed through the richness of families and functional feeding groups. Ecological quality is evaluated by obtaining information on the environmental status using the Macroinvertebrate Community Index (MCI) and the Habitat Quality Index (IQH). The springs studied present a diverse richness related to the characteristics of each spring. The application of the indices shows an acceptable ecological state of the springs.