Digital Camera is needed to take pictures of field observations and characterize stations. GPS and accessories will be used to georeference stations and sampling sites. Zoom Stereo Microscope w Dual Halogen lights and Camera will be used to identification and counting of macroinvertebrates. Water collection Kit will be used to collect and preserve water. Multiparameter Colorimeter and reagent sets is needed to run high quality chemical parameter tests. Multiparameter Waterproof Meter is needed to measure pH, ORP, EC, TDS, resistivity, dissolved oxygen and temperature for detecting environmental disturbances. Macroinvertebrates study Kit will be used to preserve macroinvertebrates collected and needed to collect, sort and identify macroinvertebrates. Budget items travel (trip and Lodging) Concerns the travel, meals and accommodation of the researcher with a field maneuver which are essential to successfully carry out the exploration and data collection

Additional Information

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of urban wastewater on the biodiversity of macroinvertebrates in the Ouémé Basin in Benin. The choice of this study is based on the fact that water and biodiversity are subject to disturbances from urban wastewater. The first goals of the project will be to evaluate the effects of these disturbances on the macroinvertebrate community and test the acute toxicity of contaminants on the orders of pollutant-sensitive macroinvertebrates. To this end, twelve monthly sampling campaigns will be carried out to in streams impacted by cities of various sizes according to the number of inhabitants (small, middle size and big cities). On each stream, two stations will be located near the city, one station upstream and considered as a control station and a second station downstream and impacted by urban wastewater. These samples, which will be taken using DNA metabarcoding and the conventional method, will highlight the impact of urban wastewater on macroinvertebrate communities. The results will also allow to develop a multimetric index for biomonitoring (Mondy et al., 2012) using control stations as Least Impacted River Reaches (LIRRs) often located in rural zones with low population density to severely Impacted River Reaches (sIRRs) often located in more urbanized areas. The second goal of this study will be to develop knowledge on the relative sensitivity of African macroinvertebrate species to urban effluents. To achieve this goal, we will perform acute toxicity tests with macroinvertebrate species to evaluate their relative sensitivity to various types of pollution.