HEALTH STATUS OF ŠUMARICE RESERVOIR: A STUDY BASED ON INDEX OF BIOTIC INTEGRITY (IBI)

Abstract

Aquatic ecosystems are impacted by human activities. This disruption affects ecosystem integrity, causing declines in water quality and changes in the structure of hydrobionts. We assessed the health status of the Šumarice reservoir in 2011 and 2020 using the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI), a index based on 12 metrics. The IBI value was 40 for 2011 and 30 for 2020, out of a maximum possible value of 60. Six of 12 metrics had the same values in both years, while the values of the other metrics differ, contributing to the change in the index value. Effective strategies based on biological data could be essential for evaluating the impact of human activities on aquatic ecosystems.