Macroinvertebrate Composition, Abundance, and Diversity in the Littoral Zone of Lake Beto, Alabel, Sarangani Province

Studies focusing on the freshwater aquatic macroinvertebrates communities in different types of water bodies, such as lakes in the Philippines, are very limited. This study pioneered the assessment of the composition, abundance, and diversity of macroinvertebrates in Lake Beto, Alabel Sarangani Province. This study also assessed the relationship between the macroinvertebrates and the physicochemical parameters of water. Three sampling sites were chosen randomly from the lake's littoral zone, and each contained nine 5 * 10 quadrats along a 25 meters belt transect. Direct handpicking and sweep techniques were used to conduct the standardized sampling. A total of 819 aquatic macroinvertebrates individuals belonging to three classes, eight orders, 12 families, and 12 species were recorded. Eight of which belong to the class Hexapoda, three to the class Gastropoda, and one to Malacostraca. All three sites in Lake Beto show a relatively low Diversity, each having a diversity index of less than 2.5. The sampling Sites 1 to 3 also exhibit a moderate pollution level based on the Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index values they possess. In addition, the Pollution Tolerance Index assessment also shows that the lake exhibits a moderate pollution level, revealing a Fair Water Quality in all sites. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that all of the physicochemical parameters measured affect some of the aquatic macroinvertebrate's abundance.