Artificial Intelligence Evaluation of Wastewater Effects on Benthic Faunal Integrity

Abstract

The benthic fauna has been found to have a vital role in the sustainability of the aquatic ecosystem due to its role in nutrient recycling, sedimentation, and food webs. Wastewater disposal leads to contamination of water, sediment, and organisms inhabiting the water. This paper aims to investigate the effects of wastewater on the integrity of benthic fauna through an artificial intelligence-based ecological evaluation method. Environmental variables and the corresponding biological response were used in investigating the changes in species composition, abundance, and habitat preferences. The findings show that increased stress due to higher levels of contaminants decreases the number of sensitive species and increases that of tolerant species under contaminated environments. Artificial intelligence-based evaluation provides a basis for determining the link between the two parameters