Overview and Perspectives of Biomonitoring in the Global South

Biomonitoring for environmental sustainability in the Global South has the potential to unravel a complex web of interacting variables as well as their roles, impacts, and mitigation strategies. In the Global South, the intricate interplay between emerging pollutants due to urbanization and industrialization and the repercussions of food and industrial wastes, agricultural activities, population growth, and natural and man-made hazards highlights the pressing need for effective biomonitoring strategies. This urgency is accentuated by the expanding population, demanding a heightened focus on assessing environmental health comprehensively. The use of diverse biomonitoring tools such as macrophytes, plankton, epiphytic plants, arthropods, fish, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, protozoans, and microbes signifies a holistic approach to evaluating the environment’s health. These methods can be instrumental in determining the potential harm a substance may pose to the ecosystem, offering crucial insights into environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the incorporation of advanced techniques like molecular methods, genetic ecotoxicological techniques, and biomarker responses (serum biochemistry, oxidative stress, genotoxicity, histopathology) could aid in the understanding of environmental conditions. These approaches, coupled with artificial intelligence, could play a crucial role in investigating the consequences of environmental contaminants. In navigating the complexities of environmental sustainability in the Global South, biomonitoring has emerged as an indispensable guide for assessing ecosystem health. This insight is particularly timely as we grapple with the challenges of maintaining environmental sustainability. The strategic application of these technologies not only streamlines the early detection of environmental stressors but also informs decision-making crucial for sustainable practices. The cooperation between academics, policymakers, and communities is imperative for deploying and developing biomonitoring systems, thus ensuring the coexistence of human activities and the environment in the Global South in a robust and balanced manner.