Macroinvertebrate Diversity Research Articles

Ecological importance of low-order streams to macroinvertebrate community composition in Afromontane headwater streams

Low-order streams contribute to the abiotic and biotic character of large rivers and are renowned for harboring unique forms of aquatic flora and fauna. However, most studies on headwater streams mainly focus on the mainstems and overlook the contribution of the tributary systems. Moreover, low-order streams are generally overlooked in legislation and bioassessment programs, and consequently not protected in many countries. To contribute to the recognition of the ecological importance of low-orders streams, this study focused on determining whether river network characteristics and associated physico-chemical parameters can be used to effectively predict the variabilities in macroinvertebrate assemblage characteristics between first-order and second-order streams in the headwaters of the Nzoia River Basin, Kenya. The study quantified the structural and functional community composition, diversity, similarity, and richness of macroinvertebrate communities between the two river systems. Dissolved oxygen, coarse particulate organic matter, conductivity, stream width, depth, discharge and flow velocity were the main predictors of the diversity and distribution of macroinvertebrates in the first order and second-order streams. The first order streams recorded higher abundance of macroinvertebrates than the second-order streams. Taxa from families Ephydridae, Elmidae, Gomphidae, and genera Euthraulus, Neoperla, Orthothrichia and Prosopistoma were limited to the second-order stream sites while families Ceratopogonidae, Pisuliidae, Dytiscidae and genus Trichosetodes occurred exclusively in the first-order stream sites. Collector-filterers and collector-gatherers were the most abundant functional feeding groups (FFGs) in the two river systems. Scrapers were abundant in the second-order stream while shredders were abundant in the first order streams. The distinctness in the structural and functional composition of macroinvertebrates between the two river systems suggests that linkages among streams in a network as exemplified in the Nzoia River Basin, support and foster biodiversity.

Scales matter: regional environment factors affect α diversity but local factors affect β diversity of macroinvertebrates in Thousand Islands Lake catchment area

A more profound comprehension of various facets of biodiversity is essential for advancing sustainable governance of biodiversity and its associated ecosystem services. In this study, we delved into the composition of beta diversity within macroinvertebrates communities in the Thousand Islands Lake catchment area. Subsequently, we investigated the factors influencing the diverse facets of macroinvertebrates alpha and beta diversity, and ultimately employed structural equation modeling to analyze the pathways through which both regional environmental factors, like climate and land use, and local environmental variables collectively impact distinct facets of alpha and beta diversity within the ecosystem. Our results showed that (i) taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversities were primarily determined by turnover, while functional beta diversity is predominantly determined by nestedness; (ii) alpha and beta diversity are primarily influenced by spatial variables, with local environment and climate ranking the second, and land use explaining the lowest proportion according to the results of variance partitioning; (iii) alpha diversity is mainly affected by regional variables, especially climatic factors (precipitation) while beta diversity is more affected by local variables, especially hydrological factors (depth) revealed by the structural equation modeling. These results offer compelling evidence that biodiversity composition, ecological drivers, and the specific pathways of influence vary across different scales. Future studies of macroinvertebrates could focus on different facets of alpha and beta diversity as well as consider the effects of environment variables at different scales, which would provide new insights into potential patterns of community associations.

Influência de plantações de eucalipto na comunidade de macroinvertebrados bentônicos em nascentes neotropicais

Abstract Aim The high sensitivity of springs to anthropic impacts is largely due to the high existing aquatic-terrestrial connectivity. The degradation of these ecosystems can be caused by land use, such as eucalyptus monoculture. The aim of this study was to test the influence of Eucalyptus urograndis plantations on the richness and diversity of the benthic macroinvertebrate community and on the environmental variables measured in springs in the Atlantic Forest domains. Methods Ten springs (5 in native forest areas and 5 in eucalyptus area) were sampled in the dry period of 2017. The organisms were screened and identified at the family level. For each spring, dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, total nitrogen, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, total phosphorus, vegetation cover, granulometric characterization and organic matter were also measured. Results: The t-test showed that some environmental variables differed, with the eucalyptus areas having higher values of total dissolved solids and electrical conductivity, and lower values of coarse sand. In the present study, the richness and diversity of the benthic fauna of springs were significantly lower in eucalyptus sites than in native sites. Nonetheless, the composition of the communities did not differ. The Indicator Species Analysis (IndVal) associated Acari, Hydropsychidae, Leptoceridae, Nematoda, Psychodidae, and Tipulidae with areas of native forest. Conclusions Our results show that Brazilian springs are affected by eucalyptus monocultures reducing the richness and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates and also changing water environmental properties. Thus, we verified that previous studies elsewhere in the world also apply to neotropical areas where eucalyptus is not native.

Diversity of Macro Invertebrates of the River Rwizi in Western Uganda: A Citizen Science-BioBlitz Approach

Diversity of Macro Invertebrates of the River Rwizi in Western Uganda: A Citizen Science-BioBlitz Approach

Influence of vegetation cover on the functional diversity of macroinvertebrates associated with leaf litter in a stream of the tropical dry forest

Vegetation is a fundamental element for the maintenance of macroinvertebrates functional diversity and, therefore, essential to aquatic trophic net preservation, being particularly relevant in threatened ecosystems such as tropical dry forests. Our aim is to determine the relationship between vegetal cover conservation and macroinvertebrates functional diversity associated with litter, in a stream from a tropical dry forest. In La Avería stream (Huila, Colombia), we sampled sites with different vegetation cover, estimated their physicochemical variables, and calculated leaf litter inputs (vertical, side, and drift) for each station for a whole year. Subsequently, we recorded the macroinvertebrates associated with litter from common vegetal species using leaf traps. We performed a PERMANOVA, added to multiple linear regression models and a redundancy analysis to correlate our environmental variables with changes in functional diversity. We observed changes in the functional parameters related to sampling zones and time. On one hand, functional richness and distance, are associated with dry seasons when resource availability and environmental conditions are stabilized. On the other hand, the functional evenness value diminishes in areas with higher pH due to the loss of individuals. We found evidence of a relationship between physicochemical variables and functional diversity. pH and precipitation changes were directly associated with changes in litter supply and therefore define the dimensionality of the functional traits in the ecosystem. Our work emphasizes the idea that the macroinvertebrate diversity carries great potential as a tool for decision-making in the preservation and environmental management of aquatic and riparian systems.

Diversidade beta de assembleias de macroinvertebrados associados a macrófitas aquáticas em lagos rasos na planície de inundação de um rio tropical represado

Abstract: Aims We assessed the beta diversity of macroinvertebrates associated with aquatic macrophytes in a dam-regulated river floodplain. We tested two hypotheses: (1) macroinvertebrates associated with aquatic macrophytes have higher beta diversity (higher turnover and nestedness components) in the downstream areas closer to the São Francisco River compared to upstream sites; (2) closer lakes share a higher similarity of aquatic macroinvertebrates, disregarding their position relative to the dam. Methods We sampled four lakes, including two upstream (L1- natural and L2- regulated by a Small Hydropower Dam - SHD) and two downstream (L3, L4, unregulated) by the SHD. Results We corroborated our first hypothesis because we found a higher turnover of macroinvertebrates associated with aquatic macrophytes close to the São Francisco River (L4 downstream), where higher non-native mollusk species richness occurs, while we found higher nestedness upstream and downstream of the SHD (L1, L2, L3). We corroborated our second hypothesis, as closer lakes are more similar than distant lakes. Finally, these differences were consistent between lakes for emergent, floating leaf, and submerged aquatic macrophytes. Conclusions Aquatic macrophytes are essential habitats for macroinvertebrates in the Pandeiros River basin, with higher beta diversity in the lake closer to the São Francisco River.

Macroinvertebrate diversity related to environmental factors in lakes of Jiangxi Province

Macroinvertebrate diversity related to environmental factors in lakes of Jiangxi Province

Patterns of diversity in stream macroinvertebrate communities in a low-gradient agricultural stream (Sydenham River, Ontario, Canada) were driven by surficial geology and catchment position

Abstract Freshwater biodiversity is increasingly at risk wherever land uses such as agriculture exert multiple stressors that degrade habitat quality. Although stream macroinvertebrates act as bioindicators for monitoring these impacts, their responses are context-specific: examining drivers of community composition is therefore important to understand the results of monitoring efforts. In a primarily agricultural landscape, 15 sites across the Sydenham River watershed, Ontario, Canada, were assessed for in-stream habitat quality and stream macroinvertebrate diversity. We predicted that community assemblage would be driven by differences in surficial geology across branch (east branch versus north branch) and catchment position (main stem versus tributary). We found that the main stem of the east branch was characterised by significantly higher proportions (P = 0.053) and abundance (P = 0.038) of Ephemeroptera–Plecoptera–Trichoptera (EPT) taxa than north branch sites were, and sites in the east and north branch tributaries were characterised by significantly lower Hilsenhoff Biotic Index (HBI) scores (P = 0.088). Redundancy analysis found that substrate size was the main driver of community composition, generating a model that described these patterns across branch and catchment position. Our findings suggest that EPT abundance and HBI scores were the variables that were most effective at revealing differences in stream communities due to agricultural impacts and that sediment size is an important driver of these patterns.

COMMUNITY STRUCTURE AND DIVERSITY OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES IN ALAM KANDUNG WATERFALL TULUNGAGUNG REGENCY

This research aims to determine the profile of the community structure and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates in Alam Kandung Waterfall. Sampling was carried out at six stations of ± 100 individuals or stations that use surber net and hand net. Data collection for each station includes the composition and density of each species which is used to calculate taxa richness, abundance, IVI (Important Value Index), and diversity index (H'). The results showed that 37 taxa from 11 classes were found and varied at each station. At the first station, the highest taxa were found with a total of 19 taxa, and the lowest taxa at the second station with 7 taxa. The highest abundance is known at the first station and the lowest at the sixth station. The IVI results show that the first and second stations are dominated by the type of Sulcospira testudinaria which is sensitive to pollutants, and the third station and fourth are dominated by Tarebia granifera and Vellidae. The fifth station was dominated by Corixidae, while Thiara scraba and Atyidae were found in all stations. The results of the diversity index show that the first and fourth are lightly polluted, the second station is moderately polluted and the rest are not polluted. It can be concluded that the quality of waterfalls in Alam Kandung is still in a good category, reflected by the diversity of taxa and the presence of riparian vegetation.

Analysis of farmers' perception of macroinvertebrate diversity in the soil

Analysis of farmers' perception of macroinvertebrate diversity in the soil

Wetland biodiversity of Ramaroshan Lake complex: a need for conservation

The Ramaroshan Lake Complex, situated in the mid-hills of Sudurpaschim Province, is renowned for its scenic beauty, yet there is a notable dearth of information regarding its biodiversity and ecological status. This study represents the first systematic examination of seasonal variations in water quality parameters and biodiversity encompassing aquatic macroinvertebrates, fishes, birds, herpetofauna, mammals, and macrophytes, as well as the surrounding vegetation within the complex, spanning the winters and summers of 2018 and 2019. Among the twenty water quality parameters investigated, thirteen displayed significant seasonal differences across the lakes (p <0.05), with Batula and Ramaroshan lakes exhibiting elevated nutrient levels. Lamadaya Lake stood out with a highly diverse macroinvertebrate community compared to other lakes, while overall, the study recorded 45 aquatic macroinvertebrate families, three fish species, 79 bird species, 12 herpetofauna species, 12 mammal species, and 26 macrophyte species within the complex. Additionally, the surrounding vegetation comprised 193 distinct plant species. Notably, the complex currently hosts 14 IUCN Red List species, including Near Threatened (5), Vulnerable (5), Critically Endangered (1), and Endangered (3) species, as well as five migratory wetland bird species, underscoring its significance for wildlife conservation. Given the diverse and cross-cutting nature of wetlands, the development of science-based policies and coordinated efforts among central, provincial, and local governments are essential for the preservation and sustainable management of these vital ecosystems.

Water and Sediment Chemistry as Drivers of Macroinvertebrates and Fish Assemblages in Littoral Zones of Subtropical Reservoirs

Reservoirs are human-made ecosystems with diverse purposes that benefit humans both directly and indirectly. They however cause changes in geomorphological processes such as sediment cycling and influence the composition and structure of aquatic biota. This study aimed to identify water and sediment quality parameters as drivers of macroinvertebrates and fish communities during the cool-dry and hot-wet seasons in the littoral zones of three subtropical reservoirs (Albasini, Thathe and Nandoni). Macroinvertebrates and fish were collected from three sites (n = 3 from each site) in each reservoir. A total of 501 and 359 macroinvertebrates and fish individuals were collected throughout the sampling period, respectively. The present study employed a two-way ANOVA in conjunction with redundancy analysis (RDA) to assess the relationships that exist between water and sediment variables, macroinvertebrates diversity and species abundances across seasons. Based on the two-way ANOVA model, significant differences were observed across reservoirs for evenness, Simpson’s diversity, and total abundance, while seasonal differences were observed for most metrics, with exception for evenness. The RDA results identified four water variables (i.e., water temperature, oxidation–reduction potential, pH and conductivity) and one sediment metal (Mg) as the most important parameters in driving the fish community structure. Field observations and metal results attest that the Nandoni reservoir shows high concentrations of metals in sediments as compared to other reservoirs, suggesting that anthropogenic activities such as car washing, brick making, recreation, fishing, wastewater treatment work and landfill site may be the major contributor of metals to the Nandoni reservoir, which accumulate in the littoral zones. Findings of this study highlight the need to analyze reservoir ecological conditions at several scales. The study of macroinvertebrates and fish, water, and sediment chemistry in the littoral zone laid the groundwork for proposing measures for conserving aquatic ecosystems.

Spatiotemporal metacommunity structures and beta diversity of macroinvertebrates in stream and lake systems

Spatiotemporal metacommunity structures and beta diversity of macroinvertebrates in stream and lake systems

Impacts of the Koka hydropower dam on macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Awash River Basin in Ethiopia

The Koka hydropower dam is one of the oldest large dams in Ethiopia. Damming is one of the anthropogenic activities impacting the distribution of aquatic life forms. However, to date, little attention has been focused on the dam’s impacts on the river macroinvertebrate assemblages in Ethiopia. The objective of this study was, therefore, to assess the impacts of the Koka hydropower dam on macroinvertebrate assemblages in the Awash River basin in Ethiopia. In the three river reaches on the Awash River (upstream near the source of the river, midstream above the dam, and downstream below the dam), a total of 15 sites were selected for sampling. The statistical analysis tested the null hypothesis that there are no differences in macroinvertebrate assemblage patterns or a range of univariate metrics between the three river reaches. Additional analyses involved the identification of taxa responsible for significant differences in macroinvertebrate structure (e.g., percentage similarity) and an exploration of the variables that structure macroinvertebrates (e.g., canonical correspondence analysis). In the upstream, midstream, and downstream reaches of the Awash River, we recorded a total of 73 taxa belonging to 43 families and 12 orders. Trichoptera was the dominant order in the upstream river reach, whereas Diptera dominated the midstream and downstream river reaches. The diversity of macroinvertebrates decreased from upstream to midstream and downstream. The three river reaches differed significantly in Shannon and Simpson diversity indices, % EPT, EPT taxa abundance, total taxa richness, evenness index, % collectors, and % scrapers. In this study, we observed that macroinvertebrate assemblage differences and spatial patterns were significantly associated with values of river flow changes (velocity), phosphate concentration, and substrate index. The findings of this study have broad implications for the assessment of the impacts of dam construction on the rivers of the studied region in the future.

Abundance and composition of invertebrate-feeding leeches in relation to fish status in ponds

Leeches feeding on invertebrates are an important component of freshwater communities, including those dominated by fish, but the effects of fish on their abundance and distribution are not well explored. The relative densities and assemblage structure of two leech families, Erpobdellidae and Glossiphoniidae, were studied from May to August 2014 in ponds stocked with low biomass densities of young common carp Cyprinus carpio, too small to prey on leeches (low-fish ponds), and in ponds containing high biomass densities of large (one- or two-year-old) carp (high-fish ponds), using two types of activity traps (placed either on the bottom or near the water surface). The most common and numerous species were Erpobdella octoculata, Helobdella stagnalis, and Erpobdella nigricollis. The traps near the water surface captured relatively small numbers of leeches, yet the catches showed that in summer some of the leeches moved to the upper layers of the water column, which was free of macrophytes. No differences in leech species richness or diversity were found with respect to fish status of ponds; however, bottom erpobdellids were more abundant in high-fish ponds. Redundancy analysis identified the fish status of the ponds and total nitrogen concentration in water as the only significant variables explaining the distribution of leeches among ponds. Species distribution was nested, but the nestedness pattern was not affected by the fish status of the pond. While fish are generally believed to adversely affect macroinvertebrate diversity and abundance, our study shows that some predatory leech species can persist in the presence of fish and possibly indirectly benefit from it.

Long-term trends in stream benthic macroinvertebrate communities are driven by chemicals

BackgroundRecent studies indicate a partial recovery of European stream macroinvertebrate diversity. However, the key determinants shaping the overall community trends are only partly explored, owing to insufficient long-term environmental data collected in parallel with community responses. We investigate long-term trends in stream macroinvertebrate communities (i.e., taxonomic and trait composition and metrics), and explore their relationships to diverse environmental drivers (i.e., land-use, runoff, water temperature, and in-stream chemicals). We use macroinvertebrate data collected annually in spring and summer between 2007 and 2021 at four sampling sites within the Rhine-Main-Observatory Long-Term Ecological Research site. These sampling sites encompass a gradient from less-disturbed to disturbed conditions.ResultsOver time, shifts in taxonomic and trait composition and metrics indicated an improvement in environmental conditions. Long-term trends of biological trait metrics mirrored those for taxonomic metrics; for example, increases over time in taxonomic richness were paralleled by increases in functional richness and functional dispersion. Meanwhile, trends of ecological trait metrics were particularly driven by changes in environmental drivers. Land-use, water temperature, and runoff explained around 20% of the overall variance in long-term trends of macroinvertebrate communities. Water temperature and land-use played relatively equal roles in shaping taxonomic and trait composition and metric responses in spring, while water temperature emerged as the most influential driver in summer. However, when incorporating long-term chemical data as a more direct measurement of changes in land-use, the overall variance explained in macroinvertebrate community trends increased to c.a. 50% in both seasons.ConclusionsExamining more relevant driver variables beyond land-use and climate improves insights into why biodiversity exhibits long-term trends. We call for an increase in initiatives to link biodiversity monitoring with parallel sampling of relevant environmental drivers.

Analysis of environmental factors in sediment based on benthic macroinvertebrates in streams, Korea

AbstractThis research summarizes the data on benthic macroinvertebrates collected in the 15 streams during spring (June) and fall (September–October) of 2022. The objectives of this study were (i) to evaluate the quality of surface waters, sediments, and benthic macroinvertebrates; and (ii) to compare the relationship with the environmental variables in water, sediments and benthic macroinvertebrates that inhabit 15 streams. A total of 114 taxa were collected. The assemblages from the 15 sites were dominated by Chironomidae and Tubificidae, especially Chironomidae constituted 45.0% density occurrence. The low grades of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Index (BMI) were calculated in 10 sites with disturbed (“poor” or “very poor”). Low BMI sites mostly showed Tubificidae or Chironomidae dominant characteristics. The biological indices, BMI, % Tubificidae, and % Chironomidae, were significantly correlated with DO and conductivity. DO was also significantly correlated with all the benthic macroinvertebrate factors and diversity except percent Tubificidae. The heavy metal parameters were correlated mostly with species number, BMI, and diversity index. The objectives of this study examine the diversity of benthic macroinvertebrate in the 15 streams and investigate the relative importance of environmental quality for benthic macroinvertebrate distribution.

Road crossings change functional diversity and trait composition of stream-dwelling macroinvertebrate assemblages

Functional diversity is regarded as a key concept in understanding the link between ecosystem function and biodiversity, and is therefore widely investigated in relation to human-induced impacts. However, information on how the intersection of roads and streams (hereafter road crossings, representing a widespread habitat transformation in relation to human development), influences the functional diversity of stream-dwelling macroinvertebrates is still missing. The general aim of our study was to provide a comprehensible picture on the impacts of road crossing structures on multiple facets of the functional diversity of stream-dwelling macroinvertebrates. In addition, we also investigated changes in trait structure. Our research showed that road crossing structures had negative impacts on functional richness and dispersion; i.e., functional diversification. However, we found no significant impact on functional divergence and evenness components. We found a decrease in functional redundancy at road crossing structures. This indicates a reduced ability of the community to recover from disturbances. Finally, we found that road crossings drive stream habitat and hydrological changes in parallel with modification of the trait composition of stream-dwelling macroinvertebrate assemblages. All these results suggest that road crossings cause notable changes in the functional diversity of stream-dwelling macroinvertebrate assemblages.

Macroinvertebrates beta diversity and responses of functional traits to water environmental factors in the Qingyijiang River, China

AbstractThe diversity of functional traits of macroinvertebrates in freshwater ecosystems is one of the current research hotspots in the field of biodiversity. Understanding the functional trait composition of macroinvertebrates and their factors can make the study of watershed beta diversity and river ecological security patterns more effective. Based on two field surveys conducted in September 2020 and July 2021 in the Qingyijiang (QYJ) River, the longest tributary on the south bank of the lower Yangtze River in China, we explored the functional trait compositions of macroinvertebrates and relationships between functional traits and water environment factors using functional diversity indices, beta diversity decomposition, R‐mode linked to Q‐mode, and fourth‐corner analysis methods. Our results showed that water environmental factors affected the distribution of macroinvertebrates traits, and the degree of effect was reflected by the correlation between water environmental factors and the abundance of species traits. Physical factors like flow velocity and water depth were significantly correlated with biological traits of species such as body size and swimming ability. In counterparts, some nutrient indicators significantly affected species ecological traits, such as total phosphorus, ammonia nitrogen, and chemical oxygen demand, which affected species habits and functional feeding group traits. At the same time, we also found a high turnover rate between communities in the river, reflecting the strong dispersal ability of the species. This will be an important guide for the conservation of macroinvertebrates diversity in the river. Local governments can take measures such as conducting quarterly monitoring of macroinvertebrates species; restoring riparian vegetation; limiting hardening of riverbanks and dredging of rivers; controlling wastewater discharges from residential areas on both sides of the river; controlling the use of pesticides in agricultural lands, and so on. These will become the key directions for the conservation of macroinvertebrates diversity.

Environmental correlates of aquatic macroinvertebrate diversity in garden ponds: Implications for pond management

Abstract Garden ponds are a ubiquitous feature of urban landscapes and have the potential to be an important resource for biodiversity. However, the environmental and spatial factors influencing ecological communities within garden ponds have been poorly quantified to date, despite such evidence being critical to the development of effective management strategies that support biodiversity. This study aims to identify the environmental and spatial factors influencing macroinvertebrate richness, abundance and compositional variation among garden ponds and provide management recommendations at the local and landscape scale. In total, 99 macroinvertebrate taxa were recorded from 30 garden ponds. A negative association was recorded between ecological uniqueness (measured as the Local Contribution to Beta‐Diversity) and taxonomic richness among the garden ponds, and those ponds with high ecological uniqueness typically displayed high replacement (turnover) values. Surface area, total plant richness and non‐native plant richness were positively associated with macroinvertebrate richness. Taxonomic richness and abundance predominantly displayed a negative association with conductivity levels. Current management practices for garden ponds are highly variable, often focussed on individual ponds. Based on the findings of this study, we recommend that management should focus on making garden pond surface areas as large as possible, ensure that there is a wide variety of native aquatic plant species present and manage conductivity levels. Garden ponds likely comprise a significant component of the urban freshwater network, and considering their management at both local and landscape scales will ensure that biotic communities inhabiting urban landscapes can be more effectively supported.