Macroinvertebrate Ecology in Aquatic Ecosystems

Macroinvertebrates, which include insects, crustaceans, molluscs and annelids visible to the naked eye, are central to the structure and function of rivers, lakes and wetlands. Occupying the benthic zone, they process organic matter, drive nutrient cycling and form the base of many food webs. Their remarkable diversity of life histories and feeding strategies—from shredders that fragment leaf litter to predators that regulate prey populations—underpins key ecosystem processes. Variation in species composition and traits offers insight into water quality, habitat integrity and the cumulative effects of stressors such as sedimentation, nutrient enrichment and climate-driven temperature shifts. As sensitive barometers of anthropogenic change, macroinvertebrate assemblages inform standardised bioassessment programmes and multimetric indices that guide conservation, restoration and management. Recent advances in trait-based approaches and environmental DNA are refining our capacity to detect community responses at fine spatial and temporal scales. Globally, efforts to harmonise sampling protocols and share occurrence data are enhancing comparability across regions, while large-scale inventories and biogeographical analyses are improving understanding of endemic hotspots and invasion risks. Practical applications span from informing riparian buffer design to underpinning policy on water resources, demonstrating the universal relevance of macroinvertebrate ecology to sustainable freshwater stewardship.

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Macroinvertebrate Ecology in Aquatic Ecosystems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in macroinvertebrate ecology in aquatic ecosystems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Benthic macroinvertebrates: Invertebrate animals living on or in the bottom substrates of aquatic systems, visible without magnification.

Bioassessment: The evaluation of ecosystem condition using living organisms, typically through standardised indices derived from community composition.

Functional feeding groups: Categories of macroinvertebrates defined by their feeding behaviour and mouth-part morphology (e.g. shredders, collectors, predators).

Trait-based approach: An analytical framework that uses species’ biological or ecological characteristics to predict community responses and ecosystem functioning.

Multimetric index: An assessment tool that integrates multiple biological metrics (such as richness, tolerance scores and diversity) into a single score of ecological integrity.

References

1. Freshwater invertebrate responses to fine sediment stress: A multi‐continent perspective. Global Change Biology (2023).
2. Towards harmonized standards for freshwater biodiversity monitoring and biological assessment using benthic macroinvertebrates. The Science of The Total Environment (2024).
3. A spatial inventory of freshwater macroinvertebrate occurrences in the Guineo-Congolian biodiversity hotspot. Scientific Data (2025).