Landscape Patterns Drive Functional Diversity of Macroinvertebrate Communities Along the Elevation Gradient in the Chishui River.

ABSTRACT: Landscape patterns serve as important drivers of macroinvertebrate biodiversity. However, the mechanisms through which landscape dynamics influence biodiversity across different elevation gradients in undammed rivers remain poorly understood. Here, this study investigated macroinvertebrate communities in the Chishui River, which represents the only undammed tributary maintaining a natural flow regime in the upper Yangtze River. We documented 97 macroinvertebrate taxa (3 phyla, 16 orders, and 57 families) with a mean density of 314.93 ind./m². NMDS and PERMANOVA analyses revealed significant spatial heterogeneity in macroinvertebrate community composition, but no overall seasonal variation. However, functional diversity indices (e.g., FRic) exhibited seasonal fluctuations across

SUBMITTER: Tang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12467976 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature