Temporal and spatial dynamics in aquatic macroinvertebrate communities along a small urban stream

Urbanization is a current and increasing threat to biodiversity. The effects of urbanization on the functional and taxonomic composition of macroinvertebrate assemblages were investigated in two seasons along a small urban stream. Species composition was determined by the rate of urbanization; however, response of species richness could not be evidenced. Relative abundance of the sensitive macroinvertebrate groups (EPT%) was negatively related to urbanization. Almost all feeding groups showed a sharp decline in the number of specimens along the increase of urbanization. The study supports the view that urbanization has a negative effect on the biological quality of a stream, yet, this obvious impact can be overridden by different measures such as modification in streambed morphology. The altered conditions and new circumstances in urban environments lead to the creation of novel ecosystems, inhabited by macroinvertebrate communities with species richness approaching that of low impacted sites. However, species composition of these communities could be basically different from that of the natural ones.