Effect of Urban River Morphology on the Structure of Macroinvertebrate Communities in a Subtropical Urban River

Qiang Sheng, Wang Xu (), Long Chen, Lei Wang, Yudong Wang, Yihong Liu and Linshen Xie
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Qiang Sheng: Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Aquatic Resources Conservation and Development, College of Life Sciences, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
Wang Xu: Shenzhen Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center of Guangdong Province, Shenzhen 518049, China
Long Chen: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Source Management and Technology, Shenzhen Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shenzhen 518001, China
Lei Wang: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Source Management and Technology, Shenzhen Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shenzhen 518001, China
Yudong Wang: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Source Management and Technology, Shenzhen Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shenzhen 518001, China
Yihong Liu: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Source Management and Technology, Shenzhen Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shenzhen 518001, China
Linshen Xie: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Source Management and Technology, Shenzhen Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shenzhen 518001, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 16, 1-16

Abstract: Channelization is the most common hydraulic modification of urban rivers. Here, we assessed the effects of urban river morphology on benthic communities by analyzing the characteristics of benthic communities at various sites in channelized and natural rivers of the Longgang River system in southern China. We detected four Clitellata species, five Oligochaeta species, one Polychaeta species, 10 Gastropoda genera/species, two Bivalvia genera/species, two Crustacea genera/species, and 14 Insecta genera/species. Insecta and Oligochaeta were the dominant classes in the wet and dry seasons, and Chironomus plumosus was the most dominant species. The density of Clitellata was significantly lower in channelized rivers (0–0.74 ind/m 2 ) than in natural rivers (0.61–4.85 ind/m 2 ). The Shannon’s diversity index was significantly lower in channelized rivers (0.66–1.04) than in natural rivers (0.83–1.28) in the wet and dry season. NH 3 .N was positively correlated with Shannon’s diversity index, and chemical oxygen demand and river width were negatively correlated with Shannon’s diversity index. When the concentration of total phosphorus (TP) was low (<3 mg/L), it was positively correlated with Shannon’s diversity index. Our findings indicate that river channel morphology affects benthic faunal structure and diversity, but the effects varied among seasons. Minimized channelization will prevent the loss of aquatic biodiversity in subtropical urban rivers, as will preservation of natural rivers.

Keywords: macroinvertebrate community; urban river; channelized river; species diversity; subtropical city; Longgang River; macrobenthos (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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