Community Structure of Benthic Macroinvertebrates and its Relationship with Environmental Factors in Wetlands of Jinan City: A Multi-Type Comparative Analysis

Jiaxin Liu; Mi Wang

doi:10.63313/SD.9005

Authors

Jiaxin Liu College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, 116000, China Author
Mi Wang College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, 116000, China Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63313/SD.9005

Keywords:

Jinan wetlands, Benthic macroinvertebrates, Bioindicator, Suspended solids, Eutrophication, Ecological health assessment, CCA

Abstract

Wetlands are biodiversity hotspots that provide essential ecosystem services, yet they are increasingly degraded by anthropogenic pressures. Benthic macroinvertebrates are reliable bioindicators of wetland health, but systematic cross-comparisons of their communities across different wetland types within a specific region remain limited. This study conducted a three-year survey (2020–2022) across 90 sampling sites within 5 national and 10 provincial wetlands in Jinan City, comprehensively assessing water environmental factors and macroinvertebrate assemblages. Using multivariate statistical methods, we identified key environmental drivers and evaluated integrated ecosystem health. Results revealed pronounced spatial heterogeneity in water quality, with suspended solids (SS) emerging as the most pervasive stressor (present in 100% of wetlands’ PCA profiles). A total of 116 macroinvertebrate species were recorded, predominantly Mollusca and Insecta. National-level wetlands harbored significantly higher species richness and Shannon-Wiener diversity (mean 20.2 species, H′=2.01) than provincial counterparts (14.7 species, H′=1.28). Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) demonstrated that SS, total phosphorus (TP), and transparency (SD) were the principal determinants of community structure, although a clear dichotomy was observed: lake-type wetlands were primarily governed by TP and SD, whereas riverine wetlands were driven by SS and total nitrogen (TN). A comprehensive health index (DB 3701/T 33-2022) classified only Shandong Jixi National Wetland Park as "healthy" (score 81.28), while nine wetlands were "sub-healthy" and five, predominantly in the Jiyang region, were "unhealthy." This first systematic, multi-type comparison underscores the primacy of particle pollution as a regional ecological filter and delivers a robust scientific basis for differentiated conservation and targeted restoration strategies for Jinan’s wetlands.

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