Community structure of benthic invertebrates in the Allipén River basin, North Patagonia, Araucania region (38º S, Chile)

Abstract One of the biological indicators most used to determine health a fluvial ecosystem are benthic macroinvertebrates. The presence recurrent species in wide gradient latitudes, dominates biogeographic pattern macroinvertebrates Chilean fresh waters, nevertheless knowledge on communitarian ecology these rivers continues be scarce. Null models became powerful statistical tool for describing ecological mechanisms that drive structure an community and underlying patterns diversity. objective this study was invertebrates Allipén River by their composition, richness abundance through null based presence/absence. results reveal high family low diversity, three phyla, five classes, 11 orders 28 families were identified area during four seasons year. Arthropoda phylum representative richness. Regarding richness, Trichoptera (7 families) Diptera (6 followed Ephemeroptera (3 showed greatest diversity families, however, with H’? 1.5 nit registered area. We demonstrated models, randomization associations corresponding analyzed sites. information provided here contributes understanding invertebrate communities River, establishing basis more complex studies.