Macroinvertebrates’ response to different land use in lowland streams from Uruguay: use of artificial substrates for biomonitoring

The use of macroinvertebrates as indicators water quality is an effective and low-cost tool, which widely implemented in biomonitoring programmes. Certain taxa are characteristic impaired watercourses (e.g. Oligochaeta, Chironomidae Amphipoda), while others good-quality Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera Trichoptera; EPT). In this work, we evaluated the response macroinvertebrate assemblages to different land uses. For purpose, artificial substrate colonization experiments were conducted streams including urban (U, n = 3), intensive agriculture dairy production (AD, 4) extensive cattle ranching (CR, Because Uruguay pristine ecosystems practically non-existent low order associated with represent lowest deterioration condition, CR sites used control reference streams. Physicochemical parameters measured. sampling, 10 substrates installed each stream. A total 110 analysed. Each sample/site consisted a plastic mesh bag 1.2 cm opening, filled 160 cm3 (including 73.3 ± 5.8 interstitial water) stones sieved between 1.3 1.5 cm. During summer 2018 (February), devices left for 15 days communities colonize them. U AD represented stressors highest impact on attributes composition communities. Abundance EPT was higher CR, meanwhile Caenogastropoda dominated AD, Amphipoda sites. Macroinvertebrate groups level classification able effectively discriminate also demonstrated be efficient method monitoring community. We did not find correlation physicochemical context, propose rapid cost-effective approach, capable estimating degree