Spatial patterns of macrobenthos taxonomic and functional diversity throughout the ecotones from river to lake: A case study in Northern China

Macrobenthos taxonomic and functional diversity are key indicators of ecosystem health. River–lake ecotones macrobenthos habitats. However, we don’t fully understand biodiversity patterns in these ecotones. We studied water environment, sediment heavy metal contents, community, which sampled simultaneously from 29 sampling sites along the Fu River–Baiyangdian Lake gradient Northern China with five field surveys 2018 to 2019. Six trait classes resolved into 25 categories were allocated through a binary coding system. used RLQ framework (R, environmental variables; L, species taxa; Q, traits) fourth-corner analyses evaluate relationship between variables traits. Finally, carried out variance partitioning assess contributions variation diversities. As results, TN TP contents river lake mouths lower than those adjacent lake, indicating that river–lake played role purifying buffering pollution. High mouth presence unique taxa two revealed edge effects, but abundance biomass extremely low compared lake. found no significant correlation indices mouths. Water depth, transparency, , main drivers diversity, explaining up 45.5% 56.2% variation, respectively. Sediment Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn explained 15.1% 32.8%, respectively, diversity. Our results suggest approaches based on biological traits can complement Furthermore, improving eutrophication, pollution will improve maintain