Taxon-specific sensitivities to flow intermittence reveal macroinvertebrates as potential bioindicators of intermittent rivers and streams

As complex mosaics of lotic, lentic, and terrestrial habitats, intermittent rivers ephemeral streams (IRES) support high biodiversity. Despite their ecological importance, IRES are poorly represented in routine monitoring programs, but recent recognition considerable—and increasing—spatiotemporal extent is motivating efforts to better represent status assessments. We examine response patterns aquatic macroinvertebrate communities taxa flow intermittence (FI) across three European climatic regions. used self-organizing map (SOM) ordinate classify sampling sites based on community structure regions with continental, Mediterranean oceanic climates. The SOM passively introduced FI, quantified as the mean annual % flow, visualized its variability classified communities, revealing a clear association between FI all Indicator species analysis identified indicative low, intermediate FI. In continental region, amphipod Niphargus was associated groundwater-fed IRES, whereas indicators comprised Odonata, Coleoptera Heteroptera taxa, which favor lentic conditions. relatively included leuctrid stoneflies limnephilid caddisfly, likely reflecting colonization by aerial adults from nearby perennial reaches. Diptera families Chironomidae Simuliidae showed contrasting preferences among regions, environmental heterogeneity coarse taxonomic resolution these organisms were identified. These region-specific taxon responses biota highlight need adapt standard biotic indices enable effective assessments IRES.