Assessing macroinvertebrate species composition in forest streams using LiDAR-based vegetation structure variables

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60077344%3A_____%2F25%3A00646962" target="_blank" >RIV/60077344:_____/25:00646962 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/00216224:14310/25:00142141 RIV/00020711:_____/25:10155436

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.114088" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.114088</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.114088" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.114088</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Assessing macroinvertebrate species composition in forest streams using LiDAR-based vegetation structure variables

Original language description

The structure of terrestrial vegetation plays a crucial role in shaping stream habitats and macroinvertebrate communities. While previous studies examined the effects of catchment land-cover descriptors (usually coarse resolution) and riparian buffer characteristics (on-ground measures) on aquatic ecosystems, the potential of high-resolution LiDAR-derived vegetation variables remains largely unexplored. This study investigates the potential application of LiDAR-based forest structure metrics for assessing macroinvertebrate communities in two mountain catchments in the core zones of two national parks in the Bohemian Forest Ecosystem. We analysed macroinvertebrate assemblages alongside in-stream environmental variables and LiDAR-derived parameters describing forest structure and land cover at three spatial scales: small (100 m buffer), medium (500 m buffer), and catchment-wide. Our results demonstrate significant effects of LiDAR variables on macroinvertebrate species composition, shaped by forest structure, the extent of non-forest biotopes, and forest disturbance history. Key predictors were the deciduous/coniferous cover, amount of deadwood, and living tree height and biomass, which were linked to in-stream habitat characteristics and water chemistry, but also showed some effects independent of in-stream variables. At smaller scales, LiDAR variables were primarily linked to in-stream habitat structure (organic debris, wood) and concentrations of dissolved organic carbon and phosphorus, whereas at the catchment scale, they were more closely associated with water chemistry (acidity, nutrients and ions concentrations). These findings highlight the utility of LiDAR data for stream assessment, offering a novel approach to understanding stream-catchment interactions in forested landscapes. By integrating remote sensing with traditional ecological monitoring, our study underscores the importance of multi-scale habitat assessments in assessing macroinvertebrate community structure and stream ecosystem dynamics.

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10617 - Marine biology, freshwater biology, limnology

Project

<a href="/en/project/GA23-05268S" target="_blank" >GA23-05268S: Linking climate warming to increasing invertebrate species richness in running waters: from historical data to experiments</a><br>

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Ecological Indicators

ISSN

1470-160X

e-ISSN

1872-7034

Volume of the periodical

178

Issue of the periodical within the volume

Aug

Country of publishing house

NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

Number of pages

15

Pages from-to

114088

UT code for WoS article

001595281600002

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105013738631