Freshwater environments are globally recognised as biodiversity hotspot, hosting 10% of all known species in just 1% of Earth’s surface. These ecosystems are not only important for aquatic species but also surrounding environments, providing vital ecosystem services. However, Alpine freshwater environments are both fragile and under pressure by climate change and human activities. For instance, aquatic insects make up a significant portion of freshwater biodiversity, but due to their sensitivity to habitat alterations, such as channelization and loss of longitudinal connectivity, and the rigid life cycle, species that were once common in Europe have now disappeared locally or have become extinct.

In our study, we investigated spatial and temporal trends of freshwater macroinvertebrates across 120 sampling points located in small alpine catchments in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano (Italy). Sites were selected considering the entire stream and river network in the area, including catchments smaller than 10 km², which are not considered within the EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), and classified in different categories based their water origin, elevation, slope, geology of the riverbed and discharge.

Firstly, we analysed the benthic communities, observing differences in their abundance and composition between the different stream categories. Thus, we examined the influence of environmental and chemical variables on the macroinvertebrate community structure. Finally, we’ll present preliminary results of four years temporal trends of a selection of 24 different sites, aimed to investigate the response of macroinvertebrates communities to different environmental conditions across the study area.

Given the key role of macroinvertebrates in these ecosystems, it is crucial to characterize and understand the freshwater community dynamics in the context of climate change and human impacts. Our study provides relevant information about distribution and trends of macrobenthic diversity, helpful to build and promote innovative and more efficient water quality biomonitoring and management policies.