City bug, country bug: How do benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages respond to an urbanization gradient taxonomically and functionally?

Lotic ecosystems are especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of urbanization because of their close connectivity with the surrounding terrestrial ecosystems. There is, however, a knowledge gap in how the taxa and functions of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages respond to a gradient of urban land use and where their tipping points are along this gradient. Thus, we quantified how urban land use in stream catchments influenced benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages functionally and taxonomically. We found that urbanization affected benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage taxa and functions at tipping points of <10% of stream catchment urbanization. Greener human settlements are needed to minimize losses of sensitive macroinvertebrate taxa and their functions. • Urbanization affects the taxonomic and functional structures of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages. • Assemblage structure is affected by < 20% catchment urban land use. • Greener human settlements are needed to minimize losses of sensitive macroinvertebrates.