Environmental Drivers of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages in Mediterranean River Basins of Türkiye

This study investigated the influence of physicochemical water parameters on benthic macroinvertebrate communities across 11 sampling stations located in the Western, Antalya, and Eastern Mediterranean Basins of Türkiye. Field studies were conducted in April, July, and October of 2018–2019. Water quality variables, such as temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand, ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus, were measured. A total of 177 taxa and 5331 individuals were identified, with Insecta being the most dominant class, especially the order Diptera. Statistical analyses, including detrended correspondence analysis (DCA), revealed clear relationships between environmental gradients and species distribution. Species such as Paratendipes albimanus, Microtendipes pedellus, and Potamanthus luteus showed strong correlations with DO and other water quality parameters. This study emphasizes the importance of specific macroinvertebrate taxa as indicators of environmental conditions and suggests that certain species may serve as bioindicators for ecological monitoring and management in Mediterranean freshwater ecosystems in the context of ongoing global climate change.