Comunidades de Macroinvertebrados y Calidad Ecológica de Manantiales Bajo Influencias Antrópicas y Termales en la Subcuenca del Río Chili, Arequipa, Perú

Introduction. Springs are natural discharges of groundwater to the surface and represent strategic resources for water supply, biodiversity conservation, and social and economic well-being. Understanding their ecology is essential for establishing priorities for sustainable management and conservation. Objectives. To characterize the structure of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities and assess water quality in three springs—one hydrothermal—of the Chili River sub-basin, Arequipa, Peru. Materials and Methods. A non-experimental, cross-sectional design was applied. Aquatic macroinvertebrates were sampled using a Surber net, and physicochemical parameters were measured in situ with a multiparameter probe. Results. A total of 42 aquatic macroinvertebrate families were recorded across the three springs. Chironomidae and Hydroptilidae dominated in Ojo del Milagro; Hyalellidae and Glossosomatidae in Yumina; and Hydroptilidae and Naididae in Yura. Significant differences were observed among springs in physicochemical and hydrological characteristics, as well as in the structural composition of macroinvertebrate communities. The mean Andean Biotic Index (ABI) scores indicated water quality ranging from good to very good. Conclusions. The composition and structure of macroinvertebrate communities differed significantly among the three springs, driven mainly by local physicochemical conditions and water use at each site.