Urbanization alters river multifunctionality by reducing macroinvertebrate diversity in highly human-impacted plain river networks

Jiali Yang; Zhengfei Li; Erik Jeppesen; Dieison A. Moi; Yang Liu; Yangxin Mo; Xue Bai; Feihua Wang; Zhicai Xie; Junqian Zhang

doi:10.1002/lno.70221

Urbanization alters river multifunctionality by reducing macroinvertebrate diversity in highly human-impacted plain river networks

Jiali Yang
, Zhengfei Li^*
, Erik Jeppesen
, Dieison A. Moi
, Yang Liu
, Yangxin Mo
, Xue Bai
, Feihua Wang
, Zhicai Xie^*
, Junqian Zhang^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Ecoscience - Freshwater Ecology

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Urbanization has dramatically destabilized crucial ecosystem functions through extensive land-use changes, habitat fragmentation, and modified species compositions. However, the mechanisms through which urbanization affects river ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF)—the simultaneous performance of multiple ecosystem functions—remain largely unknown. This study evaluated the impact of urbanization on EMF using macroinvertebrate community data collected from 83 sampling sites across the Yangtze River Delta, China (30°47′N–32°02′N, 119°55′E–121°20′E). We investigated the pathways by which urbanization change ecosystem multifunctionality, including: (1) biotic (such as biodiversity) and abiotic (such as water quality) pathways, (2) taxonomic diversity and functional diversity, and (3) rare species compared to common species. Partial Least Squares Path Modeling revealed that urbanization negatively impacted EMF through both biotic (macroinvertebrate biodiversity) and abiotic (total dissolved solids, salinity, and conductivity) pathways, with the former playing a dominant role. Taxonomic diversity emerged as a stronger positive predictor of EMF than functional diversity. Moreover, the taxonomic diversity was positively correlated with consumer biomass and photosynthetically active radiation and negatively with nutrient concentration. We further showed stronger effects of rare than common species in maintaining EMF. Our study fills a gap in the mechanistic understanding of river ecosystem multifunctionality in plain river networks under urbanization and informs strategies for sustainable urban development. We recommend that conservation efforts in urban areas should prioritize the protection of taxonomic diversity and rare species of macroinvertebrates.

Original language	English
Journal	Limnology and Oceanography
Volume	70
Issue	11
Pages (from-to)	3447-3461
Number of pages	15
ISSN	0024-3590
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.70221
Publication status	Published - Nov 2025

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@article{58771315a32b4c31a35db938bdbce8d0,

title = "Urbanization alters river multifunctionality by reducing macroinvertebrate diversity in highly human-impacted plain river networks",

abstract = "Urbanization has dramatically destabilized crucial ecosystem functions through extensive land-use changes, habitat fragmentation, and modified species compositions. However, the mechanisms through which urbanization affects river ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF)—the simultaneous performance of multiple ecosystem functions—remain largely unknown. This study evaluated the impact of urbanization on EMF using macroinvertebrate community data collected from 83 sampling sites across the Yangtze River Delta, China (30°47′N–32°02′N, 119°55′E–121°20′E). We investigated the pathways by which urbanization change ecosystem multifunctionality, including: (1) biotic (such as biodiversity) and abiotic (such as water quality) pathways, (2) taxonomic diversity and functional diversity, and (3) rare species compared to common species. Partial Least Squares Path Modeling revealed that urbanization negatively impacted EMF through both biotic (macroinvertebrate biodiversity) and abiotic (total dissolved solids, salinity, and conductivity) pathways, with the former playing a dominant role. Taxonomic diversity emerged as a stronger positive predictor of EMF than functional diversity. Moreover, the taxonomic diversity was positively correlated with consumer biomass and photosynthetically active radiation and negatively with nutrient concentration. We further showed stronger effects of rare than common species in maintaining EMF. Our study fills a gap in the mechanistic understanding of river ecosystem multifunctionality in plain river networks under urbanization and informs strategies for sustainable urban development. We recommend that conservation efforts in urban areas should prioritize the protection of taxonomic diversity and rare species of macroinvertebrates.",

author = "Jiali Yang and Zhengfei Li and Erik Jeppesen and Moi, \{Dieison A.\} and Yang Liu and Yangxin Mo and Xue Bai and Feihua Wang and Zhicai Xie and Junqian Zhang",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography.",

year = "2025",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1002/lno.70221",

language = "English",

volume = "70",

pages = "3447--3461",

journal = "Limnology and Oceanography",

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Urbanization alters river multifunctionality by reducing macroinvertebrate diversity in highly human-impacted plain river networks. / Yang, Jiali; Li, Zhengfei; Jeppesen, Erik et al.
In: Limnology and Oceanography, Vol. 70, No. 11, 11.2025, p. 3447-3461.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Urbanization alters river multifunctionality by reducing macroinvertebrate diversity in highly human-impacted plain river networks

AU - Yang, Jiali

AU - Li, Zhengfei

AU - Jeppesen, Erik

AU - Moi, Dieison A.

AU - Liu, Yang

AU - Mo, Yangxin

AU - Bai, Xue

AU - Wang, Feihua

AU - Xie, Zhicai

AU - Zhang, Junqian

PY - 2025/11

Y1 - 2025/11

N2 - Urbanization has dramatically destabilized crucial ecosystem functions through extensive land-use changes, habitat fragmentation, and modified species compositions. However, the mechanisms through which urbanization affects river ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF)—the simultaneous performance of multiple ecosystem functions—remain largely unknown. This study evaluated the impact of urbanization on EMF using macroinvertebrate community data collected from 83 sampling sites across the Yangtze River Delta, China (30°47′N–32°02′N, 119°55′E–121°20′E). We investigated the pathways by which urbanization change ecosystem multifunctionality, including: (1) biotic (such as biodiversity) and abiotic (such as water quality) pathways, (2) taxonomic diversity and functional diversity, and (3) rare species compared to common species. Partial Least Squares Path Modeling revealed that urbanization negatively impacted EMF through both biotic (macroinvertebrate biodiversity) and abiotic (total dissolved solids, salinity, and conductivity) pathways, with the former playing a dominant role. Taxonomic diversity emerged as a stronger positive predictor of EMF than functional diversity. Moreover, the taxonomic diversity was positively correlated with consumer biomass and photosynthetically active radiation and negatively with nutrient concentration. We further showed stronger effects of rare than common species in maintaining EMF. Our study fills a gap in the mechanistic understanding of river ecosystem multifunctionality in plain river networks under urbanization and informs strategies for sustainable urban development. We recommend that conservation efforts in urban areas should prioritize the protection of taxonomic diversity and rare species of macroinvertebrates.

AB - Urbanization has dramatically destabilized crucial ecosystem functions through extensive land-use changes, habitat fragmentation, and modified species compositions. However, the mechanisms through which urbanization affects river ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF)—the simultaneous performance of multiple ecosystem functions—remain largely unknown. This study evaluated the impact of urbanization on EMF using macroinvertebrate community data collected from 83 sampling sites across the Yangtze River Delta, China (30°47′N–32°02′N, 119°55′E–121°20′E). We investigated the pathways by which urbanization change ecosystem multifunctionality, including: (1) biotic (such as biodiversity) and abiotic (such as water quality) pathways, (2) taxonomic diversity and functional diversity, and (3) rare species compared to common species. Partial Least Squares Path Modeling revealed that urbanization negatively impacted EMF through both biotic (macroinvertebrate biodiversity) and abiotic (total dissolved solids, salinity, and conductivity) pathways, with the former playing a dominant role. Taxonomic diversity emerged as a stronger positive predictor of EMF than functional diversity. Moreover, the taxonomic diversity was positively correlated with consumer biomass and photosynthetically active radiation and negatively with nutrient concentration. We further showed stronger effects of rare than common species in maintaining EMF. Our study fills a gap in the mechanistic understanding of river ecosystem multifunctionality in plain river networks under urbanization and informs strategies for sustainable urban development. We recommend that conservation efforts in urban areas should prioritize the protection of taxonomic diversity and rare species of macroinvertebrates.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105018488402

U2 - 10.1002/lno.70221

DO - 10.1002/lno.70221

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:105018488402

SN - 0024-3590

VL - 70

SP - 3447

EP - 3461

JO - Limnology and Oceanography

JF - Limnology and Oceanography

IS - 11

ER -

Urbanization alters river multifunctionality by reducing macroinvertebrate diversity in highly human-impacted plain river networks

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