Linking biotopes to invertebrates in rivers: Biological traits, taxonomic composition and diversity

There is a long tradition of river monitoring using taxonomy-based metrics to assess environmental quality in Europe via benthic macroinvertebrate communities. A promising alternative is the use of their species life-history traits. Both methods (taxonomy-based and trait-based), however, have relied on the time-consuming identification of taxa. River biotopes, (i.e. 1–100 m2 ‘habitats’ with associated species assemblages), have long been seen as...