Freshwater ecosystems are under threat from habitat loss, partly due to urban expansion. However, some elements of urban freshwaters are already integral parts of the urban landscape and so are more resilient to loss, representing opportunities for the enhancement of freshwater resources within cities. This study investigated the biodiversity value of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal in Leeds, UK, in relation to its landscape context. Specifically, we tested the hypotheses that (i) biodiversity value is lowest nearest to the urban core, and (ii) the pattern of canal locks structured ecological communities. Nutrients, metals and dissolved carbon all existed at relatively low concentrations, contrary to what is often seen in urban water bodies, although concentrations were higher in the urban core. This gradient of chemical stress was associated with a decline in macroinvertebrate diversity towards the city centre, which manifested as pollution-sensitive taxa being excluded from this area. Community structures were found to vary between groups of sampling sites separated by locks, suggesting that locks may act as barriers for aquatic invertebrates by restricting dispersal. The results in this study indicate that canals in urban areas can be high-quality habitats, despite the associated anthropogenic stressors, and locks may represent a unique model for researching relationships between connectivity and community structure.

淡水生态系统受到栖息地丧失的威胁，部分原因是城市扩张。但是，城市淡水的某些元素已经是城市景观的组成部分，因此对损失具有更强的抵御能力，这代表着增强城市内淡水资源的机会。这项研究调查了英国利兹利兹-利物浦运河的生物多样性价值及其景观背景。具体而言，我们检验了以下假设：（i）最接近城市核心的生物多样性价值最低；（ii）运河锁结构的生态社区格局。营养素，金属和溶解碳均以相对较低的浓度存在，这与城市水体中常见的浓度相反，尽管城市核心地区的浓度较高。化学应力的这种梯度与朝向市中心的大型无脊椎动物多样性的减少有关，这表现为对该区域不敏感的对污染敏感的分类单元。发现群落结构在被锁分开的采样点组之间变化，这表明锁可能通过限制扩散而成为水生无脊椎动物的屏障。这项研究的结果表明，尽管存在相关的人为压力因素，城市地区的运河仍可以是高质量的栖息地，而船闸可以代表研究连通性与社区结构之间关系的独特模型。发现群落结构在被锁分开的采样点组之间变化，这表明锁可能通过限制扩散而成为水生无脊椎动物的屏障。这项研究的结果表明，尽管存在相关的人为压力因素，城市地区的运河仍可以是高质量的栖息地，而船闸可以代表研究连通性与社区结构之间关系的独特模型。发现群落结构在被锁分开的采样点组之间变化，这表明锁可能通过限制扩散而成为水生无脊椎动物的屏障。这项研究的结果表明，尽管存在相关的人为压力因素，城市地区的运河仍可以是高质量的栖息地，而船闸可以代表研究连通性与社区结构之间关系的独特模型。