Sustainable river management requires a thorough understanding of the response of aquatic biota to riverine microhabitat variability. The purpose of this study was to assess macroinvertebrate hydraulic-habitat suitability in Ecuadorian Andean rivers to support habitat modelling for sustainable ecosystem management. 597 macroinvertebrate samples were collected from ten sampling stations the Yanuncay River, Ecuador. Physical, chemical, hydraulic and habitat variables were measured/calculated. Froude number, Reynolds number, substrate index and algae coverage were major drivers of macroinvertebrate response, and were used to develop suitability curves for Baetodes, Andesiops, Camelobaetidius, Ecuaphlebia, Anacroneuria, Atopsyche, Simulium and Palpomyia using General Additive Models. Standardised density contours of taxa as functions of hydraulic and habitat variables were also developed. Taxonomic response was related to body structures/shapes and feeding habits. Baetodoes, Simulium, Anacroneuria and Atopsyche preferred fast flowing waters, and thus, they could be significantly affected in case of flow reduction. Similar habitat suitability curves were developed from the main river and the tributaries, possibly due to the short distance between the sampling stations. This study fills a major knowledge gap by developing macroinvertebrate habitat suitability curves for future physical habitat simulations and environmental flow assessments in the Andean region.

中文翻译：

---

热带安第斯河流域淡水大型无脊椎动物的生境适宜性曲线

可持续的河流管理需要彻底了解水生生物群对河流微生境变异的反应。本研究的目的是评估厄瓜多尔安第斯河流中大型无脊椎动物水力栖息地的适宜性，以支持可持续生态系统管理的栖息地建模。从厄瓜多尔亚农开河的 10 个采样站采集了 597 只大型无脊椎动物样本。测量/计算物理、化学、水力和栖息地变量。弗劳德数、雷诺数、底物指数和藻类覆盖率是大型无脊椎动物反应的主要驱动因素，并被用于使用通用加法模型开发拟甲纲、安第斯纲、骆驼科、Ecuaphlebia、Anacroneuria、Atopsyche、Simulium 和 Palpomyia 的适宜性曲线。还开发了作为水力和栖息地变量函数的分类群的标准化密度等高线。分类反应与身体结构/形状和进食习惯有关。Baetodoes、Simulium、Anacroneuria 和 Atopsyche 更喜欢快速流动的水域，因此，在流量减少的情况下，它们可能会受到显着影响。从主要河流和支流得到了类似的栖息地适宜性曲线，这可能是由于采样站之间的距离较短。本研究通过为安第斯地区未来的物理栖息地模拟和环境流量评估开发大型无脊椎动物栖息地适宜性曲线，填补了主要的知识空白。Ancroneuria 和 Atopsyche 更喜欢快速流动的水，因此，在流量减少的情况下，它们可能会受到显着影响。从主要河流和支流得到了类似的栖息地适宜性曲线，这可能是由于采样站之间的距离较短。本研究通过为安第斯地区未来的物理栖息地模拟和环境流量评估开发大型无脊椎动物栖息地适宜性曲线，填补了主要的知识空白。Ancroneuria 和 Atopsyche 更喜欢快速流动的水，因此，在流量减少的情况下，它们可能会受到显着影响。从主要河流和支流得到了类似的栖息地适宜性曲线，这可能是由于采样站之间的距离较短。本研究通过为安第斯地区未来的物理栖息地模拟和环境流量评估开发大型无脊椎动物栖息地适宜性曲线，填补了主要的知识空白。