Aquatic macroinvertebrates are considered effective bioindicators of ecosystem health due to their different sensitivities to habitat alteration and pollution. Macroinvertebrate community structures can be assessed using commonly used diversity-based approaches, however, functional trait-based approaches are increasingly introduced into bioassessments. The Hex River is subjected to intensive mining activities, while urban and industrial effluents, as well as treated and untreated sewage also contributes to pollution in the river. The present study aimed to assess macroinvertebrate responses to different stressors (nutrient and chemical, especially metal pollutants), determine whether diversity-based or trait-based approaches provide a better indication of responses and, to evaluate the relationship between metal bioaccumulation and macroinvertebrate responses to this multi-stressor environment. The mining impacts, in combination with urban, industrial and sewage effluent, altered the macroinvertebrate community structure of the Hex River. The species richness significantly decreased from reference conditions (39 species) to impacted conditions (24 species), while the total number of individuals in tolerant species gradually increased. The diversity-based approach indicated a clear difference between reference and impacted conditions but did not clearly differentiate between different stressors, while the trait-based approach distinguished the urban, industrial and sewage effluent sites from mining impacted sites. The use of both approaches is, therefore, recommended as both complement each other. From the present study, it is evident that macroinvertebrates can be considered as both reliable accumulation-, and response bioindicators to pollution from mining, as well as urban and industrial activities.

水生大型无脊椎动物被认为是生态系统健康的有效生物指标，因为它们对栖息地改变和污染的敏感性不同。可以使用常用的基于多样性的方法来评估大型无脊椎动物群落结构，但是，越来越多地将基于功能特征的方法引入生物评估中。Hex 河受到密集的采矿活动的影响，而城市和工业废水以及经过处理和未经处理的污水也导致了河流的污染。本研究旨在评估大型无脊椎动物对不同压力因素（营养和化学物质，尤其是金属污染物）的反应，确定基于多样性或基于特征的方法是否能更好地指示反应，以及，评估金属生物积累与大型无脊椎动物对这种多压力环境的反应之间的关系。采矿影响与城市、工业和污水排放相结合，改变了 Hex 河的大型无脊椎动物群落结构。物种丰富度从参考条件（39种）显着下降到受影响条件（24种），而耐受物种的总个体数逐渐增加。基于多样性的方法表明参考条件和受影响条件之间存在明显差异，但没有明确区分不同的压力源，而基于特征的方法将城市、工业和污水排放地点与采矿影响地点区分开来。因此，建议同时使用这两种方法，因为两者相辅相成。