云南省把边江流域不同土地利用方式对大型底栖动物群落的影响

研究土地利用对大型底栖动物群落的影响,对流域土地利用规划修编和河流生态修复等有重要意义。以红河上游的把边江流域为研究区,调查大型底栖动物群落现状,计算37个样点上游集水区土地利用组分、配置、多样性和水文距离4个方面20个土地利用指标,分析不同土地利用方式对大型底栖动物群落的影响。本次调查共鉴定出25个大型底栖动物分类单元,其中水生昆虫最多,占分类单元总数的72%;摄食功能群以捕食者（PR）、刮食者（SC）和直接收集者（GC）为主。把边江流域城镇用地和林地对大型底栖动物群落的影响占主导地位,而耕地对大型底栖动物群落的影响较小。影响把边江流域大型底栖动物群落的关键土地利用指标为城镇用地面积比（3PLA）、城镇用地最大斑块指数（3LPI）、城镇用地聚合指数（3AI）、城镇用地水流长度（3FLOW）、林地最大斑块指数（1LPI）和林地形状指数（1LSI）。土地利用组分、配置和水文距离是影响把边江流域大型底栖动物群落的主要方面,而土地利用多样性对大型底栖动物群落的影响较小。大型底栖动物物种密度和物种多样性与3PLA、3LPI、3AI、3FLOW和1LSI呈负相关,与1LPI呈正相关。1LPI与浮游目（如小蜉科、扁蜉科）为代表的清洁物种呈现较明显的正相关关系。城镇用地指标与SC和SH（撕食者）密度具有显著的负相关关系,与GC密度有较弱的正相关关系,而与其他功能群没有明显的相关关系。SC和SH对水质和环境条件敏感,而GC对人类干扰耐受性较强。1LPI与SC和FC（滤食收集者密度）正相关,而与PR和GC密度负相关。SC和FC对生境的完整性要求较高,而GC和PR对人为干扰和较为破碎的生境更为适应。一方面,随着城镇用地的规模、边界复杂性和聚集程度增加,研究区大型底栖动物密度和多样性降低;另一方面,随着林地完整性降低,大型底栖动物物种均匀度降低。土地利用与大型底栖动物物种多样性和功能群多样性的关系不完全一致,1LSI和3FLOW与物种多样性负相关,而与功能群多样性呈正相关关系,土地利用对物种-功能群-群落不同尺度上的影响差异还需要更深入的研究。     

长江宜昌段桥边河大型底栖动物功能摄食类群时空分布特征

研究河流生境时空变化对大型底栖动物功能摄食类群的影响,分析底栖动物功能摄食类群对环境因子的响应关系,对评估河流生态系统健康具有重要意义。以长江支流桥边河为研究对象,基于2020年8月、2021年1月和2021年4月对桥边河大型底栖动物和水体理化因子的调查数据,分析了大型底栖动物功能摄食类群的构成以及时空分布特征。结果表明：共采集到大型底栖动物3门38种,包括节肢动物门23种、软体动物门13种、环节动物门2种。桥边河大型底栖动物功能摄食类群中滤食者占绝对优势,其次为刮食者、捕食者、撕食者和收集者。滤食者的优势种为闪蚬和河蚬,刮食者的优势种为方格短沟蜷、铜锈环棱螺和卵萝卜螺,捕食者的优势种为河蟌,撕食者的优势种为秀丽白虾,收集者的优势种为黄色羽摇蚊。冗余分析（RDA）表明,影响桥边河大型底栖动物功能摄食类群的主要环境因子为溶解氧（DO）、氨态氮（NH₄⁺-N）、水深（Dep）、pH、温度（T）和硝态氮（NO₃^--N）。研究大型底栖动物功能摄食类群组成和时空分布特征,可为河流生态系统修复提供参考依据。     

乳山近海大型底栖动物功能摄食类群

根据2006年12月至2007年11月对乳山近海的调查样品,报道了该海域大型底栖动物功能摄食类群的生态学状况.结果表明:乳山近海大型底栖动物以食底泥者和肉食者占较大优势,其次为滤食者,食碎屑者、杂食者、植食者相对丰度较小;食底泥者的优势种为中蚓虫、不倒翁虫、丝异蚓虫和轮双眼钩虾,肉食者的优势种为寡鳃齿吻沙蚕、圆筒原盒螺和纽虫,滤食者的优势种为滑理蛤、菲律宾蛤仔、金星蝶铰蛤和江户明樱蛤;各功能摄食类群分布受有机负荷和底质类型限制;基于大型底栖动物功能类群的生态参数评价结果表明,乳山近海大型底栖动物群落健康状况由虚弱趋于不稳定,大部分站位大型底栖动物群落受到轻度扰动,底栖生态质量状况较优良;冗余分析表明,盐度、水温、总氮、悬浮物、溶解氧、总有机碳和硅酸盐等7个因子与乳山近海大型底栖动物功能摄食类群存在较显著的相关性.     

香溪河大型底栖动物群落结构季节动态

通过大型底栖动物的量化监测,对香溪河水系大型底栖动物季节动态进行研究.共采集大型底栖动物197种,隶属6纲68科,其中,四节蜉、高翔蜉、短尾石蝇为该水系优势类群,不同季节间大型底栖动物优势类群组成存在较大差异.大型底栖动物群落结构以冬季最为复杂,春、秋季次之,夏季相对简单.大型底栖动物功能摄食类群以集食者占优,其次为刮食者、捕食者和滤食者,撕食者丰度最小.典型对应分析表明,不同季节影响底栖动物群落结构的因子差异较大;夏季和秋季营养盐对底栖动物群落结构影响较大,水深对各季度大型底栖动物群落结构均有影响.     

太子河流域鱼类功能群结构与多样性对土地利用类型的响应

研究河岸带土地利用方式对河流生物群落的影响对河岸带管理和河流生态系统修复至关重要。研究了太子河河岸带的土地利用类型(森林用地、森林耕作用地、耕地和城镇建设用地)和鱼类功能群的关系,结果表明:栖息地质量参数在不同土地利用类型内具有显著差异,森林用地区电导率、总溶解固体、淤泥和底质含沙量比例的平均值均较低,分别为(105.05μs/cm、80.38 mg/L、65.00 mL和0%),底质类型以石块为主;耕作区的水深、流量和淤泥的平均值均是最高(186.83 m、80.11 m~3和5333.33 mL),底质类型以沙质和淤泥为主。太子河流域鱼类功能群划分为5种类型(18个亚类),在不同土地利用类型内具有差异显著,森林用地内的鱼食性、石块栖功能群、昆虫食性和黏性卵功能群的比例最高;森林耕作用地内的植食性和底层栖功能群的比例最高;耕地内的沙栖功能群、中下层栖功能群和筑巢产卵功能群的比例最高;城镇建设用地内的淤泥栖功能群、耐污种、中下层栖功能群和杂食性功能群的比例最高。研究显示,栖息地评价得分高、栖境复杂的区域其个体数量较高,而栖息地得分低、底质类型以淤泥为主的区域其个体数量较低。     

浑河流域大型底栖动物摄食功能群对栖息地环境的选择适应性

在生态系统中特定的环境变量组合对应着特定的物种群落结构。栖息地环境的不同,大型底栖动物的分布和所表现出的生物学特征也存在差异。在浑河流域选取22个点位进行调查研究,通过对大型底栖动物进行功能群分类并结合生物性状分析(BTA, Biological Traits Analysis)对浑河流域不同大型底栖动物摄食功能群对栖息地生境的选择适应性进行研究。研究结果表明:捕食者功能群主要以毛翅目为主;直接收集者功能群主要以双翅目为主;刮食者功能群主要以基眼目为主;过滤收集者多为颤蚓目。浑河流域不同大型底栖动物摄食功能群存在明显的空间差异,典范对应分析结果显示:影响捕食者功能群的驱动因子是流速,直接收集者功能群的驱动因子是IOS指数,刮者功能群的驱动因子是溶解氧;过滤收集者功能群的驱动因子是溶解氧和电导率。生物性状分析结果显示:捕食者功能群身体上附有一层硬壳保护,可在水体中自由活动,多分布流速较快,底质复杂的小鹅卵石、圆石的底质中;直接收集者只有头壳具有较厚的甲壳质壁,头部口器不能直接摄食,所以多以微粒有机颗粒为主,分布在石块、部分圆石以及部分粗砂中;刮食者多以藻类、菌类等为食,足腺多分泌粘液,多粘附在较深流速缓慢,底质多为细沙粗粒,食物来源充足的水体;过滤收集者喜栖于淤泥底质中,吸食淤泥或过滤有机碎屑,故多分布于淤泥与细沙底质中。     

浙江西门岛海洋特别保护区大型底栖动物功能群特征及其与环境的关系

为研究浙江西门岛海洋特别保护区大型底栖动物功能群的变化规律及其与环境因子的关系,作者分别于2010年4月(春季)、11月(秋季),2011年8月(夏季)和2012年2月(冬季)进行了4个航次的大型底栖动物调查,共鉴定出大型底栖动物78种,根据其食性类型划分为浮游生物食者、植食者、肉食者、杂食者、碎屑食者5种功能群.各功能群平均密度从高到低依次为浮游生物食者＞肉食者＞植食者＞碎屑食者＞杂食者,平均生物量从高到低依次为浮游生物食者＞碎屑食者＞肉食者＞杂食者＞植食者.单因素方差分析结果表明,大型底栖动物各功能群的密度和生物量季节间均无显著性差异.典范对应分析结果表明,影响大型底栖动物功能群的主要环境因子包括温度、溶解氧、溶解态无机磷和表层沉积物的中值粒径,排序轴对功能群-环境关系的贡献率计算结果表明环境变量可以较好地解释功能群的变化情况.     

长白山源头溪流底栖动物群落结构季节动态

源头溪流是河流生态系统物质循环和能量流动的重要区域,对底栖动物的生物多样性维持具有重要意义。目前,针对我国源头溪流底栖动物群落结构的研究薄弱,对长白山源头溪流底栖动物季节动态的研究尚未见报道。采用野外原位定量取样的方法,力图阐释长白山源头溪流底栖动物群落结构的季节动态特征及其主要环境驱动因子。研究结果表明:(1)共计采集底栖动物90个分类单元,隶属于3纲9目38科。其中,水生昆虫85属,占绝对优势。底栖动物群落结构的季节动态明显,底栖动物密度及多样性在夏、秋季显著高于冬季和春季,并在冬季达到最低值。(2)底栖动物功能摄食类群以收集者占优势,其次为撕食者、捕食者和刮食者,滤食者相对丰度最低。不同功能摄食类群的季节动态不一致,但密度和物种丰富度整体表现为秋季最高。(3)水温、凋落叶分布和流速是长白山源头溪流底栖动物群落结构季节动态的主要环境驱动因子。本研究可为长白山源头溪流后续相关研究及长白山松花江水系生态修复提供基础数据支持及参考。     

长江口横沙东滩围垦潮滩内外大型底栖动物功能群研究

2011年4月(春季)、7月(夏季)、10月(秋季)和12月(冬季),在横沙东滩的围垦潮滩和自然潮滩进行底栖动物的采样调查,进行功能群划分及数量特征分析。在围垦潮滩和自然潮滩分别采集到底栖动物19种和22种。依据食性将其划分为浮游生物食者、植食者、肉食者、杂食者和碎屑食者5种功能群,围垦潮滩各功能群物种数分别为4,5,4,3,3;自然潮滩分别为6,3,5,6,2。围垦潮滩丰度由高到低依次为植食者>浮游生物食者>肉食者>杂食者>碎屑食者;自然潮滩为浮游生物食者>杂食者>肉食者>碎屑食者>植食者。围垦潮滩季节间仅有浮游生物食者和植食者的物种数存在显著性差异,潮位间仅有植食者的丰度存在显著性差异;自然潮滩季节间仅有浮游生物食者的丰度存在显著性差异,潮位间仅有植食者的物种数和丰度无显著性差异。围垦潮滩主导功能群在各潮位均为浮游生物食者和植食者;自然潮滩主导功能群由高潮带到低潮带变化为浮游生物食者→浮游生物食者和杂食者→杂食者。围垦潮滩浮游生物食者和植食者的Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Margalef丰富度指数、Pielou均匀度指数较高,而杂食者相对较低;自然潮滩杂食者和肉食者的3种多样性指数较高,而植食者相对较低。以上结果表明：围垦潮滩和自然潮滩底栖动物功能群的组成存在一定的差别;各潮位底栖动物功能群组成的不同与生境密切相关;围垦导致底栖动物群落以及功能群发生变化。     

付疃河流域中下游大型底栖动物群落结构与水质生物学评价

2018年12月-2019年10月对山东省日照市付疃河流域中下游大型底栖动物及相应水环境因子进行分季节的监测,并对底栖动物群落组成、多样性特征及与水质因子的相关性进行分析。结果表明,调查共采集底栖动物42种（环节动物14种、节肢动物20种、软体动物8种）,广泛分布物种为霍甫水丝蚓（Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri）、水丝蚓属（Limnodrilus sp.）及摇蚊属（Chironomus sp.）;底栖动物总密度呈春季 > 冬季 > 秋季 > 夏季;CCA （Canonical Correspondence Analysis）分析表明环节动物与COD、TP有显著正相关性,各门类与NH₃-N相关性差异较大;底栖动物多样性分布特征与河流水源结构有关。采用生物多样性指标、指示物种水质生物学指标进行水质评价,Shannon-Wiener指数、Margalef指数评级偏差,Pielou指数评级偏优,而指示物种水质生物学评价（Goodnight-Whitley指数、相对重要性指数及Wright指数）基本一致,整体平均处于中污染,评价过程仍须考虑河流及物种客观属性特征,得到更具适用性的评价管理方法。     

Relationship between Riparian Vegetation and Stream Benthic Communities at Three Spatial Scales

We examined the influence of riparian vegetation on macroinvertebrate community structure in streams of the Upper Thames River watershed in southwestern Ontario. Thirty-three μ-basins (129–1458 ha) were used to identify land cover variables that influenced stream macroinvertebrates. Micro-basins represented the entire drainage area of study streams and were similar in stream order (first, second) and land cover (agricultural or forest; no urban). We described the structure and composition of riparian vegetation and benthic macroinvertebrate communities at the outflow reach. The nature of the land cover was quantified for the stream network buffer (30 m) and the whole μ-basin. The objective of this study was to measure the magnitude and nature of the relationship between the riparian vegetation and benthic macroinvertebrate community at the outflow reach, stream network buffer, and whole μ-basin scales. Taxon richness (including total number of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera taxa) and Simpson’s diversity of the macroinvertebrate community all increased with increased tree cover in the riparian zone at the outflow reach scale. Simpson’s equitability was lower with greater agricultural land cover in the stream network buffer. No relationship between the macroinvertebrate community and land cover was found at the whole μ-basin scale. Analysis of the influence of land cover on stream communities within a spatial hierarchy is important for understanding the interactions of stream ecosystems with their adjacent landscapes.     

Flow‐related disturbances in forested and agricultural rivers: influences on benthic macroinvertebrates

Flow disturbances and conversions of land‐use types are two major factors that influence river ecosystems. However, few studies have considered their interactions and separated their individual effects on aquatic organisms. Using monthly monitoring data from two streams with different land‐use types (i.e. forest and agriculture) in the subtropical Central China over three years, we accurately predicted the changes of macroinvertebrate communities under flood disturbances and land‐use type conversions. The dominant taxa and main community metrics significantly declined following flash floods. Several mayflies and chironomid had rapid rates of recovery, which could reach high abundance in three months after floods. And most of the community metrics recovered more rapidly in the forested river than that in the agricultural river. Stepwise multiple regression (SMR) models were used to investigate the relationships between biotic metrics and hydrological and temporal variables. For example, SMR revealed that floods reduced the stability of benthic communities, and the length of low flow period was of considerable importance to the recovery of the fauna. Two‐way ANOVA indicated that intra‐annual fluctuation had more (e.g. the total abundance and wet biomass), equal (e.g. total richness, EPT richness, percent EPT abundance, and Margalef index), or less (e.g. tolerant value) influence on macroinvertebrate communities than land‐use types. Consequently, the effects of floods on macroinvertebrates should be taken into account when macroinvertebrates are used as indicators for assessing river ecosystem. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Relationships of water temperature and aquatic macroinvertebrate community structure with non-native riparian plant densities in the southern Cape,South Africa

Non-native vegetation in the riparian zone impacts on water temperatures, flow patterns, degree of shading, channel modification, and changes to natural sediment loads. Freshwater ecosystems in the Garden Route Initiative planning domain are of particular conservation value, because of the rich Gondwanaland relict aquatic macroinvertebrate fauna found in the rivers there, which are vulnerable to thermal changes. Data were collected during 2013 and 2014 at 19 sites on seven river systems between George and Knysna in the southern Cape, South Africa. These included 12 months of hourly water temperatures at all sites, and quantitative sampling of aquatic macroinvertebrates at ten sites. Each site was characterised in terms of water quality (pH, conductivity and turbidity) and general characteristics, including impacts such as density of non-native riparian trees. At the family level, aquatic macroinvertebrate communities showed variation between sites and seasons. Differences were more pronounced on the basis of natural land cover type (fynbos versus indigenous forest) than densities of non-native invasive riparian vegetation. Conservation of these river systems will depend on maintaining a mosaic of natural vegetation types.     

Diversity assessment of benthic macroinvertebrates, yeasts, and microbiological indicators along a longitudinal gradient in Serra do Cipó, Brazil.

The main goals of this study were: 1) to evaluate the structure, diversity, and functional trophic group composition of benthic macroinvertebrate communities; 2) to characterize water quality in the headwaters of the Doce river watershed, based on physical, chemical, and biological parameters (benthic macroinvertebrates, fecal coliforms, heterotrophic bacteria, and yeasts); and 3) to contribute to the knowledge of the structure and function of longitudinal gradients in lotic ecosystems in Brazil. A total of 60 benthic macroinvertebrate taxa were identified, the dominant group being the aquatic insects, with 50 families distributed in 8 orders. The dry period presented higher values of taxonomic richness and total density of benthic macroinvertebrates. A decreasing gradient was observed in these variable values from the 3rd order stretch down to the 6th order stretch. The highest Shannon-Wiener diversity values were found in the rainy period in the 3rd order stretches, which presented well-developed riparian forest. Besides the 3rd order stretches, the Pielou evenness index values were also high in the 6th order stretch. The collectors, together with the scrapers, predominated in the benthic macroinvertebrate communities in all river stretches, except in the 2nd, 4th, and 5th order stretches in the rainy period, where communities were dominated by filterers. The shredders and predators presented low densities for all river stretches. All microbiological variables presented low levels. Due to the high counts of heterotrophic bacteria and coliforms, the studied river stretches presented inadequate potability but adequate balneability levels. The results suggest that the structure, diversity, and composition of the benthic macroinvertebrate communities are influenced by the trophic resource availability, seasonality, and sediment heterogeneity. The microbiological results of this study allow inferring that the waters from Serra do Cipó have excellent potential for recreational use and as future sources of water for human consumption.     

Land-use effects on structural and functional composition of benthic and leaf-associated macroinvertebrates in four Andean streams

The replacement of native forests by pastures takes place widely in the Andes. The effects of such land-use change on aquatic assemblages are poorly understood. We conducted a comparative analysis of the effects of forest conversion to pastures on the taxonomic, structural, and functional composition of macroinvertebrates (benthic and leaf-associated) in montane and upper montane streams (ecosystem type) of the south Ecuadorian Andes. Taxonomic composition of benthic and leaf-associated macroinvertebrates was different between ecosystem type and land use. Also, major differences in the structural and functional composition of benthic and leaf-associated macroinvertebrates were mainly promoted by land use in both ecosystem types. Forested streams showed higher diversity than pasture streams, sustaining more shredder, scraper, and predatory invertebrates. We also observed differences in the macroinvertebrate communities between benthic and leaf-bag samples. Leaf bags had lower diversity and more collector invertebrates than benthic samples. This study highlights the large effect of riparian forest conversion to pasture land on macroinvertebrate communities, and the importance of using appropriate sampling techniques to characterize aquatic assemblages. We also recommend the maintenance and restoration of riparian vegetation to mitigate the effects of deforestation on stream communities and ecosystem processes.     

Macroinvertebrate conservation in river ecosystems: Challenges,restoration strategies,and integrated management approaches

River ecosystems face growing threats from human-induced stressors, resulting in habitat degradation and biodiversity loss. Crucial to these ecosystems, macroinvertebrates maintain river health and functioning. In this review, we examine the challenges confronting macroinvertebrates, explore restoration strategies and management approaches, and shed light on knowledge gaps and future research directions. Habitat degradation, water pollution, climate change, and invasive species are discussed as key challenges. Various restoration strategies, such as in-stream habitat restoration, flow regime restoration, riparian zone restoration, and connectivity restoration, are evaluated for macroinvertebrate conservation. Integrated catchment management, adaptive management, community-based management, monitoring, and policy integration are highlighted as essential management approaches, and knowledge gaps in long-term monitoring, innovative restoration techniques, climate change resilience, and policy incorporation are identified as areas calling for further research. Ultimately, a proactive, adaptable, and cooperative approach to river management will ensure macroinvertebrate conservation and sustainable river ecosystems.     

Riverine invertebrate assemblages are degraded more by catchment urbanisation than by riparian deforestation

1. Restoration of riparian forests has been promoted as a means of mitigating urban impacts on stream ecosystems. However, conventional urban stormwater drainage may diminish the beneficial effect of riparian forests.
2. The relative effects of riparian deforestation and catchment urbanisation on stream ecosystems have rarely been discriminated because urban land use and riparian degradation usually covary. However, land use at three scales (channel canopy cover along a 100-m site, riparian forest cover within 200 m of the channel for 1 km upstream, and catchment imperviousness) covaried only weakly along the lowland Yarra River, Victoria, Australia.
3. We tested the extent to which each land use measure explained macroinvertebrate assemblage composition on woody debris and in the sediments of pools or runs in the mainstem Yarra River in autumn and spring 1998.
4. Assemblage composition in both habitats and in both seasons was most strongly correlated with proportion of catchment covered by impervious surfaces. Sites with higher imperviousness had fewer sensitive taxa (those having a strong positive influence on indicators of biological integrity) and more taxa typical of degraded urban streams. Sensitive taxa rarely occurred in sites with >4% total imperviousness. However, within sites of similar imperviousness, those with more riparian forest cover had more dipteran taxa. Channel canopy cover did not explain assemblage composition strongly.
5. Riparian forest cover may influence richness of some macroinvertebrate taxa, but catchment urbanisation probably has a stronger effect on sensitive taxa. In catchments with even a small amount of conventionally drained urban land, riparian revegetation is unlikely to have an effect on indicators of stream biological integrity. Reducing the impacts of catchment urbanisation through dispersed, low-impact drainage schemes is likely to be more effective.     

Beyond cool: adapting upland streams for climate change using riparian woodlands

Managed adaptation could reduce the risks of climate change to the world's ecosystems, but there have been surprisingly few practical evaluations of the options available. For example, riparian woodland is advocated widely as shade to reduce warming in temperate streams, but few studies have considered collateral effects on species composition or ecosystem functions. Here, we use cross‐sectional analyses at two scales (region and within streams) to investigate whether four types of riparian management, including those proposed to reduce potential climate change impacts, might also affect the composition, functional character, dynamics and energetic resourcing of macroinvertebrates in upland Welsh streams (UK). Riparian land use across the region had only small effects on invertebrate taxonomic composition, while stable isotope data showed how energetic resources assimilated by macroinvertebrates in all functional guilds were split roughly 50:50 between terrestrial and aquatic origins irrespective of riparian management. Nevertheless, streams draining the most extensive deciduous woodland had the greatest stocks of coarse particulate matter (CPOM) and greater numbers of ‘shredding’ detritivores. Stream‐scale investigations showed that macroinvertebrate biomass in deciduous woodland streams was around twice that in moorland streams, and lowest of all in streams draining non‐native conifers. The unexpected absence of contrasting terrestrial signals in the isotopic data implies that factors other than local land use affect the relative incorporation of allochthonous subsidies into riverine food webs. Nevertheless, our results reveal how planting deciduous riparian trees along temperate headwaters as an adaptation to climate change can modify macroinvertebrate function, increase biomass and potentially enhance resilience by increasing basal resources where cover is extensive (>60 m riparian width). We advocate greater urgency in efforts to understand the ecosystem consequences of climate change adaptation to guide future actions.     

Shifts in leaf litter breakdown along a forest–pasture–urban gradient in Andean streams

Tropical montane ecosystems of the Andes are critically threatened by a rapid land‐use change which can potentially affect stream variables, aquatic communities, and ecosystem processes such as leaf litter breakdown. However, these effects have not been sufficiently investigated in the Andean region and at high altitude locations in general. Here, we studied the influence of land use (forest–pasture–urban) on stream physico‐chemical variables (e.g., water temperature, nutrient concentration, and pH), aquatic communities (macroinvertebrates and aquatic fungi) and leaf litter breakdown rates in Andean streams (southern Ecuador), and how variation in those stream physico‐chemical variables affect macroinvertebrates and fungi related to leaf litter breakdown. We found that pH, water temperature, and nutrient concentration increased along the land‐use gradient. Macroinvertebrate communities were significantly different between land uses. Shredder richness and abundance were lower in pasture than forest sites and totally absent in urban sites, and fungal richness and biomass were higher in forest sites than in pasture and urban sites. Leaf litter breakdown rates became slower as riparian land use changed from natural to anthropogenically disturbed conditions and were largely determined by pH, water temperature, phosphate concentration, fungal activity, and single species of leaf‐shredding invertebrates. Our findings provide evidence that leaf litter breakdown in Andean streams is sensitive to riparian land‐use change, with urban streams being the most affected. In addition, this study highlights the role of fungal biomass and shredder species (Phylloicus; Trichoptera and Anchytarsus; Coleoptera) on leaf litter breakdown in Andean streams and the contribution of aquatic fungi in supporting this ecosystem process when shredders are absent or present low abundance in streams affected by urbanization. Finally, we summarize important implications in terms of managing of native vegetation and riparian buffers to promote ecological integrity and functioning of tropical Andean stream ecosystems.