Macroinvertebrate data for: "Effect of a large-scale Nature-based Solution on aquatic biodiversity in a gravel river in The Netherlands"
Description
This data file containes the environmental and biological data used for the paper of Daumal et al. (2024): "Effect of a large-scale Nature-based Solution on aquatic biodiversity in a gravel river in The Netherlands" Main stream, secondary channels, gravel lakes and tributaries in the Border Meuse valley were compared to analyze their contribution to the regional diversity. Abstract: 1. Nature-based solutions (NbS) give space back to rivers and have the potential to improve biodiversity in aquatic habitats. More research is needed to understand the effect of river-reach NbS restoration efforts on ecological quality. 2. Macroinvertebrates were sampled in mainstream, secondary channels, lakes, and tributaries of the Border Meuse valley. Local abiotic conditions, taxa, abundances, unique taxa contribution, and diversity indices were compared between water-body types. 3. Water-body types were differing in local conditions driving invertebrate communities. The main and secondary channels of the Border Meuse had the smallest, and lakes and tributaries the largest contribution to diversity of the river valley. Many taxa of fast-flowing rivers were still missing in the river. 4. The NbS Grensmaas had no effect on the macroinvertebrate community in the Border Meuse, secondary channels hardly contributed diversity, tributaries were important, but their reconstruction pre-dated the NbS project, and lakes were key in the regional species pool in the Border Meuse valley. The impact of the NbS Grensmaas on ecological quality is questionable. 5. We provide five lessons for future NbS planning. Before the restoration starts, a system-wide analysis and goal setting should be done, and a clear monitoring strategy should be set. Proper pre-project data is necessary to understand bottlenecks and predict and measure possible failures and successes.