Evaluating Mathematical Concordance Between Taxonomic and Functional Diversity Metrics in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities
Understanding the structural concordance between taxonomic and functional diversity (FD) metrics is essential for improving the ecological interpretation of community patterns in biomonitoring programs. This study evaluated the concordance between taxonomic and FD metrics of benthic macroinvertebrat...
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2025-06-01
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| author | Gonzalo Sotomayor Henrietta Hampel Raúl F. Vázquez Christine Van der heyden Marie Anne Eurie Forio Peter L. M. Goethals |
| author_facet | Gonzalo Sotomayor Henrietta Hampel Raúl F. Vázquez Christine Van der heyden Marie Anne Eurie Forio Peter L. M. Goethals |
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| description | Understanding the structural concordance between taxonomic and functional diversity (FD) metrics is essential for improving the ecological interpretation of community patterns in biomonitoring programs. This study evaluated the concordance between taxonomic and FD metrics of benthic macroinvertebrates along a fluvial habitat quality gradient in the Paute River Basin, Ecuador. Macroinvertebrate communities were sampled over six years at twelve sampling points and assessed using four taxonomic metrics: Shannon diversity (H), the Margalef index (D<sub>Mg</sub>), family richness (N), and the Andean Biotic Index (ABI). Functional diversity was evaluated using four metrics: weighted functional dendrogram-based diversity (wFDc), Rao’s quadratic entropy (Rao), functional dispersion (FDis), and functional richness (FRic). The fluvial habitat index (FHI) was used as an environmental reference to evaluate diversity metric responses. K-means clustering was independently applied to each metric, and pairwise concordance was quantified using the Measure of Concordance (MoC) and overlap in sampling points groupings across replicates. Most metrics (except FRic and N) showed clear responsiveness to the FHI gradient, confirming their ecological relevance. Strong structural concordance was observed between H and D<sub>Mg</sub> and the FD metrics Rao, FDis, and wFDc, showing that these metrics captured similar yet complementary aspects of community organization. In contrast, ABI showed marked sensitivity to the FHI gradient but low concordance with functional metrics, suggesting distinct dimensions of biological integrity not encompassed by trait-based metrics. These findings highlight the value of combining taxonomic and functional metrics to detect both broad and subtle ecological changes. Integrating metrics with differing structural properties and environmental sensitivities can enhance the robustness of freshwater biomonitoring frameworks, especially in systems undergoing ecological transition or habitat degradation. |
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| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-e09619e893d94d39a3a5ec30c2847a0a2025-06-25T13:30:37ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372025-06-0114669210.3390/biology14060692Evaluating Mathematical Concordance Between Taxonomic and Functional Diversity Metrics in Benthic Macroinvertebrate CommunitiesGonzalo Sotomayor0Henrietta Hampel1Raúl F. Vázquez2Christine Van der heyden3Marie Anne Eurie Forio4Peter L. M. Goethals5Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de los Hemisferios, Paseo de la Universidad No. 300, Quito 170147, EcuadorLaboratorio de Ecología Acuática (LEA), Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Cuenca, Av. Victor Albornoz y Calle de los Cerezos, Cuenca 010207, EcuadorLaboratorio de Ecología Acuática (LEA), Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Cuenca, Av. Victor Albornoz y Calle de los Cerezos, Cuenca 010207, EcuadorHealth and Water Research Center, Faculty of Science and Technology, Hogeschool Gent/University of Applied Sciences and Arts HOGENT, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumUnderstanding the structural concordance between taxonomic and functional diversity (FD) metrics is essential for improving the ecological interpretation of community patterns in biomonitoring programs. This study evaluated the concordance between taxonomic and FD metrics of benthic macroinvertebrates along a fluvial habitat quality gradient in the Paute River Basin, Ecuador. Macroinvertebrate communities were sampled over six years at twelve sampling points and assessed using four taxonomic metrics: Shannon diversity (H), the Margalef index (D<sub>Mg</sub>), family richness (N), and the Andean Biotic Index (ABI). Functional diversity was evaluated using four metrics: weighted functional dendrogram-based diversity (wFDc), Rao’s quadratic entropy (Rao), functional dispersion (FDis), and functional richness (FRic). The fluvial habitat index (FHI) was used as an environmental reference to evaluate diversity metric responses. K-means clustering was independently applied to each metric, and pairwise concordance was quantified using the Measure of Concordance (MoC) and overlap in sampling points groupings across replicates. Most metrics (except FRic and N) showed clear responsiveness to the FHI gradient, confirming their ecological relevance. Strong structural concordance was observed between H and D<sub>Mg</sub> and the FD metrics Rao, FDis, and wFDc, showing that these metrics captured similar yet complementary aspects of community organization. In contrast, ABI showed marked sensitivity to the FHI gradient but low concordance with functional metrics, suggesting distinct dimensions of biological integrity not encompassed by trait-based metrics. These findings highlight the value of combining taxonomic and functional metrics to detect both broad and subtle ecological changes. Integrating metrics with differing structural properties and environmental sensitivities can enhance the robustness of freshwater biomonitoring frameworks, especially in systems undergoing ecological transition or habitat degradation.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/6/692mathematical concordancefunctional diversity metricstaxonomic diversity metricsbenthic macroinvertebratesfluvial habitat quality gradient |
| spellingShingle | Gonzalo Sotomayor Henrietta Hampel Raúl F. Vázquez Christine Van der heyden Marie Anne Eurie Forio Peter L. M. Goethals Evaluating Mathematical Concordance Between Taxonomic and Functional Diversity Metrics in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities Biology mathematical concordance functional diversity metrics taxonomic diversity metrics benthic macroinvertebrates fluvial habitat quality gradient |
| title | Evaluating Mathematical Concordance Between Taxonomic and Functional Diversity Metrics in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities |
| title_full | Evaluating Mathematical Concordance Between Taxonomic and Functional Diversity Metrics in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating Mathematical Concordance Between Taxonomic and Functional Diversity Metrics in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating Mathematical Concordance Between Taxonomic and Functional Diversity Metrics in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities |
| title_short | Evaluating Mathematical Concordance Between Taxonomic and Functional Diversity Metrics in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities |
| title_sort | evaluating mathematical concordance between taxonomic and functional diversity metrics in benthic macroinvertebrate communities |
| topic | mathematical concordance functional diversity metrics taxonomic diversity metrics benthic macroinvertebrates fluvial habitat quality gradient |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/6/692 |
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