Relationships between land use and stream invertebrate community structurein a South Island, New Zealand, coastal stream catchment

Macroinvertebrate community composition was compared across streams drainin g catchments dominated by either native bush, agricultural or urban land us es within the Water of Leith stream catchment near Dunedin, New Zealand. La nd use was associated with differences in taxon richness and faunal composi tion of communities present in each stream. The mean abundance levels of Ep hemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera were highest in native bush catchm ents, and lowest in urban catchments. In contrast, the mean abundance of Ol igochaeta. exhibited the opposite pattern. Increasing dominance of the urba n and agricultural streams by pollution tolerant taxa was reflected in the Macroinvertebrate Community Index and Quantitative Macroinvertebrate Commun ity Index scores.