Beyond Wastewater Treatment: Macroinvertebrate Monitoring to Assess Habitat Ecological Quality of Subtropical Constructed Wetlands
Free water surface constructed wetlands (FSWs) are engineered wastewater treatment systems that also function as valuable urban ecosystems, supporting aquatic biodiversity through diverse habitats and food resources. Studying two subtropical FSWs in northern Taiwan, we found that water chemistry changed predictably across treatment ponds, driven mainly by nutrient transformations such as nitrification and phosphorus reduction. Although tolerant macroinvertebrates dominated, their richness and abundance increased along treatment gradients, highlighting their usefulness as bioindicators of environmental change. These findings underscore the ecological value of FSWs beyond water purification and emphasize the need for long-term biological monitoring and adaptive management to ensure the sustainable development of urban man-made wetlands.
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