Benthic Macroinvertebrates as Indicators of Ecological Integrity in Aquatic Ecosystems

This review article aimed to synthesize the scientific knowledge on the use of benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators of ecological integrity in aquatic ecosystems, highlighting their theoretical foundations, assessment methodologies, and responses to anthropogenic environmental pressures. A systematic literature review was conducted using national and international databases, including Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and SciELO. Studies employing benthic macroinvertebrates to assess the environmental quality of aquatic ecosystems were selected based on their objectives, methodologies, findings, and limitations. The results demonstrate that these organisms are highly effective bioindicators due to their high sensitivity to environmental changes, relatively long life cycles, and limited mobility, allowing them to reflect the cumulative impacts affecting aquatic ecosystems. The most commonly applied methodologies include biotic indices, multimetric indices, and multivariate analyses, which are capable of detecting changes caused by organic pollution, habitat degradation, chemical contamination, and climate change. Advances related to taxonomic sufficiency, the application of molecular techniques, and the adaptation of assessment protocols for Neotropical regions, characterized by high biodiversity and hydrological complexity, were also identified. It is concluded that benthic macroinvertebrates remain essential for biomonitoring programs, supporting conservation initiatives, environmental management, and the development of public policies aimed at protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems.