Lakes and reservoirs represent key freshwater ecosystems that host diverse aquatic organisms and perform essential functions such as water cycling, nutrient retention, and ecosystem service provision. Due to their semi-closed hydrological structure and limited inflow-outflow dynamics, lakes exhibit complex biological communities shaped by regional climate, topography, and land use. However, these ecosystems are increasingly exposed to multifactorial stressors-including climate change, urbanization, nutrient enrichment, and invasive species-that are causing significant structural and functional shifts in aquatic biodiversity. This review provides an integrative overview of (1) the structural and ecological characteristics of lake ecosystems and the primary drivers of biodiversity alteration, (2) the ecological functions and bioindicator potential of key organism groups including phytoplankton, zooplankton, aquatic macrophytes, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish, and (3) the emerging role of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding in lake biodiversity monitoring. We highlight both the technical principles and challenges of eDNA analysis and discuss its potential to complement traditional survey methods for the development of integrated ecosystem health assessments. Positioned at the forefront of the 2025 special issue of Ecology and Environment, this article establishes a conceptual and methodological foundation for a national-scale freshwater biodiversity monitoring framework in Korean lakes.

Abstract
서 론
호소 생태계의 생태학적 특성과 교란 요인
    1. 호소 생태계의 구조적·기능적 특성
    2. 외부 및 내부 교란 요인
    3. 교란 요인의 상호작용과 생태계 영향
지표생물 분류군과 호소생태계에서의 역할
    1. 식물플랑크톤: 1차생산자 및 수생태계 조기경보 지표
    2. 동물플랑크톤: 먹이영양 관계 및 수질을 반영하는 섭식자
    3. 수생식물: 수생태계 생물서식처의 구조적 행위자
    4. 저서성 대형무척추동물: 수생태계 퇴적층장기적 안정성의 지표
    5. 어류: 최상위 포식자이자 수생태계 먹이망 지표
eDNA (environmental DNA)를 이용한향상된 생물다양성 모니터링 기법
    1. 개념 및 기술적 이론
    2. 전통적인 조사방법과의 비교: 장점과 한계
    3. 기술적 과제와 통합적 지표 개발 가능성
생물다양성 모니터링 체계의 발전 방향
적 요
REFERENCES

• 김건희(건국대학교 휴먼엔에코케어센터) | Keonhee Kim (Human Ecocare Center, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea)
• 김재구((주)알파생태연구원) | Jae-Goo Kim (Alpha Research Ecology Institute, Gunsan 54151, Republic of Korea; 2Daoneco Co., Sejong 30081, Republic of Korea)
• 최지웅((주)다온에코) | Ji-Woong Choi (Daoneco Co., Sejong 30081, Republic of Korea)
• 유경아(국립환경과학원 수자원연구과) | Kyung-A You (Water Resources Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea)
• 장민호(국립공주대학교 생물교육과) | Min-Ho Jang (Department of Biological Education, Kongju National University, Kongju 32588, Republic of Korea) Corresponding author