Benthic macroinvertebrates were collected using the Surber sampler from streams in forest areas in Southern Korea in spring and summer. Self-Organizing Map (SOM) was utilized to reveal community patterns in response to natural and anthropogenic variability in different seasons. The gradient was mainly observed according to degree of pollution and altitude. Subsequently, community compositions reflected seasonality in less-polluted area, showing difference in functional feeding groups. Gatherer-collectors and filterer-collectors were abundantly collected in spring whereas scrapers and predators were sampled in a majority in late summer. Representative species groups were identified in different seasons. persistence in communities in response to natural and anthropogenic variability.

Structural property in communities of aquatic insects and benthic macroinvertebrates could reflect the impact of environment on aquatic ecosystems. Benthic macroinvertebrates were collected at 18 different lakes across different levels of environmental impact in Korea. Community responses were analyzed by species abundance distribution (SAD). Rank-abundance (or relative abundance) curves were evaluated by classical SAD (Geometric series, Log-series, and Lognormal distribution) and niche apportionment models (dominance pre-emption, random assortment, random fraction, and dominance decay). Geometric series was more accepted in lakes among classical SAD models. Niche apportionment models were observed in a diverse manner across different level of ecological integrity in lakes. Dominance decay model and random fraction model were frequently fitted to the lakes with higher integrity, while dominance pre-emption and random assortment models tend to be presented in low to middle range in integrity.

Benthic macroinvertebrates are considered as a representative group in presenting ecological states and water quality in freshwater ecosystems. Although much study has been not conducted in stream, relatively few cases were comparatively reported in community responses to disturbances in lake and stream. Benthic macroinvertebrate were sampled in 12 lakes and 8 streams in different trophic and saprobic state. The sampled communities were accordingly grouped according to degree of disturbance. Species abundance distribution (SAD) was used for illustrating ecological states, and the fitness was accordingly checked with the proposed models. SADs were divided according to saprobic states in stream while SADs were clearly separated based on trophic levels

Benthic macroinvertebrates were collected with a Surber sampler in streams across different levels of pollution in Korea. Abundance data in different species were analyzed according to the models used in species abundance distribution (SAD), covering geometric series, log series and log normal model. Different patterns in SADs were observed according to the states pertaining to the sample sites. While the log normal patterns were broadly applied to the collected samples, the other models (e.g., geometric series) were selectively observed. The slopes of rank abundance also accordingly reflected the degree of pollution. Application of the theoretical models was additionally discussed in revealing the states of communities. Efficiency of SADs was proposed in community monitoring in response to stressful conditions in aquatic ecosystems.