1. Ecological Importance
Aquatic insects are important components of lake and stream biota.1–3 In trout streams, for example, they may comprise 50% to 90% of the macroinvertebrate species. Mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, midges, and other aquatic insects are major food items for many species of fish,1,4 and many insect species play key functional roles in aquatic systems, including decomposition, organic matter processing, and nutrient spiralling.5