Aquatic ecosystems and the organisms that inhabit them are threatened worldwide by a wide range of anthropogenic pressures. As these organisms face extensive habitat loss, increasing attention has been given to the potential of anthropogenic and heavily modified habitats to serve as refugia or dispersal corridors. Among the least studied anthropogenically impacted habitats are artificial canals and their riparian zones. Although these habitats are often inhabited by low-diversity communities dominated by generalist species, some also possess considerable conservation potential for rare and threatened species.

The main objective of this project is to improve our understanding of the biodiversity of canals and to develop evidence-based conservation measures and management strategies for these habitats. This will be achieved by investigating patterns of taxonomic and functional diversity in selected bioindicator groups associated with anthropogenically modified aquatic and terrestrial habitats, namely canals their riparian zones. The selected bioindicator groups include macrophytes, fish, dragonflies, mayflies, ground beetles, and orthopterans.

The project will examine how habitat heterogeneity and the abiotic characteristics of water and soil influence these bioindicator taxa. Based on the results, scientifically grounded recommendations for the adaptive management of the studied canal types will be developed to support the conservation of these habitats and their biodiversity within anthropogenically modified landscapes.