Aquatic beetles represent an important ecological group of insects that inhabit various types of freshwater habitats – from small pools and temporary puddles to floodplain wetlands and standing and flowing water bodies. Their occurrence is closely linked to the physical and chemical parameters of the water and the nature of the aquatic habitat, including transparency, oxygen content, temperature regime and trophic status. For this reason, water beetles have long been used as bioindicators of the ecological status of aquatic ecosystems. They can reflect not only current quality and pollution, but also the hydrological regime and the degree of anthropogenic disturbance.

Individual taxonomic groups of aquatic beetles differ in their environmental requirements and food specialisation. Some species prefer oligotrophic, cooler and well-oxygenated waters, while others thrive in slightly eutrophic or temporarily drying habitats. Another important feature is the presence of species with the ability to rapidly disperse and colonise new biotopes, which makes it possible to monitor succession processes and the restoration of aquatic habitats after disturbance. Bioindication assessments typically include species composition, relative abundance and the presence of sensitive or, conversely, tolerant taxa. The resulting data thus provide information on the ecological integrity of the environment and can be used for expert monitoring, conservation planning and practical decision-making in the field of landscape and water management.

The following paragraphs explain the individual columns in the table below.