Climate change and intensive human use are putting water quality under pressure. Macrofauna is very sensitive to issues such as eutrophication (increasing food abundance), temperature changes and drought.
Fortunately, a lot is happening in the Netherlands to improve water quality. Wildlife-friendly banks are being constructed, dead wood is being returned to rivers, and shellfish banks are being restored in the North Sea. These improvements are reflected in the increase in biodiversity in the macroinvertebrate community.