Macroinvertebrate functional trait database of South Korean stream

Functional traits are the result of evolution and adaptation, providing important ecological insights into how organisms interact with their environment. Aquatic macroinvertebrates, in particular, have garnered attention as biomonitoring indicators for freshwater ecosystems. This study presents a functional trait database for benthic aquatic macroinvertebrates, comprising 440 genera from five phyla (Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca, Nematomorpha, and Platyhelmenthes), categorized into nine traits related to life history, morphology, and habit. To account for variation in available trait information, we assigned confidence levels to each taxon and functional trait based on the level of evidence using fuzzy coding. Our database provides a comprehensive resource for understanding the ecology of benthic macroinvertebrates, serving as a valuable baseline dataset for studying their biodiversity, conservation, and biomonitoring in freshwater ecosystems.