Global Dataset on Benthic Macroinvertebrate Diversity Responses to Lake Salinization

This dataset compiles benthic macroinvertebrate community data and corresponding salinity measurements from 684 inland lakes sampled between 1972 and 2022, across multiple continents. It includes sampling metadata and SAD (species abundance distribution) data. Salinity (or conductivity) values measured at the time of biological sampling. The dataset was assembled from publicly available databases (e.g., the US EPA's National Lakes Assessment, PANGAEA), published literature, and co-author contributions. All data sources were selected based on consistent and comparable sampling methodologies, ensuring robustness and compatibility across studies.

Each sample includes information on the sampling method, date, location, SAD data, and physicochemical conditions. A rarefaction-based standardization procedure was applied to ensure comparability across studies with different sampling effects.

This dataset enables researchers to explore macroinvertebrate diversity responses to freshwater salinization, assess biodiversity loss under anthropogenic pressure, and support ecological modeling or conservation planning. It is particularly relevant for global change ecology, freshwater biodiversity research, and ecological threshold detection.

The dataset is shared under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Users are free to reuse the data with proper citation. Ethical and legal considerations were fully addressed: all data were either publicly available or shared with permission by contributing authors. Users should cite the original paper and this dataset if used in derivative work. Some data sources may have specific citation requirements; detailed references and access information for each data source are provided in Table S1. Users are encouraged to cite original sources where indicated. No sensitive or personally identifiable information is included.

For more detailed information or any questions please contact email: laixiyi@mail.ynu.edu.cn or laixiyi2000@163.com