Background.

Rivers are considered as integrators systems reflecting physicochemical and biological processes that take place in its catchment area and have a constant flow of matter and energy. This is due to its connectivity and interactions with its watershed and the atmosphere. The Apatlaco and Chalma-Tembembe rivers (Balsas River basin) have different levels of disturbance, caused by changes in land use (US) in its watershed.

Goals.

To analyze the relationships of the physico-chemical characteristics of water and aquatic macroinvertebrates (AI) assemblages with different US adjacent to Apatlaco and Chalma-Tembembe rivers.

Methods.

In both rivers, water samples (20 sites studied) and AI were taken for four seasons, and the percentage of US corresponding to their area of impact was determined. Ordination analysis, similarity and Pearson correlation (p <0.05), with the physicochemical parameters, biological and US were performed.

Results.

The river Apatlaco presented the higher alterations due to the combination of US, with a high percentage of urban use; Chalma-Tembembe showed more homogeneous physicochemical and biological characteristics.

Conclusions.

Some assemblage of macroinvertebrates families were correlated with healthy ecosystems (Belostomatidae, Cordulegastridae, Corixidae, Corydalidae, Dryopidae, Elmidae, Hebridae, Helicopsychidae, Heptageniidae, Hydrobiosidae, Lepidostomatidae, Libellulidae, Perlidae, Philopotamidae, Polycentropodidae, Scirtidae, Staphilinidae and Tabanidae); while others with highly disturbed environments (Ancylidae, Asellidae, Chironomidae, Hyalellidae, Psychodidae and Class Hirudinea); and sites impacted by agricultural activities were correlated with moderate abundances and low diversity of AI.