A comparison of the benthic macroinvertebrate fauna of two north London streams

Abstract Hydrobiological indices were applied to samples of the benthic fauna of two North London streams and indicated a fall in water quality from a semi‐rural to an urbanised stream. Macroinvertebrate tissue samples were analysed for cadmium, copper, zinc and lead whose concentrations were higher in samples from the urbanised stream. The semi‐rural stream macroinvertebrate community can satisfactorily be used as a baseline for comparison with other London streams.