Aquatic ecosystems are under pressure from human activities, including deforestation of riparian forests, siltation, and nutrients, leading to the loss of biodiversity worldwide. Three questions will be addressed in this talk:

• How do changes in land use due to human occupation alter water quality, habitat heterogeneity, biodiversity responses, and ecosystem services in hydropower hydrologic units?
• How can reference conditions in headwaters be characterized and protected to conserve water quality and quantity?
• How can social involvement be increased in the conservation of biodiversity, water quality, and ecosystem services in South America?

Thus, we have important knowledge gaps, including:

• What are the taxonomic and functional diversity answers across gradients of environmental conditions?
• How does biodiversity respond to predictions of global change?
• What are the reference conditions (and ecological refuges?)
• How are Citizen Science initiatives practical for the exercise of ecological citizenship and conservation of aquatic biodiversity?

Field samplings, transdisciplinary scientific experiences, schoolteachers and students’ involvement result in a practical Brazilian experience in South America to discuss. In summary, it is urgent to sum academic efforts to electrical companies and government sections provide information, management, protection and conservation of river basins.

Keywords: conservation, aquatic insects, biodiversity.