This study aimed to determine if macroinvertebrate species compositions and diversity vary within and between lakes, and to identify the environmental variables driving these variations. Freshwater environments, among the most threatened ecosystems globally, show extreme sensitivity to climate change. Data were collected in collaboration with the Catfish project, which involved measuring macroinvertebrates and note environmental variables in five forest lakes in southern Sweden, with additional water chemistry measurements. Findings indicated no significant differences in environmental variables among the lakes, though slight differences in species and individual distributions were observed. Species compositions within the lakes were influenced by bottom substrate characteristics. Lakes could be differentiated with a 96% certainty based on species and individual abundances. The functional traits of invertebrates are crucial indicators of ecosystem health, emphasizing the importance of continued research on their habitat preferences. This study offers insights into how species assemblages are structured along environmental gradients in forest lakes, aiding future conservation and management efforts targeting specific species, including key species.