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Land use in the Acid Sulphate (AS) soils induces metal and acidity pollution of aquatic ecosystems in coastal areas worldwide. Increasing utilization of AS soils poses increasing risks for deterioration of water bodies. We studied the effects of the coverage of AS soils, together with other catchment land cover attributes, on aquatic assemblages of fish, diatoms and benthic invertebrates in 42 sites along 15 lowland rivers in Finland during three subsequent years. Low pH and increasing content of several metals in the river water were related to high amount of AS soils in the catchment. Especially increasing iron content and water color were correlated to amount of forested areas in the catchment, whereas lower water color values and higher arsenic, chromium and iron concentrations were associated with wetlands. The assemblage structure of all three biological groups was strongly spatially structured among rivers …