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Hou Y, Pan B, Yang H, Zhu P, Huang Z, Zhao G, Du D. Responses of multi-faceted benthic macroinvertebrates alpha and beta diversity to flooding in a highland floodplain. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 250:118475. [PMID: 38373546 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Flooding is an important process in natural fluvial floodplains. How the flood shapes aquatic community diversity in highland floodplains is still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to unravel the multi-faceted responses of benthic macroinvertebrate diversity to flooding and habitat environments in the Baihe River Basin from a taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional perspective. We examined the alpha and beta diversity patterns of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the mainstream, tributaries, and oxbow lakes during the normal water and flood periods. The results showed that the traditional alpha taxonomic diversity (TD) varied across habitats, despite minor changes after flood pulse. Alpha phylogenetic diversity (PD) decreased and alpha functional diversity (FD) markedly increased after flooding, with functional traits transiting toward risk avoidance. While all the three facets of beta diversity significantly responded to habitat differences, beta TD and PD shifted in response to flooding. Species turnover prominently increased in beta TD and PD after flood pulse, which contrasted with a weaker response of this process in FD. The explanatory power of significant environmental factors on both alpha and beta diversity was reduced by flooding. Compared with traditional TD, cooperating multi-faceted diversity could better depict the responses of benthic macroinvertebrate communities to flooding. The assessment and conservation of aquatic biodiversity in highland floodplains should take into account the three facets of alpha and beta diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulic in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710048, PR China
| | - Baozhu Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulic in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710048, PR China.
| | - Haiqiang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulic in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710048, PR China
| | - Penghui Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulic in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710048, PR China
| | - Zhenyu Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulic in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710048, PR China
| | - Gengnan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulic in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710048, PR China
| | - Dou Du
- Shaanxi Environmental Investigation and Assessment Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710054, PR China
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2
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Zhao X, Ma Y, Xie H, Du C, Zhan A, Xu J, Giesy JP, Wu F, Jin X. Spatial distribution of benthic taxonomic and functional diversity in the Yellow River Basin: From ecological processes to associated determinant factors. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 188:108745. [PMID: 38754244 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
One of the fundamental objectives in ecology is to investigate the ecological processes and associated factors governing the abundance and spatial distribution patterns of biodiversity. However, the reaction of biological communities to environmental degradation remains relatively unknown, even for ecologically crucial communities like macroinvertebrates in aquatic ecosystems. Here, we sampled 117 locations to quantify relative contributions of geographical and environmental factors, including water quality, land use, climate, and hydrological factors, to determine the absolute and relative compositions of macroinvertebrate communities and their spatial distribution in the Yellow River Basin (YRB), the sixth-longest river system on Earth. We assessed relative roles of species sorting and dispersal in determining macroinvertebrate community structure along YRB. Our results demonstrated that alpha and beta diversity indices showed an increase from the up- to low-reaches of YRB. The middle and low-reaches exhibited elevated species diversity and both regions exhibited relatively stable community compositions. The biodiversity of macroinvertebrates was influenced by a combination of geographical factors and environmental variables, with environmental factors predominantly serving as the principal determinants. Results of multiple linear regression and variance decomposition showed that the effect of environmental factors was approximately three times greater than that of spatial factors. These findings provide support for the hypothesis that species sorting, driven by environmental gradients, plays a significant role in shaping the community structure of macroinvertebrates in running water ecosystems at the basin scales. Moreover, the factors contributing to substantial shifts in biodiversity across different segments of YRB indicate that distinct river sections have been influenced by varying stressors, with downstream areas being more susceptible to the impacts of water pollution and urbanization resulting from human activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; China National Environmental Monitoring Centre, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Yu Ma
- China National Environmental Monitoring Centre, Beijing 100012, China; College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Huiyu Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; China National Environmental Monitoring Centre, Beijing 100012, China; College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Chang Du
- China National Environmental Monitoring Centre, Beijing 100012, China; School of Civil Engineering, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang 050018, China
| | - Aibin Zhan
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jian Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - John P Giesy
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48895, USA; Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - Fengchang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Xiaowei Jin
- China National Environmental Monitoring Centre, Beijing 100012, China.
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Lancaster J, Downes BJ, Kayll ZJ. Bigger is not necessarily better: empirical tests show that dispersal proxies misrepresent actual dispersal ability. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240172. [PMID: 38772418 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Tests for the role of species' relative dispersal abilities in ecological and biogeographical models rely heavily on dispersal proxies, which are seldom substantiated by empirical measures of actual dispersal. This is exemplified by tests of dispersal-range size relationships and by metacommunity research that often features invertebrates, particularly freshwater insects. Using rare and unique empirical data on dispersal abilities of caddisflies, we tested whether actual dispersal abilities were associated with commonly used dispersal proxies (metrics of wing size and shape; expert opinion). Across 59 species in 12 families, wing morphology was not associated with actual dispersal. Within some families, individual wing metrics captured some dispersal differences among species, although useful metrics varied among families and predictive power was typically low. Dispersal abilities assigned by experts were either no better than random or actually poorer than random. Our results cast considerable doubt on research underpinned by dispersal proxies and scrutiny of previous research results may be warranted. Greater progress may lie in employing innovative survey and experimental design to measure actual dispersal in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill Lancaster
- School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Melbourne , , Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Barbara J Downes
- School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Melbourne , , Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Zachary J Kayll
- School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Melbourne , , Victoria, 3010, Australia
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4
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Karádi-Kovács K, Szivák I, Bozóki T, Kovács K, Móra A, Padisák J, Selmeczy GB, Schmera D, Boda P. Long-term recovery dynamics determined by the degree of the disturbance - Ten years tracking of aquatic macroinvertebrate recolonisation after an industrial disaster (Red Sludge Disaster, Hungary). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 921:171071. [PMID: 38378064 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
A ten-year-long examination of macroinvertebrate community recovery was conducted following a catastrophic spill of highly alkaline red sludge (pH >13) into lowland streams. Our primary objective was to compare recovery patterns after coarse- and fine-grain disturbances, focusing on two aspects: i) trend analysis to reveal long-term changes of six community parameters, and ii) variation analyses to assess parameter changes over time. We conducted statistical analysis on long-term data series of macroinvertebrates obtained from quantitative samples collected at four sections with varying degrees of disturbance along the impacted stream sections. We developed a comprehensive theoretical framework comprising a series of sequential phases: Ramp-up, Overshoot, and Oscillation Phases. i) A trend analysis revealed that disturbances show a gradual recovery pattern, while variance analyses showed an asymptotic convergence to an equilibrium. ii) Evaluating these trends across phases unveiled that the initial recovery phase exhibited a steep trajectory, lasting 4-9 months, irrespective of disturbance severity. Coarse-grain disturbances induced a remarkable Overshoot phenomenon across all community metrics. The more severe the disturbance, the greater the height and duration of the Overshoot. Our results suggest that the presence or absence of Overshoot can serve as an indicator for coarse-grain disturbances in the context of large and infrequent disturbances (LID). The entire recovery process lasts for 2.5-3 years irrespective of the severity of the LID. In conclusion, a minimum survey duration of two and half years is deemed imperative to capture the phases of recovery, and changes associated with LID are not expected to extend beyond the three-year threshold. The theoretical framework, including Overshoot parameters, may assist future studies in comparing recovery patterns of different LID types. Furthermore, our theoretical framework is likely to be applicable to other groups of organisms given a sufficiently long monitoring of recovery, influenced also by the length of reproductive cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kata Karádi-Kovács
- HUN-REN Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Klebelsberg Kuno utca 3, H-8237 Tihany, Hungary.
| | - Ildikó Szivák
- HUN-REN Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Klebelsberg Kuno utca 3, H-8237 Tihany, Hungary
| | - Tamás Bozóki
- HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Bem tér 18/c, H-4026 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Krisztián Kovács
- Laboratory for Environmental Protection, Government Office of Győr-Moson-Sopron County, Tatai út 3, H-9028 Győr, Hungary
| | - Arnold Móra
- University of Pécs, Department of Hydrobiology, Ifjúság útja 6, H-7624 Pécs, Hungary
| | - Judit Padisák
- University of Pannonia, Center for Natural Science, Research Group of Limnology, Egyetem u. 10, H-8200 Veszprém, Hungary; HUN-REN-PE Limnoecology Research Group, Egyetem u. 10, H-8200 Veszprém, Hungary
| | - Géza Balázs Selmeczy
- University of Pannonia, Center for Natural Science, Research Group of Limnology, Egyetem u. 10, H-8200 Veszprém, Hungary; HUN-REN-PE Limnoecology Research Group, Egyetem u. 10, H-8200 Veszprém, Hungary
| | - Dénes Schmera
- HUN-REN Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Klebelsberg Kuno utca 3, H-8237 Tihany, Hungary; HUN-REN Balaton Limnological Research Institute, National Laboratory for Water Science and Security, Klebelsberg Kuno utca 3, H-8237 Tihany, Hungary
| | - Pál Boda
- HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Bem tér 18/c, H-4026 Debrecen, Hungary
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Luo Q, Li S, Kinouchi T, Wu N, Fu X, Ling C, Cai Q, Chiu MC, Resh VH. Existing levels of biodiversity and river location may determine changes from small hydropower developments. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 357:120697. [PMID: 38565031 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Global ecosystems are facing anthropogenic threats that affect their ecological functions and biodiversity. However, we still lack an understanding of how biodiversity can mediate the responses of ecosystems or communities to human disturbance across spatial gradients. Here, we examined how existing, spatial patterns of biodiversity influence the ecological effects of small hydropower plants (SHPs) on macroinvertebrates in river ecosystems. This study found that levels of biodiversity (e.g., number of species) can influence the degrees of its alterations by SHPs occurring along elevational gradients. The results of the study reveal that the construction of SHPs has various effects on biodiversity. For example, low-altitude areas with low biodiversity (species richness less than 12) showed a small increase in biodiversity compared to high-altitude areas (species richness more than 12) under SHP disturbances. The increases in the effective habitat area of the river segment could be a driver of the enhanced biodiversity in response to SHP effects. Changes in the numerically dominant species contributed to the overall level of community variation from disturbances. Location-specific strategies may mitigate the effects of SHPs and perhaps other disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyi Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430061, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100084, China; Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan.
| | - Shuyin Li
- Yangtze River Basin Ecological Environment Monitoring and Scientific Research Center, Yangtze River Basin Ecological Environment Supervision and Administration Bureau, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Wuhan, 430010, China; Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan.
| | - Tsuyoshi Kinouchi
- Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8550, Japan.
| | - Naicheng Wu
- Department of Geography and Spatial Information Techniques, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
| | - Xiaocheng Fu
- Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research & Design Institute Co., LTD., Shanghai, 200233, China.
| | - Chang Ling
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430061, China; College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Qinghua Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430061, China.
| | - Ming-Chih Chiu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430061, China.
| | - Vincent H Resh
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, 94720, USA.
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6
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Berón MC, Montalto L, Aquino D, Quintana R, Mayora G, Flores M, Labas M, Mesa L. Unravelling the influence of cattle stocking rate on the macroinvertebrate community of freshwater wetlands subjected to hydrological modifications in three hydroclimatic periods. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 251:118557. [PMID: 38428564 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
The Paraná River Delta in South America, a large wetlands macromosaic, faces threats from climate change, human activities like livestock intensification, and hydrological modifications driven by the construction of water management infrastructure to prevent flooding in productive lands. Macroinvertebrates, essential for wetland health, are affected by cattle-induced changes in water quality, nutrient enrichment, and trampling, posing challenges to the ecosystem's ecological balance and long-term survival of these organisms. In this study, we analyzed the impact of two categories of cattle stocking rates (low and high) on the taxonomic and functional structure of the aquatic macroinvertebrate community in freshwater marshes. In addition, we compare the influence of cattle stocking rate on macroinvertebrates in natural and modified freshwater marshes, and, finally, the effect of cattle stocking rate in three contrasting hydrometeorological periods: a drier, a humid, and an extreme drought period. Samplings were conducted in 16 freshwater habitats of the Lower Paraná River Delta, examining variables such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, coliforms, and nutrient concentrations. Macroinvertebrates were collected and functional and taxonomic metrics were estimated. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests, were conducted to evaluate the effects of cattle stocking rates, hydrological modifications, and hydrometeorological periods on macroinvertebrate metrics and environmental variables. RDA, PERMANOVA, and SIMPER analyses explored the relationships between assemblage composition and environmental factors. High stocking rate altered the community structure, modifying its composition and decreasing the density, taxonomic and functional richness. Moreover, hydrological alterations exacerbated these negative impacts of cattle overstocking in macroinvertebrates. Under severe drought conditions, only tolerant species can survive cattle overstocking conditions. Our findings provide relevant insight into the ecological risks associated with cattle overstocking in natural and modified freshwater marshes and underscore the need to control cattle stocking rates in extreme drought to avoid loss of ecological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Cecilia Berón
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (CONICET-UNL), Ciudad Universitaria, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - Luciana Montalto
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (CONICET-UNL), Ciudad Universitaria, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina; Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias (UNL), Ciudad Universitaria, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Diego Aquino
- IIIA-UNSAM-CONICET, Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental, Escuela de Hábitat y Sostenibilidad (EHyS), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM), Argentina
| | - Rubén Quintana
- IIIA-UNSAM-CONICET, Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental, Escuela de Hábitat y Sostenibilidad (EHyS), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM), Argentina
| | - Gisela Mayora
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (CONICET-UNL), Ciudad Universitaria, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Marina Flores
- Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química (UNL-CONICET), 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Marisol Labas
- Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química (UNL-CONICET), 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina; Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Hídricas (UNL), Ciudad Universitaria, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Leticia Mesa
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (CONICET-UNL), Ciudad Universitaria, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina
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Lu K, Wu H, Jähnig SC, He F. The impacts of reduced connectivity on multiple facets of aquatic insect diversity in floodplain wetlands, Northeast China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169207. [PMID: 38072277 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
River-floodplain ecosystems are highly complex and dynamic systems that are subjected to human disturbance, such as the construction of levees. Aquatic insects are among the most widely used indicators to assess human impacts on floodplain wetlands. Most studies are still based on taxonomic biodiversity. However, trait-based approaches remain limited, which could impede the development of effective management strategies. Here, we investigated aquatic insect assemblages in eleven pairs of wetlands along the Wusuli River in two seasons (Spring and Autumn) and assessed their responses to the impact of levee construction, considering taxonomic and functional diversity. We found that pooled species richness (73 taxa) in river-connected wetlands was almost twice of that in levee-blocked wetlands (37 taxa). Six and one indicator taxa for river-connected wetlands were identified in May and October, respectively, while no indicator taxon for the levee-blocked wetlands was identified. Moreover, taxonomic and functional alpha diversity in river-connected wetlands was much higher than in levee-blocked wetlands, but beta diversity showed a contrasting pattern. Additionally, multivariate dispersion analysis indicated a more evident difference in beta diversity between river-connected and levee-blocked wetlands in May than in October, likely due to the temporary lateral connection in summer (i.e., water flowed over levees during flood events). Our results revealed that anthropogenic impacts (e.g., levee construction and agricultural activity) weakened the connectivity of floodplain wetland ecosystems, leading to decreased taxonomic and functional diversity of aquatic insects in isolated wetlands. Our study highlights the importance of combining taxonomic and trait-based approaches in biomonitoring programs of floodplain wetland ecosystems. It also underscores the necessity of restoring habitat connectivity of wetland ecosystems (e.g., river-floodplain connectivity and connections between different wetlands) to facilitate biodiversity recovery and enhance ecological functions and services supported by these valuable ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangle Lu
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130102 Changchun, China
| | - Haitao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130102 Changchun, China; State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China.
| | - Sonja C Jähnig
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany; Geography Department, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10099 Berlin, Germany
| | - Fengzhi He
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130102 Changchun, China; State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130102, China; Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany; Geography Department, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10099 Berlin, Germany
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8
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Ji L, Wang Q, Cui S, Chen W, Zhang B, Chu J, Ding Y, Shi H, Cao Z, Wang L, Zhang K, Jiang X, Wang W. Different responses of taxonomic and functional trait structure of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages to eutrophication in a large Chinese freshwater lake. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:9732-9744. [PMID: 38196038 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31760-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Functional trait measures have the potential to represent local habitat conditions and are considered promising tools for biomonitoring and bioassessment programs. Macroinvertebrates are an ecologically significant group in freshwater ecosystems and possess a range of functional traits which are employed to assess ecological quality. Nevertheless, the relationships between macroinvertebrate functional structure and anthropogenic disturbances remain poorly understood. In this study, we conducted a comparison of how functional trait-based and taxonomy-based composition of macroinvertebrate assemblages responded to eutrophication in Lake Taihu, a typical large eutrophic freshwater lake in China. Specifically, we examined both the taxonomy-based and trait-based compositions of benthic macroinvertebrates varied along the eutrophication gradient. Eutrophication was associated with remarkable decreases in the abundance of gastropod taxa and increases in Oligochaeta and Chironomidae. Ten categories belonging to six traits were significantly different among three site groups. The eutrophic and transition sites showed higher abundance of Size2, burrowers, and integument-respiration organisms than macrophytic sites, whereas abundance of Size1, conical-shaped, sprawlers, scrapers, and lung-respiration were higher in macrophytic sites. Both taxonomic (36.8%) and functional compositions (39.8%) of macroinvertebrate assemblages were influenced by the same variables: CODMn and transparency. Our study showed that macroinvertebrate trait-based approaches can be considered a useful supplement to traditional taxonomic approach for biomonitoring programs in freshwater lakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Ji
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Pollutant Sensitive Materials and Environmental Remediation, College of Life Science, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
| | - Qiansen Wang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Pollutant Sensitive Materials and Environmental Remediation, College of Life Science, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000, China
| | - Shuangyan Cui
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Pollutant Sensitive Materials and Environmental Remediation, College of Life Science, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000, China
| | - Wendong Chen
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Pollutant Sensitive Materials and Environmental Remediation, College of Life Science, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000, China
| | - Boyu Zhang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Pollutant Sensitive Materials and Environmental Remediation, College of Life Science, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000, China
| | - Jinkun Chu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Pollutant Sensitive Materials and Environmental Remediation, College of Life Science, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000, China
| | - Yuansong Ding
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Pollutant Sensitive Materials and Environmental Remediation, College of Life Science, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000, China
| | - Haoyu Shi
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Pollutant Sensitive Materials and Environmental Remediation, College of Life Science, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000, China
| | - Zihan Cao
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Pollutant Sensitive Materials and Environmental Remediation, College of Life Science, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000, China
| | - Liangbin Wang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Pollutant Sensitive Materials and Environmental Remediation, College of Life Science, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000, China
| | - Kun Zhang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Pollutant Sensitive Materials and Environmental Remediation, College of Life Science, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000, China.
| | - Xiaoming Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulic in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wenping Wang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Pollutant Sensitive Materials and Environmental Remediation, College of Life Science, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000, China
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9
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Esnaola A, Larrañaga A, González-Esteban J, Elosegi A, Aihartza J. Using biological traits to assess diet selection: the case of the Pyrenean Desman. J Mammal 2023; 104:1205-1215. [PMID: 38059010 PMCID: PMC10697428 DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyad061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditionally, researchers have assessed diet selection by comparing consumed versus available taxa. However, taxonomic assignment is probably irrelevant for predators, who likely base their selection on characteristics including prey size, habitat, or behavior. Here, we use an aquatic insectivore, the threatened Pyrenean Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus), as a model species to assess whether biological traits help unravel the criteria driving food and habitat preferences. We reanalyzed data from a previous taxonomy-based study of prey selection in two contrasting streams, one with excellent conservation status and the other affected by diversion for hydropower and forestry. Available and consumed prey were characterized according to nine biological traits, and diet selection was estimated by comparing availability-measured from Surber net samples, and consumption-analyzed by metabarcoding desman feces. Traits offered a biologically coherent image of diet and almost identical selection patterns in both streams, depicting a highly specialized rheophilic predator. Desmans positively selected prey with a preference for fast flow and boulder substrate, indicating their preferred riffle habitat. On the other hand, they positively selected prey with larger but not the largest potential size, living in the water column or the litter, and not inside sediments. They also chose agile prey, swimmers or prey attached to the substrate, prey with high body flexibility, and prey living exposed and clustered in groups. Overall, our results offer a picture of desman diet preference and point to biological traits as being better than taxonomic identity to describe the diet preference of consumers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaiur Esnaola
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, the Basque Country 48940, Spain
- EKOLUR Asesoría Ambiental – Ingurumen Aholkularitza S.L.L., Oiartzun, the Basque Country 20180, Spain
| | - Aitor Larrañaga
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, the Basque Country 48940, Spain
| | | | - Arturo Elosegi
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, the Basque Country 48940, Spain
| | - Joxerra Aihartza
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, the Basque Country 48940, Spain
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10
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Adhurya S, Lee DY, Lee DS, Park YS. Functional trait dataset of benthic macroinvertebrates in South Korean streams. Sci Data 2023; 10:838. [PMID: 38017016 PMCID: PMC10684509 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02678-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional traits are the result of evolution and adaptation, providing important ecological insights into how organisms interact with their environment. Benthic macroinvertebrates, in particular, have garnered attention as biomonitoring indicators for freshwater ecosystems. This study presents a functional trait dataset for benthic macroinvertebrates, comprising 447 taxa (393 at genus level, 53 at family level and one at class level) from five phyla (Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca, Nematomorpha, and Platyhelmenthes), categorized into nine traits related to life history, morphology, and habit. To account for variation in available trait information, we assigned confidence levels to each taxon and functional trait based on the level of evidence using fuzzy coding. Our dataset provides an important resource for understanding the ecology of benthic macroinvertebrates in South Korea, serving as a valuable baseline dataset for studying their biodiversity, conservation, and biomonitoring in freshwater ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagar Adhurya
- Ecology and Ecological Informatics Laboratory, Department of Biology, College of Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Da-Yeong Lee
- Ecology and Ecological Informatics Laboratory, Department of Biology, College of Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae-Seong Lee
- Ecology and Ecological Informatics Laboratory, Department of Biology, College of Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Seuk Park
- Ecology and Ecological Informatics Laboratory, Department of Biology, College of Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
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11
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Pérez-Botello AM, Dáttilo W, Simões N. Geographic range size and species morphology determines the organization of sponge host-guest interaction networks across tropical coral reefs. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16381. [PMID: 38025729 PMCID: PMC10680448 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Sponges are widely spread organisms in the tropical reefs of the American Northwest-Atlantic Ocean, they structure ecosystems and provide services such as shelter, protection from predators, and food sources to a wide diversity of both vertebrates and invertebrates species. The high diversity of sponge-associated fauna can generate complex networks of species interactions over small and large spatial-temporal gradients. One way to start uncovering the organization of the sponge host-guest complex networks is to understand how the accumulated geographic area, the sponge morphology and, sponge taxonomy contributes to the connectivity of sponge species within such networks. This study is a meta-analysis based on previous sponge host-guest literature obtained in 65 scientific publications, yielding a total of 745 host-guest interactions between sponges and their associated fauna across the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. We analyzed the sponge species contribution to network organization in the Northwest Tropical Atlantic coral reefs by using the combination of seven complementary species-level descriptors and related this importance with three main traits, sponge-accumulated geographic area, functional sponge morphology, and sponges' taxonomy bias. In general, we observed that sponges with a widespread distribution and a higher accumulated geographic area had a greater network structural contribution. Similarly, we also found that Cup-like and Massive functional morphologies trend to be shapes with a greater contribution to the interaction network organization compared to the Erect and Crust-like morphos. Lastly, we did not detect a taxonomy bias between interaction network organization and sponges' orders. These results highlight the importance of a specific combination of sponge traits to promote the diversity of association between reef sponges and their guest species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antar Mijail Pérez-Botello
- Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Sisal, Yucatán, Mexico
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Wesley Dáttilo
- Red de Ecoetología, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Nuno Simões
- Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Sisal, Yucatán, Mexico
- Laboratorio Nacional de Resilencia Costera (LANRESC, CONACYT), Sisal, Yucatan, Mexico
- International Chair for Coastal and Marine Studies in Mexico, Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi, TX, United States of America
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12
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Chen K, Midway SR, Peoples BK, Wang B, Olden JD. Shifting taxonomic and functional community composition of rivers under land use change. Ecology 2023; 104:e4155. [PMID: 37611172 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Land use intensification has led to conspicuous changes in plant and animal communities across the world. Shifts in trait-based functional composition have recently been hypothesized to manifest at lower levels of environmental change when compared to species-based taxonomic composition; however, little is known about the commonalities in these responses across taxonomic groups and geographic regions. We investigated this hypothesis by testing for taxonomic and geographic similarities in the composition of riverine fish and insect communities across gradients of land use in major hydrological regions of the conterminous United States. We analyzed an extensive data set representing 556 species and 33 functional trait modalities from 8023 fish communities and 1434 taxa and 50 trait modalities from 5197 aquatic insect communities. Our results demonstrate abrupt threshold changes in both taxonomic and functional community composition due to land use conversion. Functional composition consistently demonstrated lower land use threshold responses compared to taxonomic composition for both fish (urban p = 0.069; agriculture p = 0.029) and insect (urban p = 0.095; agriculture p = 0.043) communities according to gradient forest models. We found significantly lower thresholds for urban versus agricultural land use for fishes (taxonomic and functional p < 0.001) and insects (taxonomic p = 0.001; functional p = 0.033). We further revealed that threshold responses in functional composition were more geographically consistent than for taxonomic composition to both urban and agricultural land use change. Traits contributing the most to overall functional composition change differed along urban and agricultural land gradients and conformed to predicted ecological mechanisms underpinning community change. This study points to reliable early-warning thresholds that accurately forecast compositional shifts in riverine communities to land use conversion, and highlight the importance of considering trait-based indicators of community change to inform large-scale land use management strategies and policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou, China
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Stephen R Midway
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Brandon K Peoples
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Beixin Wang
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Julian D Olden
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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13
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Schmera D, Ricotta C, Podani J. Components of functional diversity revisited: A new classification and its theoretical and practical implications. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10614. [PMID: 37841225 PMCID: PMC10570903 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional diversity is regarded as a key concept for understanding the link between ecosystem function and biodiversity. The different and ecologically well-defined aspects of the concept are reflected by the so-called functional components, for example, functional richness and divergence. Many authors proposed that components be distinguished according to the multivariate technique on which they rely, but more recent studies suggest that several multivariate techniques, providing different functional representations (such as dendrograms and ordinations) of the community can in fact express the same functional component. Here, we review the relevant literature and find that (1) general ecological acceptance of the field is hampered by ambiguous terminology and (2) our understanding of the role of multivariate techniques in defining components is unclear. To address these issues, we provide new definitions for the three basic functional diversity components namely functional richness, functional divergence and functional regularity. In addition, we present a classification of presence-/absence-based approaches suitable for quantifying these components. We focus exclusively on the binary case for its relative simplicity. We find illogical, as well as logical but unused combinations of components and representations; and reveal that components can be quantified almost independently from the functional representation of the community. Finally, theoretical and practical implications of the new classification are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dénes Schmera
- Balaton Limnological Research InstituteTihanyHungary
- National Laboratory for Water Science and Water SecurityBalaton Limnological Research InstituteTihanyHungary
| | - Carlo Ricotta
- Department of Environmental BiologyUniversity of Rome ‘La Sapienza’RomeItaly
| | - János Podani
- Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Institute of BiologyEötvös UniversityBudapestHungary
- Institute of Evolution, Centre for Ecological ResearchBudapestHungary
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14
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Rettig K, Semmler-Elpers R, Brettschneider D, Hering D, Feld CK. Of causes and symptoms: using monitoring data and expert knowledge to diagnose the causes of stream degradation. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:1253. [PMID: 37768406 PMCID: PMC10539194 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11741-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Ecological status assessment under the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) often integrates the impact of multiple stressors into a single index value. This hampers the identification of individual stressors being responsible for status deterioration. As a consequence, management measures are often disentangled from assessment results. To close this gap and to support river basin managers in the diagnosis of stressors, we linked numerous macroinvertebrate assessment metrics and one diatom index with potential causes of ecological deterioration through Bayesian belief networks (BBNs). The BBNs were informed by WFD monitoring data as well as regular consultation with experts and allow to estimate the probabilities of individual degradation causes based upon a selection of biological metrics. Macroinvertebrate metrics were shown to be stronger linked to hydromorphological conditions and land use than to water quality-related parameters (e.g., thermal and nutrient pollution). The modeled probabilities also allow to order the potential causes of degradation hierarchically. The comparison of assessment metrics showed that compositional and trait-based community metrics performed equally well in the diagnosis. The testing of the BBNs by experts resulted in an agreement between model output and expert opinion of 17-92% for individual stressors. Overall, the expert-based validation confirmed a good diagnostic potential of the BBNs; on average 80% of the diagnosed causes were in agreement with expert judgement. We conclude that diagnostic BBNs can assist the identification of causes of stream and river degradation and thereby inform the derivation of appropriate management decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Rettig
- Faculty of Biology, Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, Essen, 45141, Germany.
| | - Renate Semmler-Elpers
- State Agency for the Environment Baden-Württemberg, Griesbachstr. 1, Karlsruhe, 76185, Germany
| | - Denise Brettschneider
- State Agency for the Environment Baden-Württemberg, Griesbachstr. 1, Karlsruhe, 76185, Germany
| | - Daniel Hering
- Faculty of Biology, Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, Essen, 45141, Germany
- Center for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, Essen, 45141, Germany
| | - Christian K Feld
- Faculty of Biology, Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, Essen, 45141, Germany
- Center for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, Essen, 45141, Germany
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15
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Boutin K, Gaudron SM, Denis J, Ben Rais Lasram F. Potential marine benthic colonisers of offshore wind farms in the English channel: A functional trait-based approach. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 190:106061. [PMID: 37421705 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Offshore wind farms (OWFs) have gained attention as a promising alternative to conventional energy sources. However, their installation and operation may have multiple ecological impacts on the marine environment, including the "reef effect". The reef effect is the colonisation of wind turbines and other artificial substrates by benthic organisms, which has a major impact on marine biodiversity as it changes community assemblages and ecosystem functioning. We conducted a two-step study to predict the reef effect of a future OWF (Dunkirk, northern France). First, we explored similarities between colonisers of existing OWFs and those of other hard substrates (oil and gas platforms (O&GP) and hard substrates in the English Channel (HSEC)). We then analysed functional traits to determine a trait profile of potential colonisers of Dunkirk's OWF. Statistical analyses revealed that OWF and O&GP communities were more similar to each other than to that of HSEC. Comparing the three communities revealed that they shared 157 taxa, which could be potential colonisers of Dunkirk's future OWF. The functional profile revealed that OWF colonisers were species ranging from 10 to 100 mm in size, with gonochoric reproduction, pelagic and planktotrophic larvae, a life span of less than 2 years or 5-20 years, were sessile, and were carnivores or suspension feeders. Functional trait analysis revealed that during their intermediate stage of development, OWF benthic communities have a functional richness and diversity (0.68 and 0.53, respectively) similar to those of HSEC communities (0.54 and 0.50, respectively). However, based on using O&GP as a long-term view of the colonisation of OWFs, functional richness and diversity could decrease during the climax stage (0.07 and 0.42, respectively).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Boutin
- Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, Univ. Lille, CNRS, IRD, UMR 8187, LOG, Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, F 62930, Wimereux, France.
| | - Sylvie Marylene Gaudron
- Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, Univ. Lille, CNRS, IRD, UMR 8187, LOG, Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, F 62930, Wimereux, France; Sorbonne Univ., UFR 927, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Jérémy Denis
- Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, Univ. Lille, CNRS, IRD, UMR 8187, LOG, Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, F 62930, Wimereux, France
| | - Frida Ben Rais Lasram
- Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, Univ. Lille, CNRS, IRD, UMR 8187, LOG, Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, F 62930, Wimereux, France
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16
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Chin ARO, Guzmán-Delgado P, Görlich A, HilleRisLambers J. Towards multivariate functional trait syndromes: Predicting foliar water uptake in trees. Ecology 2023; 104:e4112. [PMID: 37252804 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Analysis of functional traits is a cornerstone of ecology, yet individual traits seldom explain useful amounts of variation in species distribution or climatic tolerance, and their functional significance is rarely validated experimentally. Multivariate suites of interacting traits could build an understanding of ecological processes and improve our ability to make sound predictions of species success in our rapidly changing world. We use foliar water uptake capacity as a case study because it is increasingly considered to be a key functional trait in plant ecology due to its importance for stress-tolerance physiology. However, the traits behind the trait, that is, the features of leaves that determine variation in foliar water uptake rates, have not been assembled into a widely applicable framework for uptake prediction. Focusing on trees, we investigated relationships among 25 structural traits, leaf osmotic potential (a source of free energy to draw water into leaves), and foliar water uptake in 10 diverse angiosperm and conifer species. We identified consistent, multitrait "uptake syndromes" for both angiosperm and conifer trees, with differences in key traits revealing suspected differences in the water entry route between these two clades and an evolutionarily significant divergence in the function of homologous structures. A literature review of uptake-associated functional traits, which largely documents similar univariate relationships, provides additional support for our proposed "uptake syndrome." Importantly, more than half of shared traits had opposite-direction influences on the capacity of leaves to absorb water in angiosperms and conifers. Taxonomically targeted multivariate trait syndromes provide a useful tool for trait selection in ecological research, while highlighting the importance of micro-traits and the physiological verification of their function for advancing trait-based ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana R O Chin
- Plant Ecology Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Paula Guzmán-Delgado
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Anna Görlich
- Plant Ecology Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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17
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Kendrick MR, McCord JW. Overwintering and breeding patterns of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) in coastal plain habitats of the southeastern USA. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10438. [PMID: 37369690 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37225-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding variability in species' traits can inform our understanding of their ecology and aid in the development of management and conservation strategies. Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are native to the western hemisphere and are well-known for their long-distance migrations but have experienced significant population declines in recent decades. Here we use a 5-year capture-mark-recapture dataset to compare monarch distributions, mating activity, and larval host plant use between two coastal plain habitats in South Carolina, USA. We observed seasonally specific habitat use, with maritime habitats serving as overwintering areas while nearby inland swamps support significant breeding in spring, summer, and fall seasons due to an abundance of aquatic milkweed (Asclepias perennis). We also observed mating activity by fall migrating monarchs and their use of swallow-wort (Pattalias palustre) in the spring as an important larval host plant in maritime habitats. This phenology and habitat use of monarchs diverges from established paradigms and suggest that a distinct population segment of monarchs may exist, with significance for understanding the conservation status of monarch butterflies and associated habitats in eastern North America. Further research should explore how monarchs along the Atlantic coast of North America relate to other eastern monarch populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Kendrick
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Marine Resources Research Institute, 217 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC, 29422, USA.
| | - John W McCord
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Marine Resources Research Institute, 217 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC, 29422, USA
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18
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Nukazawa K, Chiu MC, Kazama S, Watanabe K. Contrasting adaptive genetic consequences of stream insects under changing climate. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 872:162258. [PMID: 36801338 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater biodiversity undergoes degradation due to climate change. Researchers have inferred the effects of climate change on neutral genetic diversity, assuming the fixed spatial distributions of alleles. However, the adaptive genetic evolution of populations that may change the spatial distribution of allele frequencies along environmental gradients (i.e., evolutionary rescue) have largely been overlooked. We developed a modeling approach that projects the comparatively adaptive and neutral genetic diversities of four stream insects, using empirical neutral/ putative adaptive loci, ecological niche models (ENMs), and a distributed hydrological-thermal simulation at a temperate catchment under climate change. The hydrothermal model was used to generate hydraulic and thermal variables (e.g., annual current velocity and water temperature) at the present and the climatic change conditions, projected based on the eight general circulation models and the three representative concentration pathways scenarios for the two future periods (2031-2050, near future; 2081-2100, far future). The hydraulic and thermal variables were used for predictor variables of the ENMs and adaptive genetic modeling based on machine learning approaches. The increases in annual water temperature in the near- (+0.3-0.7 °C) and far-future (+0.4-3.2 °C) were projected. Of the studied species, with different ecologies and habitat ranges, Ephemera japonica (Ephemeroptera) was projected to lose rear-edge habitats (i.e., downstream) but retain the adaptive genetic diversity owing to evolutionary rescue. In contrast, the habitat range of the upstream-dwelling Hydropsyche albicephala (Trichoptera) was found to remarkably decline, resulting in decreases in the watershed genetic diversity. While the other two Trichoptera species expanded their habitat ranges, the genetic structures were homogenized over the watershed and experienced moderate decreases in gamma diversity. The findings emphasize the evolutionary rescue potential, depending on the extent of species-specific local adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei Nukazawa
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Miyazaki, Gakuen Kibanadai-nishi 1-1, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan.
| | - Ming-Chih Chiu
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 3, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan; State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430061, China
| | - So Kazama
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Aoba-yama 6-6-06, Sendai 980-8579, Japan.
| | - Kozo Watanabe
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 3, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan.
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19
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Ma Y, Yu Z, Jia S, Wu N, Yin K, Wang Y, Giesy JP, Jin X. Multiple anthropogenic stressors influence the taxonomic and functional homogenization of macroinvertebrate communities on the mainstream of an urban-agricultural river in China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 341:118017. [PMID: 37150169 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity loss is caused by intensive human activities and threatens human well-being. However, less is known about how the combined effects of multiple stressors on the diversity of internal (alpha diversity) and multidimensional (beta diversity) communities. Here, we conducted a long-term experiment to quantify the contribution of environmental stressors (including water quality, land use, climate factors, and hydrological regimes) to macroinvertebrate communities alpha and beta diversity in the mainstream of the Songhua River, the third largest river in China, from 2012 to 2019. Our results demonstrated that the alpha and beta diversity indices showed a decline during the study period, with the dissimilarity in community composition between sites decreasing significantly, especially in the impacted river sections (upper and midstream). Despite overall improvement in water quality after management intervention, multiple human-caused stressors still have led to biotic homogenization of macroinvertebrate communities in terms of both taxonomic and functional diversities in the past decade. Our study revealed the increased human land use explained an important portion of the variation of diversities, further indirectly promoting biotic homogenization by changing the physical and chemical factors of water quality, ultimately altering assemblage ecological processes. Furthermore, the facets of diversity have distinct response mechanisms to stressors, providing complementary information from the perspective of taxonomy and function to better reflect the ecological changes of communities. Environmental filtering determined taxonomic beta diversity, and functional beta diversity was driven by the joint efforts of stressors and spatial processes. Finally, we proposed that traditional water quality monitoring alone cannot fully reveal the status of river ecological environment protection, and more importantly, we should explore the continuous changes in biodiversity over the long term. Meanwhile, our results also highlight timely control of nutrient input and unreasonable expansion of land use can better curb the ecological degradation of rivers and promote the healthy and sustainable development of floodplain ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Ma
- College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; China National Environmental Monitoring Centre, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Zongling Yu
- Ecological Environmental Monitoring Central Station of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin, 150056, China
| | - Shiqi Jia
- China National Environmental Monitoring Centre, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Naicheng Wu
- Department of Geography and Spatial Information Techniques, NingboUniversity, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Kun Yin
- China National Environmental Monitoring Centre, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Yeyao Wang
- China National Environmental Monitoring Centre, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - John P Giesy
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48895, USA; Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5B3, Canada; Department of Environmental Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX, 76798-7266, USA
| | - Xiaowei Jin
- China National Environmental Monitoring Centre, Beijing, 100012, China.
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Lourenço J, Gutiérrez-Cánovas C, Carvalho F, Cássio F, Pascoal C, Pace G. Non-interactive effects drive multiple stressor impacts on the taxonomic and functional diversity of atlantic stream macroinvertebrates. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 229:115965. [PMID: 37105281 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Freshwaters are considered among the most endangered ecosystems globally due to multiple stressors, which coincide in time and space. These local stressors typically result from land-use intensification or hydroclimatic alterations, among others. Despite recent advances on multiple stressor effects, current knowledge is still limited to manipulative approaches minimizing biological and abiotic variability. Thus, the assessment of multiple stressor effects in real-world ecosystems is required. Using an extensive survey of 50 stream reaches across North Portugal, we evaluated taxonomic and functional macroinvertebrate responses to multiple stressors, including marked gradients of nutrient enrichment, flow reduction, riparian vegetation structure, thermal stress and dissolved oxygen depletion. We analyzed multiple stressor effects on two taxonomic (taxon richness, Shannon-diversity) and two trait-based diversity indices (functional richness, functional dispersion), as well as changes in trait composition. We found that multiple stressors had additive effects on all diversity metrics, with nutrient enrichment identified as the most important stressor in three out of four metrics, followed by dissolved oxygen depletion and thermal stress. Taxon richness, Shannon-diversity and functional richness responded similarly, whereas functional dispersion was driven by changes in flow velocity and thermal stress. Functional trait composition changed along a major stress gradient determined by nutrient enrichment and oxygen depletion, which was positively correlated with organisms possessing fast-living strategies, aerial respiration, adult phases, and gathering-collector feeding habits. Overall, our results reinforce the need to consider complementary facets of biodiversity to better identify assembly processes in response to multiple stressors. Our data suggest that stressor interactions may be less frequent in real-word streams than predicted by manipulative experiments, which can facilitate mitigation strategies. By combining an extensive field survey with an integrative consideration of multiple biodiversity facets, our study provides new insights that can help to better assess and manage rivers in a global change context.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Lourenço
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA) / Aquatic Research Network (ARNET) Associate Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability (IB-S), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
| | - C Gutiérrez-Cánovas
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipán s/n, 28933, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
| | - F Carvalho
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA) / Aquatic Research Network (ARNET) Associate Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability (IB-S), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - F Cássio
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA) / Aquatic Research Network (ARNET) Associate Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability (IB-S), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - C Pascoal
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA) / Aquatic Research Network (ARNET) Associate Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability (IB-S), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - G Pace
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA) / Aquatic Research Network (ARNET) Associate Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability (IB-S), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
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21
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Rypel AL. Ecosystem size filters life-history strategies to shape community assembly in lakes. J Anim Ecol 2023. [PMID: 37081674 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Enhancing understanding of community assembly rules hinges on shared conceptualizations that operate across scales and levels of ecological organization. Knowledge of the biogeography of life-history strategies is especially limited but crucial for building fundamental information on the relationships between trait diversity and species richness. The goals of this study were to (i) demonstrate how life histories can be classified using a previously identified triangular continuum of evolutionary trade-offs; (ii) test whether spatial and temporal heterogeneity in species abundances is linked to life-history strategy; (iii) compare species-area relationships across the primary life-history strategist groups and (iv) explore how species life-history niche spaces are shaped by ecosystem size and landscape architecture. Fish communities were sampled in 40 lakes that varied widely in volume; 11 lakes were sampled annually for 28 or 42 years. Seventy-one species were classified as equilibrium, periodic or opportunistic strategists, and species-area curves were quantified and compared among strategy types. As predicted by life-history theory, relative abundances of opportunistic strategists were extremely variable over space and time, whereas abundances of equilibrium and periodic strategists were more stable. Small lakes were often dominated by only one species, usually an opportunistic strategist. Species richness increased with ecosystem size, but larger ecosystems were increasingly inhabited by equilibrium, and then, periodic strategists. Richness of periodic species increased with ecosystem size at a faster rate compared with opportunistic species showing that colonization-extinction points fundamentally vary by strategy. Similarly, life-history niche space increased with ecosystem size in accord with species-area relationships but showed saturation behaviour. Niche space became increasingly crowded in large lakes, particularly in lakes with higher hydrologic connectance. Ecosystem size mediates the assembly of communities through effects on environmental stability, hydrology and life-history filtering. This finding provides novel insights into community assembly at multiple scales and has broad conservation applications. Because ecosystem size filters towards orthogonal and inverse life histories, conservation actions (e.g. fish stockings) that do not consider life-history and community filtering rules will probably fail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew L Rypel
- Department of Wildlife, Fish & Conservation Biology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Center for Watershed Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
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22
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Forio MAE, Goethals PLM, Lock K, Nguyen THT, Damanik-Ambarita MN, Dominguez-Granda L, Thas O. Determining Tipping Points and Responses of Macroinvertebrate Traits to Abiotic Factors in Support of River Management. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12040593. [PMID: 37106793 PMCID: PMC10135673 DOI: 10.3390/biology12040593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Although the trait concept is increasingly used in research, quantitative relations that can support in determining ecological tipping points and serve as a basis for environmental standards are lacking. This study determines changes in trait abundance along a gradient of flow velocity, turbidity and elevation, and develops trait-response curves, which facilitate the identification of ecological tipping points. Aquatic macroinvertebrates and abiotic conditions were determined at 88 different locations in the streams of the Guayas basin. After trait information collection, a set of trait diversity metrics were calculated. Negative binomial regression and linear regression were applied to relate the abundance of each trait and trait diversity metrics, respectively, to flow velocity, turbidity and elevation. Tipping points for each environmental variable in relation to traits were identified using the segmented regression method. The abundance of most traits increased with increasing velocity, while they decreased with increasing turbidity. The negative binomial regression models revealed that from a flow velocity higher than 0.5 m/s, a substantial increase in abundance occurs for several traits, and this is even more substantially noticed at values higher than 1 m/s. Furthermore, significant tipping points were also identified for elevation, wherein an abrupt decline in trait richness was observed below 22 m a.s.l., implying the need to focus water management in these altitudinal regions. Turbidity is potentially caused by erosion; thus, measures that can reduce or limit erosion within the basin should be implemented. Our findings suggest that measures mitigating the issues related to turbidity and flow velocity may lead to better aquatic ecosystem functioning. This quantitative information related to flow velocity might serve as a good basis to determine ecological flow requirements and illustrates the major impacts that hydropower dams can have in fast-running river systems. These quantitative relations between invertebrate traits and environmental conditions, as well as related tipping points, provide a basis to determine critical targets for aquatic ecosystem management, achieve improved ecosystem functioning and warrant trait diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Anne Eurie Forio
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Peter L M Goethals
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Koen Lock
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Thi Hanh Tien Nguyen
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Faculty of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Phenikaa University, Yen Nghia, Ha Dong, Hanoi 10000, Vietnam
- Bioresource Research Center, Phenikaa University, Yen Nghia, Ha Dong, Hanoi 10000, Vietnam
| | | | - Luis Dominguez-Granda
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), Km 30.5, Via Perimetral, Guayaquil P.O. Box 09-01-5863, Ecuador
| | - Olivier Thas
- Data Science Institute, I-Biostat, Hasselt University, Agoralaan-Gebouw D, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
- National Institute for Applied Statistics Research Australia (NIASRA), University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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23
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Paiva FF, Melo DBD, Dolbeth M, Molozzi J. Functional threshold responses of benthic macroinvertebrates to environmental stressors in reservoirs. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 329:116970. [PMID: 36528939 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Reservoirs are aquatic ecosystems created by humans to supply water needs. They can impair aquatic diversity due to the lack of connectivity, reduced water volume, and pressures exerted by surrounding human activities. These changes are expected to produce abrupt fluctuations in the reservoirs' environment, thus influencing the structure and functioning of aquatic communities. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the impact of a range of environmental stressors in reservoirs on benthic macroinvertebrates by analyzing their functional threshold response. Biological data were collected in six reservoirs from the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil, as case study. A total of 37.874 benthic macroinvertebrates belonging to 35 taxa were collected. Nevertheless, almost 90% of this abundance belonged to three species alone, considered generalists, with multivoltine reproduction and from the gatherer-collectors feeding group. Increases in environmental stressors such as salinity, nitrate, ammonia, and dissolved solids led to the selection of macroinvertebrates with specific traits (e.g., protected body, gill respiration, and large body size). These functional traits showed differences in their threshold response depending on the stressors and are indicators of the effects of these stressors on the reservoirs. Some of the potential sensitive traits (with a negative threshold response to the stressor) could also associate with other stressors, demonstrating that tolerance of benthic macroinvertebrates is defined by a set of functional characteristics. Overall, the increase in stressor' gradients selected functionally tolerant organisms with high resistance capacity, but these were represented by dominant species. This resulted in low diversity in the reservoirs, which may compromise ecosystem functioning, and raises concerns about adequate management of the systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franciely Ferreira Paiva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação - Universidade Estadual da Paraíba. Rua Baraúnas, N° 351, Bairro Universitário, Complexo Três Marias, CEP 58429-500, Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil.
| | - Dalescka Barbosa de Melo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação - Universidade Estadual da Paraíba. Rua Baraúnas, N° 351, Bairro Universitário, Complexo Três Marias, CEP 58429-500, Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil
| | - Marina Dolbeth
- Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental - Universidade do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, 4050-123, Matosinhos, Porto, Portugal
| | - Joseline Molozzi
- Departamento de Biologia/Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Ecologia e Conservação- Universidade Estadual da Paraíba.Rua Baraúnas, N° 351, Bairro Universitário, Complexo Três Marias, CEP 58429-500, Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil
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24
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Wang J, Bao S, Zhang K, Heino J, Jiang X, Liu Z, Tao J. Responses of macroinvertebrate functional trait structure to river damming: From within-river to basin-scale patterns. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 220:115255. [PMID: 36634889 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Revealing how aquatic organisms respond to dam impacts is essential for river biomonitoring and management. Traditional examinations of dam impacts on macroinvertebrate assemblages were frequently conducted within single rivers (i.e., between upstream vs. downstream locations) and based on taxonomic identities but have rarely been expanded to level of entire basins (i.e., between dammed vs. undammed rivers) and from a functional trait perspective. Here, we evaluated the effects of dams on macroinvertebrate assemblages at both the within-river and basin scales using functional traits in two comparable tropical tributaries of the Lancang-Mekong River. At different scales, maximum body size, functional feeding groups (FFG), voltinism and occurrence in drift respond significantly to dam impact. Armoring categories varied significantly between downstream sites and upstream sites, and oviposition behavior, habits and adult life span significantly differed between rivers. The key traits at the within-river scale resembled to those at the between-river scale, suggesting that within-river trait variation could further shape functional trait structure at the basin scale in dammed rivers. Furthermore, water nutrients and habitat quality induced by dams showed the most important role in shaping trait structure, although trait-environment relationships varied between the two different scales. In addition, the trait-environment relationships were stronger in the dry season than in the wet season, suggesting a more important role of environmental filtering processes in the dry season compared with the wet season. This study highlights the utility of the trait-based approach to diagnose the effects of damming and emphasizes the importance of spatial scale to examine dam impacts in riverine systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair/ Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Eco-nomic Belt, Ministry of Education, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
| | - Simin Bao
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair/ Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Eco-nomic Belt, Ministry of Education, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
| | - Kai Zhang
- Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
| | - Jani Heino
- Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 8000, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland.
| | - Xiaoming Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulic in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China.
| | - Zhenyuan Liu
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
| | - Juan Tao
- Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
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25
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Svendsen NA, Radchuk V, Morel-Journel T, Thuillier V, Schtickzelle N. Complexity vs linearity: relations between functional traits in a heterotrophic protist. BMC Ecol Evol 2023; 23:1. [PMID: 36631737 PMCID: PMC9832698 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02102-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Functional traits are phenotypic traits that affect an organism's performance and shape ecosystem-level processes. The main challenge when using functional traits to quantify biodiversity is to choose which ones to measure since effort and money are limited. As one way of dealing with this, Hodgson et al. (Oikos 85:282, 1999) introduced the idea of two types of traits, with soft traits that are easy and quick to quantify, and hard traits that are directly linked to ecosystem functioning but difficult to measure. If a link exists between the two types of traits, then one could use soft traits as a proxy for hard traits for a quick but meaningful assessment of biodiversity. However, this framework is based on two assumptions: (1) hard and soft traits must be tightly connected to allow reliable prediction of one using the other; (2) the relationship between traits must be monotonic and linear to be detected by the most common statistical techniques (e.g. linear model, PCA). RESULTS Here we addressed those two assumptions by focusing on six functional traits of the protist species Tetrahymena thermophila, which vary both in their measurement difficulty and functional meaningfulness. They were classified as: easy traits (morphological traits), intermediate traits (movement traits) and hard traits (oxygen consumption and population growth rate). We detected a high number (> 60%) of non-linear relations between the traits, which can explain the low number of significant relations found using linear models and PCA analysis. Overall, these analyses did not detect any relationship strong enough to predict one trait using another, but that does not imply there are none. CONCLUSIONS Our results highlighted the need to critically assess the relations among the functional traits used as proxies and those functional traits which they aim to reflect. A thorough assessment of whether such relations exist across species and communities is a necessary next step to evaluate whether it is possible to take a shortcut in quantifying functional diversity by collecting the data on easily measurable traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils A. Svendsen
- grid.7942.80000 0001 2294 713XEarth and Life Institute, Biodiversity Research Center, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Viktoriia Radchuk
- grid.418779.40000 0001 0708 0355Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Thibaut Morel-Journel
- grid.7942.80000 0001 2294 713XEarth and Life Institute, Biodiversity Research Center, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium ,grid.440907.e0000 0004 1784 3645Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche en Biologie (CIRB), Collège de France, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 7241, Paris, France
| | - Virginie Thuillier
- grid.7942.80000 0001 2294 713XEarth and Life Institute, Biodiversity Research Center, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Schtickzelle
- grid.7942.80000 0001 2294 713XEarth and Life Institute, Biodiversity Research Center, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium
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26
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Wang L, Xia L, Li J, Wan L, Yang H. Winter dynamics of functional diversity and redundancy of riffle and pool macroinvertebrates after defoliation in a temperate forest stream. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1105323. [PMID: 36950171 PMCID: PMC10025292 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1105323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Headwater streams are highly heterogenous and characterized by a sequence of riffles and pools, which are identified as distinct habitats. That higher species richness and density in riffles than in pools is considered a general pattern for macroinvertebrates. As temperate winters can last long up to half a year, however, macroinvertebrate communities of riffles and pools may assemble differently under ices or snows. Particularly, defoliation concentrating in autumn can largely change habitats in both riffles and pools by litter patching. According to the absence or presence of litter patches, there exist four types of subhabitats, i.e., riffle stones, riffle litters, and pool sediments, pool litters, which are selectively colonized by macroinvertebrates. To study the spatial pattern and temporal dynamics of colonization, macroinvertebrates were surveyed in a warmer temperate forest headwater stream in Northeast China during four periods: autumn, pre-freezing, freezing, and thawing periods. Our study focused on functional trait composition, functional diversity and functional redundancy of macroinvertebrate communities. The colonization of macroinvertebrates was found to be significantly different in these subhabitats. Riffle stones supported higher taxonomic and functional diversities than pool sediments; litter patches supported higher total macroinvertebrate abundance and higher functional redundancy than riffle stones or pool sediments. The functional trait composition changed significantly with seasonal freeze-thaw in both riffle stones and pool sediments, but not in litter patches. Macroinvertebrate community in litter patches showed seasonal stability in taxonomic and functional diversities and functional redundancy. Thus, this study strongly highlights that litter patches play an important role structuring macroinvertebrate community over winter, supporting high abundance and maintaining functional stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Wang
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lixian Xia
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Jiaxu Li
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Linglin Wan
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Linglin Wan,
| | - Haijun Yang
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- Haijun Yang,
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27
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Lee DY, Lee DS, Park YS. Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages in Reservoirs of South Korea. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 20:673. [PMID: 36612995 PMCID: PMC9819676 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Numerous community indices have been developed to quantify the various aspects of communities. However, indices including functional aspects have been less focused on. Here, we examined how community composition varies in response to the environment and discovered the relationship between taxonomic diversity and functional diversity while considering the environment. Macroinvertebrate communities were collected from 20 reservoirs in South Korea. To characterize functional diversity, functional traits in four categories were considered: generation per year, adult lifespan, adult size, and functional feeding groups. Based on their community composition, we classified the reservoirs using hierarchical cluster analysis. Physicochemical and land use variables varied considerably between clusters. Non-metric multidimensional scaling indicated differences between reservoirs and clusters in terms of structure, functional diversity, and environmental variables. A self-organizing map was used to categorize functional traits, and network association analysis was used to unravel relationships between functional traits. Our results support the characteristics of species' survival strategies such as r- and K-selection. Functional richness exhibited a relationship with taxonomic diversity. Our findings suggest that different types of diversity could play complementary roles in identifying biodiversity. Our findings should prove useful in developing new criteria for assessing freshwater ecosystem health, as well as in evaluating and predicting future alteration of benthic macroinvertebrate communities facing anthropogenic disturbances.
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28
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Edegbene AO, Akamagwuna FC. Insights from the Niger Delta Region, Nigeria on the impacts of urban pollution on the functional organisation of Afrotropical macroinvertebrates. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22551. [PMID: 36581677 PMCID: PMC9800367 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26659-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities, including urbanisation and industrialisation threaten stream ecological integrity, ecosystem community structure and ecosystem functioning of rivers and streams worldwide. However, developing sustainable monitoring strategies for ecological health remains a critical challenge in Africa. We examined the effects of urban disturbance on macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups in selected streams in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. We sampled 11 sites between 2008 and 2012 and grouped into three site groups (Site groups 1 > 2 > 3). The groups represent an increasing gradient of urban pollution. Our result showed that urban-induced disturbances affected physicochemical variables in the study area (PERMANOVA; p < 0.05), with nutrients NO2-N, PO4-P, and electrical conductivity being significantly higher in impacted Site group 3 (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Predators and gatherers were the most dominant Functional Feeding Group recorded in the study area, while shredders were the least abundant macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups. The multivariate RLQ analysis revealed that shredders, predators, and scrapers were tolerant of urban pollution, whereas gatherers were sensitive to increasing urban pollution. Overall, macroinvertebrates Functional Feeding Groups responded differentially to urban pollution in the Niger Delta Region. Identifying pollution indicator Functional Feeding Groups is seen as an important step towards developing a reliable, low-cost tool for riverine monitoring of urban pollution effects in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augustine Ovie Edegbene
- grid.91354.3a0000 0001 2364 1300Institute for Water Research, Rhodes University, Makhanda (Grahamstown), 6140 South Africa ,Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Nigeria
| | - Frank Chukwuzuoke Akamagwuna
- grid.91354.3a0000 0001 2364 1300Institute for Water Research, Rhodes University, Makhanda (Grahamstown), 6140 South Africa
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29
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Ao S, Ye L, Liu X, Cai Q, He F. Elevational patterns of trait composition and functional diversity of stream macroinvertebrates in the Hengduan Mountains region, Southwest China. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS 2022; 144:109558. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
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30
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Lencioni V, Stella E, Zanoni MG, Bellin A. On the delay between water temperature and invertebrate community response to warming climate. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 837:155759. [PMID: 35533868 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated the effect of global warming on invertebrate communities at high altitudes using data from the Careser system. We procured data on air temperature, which was obtained over 50 years at altitudes above 2600 m a.s.l., and data on water temperature, which was available for approximately 30 years. We sampled thrice in the past 20 years (2001, 2014, 2018) at three sampling sites (CR0-metakryal, CR1-hypokryal, CR2-glacio-rhithral) of the Careser glacier-fed stream and its main non-glacial tributary (CR1bis-krenal). Warmer climates were observed in the last decade compared to the 1980s, with a mean maximum summer air temperature (mTmax) increase of 1.7 °C at 2642 m a.s.l. and 1.8 °C at 2858 m a.s.l. Compared to air temperatures, the rise in water temperature was delayed by approximately 20 years; water mTmax started to increase in 2003, reaching 8.1 °C at 2642 m a.s.l. and 2.4 °C at 2858 m a.s.l in the year 2020. The invertebrate community exhibited a delayed response approximately 13 years from the water warming; there was a sequential increase in the number of taxa, Shannon diversity, and after 17 years, functional diversity. In the kryal sites, taxonomical and functional diversity changed more consistently than in the glacio-rhithral site in the same period, due to the arrival of taxa that were previously absent upstream and bearers of entirely new traits. Progressive taxonomical homogenisation was evident with decreasing glacial influence, mainly between glacio-rhithral and krenal sites. The numbers of Diamesa steinboecki, an insect that was adapted to the cold, declined in summer (water mTmax >6 °C and air mTmax >12 °C). This study highlights the mode and time of response of stream invertebrate communities to global warming in alpine streams and provides guidelines for analysing changes in the stream invertebrate communities of other glacial systems in alpine regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Lencioni
- Climate and Ecology Unit, Research and Museum Collection Office, MUSE-Museo delle Scienze, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, Trento, 38122, Italy.
| | - Elisa Stella
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Scientific Campus, Via Torino, 155, Mestre-Venice 30172, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Zanoni
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, DICAM, University of Trento, Via Mesiano, 77, Trento 38123, Italy
| | - Alberto Bellin
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, DICAM, University of Trento, Via Mesiano, 77, Trento 38123, Italy
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Jiang X, Sun X, Alahuhta J, Heino J, Xie Z. Responses of multiple facets of macroinvertebrate alpha diversity to eutrophication in floodplain lakes. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 306:119410. [PMID: 35525517 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The accelerated eutrophication of freshwater lakes has become an environmental problem worldwide. Increasing numbers of studies highlight the need to incorporate functional and phylogenetic information of species into bioassessment programms, but it is still poorly understood how eutrophication affects multiple diversity facets of freshwater communities. Here, we assessed the responses of taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates to water eutrophication in 33 lakes in the Yangtze River floodplain in China. Our results showed that macroinvertebrate assemblage structure was significantly different among four lake groups (river-connected, macrophyte-dominated, macrophyte-algae transition, and algae-dominated). Three taxonomic, two phylogenetic and two functional diversity indices were significantly different among the lake groups. Except for the increasing trend of Lambda+, these metrics showed a clear decreasing trend with increasing levels of eutrophication, with highest values detected in river-connected and macrophyte-dominated lakes, followed by macrophyte-algae transition lakes and algal-dominated lakes. Although differing in the number and identity of key environmental and spatial variables among the explanatory models of different diversity indices, environmental factors (eutrophication-related water quality variables) played more important role than spatial factors in structuring all three facets of alpha diversity. The predominant role of environmental filtering can be attributed to the strong eutrophication gradient across the studied lakes. Among the three diversity facets, functional diversity indices performed best in portraying anthropogenic disturbances, with variations in these indices being solely explained by environmental factors. Spatial factors were mostly weak or negligible in accounting for the variation in functional diversity indices, implying that trait-based indices are robust in portraying anthropogenic eutrophication in floodplain lakes. However, variation in some taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity indices were also affected by spatial factors, indicating that conservation practitioners and environmental managers should use these metrics with caution when providing solutions for addressing eutrophication in floodplain lakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoming Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulic in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, Shaanxi, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Xing Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulic in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, Shaanxi, China
| | - Janne Alahuhta
- Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu, P. O. Box 8000, FI-90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jani Heino
- Freshwater Centre, Finnish Environment Institute, Paavo Havaksen Tie 3, P.O. Box 413, FI-90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Zhicai Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
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Laini A, Burgazzi G, Chadd R, England J, Tziortzis I, Ventrucci M, Vezza P, Wood PJ, Viaroli P, Guareschi S. Using invertebrate functional traits to improve flow variability assessment within European rivers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 832:155047. [PMID: 35395295 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Rivers are among the most threatened ecosystems worldwide and are experiencing rapid biodiversity loss. Flow alteration due to climate change, water abstraction and augmentation is a severe stressor on many aquatic communities. Macroinvertebrates are widely used for biomonitoring river ecosystems although current taxonomic approaches used to characterise ecological responses to flow have limitations in terms of generalisation across biogeographical regions. A new macroinvertebrate trait-based index, Flow-T, derived from ecological functional information (flow velocity preferences) currently available for almost 500 invertebrate taxa at the European scale is presented. The index was tested using data from rivers spanning different biogeographic and hydro-climatic regions from the UK, Cyprus and Italy. The performance of Flow-T at different spatial scales and its relationship with an established UK flow assessment tool, the Lotic-invertebrate Index for Flow Evaluation (LIFE), was assessed to determine the transferability of the approach internationally. Flow-T was strongly correlated with the LIFE index using both presence-absence and abundance weighted data from all study areas (r varying from 0.46 to 0.96). When applied at the river reach scale, Flow-T was effective in identifying communities associated with distinct mesohabitats characterised by their hydraulic characteristics (e.g., pools, riffles, glides). Flow-T can be derived using both presence/absence and abundance data and can be easily adapted to varying taxonomic resolutions. The trait-based approach facilitates research using the entire European invertebrate fauna and can potentially be applied in regions where information on taxa-specific flow velocity preferences is not currently available. The inter-regional and continental scale transferability of Flow-T may help water resource managers gauge the effects of changes in flow regime on instream communities at varying spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Laini
- University of Parma, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Parma, Italy; Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
| | - Gemma Burgazzi
- University of Parma, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Parma, Italy; Institute for Environmental Sciences, Quantitative Landscape Ecology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Richard Chadd
- Environment Agency of England, Stepping Stone Walk, Winfrey Avenue, Spalding, Lincolnshire, UK
| | - Judy England
- Environment Agency, Red Kite House, Howbery Park, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, UK
| | - Iakovos Tziortzis
- Water Development Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Massimo Ventrucci
- Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Paolo Vezza
- Department of Environment, Land and Infrastructure Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Paul J Wood
- Geography and Environment, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Pierluigi Viaroli
- University of Parma, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Parma, Italy
| | - Simone Guareschi
- Geography and Environment, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK; Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain
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Sotomayor G, Hampel H, Vázquez RF, Forio MAE, Goethals PLM. Implications of macroinvertebrate taxonomic resolution for freshwater assessments using functional traits: The Paute River Basin (Ecuador) case. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Sotomayor
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology Ghent University Ghent Belgium
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas Laboratorio de Ecología Acuática (LEA) Universidad de Cuenca Cuenca Ecuador
| | - Henrietta Hampel
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas Laboratorio de Ecología Acuática (LEA) Universidad de Cuenca Cuenca Ecuador
| | - Raúl F. Vázquez
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas Laboratorio de Ecología Acuática (LEA) Universidad de Cuenca Cuenca Ecuador
- Facultad de Ingeniería Departamento de Ingeniería Civil Universidad de Cuenca Cuenca Ecuador
| | - Marie Anne Eurie Forio
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology Ghent University Ghent Belgium
| | - Peter L. M. Goethals
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology Ghent University Ghent Belgium
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Schmera D, Heino J, Podani J. Characterising functional strategies and trait space of freshwater macroinvertebrates. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12283. [PMID: 35854038 PMCID: PMC9296484 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16472-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined the functional strategies and the trait space of 596 European taxa of freshwater macroinvertebrates characterized by 63 fuzzy coded traits belonging to 11 trait groups. Principal component analysis was used to reduce trait dimensionality, to explain ecological strategies, and to quantify the trait space occupied by taxa. Null models were used to compare observed occupancy with theoretical models, and randomization-based analyses were performed to test whether taxonomic relatedness, a proxy of phylogenetic signal, constrains the functional trait space of freshwater macroinvertebrates. We identified four major strategies along which functional traits of the taxa examined show trade-offs. In agreement with expectations and in contrast to existing evidence we found that life cycles and aquatic strategies are important in shaping functional structure of freshwater macroinvertebrates. Our results showed that the taxonomic groups examined fill remarkably different niches in the functional trait space. We found that the functional trait space of freshwater macroinvertebrates is reduced compared to the range of possibilities that would exist if traits varied independently. The observed decrease was between 23.44 and 44.61% depending on the formulation of the null expectations. We demonstrated also that taxonomic relatedness constrains the functional trait space of macroinvertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dénes Schmera
- Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Klebelsberg K. u. 3, Tihany, 8237, Hungary.
| | - Jani Heino
- Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 8000, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - János Podani
- Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány P. s. 1/C, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.,Institute of Evolution, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, Hungary
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Ao S, Li X, Tian Z, Hu J, Cai Q. Harmonizing and Searching Macroinvertebrate Trait Information in Alpine Streams: Method and Application–A Case Study in the Three Parallel Rivers Region, China. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.945824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The traits of organisms provide critical information for understanding changes in biodiversity and ecosystem function at large scales. In recent years, trait databases of macroinvertebrates have been developed across continents. Anyone using different databases to search for traits will encounter a series of problems that lead to uncertain results due to the inconsistency of the trait information. For example, traits for a particular macroinvertebrate taxon may be inconsistent across databases, coded in inconsistent ways, or cannot be found. However, most of the current studies do not clearly state their solutions, which seriously hinders the accuracy and comparability of global trait studies. To solve these problems, we collected representative databases from several continents, including the United States, Europe, South Africa, Bolivia, Australia, and New Zealand. By comparing the inconsistency of similar trait classifications in the nine databases, we harmonized 41 of these grouping features. We found that these databases differed widely in terms of the range and category of traits. And the method of coding traits also varies from database to database. Moreover, we showed a set of trait searching rules that integrate trait databases from different regions of the world, allowing traits to be identified more easily and uniformly using different trait databases worldwide. We also applied this method to determine the traits of 155 macroinvertebrate taxa in the Three Parallel Rivers Region (TPRR). The results showed that among a total of 155 macroinvertebrate taxa, the 41 grouping features of all genera were not fully identified, and 32 genera were not recorded (thus using family-level data). No trait information was found at all for two families, which contain two genera. This suggests that many macroinvertebrate taxa and their traits have not been fully studied, especially in those regions, including China, where macroinvertebrate trait studies are lagging. This inadequacy and unevenness have seriously hindered the study and development of macroinvertebrate trait and functional diversity worldwide. Our results complement the information on stream macroinvertebrate traits in the TPRR, a global biodiversity hotspot, and greatly promote the uniformity of global trait research and the accuracy and comparability of trait research in different regions.
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36
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Liu Z, Zhou T, Heino J, Castro DMP, Cui Y, Li Z, Wang W, Chen Y, Xie Z. Land conversion induced by urbanization leads to taxonomic and functional homogenization of a river macroinvertebrate metacommunity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 825:153940. [PMID: 35183628 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Conversion of forests to urban land-use in the processes of urbanization is one of the major causes of biotic homogenization (i.e., decline in beta diversity) in freshwater ecosystems, threating ecosystem functioning and services. However, empirical studies exploring urban land-use shaping patterns of taxonomic and functional beta diversities and their components in subtropical urban rivers are limited. Here, by leveraging data for 43 sampling sites from urban and forest rivers in Shenzhen, a megacity showing rapid urbanization, we determined the spatio-temporal dynamics and associated drivers of taxonomic and functional beta diversities of river macroinvertebrates. Our results showed that, from the forest to urban rivers, taxonomic beta diversity (wet: 32.9%; dry: 17.1%) declined more significantly than functional beta diversity (wet: 17.4%; dry: 9.5%) in different seasons. We further found that these compositional changes were largely driven by decreased roles of species/traits replacement. Although replacement was also dominant for taxonomic beta diversity (60.4%-68.4%) in two sets of rivers, richness difference contributed more to functional beta diversity in the urban river (52.6%-60.5%). Both deterministic and stochastic processes simultaneously affected beta diversity, with stochastic processes being more important in the urban (3.0-19.0%) than forest rivers (0.0%-3.0%). Besides, db-RDA and variation partitioning results showed that local-scale environmental variables explained considerably large fractions of variation in beta diversity. We hence recommended that biodiversity conservation should focus on improving and restoring local environmental conditions. Despite no significant seasonal differences in beta diversity were detected in this study, we found that the roles of deterministic (i.e., local-scale and land-use variables) and stochastic processes varied considerately across seasons. This result highlights the viewpoint that urban river biodiversity monitoring should go beyond one-season snapshot surveys. As the ongoing trend of urbanization in developing countries, the findings of this study are relevant in guiding urban river environmental monitoring, biodiversity conservation and land-use planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyuan Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tingting Zhou
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jani Heino
- Freshwater Centre, Finnish Environment Institute, Paavo Havaksen Tie 3, P.O. Box 413, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Diego M P Castro
- Department of Genetics, Ecology, and Evolution, Laboratory of Benthos Ecology, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, Minas Gerais, CEP 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Yongde Cui
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zhengfei Li
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Weimin Wang
- Central Station for Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, Shenzhen 518049, China
| | - Yushun Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zhicai Xie
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
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de Melo DB, Dolbeth M, Paiva FF, Molozzi J. Extreme drought scenario shapes different patterns of Chironomid coexistence in reservoirs in a semi-arid region. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 821:153053. [PMID: 35038537 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Semi-arid regions are particularly prone to extreme climate events such as droughts, which result in drastic fluctuations in the water volume of aquatic ecosystems, including artificial ones. As these climate extremes intensify, species must adapt, however, not all species can persist under new climate regimes in such a short period of time. In this study, we evaluated how fluctuations in the water levels of reservoirs, caused by drought, affect Chironomidae diversity patterns in a semi-arid region. We studied six reservoirs (256 sites) in two basins in Northeastern Brazil, exposed to different levels of anthropic impact. Sampling was carried out in 2014, 2015 (both extremely dry years) and 2019. A dead water volume was attained during the extreme drought in 2015, consequently affecting the reservoir and resulting in a low diversity, abundance, and functional redundancy of the Chironomidae assemblages. Despite precipitation increases in 2019, some reservoirs continued to be water deficient. These drastic water fluctuations led to different patterns in Chironomidae taxonomic and functional diversity, which were also influenced by anthropic stressors. Thus, the most impacted basin presented lower diversity, with some species and trait turnover between reservoirs. The opposite trend was observed in the least impacted basin. Overall, taxonomic and functional diversity decreased with decreasing water volume, resulting in a community dominated by small-medium sized individuals with multivoltine cycles and hemoglobin and diapause resistant forms, conferring higher tolerance to water stress. The drought and consequent water volume fluctuations throughout the years seemed to exacerbate the water quality due to pre-existing exposure to anthropic impacts (e.g., domestic discharge, fishing activity, agriculture, livestock). This resulted in biotic homogenization, with an observed loss of taxa and traits. This study reinforced the need to implement habitat conservation and water quality improvement strategies to prevent further ecosystem damage in the face of climate change uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalescka Barbosa de Melo
- Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campus I, Departamento de Biologia - Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Av. Baraúnas, 351, Bairro Universitário, CEP: 58429-500, Campina Grande, Brazil.
| | - Marina Dolbeth
- CIIMAR- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Universidade do Porto, Novo Edifício do Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Matosinhos, Portugal.
| | - Franciely Ferreira Paiva
- Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campus I, Departamento de Biologia - Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Av. Baraúnas, 351, Bairro Universitário, CEP: 58429-500, Campina Grande, Brazil.
| | - Joseline Molozzi
- Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campus I, Departamento de Biologia - Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Av. Baraúnas, 351, Bairro Universitário, CEP: 58429-500, Campina Grande, Brazil.
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The Impacts of Different Anthropogenic Disturbances on Macroinvertebrate Community Structure and Functional Traits of Glacier-Fed Streams in the Tianshan Mountains. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14081298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Macroinvertebrates are sensitive to environmental disturbances, however, the effects of human activities on macroinvertebrate community structures and functional traits in glacier-fed streams are concerning. To elucidate the effects of horse, cattle and sheep grazing, hot spring scenic development, and historic iron ore mine development on macroinvertebrate communities, we conducted a study in three glacier-fed streams of the Tianshan Mountains in northwest China in April 2021. Our results showed that the species richness and density significantly decreased due to grazing (p < 0.05). There were more taxa with resilience traits such as “small size at maturity” in the grazing stream. The EPT richness and density affected by hot spring scenic development significantly decreased compared to the undisturbed point (p < 0.05). There was a significant increase in taxa with resistance traits such as “bi-or-multivoltine” in the hot spring stream. The stream affected by historic mine development is currently in the self-recovery stage following the closure of the mine ten years ago. Additionally, the species richness, EPT richness, and density at the mining site were significantly higher than the source site (p < 0.05), reflecting that the habitat fragmentation caused by previous mining activities prevented the upward dispersal of macroinvertebrates. The taxa in the mining stream were also characterized by higher resistance traits such as “abundant occurrence in drift”. These results were attributed to the impacts of human disturbance on habitat stability, habitat heterogeneity, water quality, and material cycling of stream ecosystems, indicating human disturbance on the efficiency of resource utilization and functional diversification. In addition, our results showed that functional indicators of macroinvertebrate communities are helpful for monitoring and evaluating habitat conditions.
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Morton SG, Schmidt TS, Poff NL. Lack of evidence for indirect effects from stonefly predators on primary production under future climate warming scenarios. ECOSCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/11956860.2022.2060658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott G. Morton
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | - N. LeRoy Poff
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, ACT, Canberra, Australia
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40
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Palt M, Le Gall M, Piffady J, Hering D, Kail J. A metric-based analysis on the effects of riparian and catchment landuse on macroinvertebrates. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 816:151590. [PMID: 34774935 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Woody riparian vegetation along rivers and streams provides multiple functions beneficial for aquatic macroinvertebrate communities. They retain fine sediments, nutrients and pesticides, improve channel hydromorphology, control water temperature and primary production through shading and provide leaves, twigs and large wood. In a recent conceptual model (Feld et al., 2018), woody riparian functions were considered either independent from large-scale landuse stressors (e.g. shading, input of organic matter), or dependent on landuse at larger spatial scales (e.g. fine sediment, nutrient and pesticide retention). We tested this concept using high-resolution data on woody riparian vegetation cover and empirical data from 1017 macroinvertebrate sampling sites in German lowland and mountain streams. Macroinvertebrate metrics indicative for individual functions were used as response variables in structural equation models (SEM), representing the hierarchical structure between the different considered stressors at different spatial scales: catchment, upstream riparian, local riparian and local landuse cover along with hydromorphology and water quality. The analysis only partly confirmed the conceptual model: Biotic integrity and water quality were strongly related to large-scale stressors as expected (absolute total effect 0.345-0.541), but against expectations, fine sediments retention, considered scale-dependent in the conceptual model, was poorly explained by large-scale stressors (absolute total effect 0.027-0.231). While most functions considered independent from large-scale landuse were partly explained by riparian landuse cover (absolute total effect 0.023-0.091) they also were nonetheless affected by catchment landuse cover (absolute total effect 0.017-0.390). While many empirical case studies at smaller spatial scales clearly document the positive effects of restoring woody riparian vegetation, our results suggest that most effects of riparian landuse cover are possibly superimposed by larger-scale stressors. This does not negate localized effects of woody riparian vegetation but helps contextualize limitations to successful restoration measures targeting the macroinvertebrate community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Palt
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany.
| | | | - Jérémy Piffady
- INRAE, UR RiverLy, EcoFlowS, F-69625 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Daniel Hering
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany; Centre of Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany
| | - Jochem Kail
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen, Germany
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41
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Linking Micropollutants to Trait Syndromes across Freshwater Diatom, Macroinvertebrate, and Fish Assemblages. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14081184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The ecological quality of freshwater ecosystems is endangered by various micropollutants released into the environment by human activities. The cumulative effects of these micropollutants can affect the fitness of organisms and populations and the functional diversity of stream ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the relationships between the joint toxicity of micropollutants and trait syndromes. A trait syndrome corresponds to a combination of traits that could occur together in communities due to the trait selection driven by exposure to these micropollutants. Our objectives were to (i) identify trait syndromes specific to diatom, macroinvertebrate, and fish assemblages and their responses to exposure, taking into account four micropollutant types (mineral micropollutants, pesticides, PAHs, and other organic micropollutants) and nine modes of action (only for pesticides), (ii) explore how these syndromes vary within and among the three biological compartments, (iii) investigate the trait categories driving the responses of syndromes to micropollutant exposure, and (iv) identify specific taxa, so-called paragons, which are highly representative of these syndromes. To achieve these objectives, we analyzed a dataset including the biological and physico-chemical results of 2007 sampling events from a large-scale monitoring survey routinely performed in French wadeable streams. We have identified five (diatoms), eight (macroinvertebrates), and eight (fishes) trait syndromes, either positively or negatively related to an increasing toxicity gradient of different clusters of micropollutant types or modes of action. Our analyses identified several key trait categories and sets of paragons, exhibiting good potential for highlighting exposure by specific micropollutant types and modes of action. Overall, trait syndromes might represent a novel and integrative bioassessment tool, driven by the diversity of trait-based responses to increasing gradients of micropollutant toxic cocktails.
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Bastos‐Pereira R, Chagas TRF, Carvalho DR, Rabello AM, Beiroz W, Tavares KP, Lima KCB, Rabelo LM, Valenzuela S, Correa CMA, Pompeu PS, Ribas CR. Are the functional diversity terms functional? The hindrances of functional diversity understanding in the Brazilian scientific community. Ecol Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ananza Mara Rabello
- Universidade Federal de Lavras Campus Universitário Lavras Minas Gerais Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Instituto de Estudos do Xingu, Avenida Norte Sul São Félix do Xingu Pará Brazil
| | - Wallace Beiroz
- Universidade Federal de Lavras Campus Universitário Lavras Minas Gerais Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Instituto de Estudos do Xingu, Avenida Norte Sul São Félix do Xingu Pará Brazil
| | - Karla Palmieri Tavares
- Universidade Federal de Lavras Campus Universitário Lavras Minas Gerais Brazil
- Instituto Federal do Sul de Minas Gerais—Campus Machado, Rodovia Machado—Paraguaçu Machado Minas Gerais Brazil
| | | | - Lucas Mendes Rabelo
- Universidade Federal de Lavras Campus Universitário Lavras Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Silvia Valenzuela
- Universidade Federal de Lavras Campus Universitário Lavras Minas Gerais Brazil
- Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos Lima Peru
| | - César M. A. Correa
- Universidade Federal de Lavras Campus Universitário Lavras Minas Gerais Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia e Zoologia, Bairro Boa Esperança Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso Mato Grosso Mato Grosso Brazil
| | - Paulo Santos Pompeu
- Universidade Federal de Lavras Campus Universitário Lavras Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Carla Rodrigues Ribas
- Universidade Federal de Lavras Campus Universitário Lavras Minas Gerais Brazil
- Lancaster Environment Centre Lancaster University Lancaster UK
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43
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Somerville DE, Pond GJ. The coastal plain headwater stream restoration (CP-HStR) index: a macroinvertebrate index for assessing the biological effectiveness of stream restoration in the Georgia coastal plain, USA. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:319. [PMID: 35357588 PMCID: PMC9066382 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-09987-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Stream restoration projects undertaken as compensatory mitigation pursuant to Sect. 404 of the U.S. Clean Water Act must be evaluated using ecological performance standards that are objective and verifiable and based on the best available science that can be measured or assessed in a practicable manner. While performance standards for physical stream conditions are common, evaluating biological conditions following stream restoration activities has proven more problematic. We developed a macroinvertebrate multimetric index for headwater streams in three Southeastern Plains subecoregions (65 g, 65 h, and 65 l) of Georgia using 76 sites sampled in 2019. An abiotic disturbance gradient based on principal components analysis of instream habitat, physicochemical, and land use variables was employed to assign condition classes (good, fair, poor) among sites within each subecoregion. We identified genus-level macroinvertebrate richness and proportional richness of traits-based metrics (habit and functional feeding groups) that demonstrated high discriminatory power between good and poor abiotic conditions and response to individual stressors. Subecoregion-specific metrics were then standardized and aggregated to develop the final index and biological reference curves. These biological reference curves represent a continuum of relevant regional conditions against which a stream enhancement or restoration project may be assessed relative to other streams throughout the region and allow for the award of mitigation credit, if applicable, to be based directly on the relative improvement of biological conditions. These biological performance standards will supplement other performance standards (hydrologic and geomorphic measures) necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of stream restoration projects in the study area.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Eric Somerville
- Water Division, Oceans Wetlands and Streams Protection Branch, U.S. EPA Region 4, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - Gregory J Pond
- Laboratory Services and Applied Science Division, Field Services Branch, U.S. EPA Region 3, Wheeling, WV, USA
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Godoy BS, Valente‐Neto F, Queiroz LL, Holanda LFR, Roque FO, Lodi S, Oliveira LG. Structuring functional groups of aquatic insects along the resistance/resilience axis when facing water flow changes. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8749. [PMID: 35356588 PMCID: PMC8956860 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how differences in intensity and frequency of hydrological disturbances affect the resistance and resilience of aquatic organisms is key to manage aquatic systems in a fast‐changing world. Some aquatic insects have strategies that improve the permanence (resistance), while others use strategies that favor recolonization (resilience). Therefore, we carried out a manipulative experiment to understand the influence of functional characteristics of aquatic insects in their permanence and recolonization against hydrological disturbances in streams in the biodiversity hotspot of the Cerrado of Brazil. We placed 200 artificial substrates in five streams and submitted them to changing water flow regimes that differed both in frequency and intensity, and we observed the response of the aquatic community for 39 days. We used a hierarchical Bayesian approach to estimate the probabilities of permanence and recolonization of each life strategy group (nine groups). We observed that the most intense changes in the water flow tended to affect the permanence of almost all groups, but the intensity of this effect reduced over time. On the other hand, less frequent disturbances, regardless of intensity, tended to reduce the permanence of most groups of aquatic insects over time. The different effects of disturbance intensity may have been related to a greater recolonization capacity of some groups. The results we present are worrisome in a scenario of reduced riparian vegetation around streams and with the expectation of precipitation becoming more concentrated in shorter periods of time due to climate change in the Cerrado hotspot, reducing the occurrence of many groups of aquatic insects in their habitat, particularly those with traits associated with resistance against hydrological disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno S. Godoy
- Centre of Aquatic Ecology and Fishery Federal University of Pará Belém Pará Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Fabio O. Roque
- Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul Campo Grande Brazil
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science (TESS) James Cook University Cairns Queensland Australia
| | - Sara Lodi
- Program of Ecology and Evolution UFG Goiânia Brazil
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45
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The Impacts of the Freezing–Thawing Process on Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities in Riffles and Pools: A Case Study of China’s Glacier-Fed Stream. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14060983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Glacier-fed streams are one of the environments most sensitive to global climate change. However, the effects of the freezing–thawing process on benthic macroinvertebrate communities in different habitats of glacier-fed streams are unclear. In this paper, we investigated benthic macroinvertebrates in riffles and pools of a glacier-fed stream in Xinjiang, China, during the pre-freezing period (November, 2018), freezing period (January 2019), and thawing period (April, 2019). Our results showed that the freezing–thawing process resulted in a decline in benthic macroinvertebrate species richness and diversity, both of which were attributed to the effects of the freezing–thawing process on habitat stability, water quality, and cycling of the stream ecosystems. During the whole freezing–thawing process, the indicator taxa of riffles were Rhithrogena sp. and Baetis sp., while the only indicator taxon of pools was Chironomus sp. The species richness, Margalef diversity, and EPT richness (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera) of benthic macroinvertebrates in riffles were higher than those in pools, due to the higher habitat heterogeneity in the riffles. However, the density in riffles was significantly lower than that in pools during the freezing period (p < 0.05). Additionally, pools were dominated by taxa with higher resilience and resistance traits, such as “bi- or multi-voltine”, “abundant occurrence in drift”, and “small size at maturity”. This result indicated that pools provide a temporary refuge for benthic macroinvertebrates in the extreme environment of glacier-fed streams. The freezing–thawing process plays an essential role in the formation of the structure and function of the stream ecosystem. Our results can help us to further understand the winter ecological process of headwater streams, and provide a reference for stream biodiversity conservation in cold regions.
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Hsieh TT, Chiu MC, Resh VH, Kuo MH. Biological traits can mediate species-specific, quasi-extinction risks of macroinvertebrates in streams experiencing frequent extreme floods. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150313. [PMID: 34555608 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Most research on the ecological responses to extreme floods examines impacts at short time scales, whereas long-term datasets combining hydrological and biological information remain rare. Using such data, we applied time-series analysis to investigate simultaneous effects of a biotic factor (density dependence), an abiotic factor (extreme floods), and spatial synchrony in the population dynamics of three riverine insects. Spatial synchronization of population dynamics by extreme floods varied among species. These different responses to extreme floods could be explained by species-specific biological traits. Moreover, density dependence influenced the population dynamics under the context of extreme floods. Accordingly, quasi-extinction risks were highest for species that were simultaneously influenced by biotic and abiotic factors. An understanding of ecological responses to increasing hydrological extremes may be enhanced by recognizing long-term, climatic non-stationarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsung-Tse Hsieh
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Chih Chiu
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan; Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Japan.
| | - Vincent H Resh
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management, University of California Berkeley, USA
| | - Mei-Hwa Kuo
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan.
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47
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Luo Q, Chiu MC, Tan L, Cai Q. Hydrological Season Can Have Unexpectedly Insignificant Influences on the Elevational Patterns of Functional Diversity of Riverine Macroinvertebrates. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11020208. [PMID: 35205075 PMCID: PMC8869275 DOI: 10.3390/biology11020208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Spatial biodiversity is a key issue in biogeography for the explorations of biological origin and diversification. However, seldom studies have addressed the temporal changes in spatial patterns of biodiversity. We explored the taxonomic and functional diversities of riverine macroinvertebrates in central China, with the elevational gradient, in different seasons in a normal climate year (i.e., no extreme anomalies in the annual precipitation or average annual temperature). The air temperature and streamflow discharge were decreased monotonically with the increase of elevation both in the dry and wet seasons. In addition, the total nitrogen had no significant change with the increase of elevational gradient in the dry season but showed a monotonically decreasing pattern in the wet season. The total phosphorus showed a monotonically decreasing pattern with the elevational gradient in the dry season but had no significant change in the wet season. The spatial pattern of taxonomic diversity of macroinvertebrates along the elevational gradient showed complex patterns, but the functional diversity had either the unimodal or monotonically decreasing pattern. In addition, the functional diversity with the elevational gradient had similar patterns between the dry and wet seasons. Further analysis of the elevational pattern in different seasons is an important basis for understanding the status quo of functional diversity and formulating countermeasures for biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyi Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (Q.L.); (M.-C.C.); (L.T.)
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ming-Chih Chiu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (Q.L.); (M.-C.C.); (L.T.)
- Department of Entomology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan
| | - Lu Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (Q.L.); (M.-C.C.); (L.T.)
| | - Qinghua Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; (Q.L.); (M.-C.C.); (L.T.)
- Correspondence:
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48
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Finn DS, Johnson SL, Gerth WJ, Arismendi I, Li JL. Spatiotemporal patterns of emergence phenology reveal complex species‐specific responses to temperature in aquatic insects. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Debra S. Finn
- Department of Biology Missouri State University Springfield Missouri USA
| | - Sherri L. Johnson
- U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - William J. Gerth
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Ivan Arismendi
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
| | - Judith L. Li
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon USA
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49
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Vidal-Martínez VM, Ocaña FA, Soler-Jiménez LC, García-Teh JG, Aguirre-Macedo ML, May-Tec AL, Árcega-Cabrera F, Herrera-Silveira J. Functional Groups of Metazoan Parasites of the Dusky Flounder (Syacium papillosum) as Bioindicators of Environmental Health of the Yucatan Shelf. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2022; 108:24-29. [PMID: 33813633 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-021-03177-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We aimed to compare the percentage of explained variance given by the relationship of species and functional groups of metazoan parasites of the dusky flounder Syacium papillosum and environmental variables from water and sediments in the Yucatan shelf (YS). Parasite data were obtained from 127 S. papillosum specimens collected from 17 of 67 stations. At each station, 46 environmental variables were measured, including hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and physicochemical variables from water and sediments. Fifteen functional groups were defined based on biological characteristics of 48 parasite species. Our multivariate statistical analyses showed that species and functional groups produced similar explained variance values (47.3% and 50% respectively). However, using functional groups the time and financial resources were minimal compared with those used for morphological and molecular identification to produce the species composition matrix. Thus, functional groups are the best choice from the point of view of saving time and money.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor M Vidal-Martínez
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN) Unidad Mérida, Carretera antigua a Progreso Km. 6, 97310, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
| | - Frank A Ocaña
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN) Unidad Mérida, Carretera antigua a Progreso Km. 6, 97310, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Mérida, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tablaje Catastral N°6998, Carretera Mérida-Tetiz Km, Ucú, Yucatán, México
| | - Lilia C Soler-Jiménez
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN) Unidad Mérida, Carretera antigua a Progreso Km. 6, 97310, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Jhonny Geovanny García-Teh
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN) Unidad Mérida, Carretera antigua a Progreso Km. 6, 97310, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - M Leopoldina Aguirre-Macedo
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN) Unidad Mérida, Carretera antigua a Progreso Km. 6, 97310, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Ana L May-Tec
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN) Unidad Mérida, Carretera antigua a Progreso Km. 6, 97310, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Flor Árcega-Cabrera
- Unidad de Química Sisal, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto de abrigo s/n, 97356, Sisal, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Jorge Herrera-Silveira
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN) Unidad Mérida, Carretera antigua a Progreso Km. 6, 97310, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
- Laboratorio Nacional de Resiliencia Costera (LANRESC), Sisal, Mexico
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50
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Liu S, Li X, Tan L, Fornacca D, Fang Y, Zhu L, Rao C, Cao Y, Huang J, Ren G, Cai Q, Xiao W. The ecological niche and terrestrial environment jointly influence the altitudinal pattern of aquatic biodiversity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 800:149404. [PMID: 34399334 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The altitudinal distribution of biodiversity in alpine ecosystems has captured academic attention, especially in streams because of their sensitivity to climate change. In the past years, research mainly focused on understanding the role played by alpine streams' internal factors such as aquatic environmental variables, as well as physical and hydrological conditions, on the shaping of benthic macroinvertebrate communities. More recently, external factors such as terrestrial environments were included in analyses worldwide. In particular, the inherent properties constituting the ecological niche of specific species were considered as factors regulating dispersal and influencing community construction. The objective of this study was to reveal the distribution pattern and the driving factors regulating aquatic biodiversity in alpine streams. We hypothesized that the altitudinal distribution of aquatic macroinvertebrates could be explained by the interaction of the aquatic environment with both species' ecological niche and the terrestrial environment surrounding their habitat, and that rare species display a more pronounced pattern than widespread dominant species. To test these hypotheses, samples were collected from two alpine streams situated on opposite slopes of Biluo Snow Mountain in Yunnan Province, China. Results of statistical analyses showed poor explanatory power from aquatic environmental factors, while the differences in vegetation type and the ecological niche of the species played an important role in determining the distribution pattern of aquatic biodiversity. Furthermore, we found that the altitudinal distribution pattern of aquatic biodiversity exhibits a bimodal type, with rare species fitting the bimodal peaks. These findings call for a better inclusion and further investigation on the effects of the terrestrial environment on aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuoran Liu
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali 671003, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China, Dali 671003, China
| | - Xianfu Li
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali 671003, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China, Dali 671003, China
| | - Lu Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Davide Fornacca
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali 671003, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China, Dali 671003, China
| | - Yihao Fang
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali 671003, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China, Dali 671003, China
| | - Lin Zhu
- Fu-gong Administration Bureau, Gao-li-gong Mountain National Nature Reserve, Nujiang 673400, China
| | - Caihong Rao
- Fu-gong Administration Bureau, Gao-li-gong Mountain National Nature Reserve, Nujiang 673400, China
| | - Yindi Cao
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali 671003, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China, Dali 671003, China
| | - Jimin Huang
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali 671003, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China, Dali 671003, China
| | - Guopeng Ren
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali 671003, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China, Dali 671003, China
| | - Qinghua Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
| | - Wen Xiao
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali 671003, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China, Dali 671003, China.
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