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57. Time series of freshwater macroinvertebrate abundances and site characteristics of European streams and rivers

Author

Welti, Ellen A.R., Bowler, Diana E., Sinclair, James S., Altermatt, Florian, Álvarez-Cabria, Mario, Amatulli, Giuseppe, Angeler, David G., Archambaud, Gaït, Arrate Jorrín, Iñaki, Aspin, Thomas, Azpiroz, Iker, Baker, Nathan Jay, Bañares, Iñaki, Barquín Ortiz, José, Bodin, Christian L., Bonacina, Luca, Bonada, Núria, Bottarin, Roberta, Cañedo-Argüelles, Miguel, Csabai, Zoltán, Datry, Thibault, de Eyto, Elvira, Dohet, Alain, Domisch, Sami, Dörflinger, Gerald, Drohan, Emma, Eikland, Knut A., England, Judy, Eriksen, Tor E., Evtimova, Vesela, Feio, Maria J., Ferréol, Martial, Floury, Mathieu, Forcellini, Maxence, Forio, Marie Anne Eurie, Fornaroli, Riccardo, Friberg, Nikolai, Fruget, Jean François, Garcia Marquez, Jaime R., Georgieva, Galia, Goethals, Peter, Graça, Manuel A.S., House, Andy, Huttunen, Kaisa Leena, Jensen, Thomas Correll, Johnson, Richard K., Jones, J.I., Kiesel, Jens, Larrañaga, Aitor, Leitner, Patrick, L’Hoste, Lionel, Lizée, Marie Hélène, Lorenz, Armin W., Maire, Anthony, Manzanos Arnaiz, Jesús Alberto, Mckie, Brendan, Millán, Andrés, Muotka, Timo, Murphy, John F., Ozolins, Davis, Paavola, Riku, Paril, Petr, Peñas Silva, Francisco Jesús, Polasek, Marek, Rasmussen, Jes, Rubio, Manu, Sánchez Fernández, David, Sandin, Leonard, Schäfer, Ralf B., Schmidt-Kloiber, Astrid, Scotti, Alberto, Shen, Longzhu Q., Skuja, Agnija, Stoll, Stefan, Straka, Michal, Stubbington, Rachel, Timm, Henn, Tyufekchieva, Violeta G., Tziortzis, Iakovos, Uzunov, Yordan, van der Lee, Gea H., Vannevel, Rudy, Varadinova, Emilia, Várbíró, Gábor, Velle, Gaute, Verdonschot, Piet F.M., Verdonschot, Ralf C.M., Vidinova, Yanka, Wiberg-Larsen, Peter, Haase, Peter, Welti, Ellen A.R., Bowler, Diana E., Sinclair, James S., Altermatt, Florian, Álvarez-Cabria, Mario, Amatulli, Giuseppe, Angeler, David G., Archambaud, Gaït, Arrate Jorrín, Iñaki, Aspin, Thomas, Azpiroz, Iker, Baker, Nathan Jay, Bañares, Iñaki, Barquín Ortiz, José, Bodin, Christian L., Bonacina, Luca, Bonada, Núria, Bottarin, Roberta, Cañedo-Argüelles, Miguel, Csabai, Zoltán, Datry, Thibault, de Eyto, Elvira, Dohet, Alain, Domisch, Sami, Dörflinger, Gerald, Drohan, Emma, Eikland, Knut A., England, Judy, Eriksen, Tor E., Evtimova, Vesela, Feio, Maria J., Ferréol, Martial, Floury, Mathieu, Forcellini, Maxence, Forio, Marie Anne Eurie, Fornaroli, Riccardo, Friberg, Nikolai, Fruget, Jean François, Garcia Marquez, Jaime R., Georgieva, Galia, Goethals, Peter, Graça, Manuel A.S., House, Andy, Huttunen, Kaisa Leena, Jensen, Thomas Correll, Johnson, Richard K., Jones, J.I., Kiesel, Jens, Larrañaga, Aitor, Leitner, Patrick, L’Hoste, Lionel, Lizée, Marie Hélène, Lorenz, Armin W., Maire, Anthony, Manzanos Arnaiz, Jesús Alberto, Mckie, Brendan, Millán, Andrés, Muotka, Timo, Murphy, John F., Ozolins, Davis, Paavola, Riku, Paril, Petr, Peñas Silva, Francisco Jesús, Polasek, Marek, Rasmussen, Jes, Rubio, Manu, Sánchez Fernández, David, Sandin, Leonard, Schäfer, Ralf B., Schmidt-Kloiber, Astrid, Scotti, Alberto, Shen, Longzhu Q., Skuja, Agnija, Stoll, Stefan, Straka, Michal, Stubbington, Rachel, Timm, Henn, Tyufekchieva, Violeta G., Tziortzis, Iakovos, Uzunov, Yordan, van der Lee, Gea H., Vannevel, Rudy, Varadinova, Emilia, Várbíró, Gábor, Velle, Gaute, Verdonschot, Piet F.M., Verdonschot, Ralf C.M., Vidinova, Yanka, Wiberg-Larsen, Peter, and Haase, Peter

Abstract

Freshwater macroinvertebrates are a diverse group and play key ecological roles, including accelerating nutrient cycling, filtering water, controlling primary producers, and providing food for predators. Their differences in tolerances and short generation times manifest in rapid community responses to change. Macroinvertebrate community composition is an indicator of water quality. In Europe, efforts to improve water quality following environmental legislation, primarily starting in the 1980s, may have driven a recovery of macroinvertebrate communities. Towards understanding temporal and spatial variation of these organisms, we compiled the TREAM dataset (Time seRies of European freshwAter Macroinvertebrates), consisting of macroinvertebrate community time series from 1,816 river and stream sites (mean length of 19.2 years and 14.9 sampling years) of 22 European countries sampled between 1968 and 2020. In total, the data include >93 million sampled individuals of 2,648 taxa from 959 genera and 212 families. These data can be used to test questions ranging from identifying drivers of the population dynamics of specific taxa to assessing the success of legislative and management restoration efforts.

Published
2024

58. Integrative taxonomy of the groundwater amphipod Niphargus bihorensis Schellenberg, 1940 reveals a species-rich clade

Author

Stoch, Fabio, Knüsel, Mara, Zakšek, Valerija, Alther, Roman, Salussolia, Alice, Altermatt, Florian, Fišer, Cene, Flot, Jean-François, Stoch, Fabio, Knüsel, Mara, Zakšek, Valerija, Alther, Roman, Salussolia, Alice, Altermatt, Florian, Fišer, Cene, and Flot, Jean-François

Abstract

The genus Niphargus is the most diverse subterranean amphipod genus in the western Palearctic region but, owing to the presence of cryptic species and homoplasy, its taxonomy and biogeographic scenarios are complex, making molecular methods essential to understand its evolution. We conducted a study combining dna -based taxonomy with traditional morphotaxonomy to investigate Niphargus bihorensis Schellenberg, 1940, known from the Western Alps and Carpathians. We redescribed the type material of N. bihorensis from Bihor County, Romania, and revealed the presence of a cryptic species, N. absconditus n. sp. in the same karstic area (Pădurea Craiului Mountains). Additionally, the Alpine populations previously attributed to N. bihorensis turned out to belong to a new, not so closely related species, N. tizianoi n. sp. Phylogenetic analyses based on a concatenated dataset of one mitochondrial and two nuclear markers suggest that the N. bihorensis species complex belongs to a strongly supported clade, together with several species distributed from Switzerland to Iran., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Published
2024

59. Multi-decadal improvements in the ecological quality of European rivers are not consistently reflected in biodiversity metrics

Author

0000-0003-0787-7342, 0000-0001-6944-3422, 0000-0002-4831-6958, 0000-0001-7948-106X, 0000-0003-1897-2636, 0000-0002-4695-5932, 0000-0002-2983-3335, 0000-0003-3864-7451, 0000-0003-1700-2574, 0000-0003-2281-2491, 0000-0003-2962-7387, 0000-0003-0209-4648, 0000-0003-2033-6399, 0000-0002-6358-8011, 0000-0003-0362-6802, 0000-0001-6740-3654, 0000-0002-4952-5807, 0000-0001-6675-4751, 0000-0001-6326-5653, 0000-0003-0488-1274, 0000-0002-6349-9561, 0000-0001-7979-6563, 0000-0003-0239-9468, 0000-0002-0185-9154, 0000-0002-3262-6396, 0009-0006-6199-9200, 0000-0002-4708-1413, 0000-0002-4714-0305, 0000-0002-7471-997X, 0000-0003-1848-3154, 0000-0002-5932-3125, 0000-0001-8839-5913, 0000-0002-5861-7551, 0000-0001-8475-5109, 0000-0002-9315-7773, 0000-0002-5603-271X, 0000-0002-0977-5975, 0000-0002-7385-8302, 0000-0002-9340-0438, Sinclair, James S., Welti, Ellen A. R., Altermatt, Florian, Álvarez-Cabria, Mario, Aroviita, Jukka, Baker, Nathan J., Barešová, Libuše, Barquín, José, Bonacina, Luca, Bonada, Núria, Cañedo-Argüelles, Miguel, Csabai, Zoltán, de Eyto, Elvira, Dohet, Alain, Dörflinger, Gerald, Eriksen, Tor E., Evtimova, Vesela, Feio, Maria J., Ferréol, Martial, Floury, Mathieu, Forio, Marie Anne Eurie, Fornaroli, Riccardo, Goethals, Peter L. M., Heino, Jani, Hering, Daniel, Huttunen, Kaisa-Leena, Jähnig, Sonja C., Johnson, Richard K., Kuglerová, Lenka, Kupilas, Benjamin, L'Hoste, Lionel, Larrañaga, Aitor, Leitner, Patrick, Lorenz, Armin W., McKie, Brendan G., Muotka, Timo, Osadčaja, Diana, Paavola, Riku, Palinauskas, Vaidas, Pařil, Petr, Pilotto, Francesca, Polášek, Marek, Rasmussen, Jes J., Schäfer, Ralf B., Schmidt-Kloiber, Astrid, Scotti, Alberto, Skuja, Agnija, Straka, Michal, Stubbington, Rachel, Timm, Henn, Tyufekchieva, Violeta, Tziortzis, Iakovos, Vannevel, Rudy, Várbíró, Gábor, Velle, Gaute, Verdonschot, Ralf C. M., Vray, Sarah, Haase, Peter, 0000-0003-0787-7342, 0000-0001-6944-3422, 0000-0002-4831-6958, 0000-0001-7948-106X, 0000-0003-1897-2636, 0000-0002-4695-5932, 0000-0002-2983-3335, 0000-0003-3864-7451, 0000-0003-1700-2574, 0000-0003-2281-2491, 0000-0003-2962-7387, 0000-0003-0209-4648, 0000-0003-2033-6399, 0000-0002-6358-8011, 0000-0003-0362-6802, 0000-0001-6740-3654, 0000-0002-4952-5807, 0000-0001-6675-4751, 0000-0001-6326-5653, 0000-0003-0488-1274, 0000-0002-6349-9561, 0000-0001-7979-6563, 0000-0003-0239-9468, 0000-0002-0185-9154, 0000-0002-3262-6396, 0009-0006-6199-9200, 0000-0002-4708-1413, 0000-0002-4714-0305, 0000-0002-7471-997X, 0000-0003-1848-3154, 0000-0002-5932-3125, 0000-0001-8839-5913, 0000-0002-5861-7551, 0000-0001-8475-5109, 0000-0002-9315-7773, 0000-0002-5603-271X, 0000-0002-0977-5975, 0000-0002-7385-8302, 0000-0002-9340-0438, Sinclair, James S., Welti, Ellen A. R., Altermatt, Florian, Álvarez-Cabria, Mario, Aroviita, Jukka, Baker, Nathan J., Barešová, Libuše, Barquín, José, Bonacina, Luca, Bonada, Núria, Cañedo-Argüelles, Miguel, Csabai, Zoltán, de Eyto, Elvira, Dohet, Alain, Dörflinger, Gerald, Eriksen, Tor E., Evtimova, Vesela, Feio, Maria J., Ferréol, Martial, Floury, Mathieu, Forio, Marie Anne Eurie, Fornaroli, Riccardo, Goethals, Peter L. M., Heino, Jani, Hering, Daniel, Huttunen, Kaisa-Leena, Jähnig, Sonja C., Johnson, Richard K., Kuglerová, Lenka, Kupilas, Benjamin, L'Hoste, Lionel, Larrañaga, Aitor, Leitner, Patrick, Lorenz, Armin W., McKie, Brendan G., Muotka, Timo, Osadčaja, Diana, Paavola, Riku, Palinauskas, Vaidas, Pařil, Petr, Pilotto, Francesca, Polášek, Marek, Rasmussen, Jes J., Schäfer, Ralf B., Schmidt-Kloiber, Astrid, Scotti, Alberto, Skuja, Agnija, Straka, Michal, Stubbington, Rachel, Timm, Henn, Tyufekchieva, Violeta, Tziortzis, Iakovos, Vannevel, Rudy, Várbíró, Gábor, Velle, Gaute, Verdonschot, Ralf C. M., Vray, Sarah, and Haase, Peter

Abstract

Humans impact terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosystems, yet many broad-scale studies have found no systematic, negative biodiversity changes (for example, decreasing abundance or taxon richness). Here we show that mixed biodiversity responses may arise because community metrics show variable responses to anthropogenic impacts across broad spatial scales. We first quantified temporal trends in anthropogenic impacts for 1,365 riverine invertebrate communities from 23 European countries, based on similarity to least-impacted reference communities. Reference comparisons provide necessary, but often missing, baselines for evaluating whether communities are negatively impacted or have improved (less or more similar, respectively). We then determined whether changing impacts were consistently reflected in metrics of community abundance, taxon richness, evenness and composition. Invertebrate communities improved, that is, became more similar to reference conditions, from 1992 until the 2010s, after which improvements plateaued. Improvements were generally reflected by higher taxon richness, providing evidence that certain community metrics can broadly indicate anthropogenic impacts. However, richness responses were highly variable among sites, and we found no consistent responses in community abundance, evenness or composition. These findings suggest that, without sufficient data and careful metric selection, many common community metrics cannot reliably reflect anthropogenic impacts, helping explain the prevalence of mixed biodiversity trends.

Published
2024

60. Time series of freshwater macroinvertebrate abundances and site characteristics of European streams and rivers

Author

European Commision, 0000-0001-6944-3422, 0000-0002-4831-6958, 0000-0001-9493-2279, 0000-0002-2983-3335, 0000-0002-6352-3699, 0000-0003-3864-7451, 0000-0003-1390-6736, 0000-0003-2281-2491, 0000-0003-2962-7387, 0000-0002-8127-9335, 0000-0003-0209-4648, 0000-0001-5037-7509, 0000-0001-6675-4751, 0000-0001-7979-6563, 0000-0002-0185-9154, 0000-0003-0239-9468, 0000-0002-3262-6396, 0000-0003-0920-773X, 0000-0003-0036-363X, 0000-0003-3752-2040, 0000-0002-7471-997X, 0000-0003-3213-7135, 0000-0003-3510-1701, 0000-0001-5629-3007, 0000-0001-8475-5109, 0000-0002-9315-7773, 0000-0002-5603-271X, 0000-0002-4126-7452, 0000-0002-9340-0438, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72], Welti, Ellen A. R., Bowler, Diana E., Sinclair, James S, Altermatt, Florian, Álvarez-Cabria, Mario, Amatulli, Giuseppe, Angeler, David G., Archambaud, Gaït, Arrate Jorrín, Iñaki, Aspin, Thomas, Azpiroz, Iker, Baker, Nathan Jay, Bañares, Iñaki, Barquín Ortiz, José, Bodin, Christian L., Bonacina, Luca, Bonada, Núria, Bottarin, Roberta, Cañedo-Argüelles, Miguel, Csabai, Zoltán, Datry, Thibault, de Eyto, Elvira, Dohet, Alain, Domisch, Sami, Dörflinger, Gerald, Drohan, Emma, Eikland, Knut A, England, Judy, Eriksen, Tor E, Evtimova, Vesela, Feio, Maria J., Ferréol, Martial, Floury, Mathieu, Forcellini, Maxence, Forio, Marie Anne Eurie, Fornaroli, Riccardo, Friberg, Nikolai, Fruget, Jean-François, Garcia Marquez, Jaime R., Georgieva, Galia, Goethals, Peter, Graça, Manuel A. S., House, Andy, Huttunen, Kaisa-Leena, Jensen, Thomas Correll, Johnson, Richard K., Jones, J Iwan, Kiesel, Jens, Larrañaga, Aitor, Leitner, Patrick, L'Hoste, Lionel, Lizée, Marie-Hélène, Lorenz, Armin W., Maire, Anthony, Manzanos Arnaiz, Jesús Alberto, Mckie, Brendan, Millán, Andrés, Muotka, Timo, Murphy, John F., Ozolins, Davis, Paavola, Riku, Paril, Petr, Peñas Silva, Francisco Jesús, Polasek, Marek, Rasmussen, Jes, Rubio, Manu, Sánchez Fernández, David, Sandin, Leonard, Schäfer, Ralf B., Schmidt-Kloiber, Astrid, Scotti, Alberto, Shen, Longzhu Q., Skuja, Agnija, Stoll, Stefan, Straka, Michal, Stubbington, Rachel, Timm, Henn, Tyufekchieva, Violeta G., Tziortzis, Iakovos, Uzunov, Yordan, van der Lee, Gea H., Vannevel, Rudy, Varadinova, Emilia, Várbíró, Gábor, Velle, Gaute, Verdonschot, Piet F. M., Verdonschot, Ralf C. M., Vidinova, Yanka, Wiberg-Larsen, Peter, Haase, Peter, European Commision, 0000-0001-6944-3422, 0000-0002-4831-6958, 0000-0001-9493-2279, 0000-0002-2983-3335, 0000-0002-6352-3699, 0000-0003-3864-7451, 0000-0003-1390-6736, 0000-0003-2281-2491, 0000-0003-2962-7387, 0000-0002-8127-9335, 0000-0003-0209-4648, 0000-0001-5037-7509, 0000-0001-6675-4751, 0000-0001-7979-6563, 0000-0002-0185-9154, 0000-0003-0239-9468, 0000-0002-3262-6396, 0000-0003-0920-773X, 0000-0003-0036-363X, 0000-0003-3752-2040, 0000-0002-7471-997X, 0000-0003-3213-7135, 0000-0003-3510-1701, 0000-0001-5629-3007, 0000-0001-8475-5109, 0000-0002-9315-7773, 0000-0002-5603-271X, 0000-0002-4126-7452, 0000-0002-9340-0438, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72], Welti, Ellen A. R., Bowler, Diana E., Sinclair, James S, Altermatt, Florian, Álvarez-Cabria, Mario, Amatulli, Giuseppe, Angeler, David G., Archambaud, Gaït, Arrate Jorrín, Iñaki, Aspin, Thomas, Azpiroz, Iker, Baker, Nathan Jay, Bañares, Iñaki, Barquín Ortiz, José, Bodin, Christian L., Bonacina, Luca, Bonada, Núria, Bottarin, Roberta, Cañedo-Argüelles, Miguel, Csabai, Zoltán, Datry, Thibault, de Eyto, Elvira, Dohet, Alain, Domisch, Sami, Dörflinger, Gerald, Drohan, Emma, Eikland, Knut A, England, Judy, Eriksen, Tor E, Evtimova, Vesela, Feio, Maria J., Ferréol, Martial, Floury, Mathieu, Forcellini, Maxence, Forio, Marie Anne Eurie, Fornaroli, Riccardo, Friberg, Nikolai, Fruget, Jean-François, Garcia Marquez, Jaime R., Georgieva, Galia, Goethals, Peter, Graça, Manuel A. S., House, Andy, Huttunen, Kaisa-Leena, Jensen, Thomas Correll, Johnson, Richard K., Jones, J Iwan, Kiesel, Jens, Larrañaga, Aitor, Leitner, Patrick, L'Hoste, Lionel, Lizée, Marie-Hélène, Lorenz, Armin W., Maire, Anthony, Manzanos Arnaiz, Jesús Alberto, Mckie, Brendan, Millán, Andrés, Muotka, Timo, Murphy, John F., Ozolins, Davis, Paavola, Riku, Paril, Petr, Peñas Silva, Francisco Jesús, Polasek, Marek, Rasmussen, Jes, Rubio, Manu, Sánchez Fernández, David, Sandin, Leonard, Schäfer, Ralf B., Schmidt-Kloiber, Astrid, Scotti, Alberto, Shen, Longzhu Q., Skuja, Agnija, Stoll, Stefan, Straka, Michal, Stubbington, Rachel, Timm, Henn, Tyufekchieva, Violeta G., Tziortzis, Iakovos, Uzunov, Yordan, van der Lee, Gea H., Vannevel, Rudy, Varadinova, Emilia, Várbíró, Gábor, Velle, Gaute, Verdonschot, Piet F. M., Verdonschot, Ralf C. M., Vidinova, Yanka, Wiberg-Larsen, Peter, and Haase, Peter

Abstract

Freshwater macroinvertebrates are a diverse group and play key ecological roles, including accelerating nutrient cycling, filtering water, controlling primary producers, and providing food for predators. Their differences in tolerances and short generation times manifest in rapid community responses to change. Macroinvertebrate community composition is an indicator of water quality. In Europe, efforts to improve water quality following environmental legislation, primarily starting in the 1980s, may have driven a recovery of macroinvertebrate communities. Towards understanding temporal and spatial variation of these organisms, we compiled the TREAM dataset (Time seRies of European freshwAter Macroinvertebrates), consisting of macroinvertebrate community time series from 1,816 river and stream sites (mean length of 19.2 years and 14.9 sampling years) of 22 European countries sampled between 1968 and 2020. In total, the data include >93 million sampled individuals of 2,648 taxa from 959 genera and 212 families. These data can be used to test questions ranging from identifying drivers of the population dynamics of specific taxa to assessing the success of legislative and management restoration efforts.

Published
2024

61. Reviving Europe's rivers: Seven challenges in the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law to restore free-flowing rivers

Author

Stoffers, Twan, Altermatt, Florian, Baldan, Damiano, Bilous, Olena, Borgwardt, Florian, Buijse, Anthonie D., Bondar-Kunze, Elisabeth, Cid, Nuria, Erős, Tibor, Ferreira, Maria Teresa, Funk, Andrea, Haidvogl, Gertrud, Hohensinner, Severin, Kowal, Johannes, Nagelkerke, Leopold A.J., Neuburg, Jakob, Peller, Tianna, Schmutz, Stefan, Singer, Gabriel A., Unfer, Günther, Vitecek, Simon, Jähnig, Sonja C., Hein, Thomas, Stoffers, Twan, Altermatt, Florian, Baldan, Damiano, Bilous, Olena, Borgwardt, Florian, Buijse, Anthonie D., Bondar-Kunze, Elisabeth, Cid, Nuria, Erős, Tibor, Ferreira, Maria Teresa, Funk, Andrea, Haidvogl, Gertrud, Hohensinner, Severin, Kowal, Johannes, Nagelkerke, Leopold A.J., Neuburg, Jakob, Peller, Tianna, Schmutz, Stefan, Singer, Gabriel A., Unfer, Günther, Vitecek, Simon, Jähnig, Sonja C., and Hein, Thomas

Abstract

The EU Nature Restoration Law represents an important opportunity for freshwater habitat restoration and, consequently, freshwater biodiversity protection. However, a number of challenges must be anticipated in its implementation, which may compromise its success. Some aspects, particularly those relating to freshwater ecosystems, require more clarification. We use riverine ecosystems to illustrate existing ambiguities in the proposed legislation and the potential consequences of leaving these aspects open to interpretation during the implementation process. We also discuss potential solutions to these problems which could help ensure that the law's objectives are met. We argue that river network structure and connectivity dimensions, which result into river meta-ecosystems, must be explicitly considered. For that purpose, we ask for clear definitions of the critical terms “free-flowing rivers,” “barriers,” and “reference areas.” In addition, we recommend developing methods for integrated assessment of connectivity across river networks. As a key property of river ecosystems, this must be used to prioritize actions to increase the length and number of free-flowing rivers. Adequate restoration planning at larger spatial scales will benefit from a meta-ecosystem perspective and accurate representation of aquatic-terrestrial linkages, which will significantly improve the efficacy of restoration efforts. Furthermore, stakeholder and citizen engagement offer important opportunities at local, national, and European scales, and should be fostered to ensure inclusive decision-making. The conservation challenges outlined here are particularly important for rivers, but they also have implications for other ecosystems. These considerations are useful for policymakers, conservationists, and other stakeholders involved in the Nature Restoration Law and related policy initiatives. This article is categorized under: Water and Life > Stresses and Pressures on Ecosystems Water and L

Published
2024

62. Diversity–functioning relationships across hierarchies of biological organization

Author

Mayor, Sarah; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2367-748X, Allan, Eric; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9641-9436, Altermatt, Florian; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4831-6958, Isbell, Forest; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9689-769X, Schaepman, Michael E; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9627-9565, Schmid, Bernhard; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8430-3214, Niklaus, Pascal A; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2360-1357, Mayor, Sarah; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2367-748X, Allan, Eric; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9641-9436, Altermatt, Florian; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4831-6958, Isbell, Forest; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9689-769X, Schaepman, Michael E; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9627-9565, Schmid, Bernhard; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8430-3214, and Niklaus, Pascal A; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2360-1357

Abstract

Numerous biodiversity–ecosystem functioning (BEF) experiments have shown that plant community productivity typically increases with species diversity. In these studies, diversity is generally quantified using metrics of taxonomic, phylogenetic, or functional differences among community members. Research has also shown that the relationships between species diversity and functioning depends on the spatial scale considered, primarily because larger areas may contain different ecosystem types and span gradients in environmental conditions, which result in a turnover of the species set present locally. A fact that has received little attention, however, is that ecological systems are hierarchically structured, from genes to individuals to communities to entire landscapes, and that additional biological variation occurs at levels of organization above and below those typically considered in BEF research. Here, we present cases of diversity effects at different hierarchical levels of organization and compare these to the species‐diversity effects traditionally studied. We argue that when this evidence is combined across levels, a general framework emerges that allows the transfer of insights and concepts between traditionally disparate disciplines. Such a framework presents an important step towards a better understanding of the functional importance of diversity in complex, real‐world systems.

Published
2024

63. Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem

Author

Saccò, Mattia; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6535-764X, Mammola, Stefano; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4471-9055, Altermatt, Florian; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4831-6958, Alther, Roman; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7582-3966, Bolpagni, Rossano; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9283-2821, Brancelj, Anton; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8767-3894, Brankovits, David; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9195-8115, Fišer, Cene; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1982-8724, Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9143-7480, Griebler, Christian; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8602-581X, Guareschi, Simone; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2962-0863, Hose, Grant C; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2106-5543, Korbel, Kathryn; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4376-787X, Lictevout, Elisabeth; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4983-5650, Malard, Florian; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8037-4464, Martínez, Alejandro; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0073-3688, Niemiller, Matthew L; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6353-8797, Robertson, Anne; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8398-3556, Tanalgo, Krizler C; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4140-336X, Bichuette, Maria Elina; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9515-4832, Borko, Špela; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8383-8778, Brad, Traian; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6749-4338, Campbell, Matthew A; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0353-8389, Cardoso, Pedro; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8119-9960, Celico, Fulvio; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4666-5924, Cooper, Steven J B; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7843-8438, Culver, David; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8866-9053, Di Lorenzo, Tiziana; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3131-7049, Galassi, Diana M P; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6448-2710, Guzik, Michelle T; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4947-9353, et al, Saccò, Mattia; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6535-764X, Mammola, Stefano; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4471-9055, Altermatt, Florian; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4831-6958, Alther, Roman; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7582-3966, Bolpagni, Rossano; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9283-2821, Brancelj, Anton; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8767-3894, Brankovits, David; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9195-8115, Fišer, Cene; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1982-8724, Gerovasileiou, Vasilis; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9143-7480, Griebler, Christian; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8602-581X, Guareschi, Simone; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2962-0863, Hose, Grant C; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2106-5543, Korbel, Kathryn; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4376-787X, Lictevout, Elisabeth; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4983-5650, Malard, Florian; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8037-4464, Martínez, Alejandro; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0073-3688, Niemiller, Matthew L; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6353-8797, Robertson, Anne; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8398-3556, Tanalgo, Krizler C; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4140-336X, Bichuette, Maria Elina; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9515-4832, Borko, Špela; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8383-8778, Brad, Traian; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6749-4338, Campbell, Matthew A; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0353-8389, Cardoso, Pedro; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8119-9960, Celico, Fulvio; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4666-5924, Cooper, Steven J B; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7843-8438, Culver, David; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8866-9053, Di Lorenzo, Tiziana; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3131-7049, Galassi, Diana M P; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6448-2710, Guzik, Michelle T; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4947-9353, and et al

Abstract

Groundwater is a vital ecosystem of the global water cycle, hosting unique biodiversity and providing essential services to societies. Despite being the largest unfrozen freshwater resource, in a period of depletion by extraction and pollution, groundwater environments have been repeatedly overlooked in global biodiversity conservation agendas. Disregarding the importance of groundwater as an ecosystem ignores its critical role in preserving surface biomes. To foster timely global conservation of groundwater, we propose elevating the concept of keystone species into the realm of ecosystems, claiming groundwater as a keystone ecosystem that influences the integrity of many dependent ecosystems. Our global analysis shows that over half of land surface areas (52.6%) has a medium‐to‐high interaction with groundwater, reaching up to 74.9% when deserts and high mountains are excluded. We postulate that the intrinsic transboundary features of groundwater are critical for shifting perspectives towards more holistic approaches in aquatic ecology and beyond. Furthermore, we propose eight key themes to develop a science‐policy integrated groundwater conservation agenda. Given ecosystems above and below the ground intersect at many levels, considering groundwater as an essential component of planetary health is pivotal to reduce biodiversity loss and buffer against climate change.

Published
2024

64. The shape of density dependence and the relationship between population growth, intraspecific competition and equilibrium population density

Author

Fronhofer, Emanuel A; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2219-784X, Govaert, Lynn; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8326-3591, O'Connor, Mary I, Schreiber, Sebastian J, Altermatt, Florian, Fronhofer, Emanuel A; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2219-784X, Govaert, Lynn; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8326-3591, O'Connor, Mary I, Schreiber, Sebastian J, and Altermatt, Florian

Abstract

The logistic growth model is one of the most frequently used formalizations of density dependence affecting population growth, persistence and evolution. Ecological and evolutionary theory, and applications to understand population change over time often include this model. However, the assumptions and limitations of this popular model are often not well appreciated. Here, we briefly review past use of the logistic growth model and highlight limitations by deriving population growth models from underlying consumer–resource dynamics. We show that the logistic equation likely is not applicable to many biological systems. Rather, density‐regulation functions are usually non‐linear and may exhibit convex or concave curvatures depending on the biology of resources and consumers. In simple cases, the dynamics can be fully described by the Schoener model. More complex consumer dynamics show similarities to a Maynard Smith–Slatkin model. We show how population‐level parameters, such as intrinsic rates of increase and equilibrium population densities are not independent, as often assumed. Rather, they are functions of the same underlying parameters. The commonly assumed positive relationship between equilibrium population density and competitive ability is typically invalid. We propose simple relationships between intrinsic rates of increase and equilibrium population densities that capture the essence of different consumer–resource systems. Relating population level models to underlying mechanisms allows us to discuss applications to evolutionary outcomes and how these models depend on environmental conditions, like temperature via metabolic scaling. Finally, we use time‐series from microbial food chains to fit population growth models as a test case for our theoretical predictions. Our results show that density‐regulation functions need to be chosen carefully as their shapes will depend on the study system's biology. Importantly, we provide a mechanistic understanding of r

Published
2024

65. Combining environmental DNA with remote sensing variables to map fish species distributions along a large river

Author

Zong, Shuo; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7458-3291, Brantschen, Jeanine, Zhang, Xiaowei; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8974-9963, Albouy, Camille; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1629-2389, Valentini, Alice, Zhang, Heng; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3139-9566, Altermatt, Florian; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4831-6958, Pellissier, Loïc; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2289-8259, Zong, Shuo; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7458-3291, Brantschen, Jeanine, Zhang, Xiaowei; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8974-9963, Albouy, Camille; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1629-2389, Valentini, Alice, Zhang, Heng; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3139-9566, Altermatt, Florian; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4831-6958, and Pellissier, Loïc; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2289-8259

Abstract

Biodiversity loss in river ecosystems is much faster and more severe than in terrestrial systems, and spatial conservation and restoration plans are needed to halt this erosion. Reliable and highly resolved data on the state of and change in biodiversity and species distributions are critical for effective measures. However, high‐resolution maps of fish distribution remain limited for large riverine systems. Coupling data from global satellite sensors with broad‐scale environmental DNA (eDNA) and machine learning could enable rapid and precise mapping of the distribution of river organisms. Here, we investigated the potential for combining these methods using a fish eDNA dataset from 110 sites sampled along the full length of the Rhone River in Switzerland and France. Using Sentinel 2 and Landsat 8 images, we generated a set of ecological variables describing both the aquatic and the terrestrial habitats surrounding the river corridor. We combined these variables with eDNA‐based presence and absence data on 29 fish species and used three machine‐learning models to assess environmental suitability for these species. Most models showed good performance, indicating that ecological variables derived from remote sensing can approximate the ecological determinants of fish species distributions, but water‐derived variables had stronger associations than the terrestrial variables surrounding the river. The species range mapping indicated a significant transition in the species occupancy along the Rhone, from its source in the Swiss Alps to outlet into the Mediterranean Sea in southern France. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of combining remote sensing and eDNA to map species distributions in a large river. This method can be expanded to any large river to support conservation schemes.

Published
2024

66. Contrasting strengths of eDNA and electrofishing compared to historic records for assessing fish community diversity and composition

Author

Brantschen, Jeanine; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2945-3607, Altermatt, Florian; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4831-6958, Brantschen, Jeanine; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2945-3607, and Altermatt, Florian; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4831-6958

Abstract

In times of rapid environmental changes, baseline biodiversity data are crucial for management. In freshwaters, fish inventories are commonly based on the capture and morphological identification of specimens. The sampling of environmental DNA (eDNA) provides an alternative to assess diversity across large catchments. Here, we used extensive historic data of fish communities collected across 89 river sites in all major catchments of Switzerland and compared their diversity and community composition to a single campaign of eDNA and electrofishing, respectively. Locally, we found that eDNA provided diversity estimates similar to the integrated historic richness, while the electrofishing campaign captured a significantly lower local richness. Fish species locally recorded by electrofishing were nested (Jaccard’s dissimilarity index) within the respective eDNA community for most sites. Finally, eDNA sequence reads positively correlated with the overall electrofishing biomass. Despite the congruences, the eDNA data did not correlate well with the electrofishing water quality index. Overall, eDNA was more accurately assessing overall diversity than a simultaneous electrofishing campaign, but yet cannot be directly used to calculate fish-based water quality indices.

Published
2024

67. Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem

Author

Saccò, Mattia, Mammola, Stefano, Altermatt, Florian, Alther, Roman, Bolpagni, Rossano, Brancelj, Anton, Brankovits, David, Fišer, Cene, Gerovasileiou, Vasilis, Griebler, Christian, Guareschi, Simone, Hose, Grant C., Korbel, Kathryn, Lictevout, Elisabeth, Malard, Florian, Martínez, Alejandro, Niemiller, Matthew L., Robertson, Anne, Tanalgo, Krizler C., Bichuette, Maria Elina, Borko, Špela, Brad, Traian, Campbell, Matthew A., Cardoso, Pedro, Celico, Fulvio, Cooper, Steven J. B., Culver, David, Di Lorenzo, Tiziana, Galassi, Diana M. P., Guzik, Michelle T., Hartland, Adam, Humphreys, William F., Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, Lunghi, Enrico, Nizzoli, Daniele, Perina, Giulia, Raghavan, Rajeev, Richards, Zoe, Reboleira, Ana Sofia P. S., Rohde, Melissa M., Fernández, David Sánchez, Schmidt, Susanne I., van der Heyde, Mieke, Weaver, Louise, White, Nicole E., Zagmajster, Maja, Hogg, Ian, Ruhi, Albert, Gagnon, Marthe M., Allentoft, Morten E., Reinecke, Robert, Saccò, Mattia, Mammola, Stefano, Altermatt, Florian, Alther, Roman, Bolpagni, Rossano, Brancelj, Anton, Brankovits, David, Fišer, Cene, Gerovasileiou, Vasilis, Griebler, Christian, Guareschi, Simone, Hose, Grant C., Korbel, Kathryn, Lictevout, Elisabeth, Malard, Florian, Martínez, Alejandro, Niemiller, Matthew L., Robertson, Anne, Tanalgo, Krizler C., Bichuette, Maria Elina, Borko, Špela, Brad, Traian, Campbell, Matthew A., Cardoso, Pedro, Celico, Fulvio, Cooper, Steven J. B., Culver, David, Di Lorenzo, Tiziana, Galassi, Diana M. P., Guzik, Michelle T., Hartland, Adam, Humphreys, William F., Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, Lunghi, Enrico, Nizzoli, Daniele, Perina, Giulia, Raghavan, Rajeev, Richards, Zoe, Reboleira, Ana Sofia P. S., Rohde, Melissa M., Fernández, David Sánchez, Schmidt, Susanne I., van der Heyde, Mieke, Weaver, Louise, White, Nicole E., Zagmajster, Maja, Hogg, Ian, Ruhi, Albert, Gagnon, Marthe M., Allentoft, Morten E., and Reinecke, Robert

Abstract

Groundwater is a vital ecosystem of the global water cycle, hosting unique biodiversity and providing essential services to societies. Despite being the largest unfrozen freshwater resource, in a period of depletion by extraction and pollution, groundwater environments have been repeatedly overlooked in global biodiversity conservation agendas. Disregarding the importance of groundwater as an ecosystem ignores its critical role in preserving surface biomes. To foster timely global conservation of groundwater, we propose elevating the concept of keystone species into the realm of ecosystems, claiming groundwater as a keystone ecosystem that influences the integrity of many dependent ecosystems. Our global analysis shows that over half of land surface areas (52.6%) has a medium-to-high interaction with groundwater, reaching up to 74.9% when deserts and high mountains are excluded. We postulate that the intrinsic transboundary features of groundwater are critical for shifting perspectives towards more holistic approaches in aquatic ecology and beyond. Furthermore, we propose eight key themes to develop a science-policy integrated groundwater conservation agenda. Given ecosystems above and below the ground intersect at many levels, considering groundwater as an essential component of planetary health is pivotal to reduce biodiversity loss and buffer against climate change.

Published
2024

69. A meeting framework for inclusive and sustainable science

Author

Blackman, Rosetta C., Bruder, Andreas, Burdon, Francis J., Convey, Peter, Funk, W. Chris, Jähnig, Sonja C., Kishe, Mary Alphonce, Moretti, Marcelo S., Natugonza, Vianny, Pawlowski, Jan, Stubbington, Rachel, Zhang, Xiaowei, Seehausen, Ole, and Altermatt, Florian

Published
2020
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70. Metapopulation dynamics on ephemeral patches.

Author

Reigada, Carolina, Schreiber, Sebastian J, Altermatt, Florian, and Holyoak, Marcel

Subjects
Life on Land, Animal Distribution, Animals, Ecosystem, Models, Biological, Population Dynamics, conservation, dispersal behavior, disturbance regime, environmental management, habitat dynamics, metapopulation persistence, Biological Sciences, Ecology
Abstract

A challenge for conservation management is to understand how population and habitat dynamics interact to affect species persistence. In real landscapes, timing and duration of disturbances can vary, and species' responses to habitat changes will depend on how timing of dispersal and reproduction events relate to the landscape temporal structure. For instance, increasing disturbance frequency may promote extinction of species that are unable to appropriately time their reproduction in an ever-changing habitat and favor species that are able to track habitat changes. We developed a mathematical model to compare the effects of pulsed dispersal, initiated by shifts in habitat quality, with temporally continuous dispersal. We tested the effects of habitat (and population) turnover rates on metapopulation establishment, persistence, and long-term patch occupancy. Pulsed dispersal reduced patch occupancy and metapopulation longevity when habitat patches are relatively permanent. In such cases, demographic extinction was the primary form of local extinction. Conversely, when habitat patches are short-lived and new ones are frequently formed, pulsed dispersal promoted rapid colonization, increased occupancy, and prolonged metapopulation persistence. Our results show that species responsiveness to habitat disturbance is critical to metapopulation persistence, having profound implications for the species likely to persist in landscapes with altered disturbance regimes.

Published
2015

73. Reviving Europe's rivers: Seven challenges in the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law to restore free‐flowing rivers

Author

Stoffers, Twan, primary, Altermatt, Florian, additional, Baldan, Damiano, additional, Bilous, Olena, additional, Borgwardt, Florian, additional, Buijse, Anthonie D., additional, Bondar‐Kunze, Elisabeth, additional, Cid, Nuria, additional, Erős, Tibor, additional, Ferreira, Maria Teresa, additional, Funk, Andrea, additional, Haidvogl, Gertrud, additional, Hohensinner, Severin, additional, Kowal, Johannes, additional, Nagelkerke, Leopold A. J., additional, Neuburg, Jakob, additional, Peller, Tianna, additional, Schmutz, Stefan, additional, Singer, Gabriel A., additional, Unfer, Günther, additional, Vitecek, Simon, additional, Jähnig, Sonja C., additional, and Hein, Thomas, additional

Published
2024
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74. Measuring the state of aquatic environments using eDNA—upscaling spatial resolution of biotic indices.

Author

Blackman, Rosetta C., Carraro, Luca, Keck, François, and Altermatt, Florian

Subjects
SPATIAL resolution, ENVIRONMENTAL indicators, AQUATIC insects, BIODIVERSITY monitoring, HYDROLOGIC models, AQUATIC organisms, WATERSHEDS
Abstract

Aquatic macroinvertebrates, including many aquatic insect orders, are a diverse and ecologically relevant organismal group yet they are strongly affected by anthropogenic activities. As many of these taxa are highly sensitive to environmental change, they offer a particularly good early warning system for human-induced change, thus leading to their intense monitoring. In aquatic ecosystems there is a plethora of biotic monitoring or biomonitoring approaches, with more than 300 assessment methods reported for freshwater taxa alone. Ultimately, monitoring of aquatic macroinvertebrates is used to calculate ecological indices describing the state of aquatic systems. Many of the methods and indices used are not only hard to compare, but especially difficult to scale in time and space. Novel DNA-based approaches to measure the state and change of aquatic environments now offer unprecedented opportunities, also for possible integration towards commonly applicable indices. Here, we first give a perspective on DNA-based approaches in the monitoring of aquatic organisms, with a focus on aquatic insects, and how to move beyond traditional point-based biotic indices. Second, we demonstrate a proof-of-concept for spatially upscaling ecological indices based on environmental DNA, demonstrating how integration of these novel molecular approaches with hydrological models allows an accurate evaluation at the catchment scale. This article is part of the theme issue 'Towards a toolkit for global insect biodiversity monitoring'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2024
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78. Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem

Author

Saccò, Mattia, primary, Mammola, Stefano, additional, Altermatt, Florian, additional, Alther, Roman, additional, Bolpagni, Rossano, additional, Brancelj, Anton, additional, Brankovits, David, additional, Fišer, Cene, additional, Gerovasileiou, Vasilis, additional, Griebler, Christian, additional, Guareschi, Simone, additional, Hose, Grant C., additional, Korbel, Kathryn, additional, Lictevout, Elisabeth, additional, Malard, Florian, additional, Martínez, Alejandro, additional, Niemiller, Matthew L., additional, Robertson, Anne, additional, Tanalgo, Krizler C., additional, Bichuette, Maria Elina, additional, Borko, Špela, additional, Brad, Traian, additional, Campbell, Matthew A., additional, Cardoso, Pedro, additional, Celico, Fulvio, additional, Cooper, Steven J. B., additional, Culver, David, additional, Di Lorenzo, Tiziana, additional, Galassi, Diana M. P., additional, Guzik, Michelle T., additional, Hartland, Adam, additional, Humphreys, William F., additional, Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, additional, Lunghi, Enrico, additional, Nizzoli, Daniele, additional, Perina, Giulia, additional, Raghavan, Rajeev, additional, Richards, Zoe, additional, Reboleira, Ana Sofia P. S., additional, Rohde, Melissa M., additional, Fernández, David Sánchez, additional, Schmidt, Susanne I., additional, van der Heyde, Mieke, additional, Weaver, Louise, additional, White, Nicole E., additional, Zagmajster, Maja, additional, Hogg, Ian, additional, Ruhi, Albert, additional, Gagnon, Marthe M., additional, Allentoft, Morten E., additional, and Reinecke, Robert, additional

Published
2023
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96. The future of biotic indices in the ecogenomic era: Integrating (e)DNA metabarcoding in biological assessment of aquatic ecosystems

Author

Pawlowski, Jan, Kelly-Quinn, Mary, Altermatt, Florian, Apothéloz-Perret-Gentil, Laure, Beja, Pedro, Boggero, Angela, Borja, Angel, Bouchez, Agnès, Cordier, Tristan, Domaizon, Isabelle, Feio, Maria Joao, Filipe, Ana Filipa, Fornaroli, Riccardo, Graf, Wolfram, Herder, Jelger, van der Hoorn, Berry, Iwan Jones, J., Sagova-Mareckova, Marketa, Moritz, Christian, Barquín, Jose, Piggott, Jeremy J., Pinna, Maurizio, Rimet, Frederic, Rinkevich, Buki, Sousa-Santos, Carla, Specchia, Valeria, Trobajo, Rosa, Vasselon, Valentin, Vitecek, Simon, Zimmerman, Jonas, Weigand, Alexander, Leese, Florian, and Kahlert, Maria

Published
2018
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99. Effects of connectivity and recurrent local disturbances on community structure and population density in experimental metacommunities.

Author

Altermatt, Florian, Bieger, Annette, Carrara, Francesco, Rinaldo, Andrea, and Holyoak, Marcel

Subjects
Animals, Paramecium, Paramecium aurelia, Euplotes, Euglena gracilis, Models, Statistical, Environment, Conservation of Natural Resources, Ecosystem, Biodiversity, Population Density, Population Dynamics, Species Specificity, Algorithms, Models, Biological, Bacterial Physiological Phenomena, Eukaryota, General Science & Technology
Abstract

Metacommunity theory poses that the occurrence and abundance of species is a product of local factors, including disturbance, and regional factors, like dispersal among patches. While metacommunity ideas have been broadly tested there is relatively little work on metacommunities subject to disturbance. We focused on how localized disturbance and dispersal interact to determine species composition in metacommunities. Experiments conducted in simple two-patch habitats containing eight protozoa and rotifer species tested how dispersal altered community composition in both communities that were disturbed and communities that connected to refuge communities not subject to disturbance. While disturbance lowered population densities, in disturbed patches connected to undisturbed patches this was ameliorated by immigration. Furthermore, species with high dispersal abilities or growth rates showed the fastest post-disturbance recovery in presence of immigration. Connectivity helped to counteract the negative effect of disturbances on local populations, allowing mass-effect-driven dispersal of individuals from undisturbed to disturbed patches. In undisturbed patches, however, local population sizes were not significantly reduced by emigration. The absence of a cost of dispersal for undisturbed source populations is consistent with a lack of complex demography in our system, such as age- or sex-specific emigration. Our approach provides an improved way to separate components of population growth from organisms' movement in post-disturbance recovery of (meta)communities. Further studies are required in a variety of ecosystems to investigate the transient dynamics resulting from disturbance and dispersal.

Published
2011

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