Restoration ecology meets carabidology: effects of floodplain restitution on ground beetles (Coleoptera,Carabidae)

The effects of different restoration activities on floodplain-inhabiting ground beetles were studied at a lowland river in northwestern Germany. In the 6-km² project area the bank reinforcement was stopped, the dikes that bordered the river on both sides were removed and two oxbows (disconnected parts of the main stream course) were reconnected to the river. We investigated the banks at two sites at the main river, at the two reconnected oxbows and at two unconnected oxbows as reference sites. To analyse the effects of the removal of the dikes we chose three floodplain sites in front and two reference sites behind the new dike. As a consequence of the lack of bank reinforcement and the reconnection of the oxbows, the area of open river banks, a rare bank structure at rivers in northwestern Germany, increased by a factor of 4.6 during the 4 years of investigation. Numerous stenotopic ground beetle species colonized the newly developed habitats at the main river and at the reconnected oxbows quickly, during several weeks or months, and established new populations as indicated by newly hatched individuals. The removal of the dikes should lead to a rewetting of the floodplain area that is incorporated in the flood dynamics, an important aspect of the development of typical floodplain habitats such as wet meadows, reeds and alluvial forests, while reference sites on the other side of the removed dike remained uninfluenced. Four years after the removal of the dikes no species turnover at the sites with a potentially changed water regime was recorded that indicated a shift of the carabid assemblages towards hygrophilous species. One reason could be the low frequency of inundations and their short duration during the investigation period. The flood dynamics could be sustained by the elevation and enlargement of the river bed, and periodic floods are the key factor for a development of floodplain habitats.     

Local and landscape effects on temporary pond zooplankton egg banks: conservation implications

Understanding landscape correlates of local habitat integrity and community structure and the identification of spatial scales at which these associations operate are relevant for management and conservation of unique but globally threatened temporary ponds. We use a multivariate variance decomposition approach to determine taxon-specific associations of zooplankton communities banked in dry pond soils (rotifers, cladocerans, copepods) with local habitat features and landscape characteristics across four spatial scales (100 buffer strip, 1, 5, and 10 km scales). Results show similar degrees of correlation between rotifer and cladoceran communities with local habitat conditions (chiefly water quality). This is interpreted according to life-history traits of component species of wetland propagule banks. Associations with landscape features varied between communities with rotifers correlating with landscape structural features only at the buffer scale while cladocerans showed no significant correlations with landscape characteristics across all scales. Copepods were neither significantly associated with local nor landscape characteristics. The results of this study contrast strikingly with our previous population-based study, where populations of Triops cancriformis and Branchinecta orientales were significantly correlated with landuse features at the broadest scale. The combined results suggest that a three-way management scheme could be useful for conservation of zooplankton resting egg banks in this remnant wetland complex. These schemes could focus on the restoration of wetland water quality, the establishment of vegetated buffer strips around the ponds to counteract degradation resulting from runoff, and reforestation and/or the creation of hedgerows in agricultural catchments to avoid impacts resulting from broad-scale diffuse pollution fluxes. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Temporal dispersal: ecological and evolutionary aspects of zooplankton egg banks and the role of sediment mixing

Zooplankton egg banks are the accumulation of diapausing embryosof planktonic animals buried in the sediments of many aquaticecosystems. These eggs, which are analogous life history stagesto the seeds of many plants, can survive in a ready-to-hatchstate for periods ranging from a few years to greater than acentury. Their presence in ponds, lakes and near-shore marineenvironments has substantial implications for understandingtrajectories of ecological and evolutionary change. When thesediments of lakes are structured in historical sequence, diapausingeggs extracted from different sediment ages can provide a meansof studying past changes in community or population-geneticstructure. A completely different aspect of egg banks derivesfrom the fact that hatching of diapausing eggs can influence,through what can be thought of as temporal dispersal, populationand community response to environmental change. Eggs hatchingfrom diapause introduce to current environments species or genotypeslaid at times in the distant past. In addition, egg banks createextended generation overlap that can play an important rolein maintaining diversity in a fluctuating environment when differenttypes (species or genotypes) are favored at different times.These distinct aspects of egg banks (i.e., their direct impacton ecological and evolutionary processes versus their usefulnessin reconstructing historical changes), are potentially in conflictbecause for old eggs to hatch, the sediments must be at leastpartially mixed. This same mixing, however, degrades the accuracyof the historical record. Both aspects are possible, however,even within a single lake when sediment-mixing intensity isspatially heterogeneous.     

The contribution of persistent soil seed banks and flooding to the restoration of alluvial meadows

Restoration of species-rich flood meadows impoverished by agricultural intensification is an important challenge. The relationships between flooding regime and soil seed bank were compared in three successive meadow communities (hygrophilic, mesohygrophilic and mesophilic) distinguished along a topographic and hydric gradient. Differences in flood duration and frequency between the three associations allowed the study of the contribution of floods to soil seed bank richness and density. No significant difference was found in species richness among the three soil seed banks, whereas the densities were significantly higher in the wettest community. The three seed bank compositions were clearly distinguished along the hydric gradient. In fact, the three seed bank types constituted a species poor version of the meadow communities to which they belong. Flood contributions appear to play a minor role in seed bank enrichment. Thus, seed dispersal by flood water would probably be insufficient to enable the restoration of alluvial meadows.     

The impact of salinity pulses on the emergence of plant and zooplankton from wetland seed and egg banks

1. In this study we compared the emergence of aquatic biota from sediments under 14‐day pulses of high (5000 mg L⁻¹) and low (1000 mg L⁻¹) salinity with emergence under freshwater and equivalent constant salinity levels. We tested the hypothesis that pulses of high salinity and short duration have no impact on the emergence of aquatic plants and zooplankton from wetland sediment. 2. The way salt is moved through the landscape may alter the response of biota to increases in salinity. Under natural hydrological regimes in rivers and floodplains salinity pulses occur often at concentrations that exceed predicted tolerance levels for aquatic biota. The impacts of natural pulses of high salinity followed by rapid return to fresh conditions may be used to inform management guidelines for the potential release of non‐natural saline water into river systems with minimal impact. 3. For both aquatic plants and zooplankton the abundance and richness of the emerging taxa decreased at higher salinities kept at constant levels. In contrast, pulses of salinity followed by return to freshwater conditions did not have a negative impact on the emergence of aquatic plants or zooplankton. For many taxa of zooplankton a positive impact was demonstrated with higher emergence following the salinity pulse. 4. The responses of aquatic plant and zooplankton taxa are grouped into five response types. Type 1: negatively impacted by all salt regimes. Type 2: preference for constant salinities. Type 3: no difference between fresh and either pulse regime. Type 4: preference for high concentration pulses. Type 5: emergence higher under a low concentration pulse. 5. Although previous studies indicate that constant high‐level salinity in rivers and wetlands can decrease the species richness of aquatic communities, this current study shows pulses may not have the same impact. Our results support the hypothesis that pulses of high salinity and short duration do not impact on the emergence of aquatic plants and zooplankton from wetland sediments. For zooplankton, pulses of salt may trigger emergence. 6. These trends may be used to explore the potential to use managed water releases to move salt through the landscape with minimal impact of salinity on aquatic biota. However, before such preliminary results are applied in management of saline water releases we need to determine the implications for interacting processes in natural ecosystems.     

新建水库轮虫和甲壳类浮游动物动态特征

于2000~2003年调查了新建水库飞来峡水库(1999年蓄水)轮虫和甲壳类浮游动物的动态特征。共检到轮虫68种,枝角类18种和桡足类13种。轮虫、枝角类和桡足类的丰度均不高,分别为0.2~88.6,0.1~13和0.4~13.8 ind.L-1,最高丰度均出现在蓄水后的第4年(2002年3月)。在水库开始蓄水之后,轮虫先以螺形龟甲轮虫(Keratella cochlearis)为优势种;然后在蓄水后的第4年(2002年3月)由于长圆疣毛轮虫(Synchaeta pectinata)种群密度大幅度上涨,长圆疣毛轮虫取缔螺形龟甲轮虫成为优势种;此后,随着长圆疣毛轮虫种群回落,螺形龟甲轮虫又成为优势种。对于枝角类来说,水库蓄水初期,短尾秀体氵蚤(Diaphanosoma brachyurum)和长额象鼻氵蚤(Bosmina longirostris)交替成为枝角类的优势种;在蓄水后的第4年,长额象鼻氵蚤种群密度上涨,成为绝对优势种;此后,长额象鼻氵蚤种群回落,但仍然为绝对优势种。对于桡足类来说,在调查期间均以桡足幼体为主,成体丰度很低。飞来峡水库属河流型水库,在调查期间滞留时间为1.3~14.2 d,高的稀释和平流损失率造成浮游动物丰度很低。滞留时间的变化与轮虫、枝角类和桡足类种群波动密切相关;叶绿素a对它们的种群波动影响则不明显,但与长圆疣毛轮虫和长额象鼻氵蚤均显著正相关。在相对较长的滞留时间(14.2 d)和较丰富的食物的条件下,长圆疣毛轮虫和长额象鼻氵蚤种群密度大幅度上涨,并使总浮游动物丰度在蓄水后的第4年出现最高值。     

Patterns in rotifer diapausing egg banks: Density and viability

Here we present a quantitative study on the density, age and viability of the diapausing egg banks of the rotifer species complex Brachionus plicatilis in the sediments of 15 water bodies from Eastern Spain. Sampled ponds, located in coastal and inland areas, varied in salinity and ranged in size, depth and permanence. By identifying ‘hatched’, ‘deteriorated’ and ‘viable’ diapausing eggs in the sediment samples, we estimated production, hatching and deterioration in relation to the habitat properties of each pond. Our results indicate the presence of large numbers of diapausing eggs in the sediments of almost all of the ponds studied (2-115 eggs cm^− 2). Inland ponds tended to have higher densities than coastal lagoons. The vertical distribution of eggs in the sediments frequently showed a non-decreasing pattern, which suggested a high among-year variation in egg production. Despite maximum age of eggs of 60-80 years, the median age (3-30 years) suggests that rotifer egg banks are young in the studied ponds. Egg senescence is suggested by the declining abundance of ‘healthy-looking’ eggs with depth. The proportion of ‘deteriorated’ eggs ranged 75-99% suggesting that deterioration rates in the sediments are high and vary among habitats. Hatching and deterioration rates, as estimated from the counts of ‘hatched’, ‘deteriorated’ and ‘healthy-looking’ eggs in the sediments, largely varied among ponds. An association between hatching and deterioration rates is suggested by our data. This is in agreement with the hypothesis that hatching rates of diapausing eggs depended not only on the risks associated with the water column, as initially expected by the general theory on diapause, but they are also related to the incidence of deterioration processes in the sediment.     

Scaling of colonization processes in streams: Parallels and lessons from marine hard substrata

Abstract Understanding colonization processes specifically requires a comprehensive understanding of the frequency and scales over which dispersal occurs, which in turn determines the degree of linkage within and between populations and possibly results in metapopulation structure. What is our level of such knowledge for stream systems? We examine colonization processes in streams using a framework produced by analogous literature on sessile, marine species, which are comparatively well-known and may provide insights for stream biota. For simplicity, we separate dispersal into two, somewhat artificial scales: microscale (between habitat patches - cm to m) and mesoscale (between groups of patches - tens to thousands of metres), and consider dispersal links between them. Traditional views on dispersal developed similarly in both systems, with a strong initial focus on mesoscale dispersal followed by an awareness that some species do not disperse usually over these scales and that there are a wide range of dispersal profiles. In both habitats, there are few data on actual dispersal distances, and longevities are sometimes used to infer them instead. Organisms can be transported by water currents (marine larvae, stream larvae) or wind (adult insects), the directions and strengths of which are relatively predictable at mesoscales. However, behavioural choices of organisms during dispersal can change their potential dispersal distances and directions markedly. Additionally, predictability of transport processes at microscales is very poor. As a consequence, simple, lone biological measures (like longevity) or simple, lone physical measures (like discharge) are useless for predicting dispersal frequencies and scales in most cases. Mortality during dispersal is also extremely important but there are few data; this represents a major information gap in both sets of literature. Finally, if organisms end dispersal by searching for and being able to respond to specific cues, then we may be able to predict colonization by looking at the distribution of such cues; different cues are likely though to vary greatly in space and time. There is potential for dispersal ‘structure’ to develop in rivers of different hydrology, and for sets of correlated life-history characters to result in dispersal at particular scales, but there are very few stream studies that bear on these issues unambiguously. Progress in understanding the scales of dispersal, in both habitats, will require a lot more studies designed formally to test clear hypotheses about the scales of dispersal, rather than continuing a status quo of generating essentially anecdotal information     

Estimating biogeochemical and biotic interactions between a stream channel and a created riparian wetland: A medium-scale physical model

Straightened channels and altered and drained adjacent riparian wetlands have adversely impacted streams and rivers throughout the US Midwest. This research investigated the biological connection and water quality of a 0.07 ha diversion wetland and adjacent stream at the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park in central Ohio. Before the flowthrough conditions were established, we demonstrated with mark and recapture techniques that the wetland already was a biorefuge for fish under extreme conditions; two species (Centrarchidae) captured in the stream before a total drawdown of the stream were found in the wetland a year later. In addition, water at the bottom remained at around 4 °C over the winter likely due to groundwater input, which possibly provided a warmer shelter for fish. Stream water quality of the lower section, downstream of the wetland outlet, generally improved with hydrologic pulsing in spring after flow-through reconnection due to the trapping of nutrients in the wetland. Mean removal per flood pulse for nitrate-nitrite, total nitrogen (TN), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), total phosphorus (TP) were 1.81 g-N m⁻² per pulse, 1.02 g-N m⁻² per pulse, 0.014 g-P m⁻² per pulse, and 0.004 g-P m⁻² per pulse, respectively. The wetland exported 2.8 g-C m⁻² per pulse of organic carbon. A greater attenuation of NO₃⁻ and TP occurred in the marshy outlet channel section of the wetland than the open water section. The diversion wetland successfully removed nitrate and phosphorus during storm pulses in spring. Similar designs should be applied to other locations to examine their function under different climatic and hydrological conditions.     

Calcium content of crustacean zooplankton and its potential role in species distribution

SUMMARY 1. The occurrence and species composition of crustacean zooplankton in Norwegian lakes was related to ambient Ca concentrations, pH, total phosphorus and chlorophyll a , and to the presence/absence of other zooplankters and a planktivorous fish (roach: Rutilus rutilus ).
2. Ambient Ca concentrations appeared to influence the distribution of Daphnia species: Daphnia longispina often occurred in Ca-rich lakes with low fish-predation pressure while the smaller Daphnia cristata often occurred in opposite conditions.
3. Body Ca contents were measured in zooplankters from a wide range of localities, to examine Ca requirements and thus the potential for Ca-limitation of common species.
4. All Daphnia species had relatively high specific Ca contents [ranging from 0.8 to 4.4% Ca dry weight (DW)⁻¹] compared with other cladocerans and also copepods (ranging from 0.1 to 0.4% Ca DW⁻¹). Within the Daphnia genus, the specific Ca content increased with increasing body size of the species, and thus the large-bodied species had especially high Ca demands.
5. Because of their high Ca demands, species of Daphnia could be competitively disadvantaged in softwater lakes relative to less Ca-demanding species.     

Aboveground decomposition dynamics in riparian depression and slope wetlands of central Pennsylvania

We examined two types of groundwater-fed wetlands (riparian depressions and slopes) classified using the hydrogeomorphic (HGM) system. These wetland types had previously been shown to differ hydrologically. Our first objective was to determine if HGM was a useful structuring variable when examining aboveground decomposition dynamics (rate of mass loss and rate of nitrogen loss). Our second objective was to determine what soil variables were related to any differences in aboveground decomposition dynamics we might find regardless of HGM subclass. We used the litterbag field bioassay technique, and employed a standard litter type (Phalaris arundinacea) across all wetlands. Our results indicated that HGM would not readily serve as an adequate structuring variable for aboveground decomposition in riparian depressions and slope wetlands of central Pennsylvania. Discriminant analysis and classification and regression tree (CART) modeling found soil cation exchange capacity, soil pH, soil organic matter, and soil % nitrogen to be potentially important soil variables related to mass loss, and soil % nitrogen and soil pH to be potentially important variables related to nitrogen loss rate.     

The chemistry and crustacean zooplankton of the Seewinkel pans: a review of recent conditions

A number of shallow pans was investigated between May 1982 and May 1985 in the Seewinkel region between Neusiedlersee and the Hungarian border. Chemical and zooplankton samples were obtained at three monthly intervals. Analyses indicated some changes during the past decades. Human activity has resulted in some changes to water chemistry and zooplankton composition in a few pans, and many smaller pans have now disappeared.     

Reproductive mechanisms and dynamics of habitat colonization in Microcerotermes biroi (Isoptera: Termitidae)

Abstract. 1. Previous studies on the arboreal termite community in coconut plantations of northern New Guinea showed that Microcerotermes biroi is the most abundant species, despite the fighting superiority of two competitor species Nasutitermes princeps and N.novarumhebridarum. In this study we tested the hypothesis that the success of M.biroi is due to its efficiency at colonizing new habitats following nuptial flights.
2. We demonstrated experimentally the ability of M.biroi colonies to replace their reproductives when removed, or to produce reproductives in satellite nests when isolated from the remainder of the colony. Replacement reproductives were always neotenics, derived from nymphs or workers.
3. Despite the ability of neotenics to differentiate within their home colonies, 84% of field colonies were headed by dealated imagos. This value constitutes a minimum estimate of the proportion of field colonies founded independently by imagos after the nuptial flight.
4. The monitoring of a young plantation during the first 31/2 years of its colonization by arboreal nesting termites revealed its invasion by M.biroi , which colonized 63% of the trees while neither Nasutitermes species appeared.
5. Our results demonstrate that M.biroi is actually a pioneer species, able to invade a new habitat by means of nuptial flights. They outline the importance of each species' reproductive strategy in shaping the arboreal-nesting termite community.     

Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry of crustacean zooplankton in the Baltic Sea: implications for nutrient recycling

The carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents (%of dry weight) of some crustacean zooplankton were studied inthe Baltic Sea. The copepod Acartia sp. had a stable C and Ncontent (48.3 ± 0.8% C, 12.4 ± 0.2% N, C:N ratio4.5 ± 0.1). The P content was variable (1–2%),probably depending on developmental stage and season. Copepodsaccumulating fat, like Pseudocalanus minutus elongatus, hadhigher and more variable C content (50–60%), and lowerN and P content (7–12% N, 0.6–1.5% P). The highestC and lowest N and P contents were found in adult Limnocalanusmacrurus. However, the N:P ratio was apparently independentof fat content and between 14 and 27 for all copepods. The cladoceransBosmina longispina maritima and Evadne nordmanni had lower Ncontent (9.3–10.8%) and higher C:N ratio (5.1–5.7)than Acartia sp. The P content (1.2–1.4%) was similarto Acartia sp. and the N:P ratios (16–19) were in thelower range of that found for the copepods. The N:P ratio wasgenerally somewhat higher in the copepods than in seston, whichmost of the year had nearly Redfield C:N:P ratios. Potentially,nutrient recycling from crustacean zooplankton could enhanceN limitation of phytoplankton, but small stoichiometric differencessuggest that this effect is probably weak. The extent is dependenton the structure of the zooplankton community and the grossgrowth efficiencies. Acartia copepodites, which had nearly RedfieldN:P ratios, would have the opposite effect and enhance P limitationin late summer when seston N:P ratios increased.     

Zooplankton on the move: first results on the quantification of dispersal of zooplankton in a set of interconnected ponds

In systems of interconnected ponds or lakes, the dispersal of zooplankton may be mediated by the active population component, with rivulets and overflows functioning as dispersal pathways and the dispersal being unidirectional. Such systems offer the possibility to study the impact of dispersal rates on local population dynamics and community structure, and provide opportunities to quantify dispersal in the field in a straightforward manner. In this study, dispersal of active zooplankton populations among interconnected ponds was quantified directly in the field by sampling the small waterways connecting the ponds. The number of dispersing zooplankton sampled in connecting elements was on average high (almost 7000 ind h^–1). However, the contribution of dispersing individuals to total population size in the target ponds was very limited (< 1% 24 h^–1.). Only a weak diel pattern in dispersal rates was observed.     

Estimation of nitrate removal by riparian wetlands and streams in agricultural catchments: effect of discharge and stream order

1. Assessment of the role of landscape structures such as buffers is a necessary prerequisite for the sustainable management of water resources in an agricultural setting. 2. We monitored nitrate concentrations during interstorm periods at the outlet of 16 subcatchments of different orders within a catchment of 378 km². We characterised stream network, wetlands, agricultural practices and land cover and identified their relationships with nitrate fluxes and concentrations. 3. Two main factors controlled annual nitrate fluxes: the agricultural nitrogen surplus and the nature of the system comprising the wetland zone and adjoining watercourses. In the latter case, nitrate fluxes were reduced in proportion to the surface area of the riparian wetland and the flowpath distance of fluxes in the stream network. At the scale of the order‐6 stream, 53% of annual nitrate flux during interstorm periods was removed during transfer via the wetland and the river, corresponding to 21.1 kg N ha^?1 per year. 4. The influence of the riparian wetland zone/watercourse system increased during periods of low water level, explaining up to 64% of nitrate concentration variation among locations within the river network, but only 9% during periods of high water level. 5. The buffering role was stronger at higher stream orders, and the dependence on stream order was more apparent at low water level, when we observed mean nitrate concentrations in the order‐6 stream that were 47% lower than observed in order‐2 or order‐3 streams.     

Reproductive condition and occurrence of intersex in bighead carp and silver carp in the Missouri River

Little is known about the reproductive biology of the exotic bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix in the Missouri River. In order to fill this gap in understanding, herein is described the reproductive condition of these Asian carps. Evidence is presented which indicates that bighead and silver carp in the Missouri River have a protracted spawning period that extends from early spring through fall and some individual bighead and silver carp are spawning multiple times during a reproductive season. Although bighead and silver carps are successfully maturing and spawning in the Missouri River some reproductive abnormalities such as intersex, atresia, and sterility were observed. Knowledge of the reproductive activity of these invasive carps may be useful to resource managers tasked with their control. Furthermore, the reproductive abnormalities observed should be considered when evaluating the environmental condition of the Missouri River relative to supporting a healthy fish fauna.