Small area and low connectivity constrain the diversity of plant life strategies in temporary ponds |
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| Authors: | Zsófia Herceg-Szórádi László Demeter Anna Mária Csergő |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Buda Campus, Institute of Horticulture, Budapest, Hungary;2. Harghita County Department, National Agency for Protected Areas, Miercurea-Ciuc, Romania;3. Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Buda Campus, Department of Botany, Budapest, Hungary |
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| Abstract: | Aim (i) To determine whether area and connectivity of temporary ponds can predict plant species diversity, and the diversity and abundance of different plant life histories; (ii) To explore whether pond connectivity with the river prior to river regulation predicts better plant diversity patterns than current pond connectivity, suggestive of possible effects of connectivity loss. Location Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, Europe. Methods We fitted linear and generalized linear models (LM and GLM) to examine whether pond area and current distance from the Olt River predict plant species richness, Shannon diversity and relative cover of different social behaviour types and overall plant species richness and Shannon diversity. Using historical maps, we measured pond distance from the river ca. 60 years before the Olt River was regulated, and we refitted the LM and GLM models using pond area and past distance from the river as independent variables. Results Total plant species richness increased with pond area, and it decreased with the distance from the river, but total plant Shannon diversity index was affected, positively, only by pond area. The strength of responses to pond area and connectivity of species richness, Shannon diversity and relative cover varied across the different social behaviour types. Past and current distances between ponds and riverbeds had similar effects on plant diversity, with some evidence for stronger effect of the present connectivity on specialist species Shannon diversity and a weaker effect on disturbance tolerants, generalists and competitors. Main Conclusions Pond area and connectivity with the landscape are important predictors of the diversity of plant life history strategies, and therefore, useful tools in pond conservation. Consistent species richness and Shannon diversity responses of wetland specialists to pond area and connectivity make this life history type well suited for monitoring pond condition. |
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| Keywords: | biodiversity conservation floodplains functional diversity island biogeography small natural features species diversity species–area relationship wetland islands |
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