Assessment of the effects of the dry period on the faunal composition of aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages in two temporary ponds in NW Spain

Abstract

Temporary ponds are habitats that undergo periods of drying and flooding.

Identifying environmental drivers of benthic diatom diversity: the case of Mediterranean mountain ponds

“…The obtained results indicate that diatom diversity is higher in temporary ponds, a trend that is observed in Mediterranean wetlands in other biological groups (Gilbert et al, 2014). These systems usually support different assemblages, hosting species that are endemic or rare at regional scales (Pérez-Bilbao, Benetti & Garrido, 2015). For instance, several new diatom species have been found to inhabit these ponds .…”

Biodiversity and temporal patterns of macrozoobenthos in a coal mining subsidence area in North China

“…Because of the low rainfall in spring, the MSWs had the lowest area and shallowest water depth in spring. Pond deoxygenation and high temperature conditions, accompanied by a drastic reduction in the pond surface area and depth and high concentrations of solutes (Waterkeyn et al, 2008; Pérez-Bilbao, Benetti & Garrido, 2015), are indicative of the general impoverishment of pond environmental conditions. Rainfall generally increased during summer.…”

“…It is generally assumed that the degree of anthropogenic influence is negatively correlated with the health of the macrozoobenthos community. In industrial and post-mining areas, the lower biodiversity is assumed to be related to the surrounding natural habitats (Baasch, Kirmer & Tischew, 2012; Hendrychová et al, 2012; Pérez-Bilbao, Benetti & Garrido, 2015; Podgorska, 2015). Man-made (i.e., secondary) habitats can increase the diversity of habitats within the local area and can replace the original habitat.…”

Seasonal Progression of Aquatic Organisms in a Temporary Wetland in Northern California

“…Variation in the annual hydroperiod of seasonal wetlands influences the macroinvertebrate community structure because aquatic organisms utilize diverse life history traits related to colonization, development, and reproduction ( Jannot et al 2008, Pérez-Bilbao et al 2015. Certain life history strategies, such as long development time (e.g., certain trichopterans; Wiggins 1973) or low temperature needs (e.g., certain fairy shrimp) may be particularly vulnerable.…”

“…In northern California, seasonal wetlands are particularly important habitat for invertebrates, such as crustaceans (e.g., fairy shrimp, tadpole shrimp; Belk andBrtek 1995, King et al 1996), and vertebrates, such as California tiger salamanders, California red-legged frogs (Alvarez et al 2013), and migrating birds (Gilmer et al 1982, Isola et al 2000. Among freshwater ecosystems, less is known about the aquatic biology of many seasonal wetlands, such as ponds, than is known about streams and lakes (Boix et al 2012, Pérez-Bilbao et al 2015. Moreover, wetland habitats are often vulnerable to degradation as a result of human development, including in California, where 90% of original wetlands have been filled or altered (Dahl 1990).…”