Biotic and abiotic parameters that distinguish types of temporary ponds in a Portuguese Mediterranean ecosystem

Abstract

a b s t r a c tTemporary ponds are seasonal wetland habitats subjected to extreme and unstable ecological conditions. Some are classified as priority habitats for conservation by the European Union Habitats Directive. Our study area was the coastal plain of southwest Portugal, which spans across 100 km north to south and hosts a large number of temporary ponds as a consequence of climatic and edaphic characteristics. Field sampling of floristic and edaphic data was carried out in 24 temporary ponds every spring between 2005 and 2008. We recorded a total of 174 plant species identified within visually homogeneous plots. We included the data in a geographic information system and classified ponds according to their floristic composition, using a biotic regionalization analysis based on species presence/absence, which is a practical and unambiguous criterion. We found three significantly different groups of ponds which corresponded to an eco-physiognomic pond typology: Mediterranean temporary ponds, marshlands, and disturbed ponds. For the first two pond types we defined characteristic or indicator plant species. We searched also for relationships between pond type and a series of large-scale climatic, geographic, and geological variables, as well as local-scale physical and chemical properties of the soil. Pond type was distinguished by a complex combination of some of these variables, including environmental energy, soil texture, nitrogen content of the soil and pH. A practical way of discriminating between different types of ponds is important so that management and conservation measures can be defined accordingly.

Can Environmental Education Actions Change Public Attitudes? An Example Using the Pond Habitat and Associated Biodiversity

“…Ponds are small shallow water bodies, natural or artificial, permanent or temporary and characterized by an accentuated seasonal pattern of the water level or hydroperiod [ 1 – 5 ]. They exist in all continents and are considered biodiversity hotspots due to their importance as breading sites for amphibians, dragonflies and other invertebrates, as well as key habitats for diverse fauna and aquatic plants [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 ]. They can harbour more species than lakes, rivers, streams and other freshwater ecosystems, as well as unique and rare taxa [ 7 ].…”

“…They can harbour more species than lakes, rivers, streams and other freshwater ecosystems, as well as unique and rare taxa [ 7 ]. Mediterranean temporary ponds, in particular, have many endemic species and are protected by the directive 92/43 CEE [ 8 ], by European Commission Natura 2000 network (habitat 3170) and by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands [ 1 , 3 – 5 , 9 , 10 ].…”

Bioclimatological mapping tackling uncertainty propagation: application to mainland Portugal

“…The produced bioclimatological maps and diagnosis were very satisfactory. A first assessment of their usefulness and relationship with vegetation patterns at a local scale can be found in Monteiro-Henriques (2010); they were also revealed to be useful in other vegetation studies, at a regional scale, as can be attested in Pinto-Cruz et al (2011).…”

Assessing the ecological integrity of endorheic wetlands, with focus on Mediterranean temporary ponds

“…A macrophyte-based nutrient index for Swiss ponds was developed by Sager and Lachavanne (2010), whereby the ecological response to total phosphorous was measured using indicator values and species cover. Also in temporary ponds in southwest Portugal, efforts have been made to distinguish different pond types based on presence/absence of selected indicator plant species, which helps decision makers in a practical way with assessing temporary pond status (Pinto-Cruz et al, 2011). Similarly, in temporary ponds on both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar (Iberian Peninsula and Morocco), the plant community structure is related to nutrient loading, temperature and precipitation (Lumbreras et al, 2012).…”