Factors influencing invertebrate communities in prairie wetlands: a multivariate approach

Abstract

We examined the relationships between invertebrate community structure and a number of biotic and abiotic variables in 19 semipermanent prairie wetlands. We tested whether aquatic invertebrate communities differed (i) between wetlands with and without fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and (ii) according to drainage history of wetlands (restored versus natural, nondrained). We also evaluated influences of other environmental variables on invertebrate community structure, including abundance of aquatic macrophytes and amphibians and wetland depth and surface area. Invertebrate communities differed significantly between wetlands with and without fathead minnows, largely due to lower relative abundance of 19 invertebrate taxa (of 32 taxa analyzed) in wetlands with fathead minnows. In contrast, we found no differences in these taxa between natural and restored wetlands. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that invertebrate community structure was affected by abundance of fathead minnows, abundance of aquatic macrophytes, and wetland depth, with fathead minnows the most influential variable measured. Many studies have documented the effects of fish predation on zooplankton communities, but our results show that fathead minnows in prairie wetlands affect a large number of diverse invertebrate taxa. The presence of these fish results in an invertebrate community distinctly different from that found in fishless wetlands.

Responses of freshwater molluscs to environmental factors in Southern Brazil wetlands

“…Several studies suggested that the hydroperiod influences the structure of wetland macroinvertebrate communities (Wellborn et al, 1996;Zimmer et al, 2000). Our study showed that the mollusc richness and composition were similar both in permanent and intermittent wetlands.…”

“…The macroinvertebrate structure in wetlands has been associated with area and habitat heterogeneity (Oertli et al, 2002;Batzer et al, 2004;Panatta et al, 2006;Studinski and Grubbs, 2007;Stenert et al, 2008); hydroperiod (Tarr et al, 2005;Whiles and Goldowitz, 2005;Stenert and Maltchik, 2007); altitude (Oertli et al, 2002;Jacobsen, 2004); water chemistry (Heino, 2000;Batzer et al, 2004), and water depth and temperature (Zimmer et al, 2000;Hall et al, 2004;Tarr et al, 2005;Studinski and Grubbs, 2007). However, most of these surveys were developed in the North Hemisphere and Australia.…”

Structure of Macroinvertebrate Communities in Relation to Environmental Variables in a Subtropical Asian River System

“…Numerous investigations have determined the main environmental factors controlling processes and patterns of macroinvertebrate community structure and function (e.g., ORMEROD, 1987;ZIMMER et al, 2000;AGUIAR et al, 2002;TRIGAL et al, 2007).…”

Epiphytic chironomids on rigid hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum L.) - the relation between the community structure and lake status

“…Environmental conditions (oxygen content, water transparency, light and nutrients availability, species composition and distribution of submerged macrophytes) may influence the variance and distribution of epiphytic fauna (Demeke, Ahma 1999;Zimmer et al 2000;Elizabeth et al 2003;Roberts et al 2003;Peter et al 2004). Two shallow lakes of Polesie Lubelskie were selected for the study.…”