Habitat complexity in shallow lakes and ponds: importance, threats, and potential for restoration

Abstract

In this review we describe patterns and mechanisms by which habitat complexity is crucial for the functioning of shallow lakes and ponds, and for the abundance and diversity of biological communities in these ecosystems. Habitat complexity is affected by processes acting at different spatial scales, from the landscape to the ecosystem level (i.e., morphometric attributes) that generate different complexities, determining the potential for organisms to succeed and processes to occur, such as energy and nutrient transfer, and fluxes of greenhouse gases, among others. At the local scale, the three major habitats, pelagic, littoral, and benthic, are characterised by different degrees of structural complexity and a particular set of organisms and processes. Direct and indirect effects of changes in within-lake habitat complexity can either hinder or promote regime shifts in these systems. We also review several anthropogenic pressures (eutrophication, urbanisation, introduction of exotic species, and climate change) that decrease lake resilience through changes in habitat complexity and strategies for habitat complexity restoration. Overall, we emphasize the need to preserve and/or restore habitat complexity as key challenges to account for ecosystem integrity, maintenance of local/regional biodiversity, and for the provision of crucial ecosystem services (e.g., biodiversity, self-purification, and carbon sequestration).

Protected land enhances the survival of native aquatic macrophytes and limits invasive species spread in the Panama Canal

“…Habitat heterogeneity can promote the co-existence of aquatic species (Meerhoff & de los Ángeles González-Sagrario, 2021). In Gatun Lake, riparian forests probably enhance habitat heterogeneity for macrophytes by providing gradients of shade and depth and shoreline entanglements (Naiman et al, 2010).…”

A Bibliometric Analysis of Lake Restoration with Submerged Macrophytes

“…Submerged macrophytes can also inhibit phytoplankton through several mechanisms, as mentioned in Section 4.2.2.2. Submerged macrophytes can increase the habitat complexity and decrease the foraging ability of predators such as piscivorous fish, zooplanktivorous fish, or macroinvertebrates [22,[140][141][142], leading to the increased abundance and size of the respective prey. Then, the effects of submerged macrophytes on other ecosystem components are beneficial in improving water quality and clarity, controlling algal blooms, and maintaining a clear-water state.…”

“…There are existing research papers summarizing progress in the field related to submerged macrophytes. These reviews have focused on the relationships between submerged macrophytes and the water environment, macrophytes, phytoplankton, and restoration applications with submerged macrophytes [7,15,18,[20][21][22][23]. For example, Wang et al (2023) [7] reviewed the influence of water nutrients, light, depth, sediments, temperature, transparency, and flow on the growth of submerged macrophytes.…”

Preface: advances in the ecology of shallow lakes

“…Most shallow lakes can have high levels of within-lake spatial heterogeneity, depending on the presence, diversity, and density of aquatic macrophytes in the benthic and littoral habitats. Meerhoff & Gonzalez-Sagrario ( 2022 ) reviewed patterns and mechanisms by which habitat complexity affects biodiversity and the functioning of shallow lakes and pond ecosystems. Direct and indirect effects of changes in within-lake habitat complexity can either hinder or promote regime shifts in these systems.…”