The role of fungi and invertebrates in litter decomposition in mitigated and reference wetlands

Gingerich, R. Tristan; Panaccione, Daniel G.; Anderson, James T.

doi:10.1016/j.limno.2015.07.004

Cited by 21 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Species of Culicidae (tinaja only) using simple water pools, show increased mortality in response to an accumulation of total ammonia nitrogen (Walker 2016); however, other species in this group generally respond positively to nutrient enrichment in more complex wetlands with lower concentrations of ammonia (Duguma & Walton 2014;Lund et al 2014). Those groups, the Oligochaeta and the Physidae that were detected only in the constructed catchments, respond positively to longer hydroperiods and tend to be more tolerant of water quality and nutrient pollution (Schubauer-Berigan et al 1995;Arimoro & Ikomi 2008;Prendergast-Miller et al 2009;Gingerich et al 2015;Balcombe et al 2005). These patterns suggest that hydroperiod and chemical cycling, in particular the accumulation of ammonia, within these waters is resulting in disparate community composition.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel Temporary Aquatic Habitats and Desert Invertebrate Communities

Griffis‐Kyle

Parker

Goetting

2019

The Texas Journal of Science

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The addition of desert water developments alleviates water stress for a variety of organisms and is likely necessary for some species as water availability from other isolated water sources declines with climate change. However, constructed water catchments are different structurally and do not cycle water the same way as natural sites. We assessed whether these novel habitats, the constructed catchments of the Sonoran Desert, function as ecological equivalents of the natural waters and evaluated their effects on macroinvertebrate biodiversity, community composition, and trophic function. We documented an accumulation of ammonia and less diversity and different taxa assemblages in the novel habitat. We also documented a more heterotrophic food web in the natural water basins that are more dependent on resource pulses, and a more autotrophic food web in novel habitats that are more dependent on primary production from the open catchment basin. As natural resource managers continue to add constructed waters to mitigate for climate change induced declines in water availability, organisms are more likely to encounter these novel habitats as they disperse. Consequently, by increasing the density of these novel habitats we are having a measurable effect on the types of species and trophic groups present as well as the ecosystem cycling of energy and nutrients across the desert landscape. The consequences of these shifts in invertebrate community composition and ecosystem cycling on the larger desert ecosystem is unknown.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel Temporary Aquatic Habitats and Desert Invertebrate Communities

Griffis‐Kyle

Parker

Goetting

2019

The Texas Journal of Science

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“…We also observed differences in breakdown rates between habitat types, although these effects were smaller overall and appeared to vary among the three wetlands. Leaf litter breakdown in ephemeral wetlands is driven by multiple processes that span both aquatic and terrestrial environments, such as water temperature, water chemistry, flooding regime (both depth and hydroperiod), and the above-mentioned biotic factors ( Álvarez & Bécares, 2006 ; Battle & Golladay, 2007 ; Gingerich, Panaccione & Anderson, 2015 ). Canopy cover was variable across the three wetlands included in this study, potentially influencing the breakdown rate between habitat types in individual wetlands by impacting water temperatures ( Werner & Glennemeier, 1999 ; Becker et al, 2012 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ephemeral wetlands can also support higher aquatic invertebrate biomass and differing community composition when compared to permanent wetlands with fish populations ( Zimmer et al, 2001 ; McInerney et al, 2017 ). One of the important roles that invertebrates play in wetland ecosystems is contributing to leaf litter breakdown by consuming and physically breaking down leaf litter that falls into the wetland basin ( Fazi & Rossi, 2000 ; Gingerich, Panaccione & Anderson, 2015 ). Breakdown rates can vary widely across different leaf litter species ( Leroy & Marks, 2006 ), and litter inputs into the wetland can broadly impact both biotic and abiotic processes ( Stoler & Relyea, 2016 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does long-term fire suppression impact leaf litter breakdown and aquatic invertebrate colonization in pine flatwoods wetlands?

Chandler

Colón-Gaud

Gorman

et al. 2021

PeerJ

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Ephemeral wetlands are commonly embedded within pine uplands of the southeastern United States. These wetlands support diverse communities but have often been degraded by a lack of growing-season fires that historically maintained the vegetation structure. In the absence of fire, wetlands develop a dense mid-story of woody vegetation that increases canopy cover and decreases the amount of herbaceous vegetation. To understand how reduced fire frequency impacts wetland processes, we measured leaf litter breakdown rates and invertebrate communities using three common plant species (Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris), Pineland Threeawn Grass (Aristida stricta), and Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)) that occur in pine flatwoods wetlands located on Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. We also tested whether or not the overall habitat type within a wetland (fire maintained or fire suppressed) affected these processes. We placed leaf packs containing 15.0 g of dried leaf litter from each species in both fire-maintained and fire-suppressed sections of three wetlands, removing them after 103–104 days submerged in the wetland. The amount of leaf litter remaining at the end of the study varied across species (N. sylvatica = 7.97 ± 0.17 g, A. stricta = 11.84 ± 0.06 g, and P. palustris = 11.37 ± 0.07 g (mean ± SE)) and was greater in fire-maintained habitat (leaf type: F2,45 = 437.2, P < 0.001; habitat type: F1,45 = 4.6, P = 0.037). We identified an average of 260 ± 33.5 (SE) invertebrates per leaf pack (range: 19–1,283), and the most abundant taxonomic groups were Cladocera, Isopoda, Acariformes, and Diptera. Invertebrate relative abundance varied significantly among litter species (approximately 39.9 ± 9.4 invertebrates per gram of leaf litter remaining in N. sylvatica leaf packs, 27.2 ± 5.3 invertebrates per gram of A. stricta, and 14.6 ± 3.1 invertebrates per gram of P. palustris (mean ± SE)) but not habitat type. However, both habitat (pseudo-F1,49 = 4.30, P = 0.003) and leaf litter type (pseudo-F2,49 = 3.62, P = 0.001) had a significant effect on invertebrate community composition. Finally, this work was part of ongoing projects focusing on the conservation of the critically imperiled Reticulated Flatwoods Salamander (Ambystoma bishopi), which breeds exclusively in pine flatwoods wetlands, and we examined the results as they relate to potential prey items for larval flatwoods salamanders. Overall, our results suggest that the vegetation changes associated with a lack of growing-season fires can impact both invertebrate communities and leaf litter breakdown.

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“…In West Virginia, Gingerich and Anderson [14], Gingerich et al [15], and Balcombe et al [16] examined litter decomposition and plant communities, respectively, in mitigated and reference wetlands. Francl et al [17] surveyed small mammal communities at wetlands in West Virginia and Maryland.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Winter Waterbird Community Composition and Use at Created Wetlands in West Virginia, USA

2017

Self Cite

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Information on nonbreeding waterbirds using created wetlands in the Central Appalachian region of the United States is limited. We compared waterbird communities of two managed wetlands, created in 2013 and 2001, in West Virginia. We observed 27 species of waterbirds. Species richness and diversity were generally similar between the wetlands, but species composition and use differed. Branta canadensis (Canada Geese), Anas strepera (Gadwall), Bucephala albeola (Buffleheads), Aythya affinis (Lesser Scaup), and Aythya collaris (Ring-Necked Ducks) used the older wetland most frequently. Disparities in species use were the highest in March. The older wetland differed from the younger in supporting species such as diving ducks, possibly due to differences in size, vegetation, water depth, and microtopography. However, the ability to provide habitat for waterbirds during the winter was determined to be comparable between wetlands, despite their age difference.

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The role of fungi and invertebrates in litter decomposition in mitigated and reference wetlands

Cited by 21 publications

References 64 publications

Novel Temporary Aquatic Habitats and Desert Invertebrate Communities

Novel Temporary Aquatic Habitats and Desert Invertebrate Communities

Does long-term fire suppression impact leaf litter breakdown and aquatic invertebrate colonization in pine flatwoods wetlands?

Winter Waterbird Community Composition and Use at Created Wetlands in West Virginia, USA

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