Vulnerable taxa of European Plecoptera (Insecta) in the context of climate change

Abstract

We evaluated 516 species and/or subspecies of European stoneflies for vulnerability to climate change according to autoecological data. The variables considered were stream zonation preference, altitude preference, current preference, temperature range preference, endemism and rare species. Presence in ecoregions was used to analyse the vulnerability of taxa in relation to their distribution. We selected the variables that provided information on vulnerability to change in climate. Thus, we chose strictly crenal taxa, high-altitude taxa, rheobionts, cold stenotherm taxa, micro-endemic taxa and rare taxa. Our analysis showed that at least 324 taxa (62.79%) can be included in one or more categories of vulnerability to climate change. Of these, 43 taxa would be included in three or more vulnerability categories, representing the most threatened taxa. The most threatened species and the main factors affecting their distribution are discussed. Endangered potamal species, with populations that have decreased mainly as a consequence of habitat alteration, also could suffer from the effects of climate change. Thus, the total number of taxa at risk is particularly high. Not only are a great diversity of European stoneflies concentrated in the Alps, Pyrenees and Iberian Peninsula, but so are the most vulnerable taxa. These places are likely to be greatly affected by climate change according to climate models. In general, an impoverishment of European Plecoptera taxa will probably occur as a consequence of climate change, and only taxa with wide tolerance ranges will increase in abundance, resulting in lower overall faunal diversity.

Vulnerability of stream biota to climate change in mediterranean climate regions: a synthesis of ecological responses and conservation challenges

“…genera Barbus and Leuciscus) are predicted to colonize newly suitable areas in higher-elevation reaches or extend their range poleward (Buisson & Grenouillet, 2009;Buisson et al, 2010;Lassalle & Rochard, 2009). A similar pattern is expected for Plecoptera species based on known autoecological data, and only a few species with wider thermal tolerance ranges and drought resistance ability are expected to expand their distribution ranges and population sizes (Tierno de Figueroa et al, 2010).…”

“…Most likely, we are not aware of the existing species risk in med-regions, mainly because not all of the risks are known, and the taxonomy of most freshwater groups is far from complete (Bonada et al, 2008a;Davies, The expected rapid loss of suitable habitats makes it probable that next extinctions will occur for geographically restricted species, which are common in the highly endemic med-regions. High, mountain streams are especially vulnerable to extinctions and it has been predicted that biota in mountainous areas of med-regions will be particularly affected (Zamora-Muñoz et al, 2008;Tierno de Figueroa et al, 2010;Filipe et al, 2012). Also, headwaters tend to have a high ß-diversity accounting a large degree of regional biodiversity at both population, genetic and community levels (Finn et al, 2011).…”

Alpine aquatic ecosystem conservation policy in a changing climate

“…These challenges need to be understood better by conservation science and better addressed by conservation adaptation. This is particularly the case for alpine river systems, which not only represent important biological repositories of European freshwater fauna Tierno de Figueroa et al, 2010), but are also highly exposed and sensitive to impacts from climate change (Beniston, 2005). Despite alarming predictions regarding extinction threats (Tierno de Figueroa et al, 2010;Muhlfeld et al, 2011), approaches to conserve this unique alpine fauna remain poorly understood ).…”

Hydroclimatic and hydrochemical controls on Plecoptera diversity and distribution in northern freshwater ecosystems

“…Inevitably, habitat changes resulting from such hydroclimatic change will impact upon aquatic ecosystems in general (e.g., Hrachowitz et al, 2010a) and freshwater invertebrates specifically (Dewson et al, 2007;Pastuchová et al, 2008;Prowse et al, 2009;Tierno de Figueroa et al, 2010). Species distributions in time and space are governed not only by life history strategies but also by genetic variation in niche requirements, where each species often exhibit a specific environmental tolerance to parameters such as temperature and in-stream hydraulic indices (Whittaker, 1972;Power et al, 1988;Brittain, 1990;Holt, 2003).…”