Patch size drives colonization by aquatic insects, with minor priority effects of a cohabitant

Kelp forests in many regions are experiencing disturbance from anthropogenic sources such as ocean warming, pollution, and overgrazing. Unlike natural disturbances such as storms, anthropogenic disturbances often manifest as press perturbations that cause persistent alterations to the environment. One consequence is that some kelp forests are becoming increasingly sparse and fragmented. We manipulated patch size of the kelp Ecklonia radiata over 24 mo to simulate persistent habitat fragmentation and assessed how this influenced the demography of macro- and microscopic juvenile kelp within the patches. At the beginning of the experiment, patch formation resulted in short-term increases in E. radiata recruitment in patches <1 m2. However, recruitment collapsed in those same patches over the extended period, with no recruits observed after 15 mo. Experimental transplants of microscopic and macroscopic juvenile sporophytes into the patches failed to identify the life stage impacted by the reductions in patch size, indicating that the effects may be subtle and require extended periods to manifest, and/or that another life stage is responsible. Abiotic measurements within the patches indicated that kelp were less able to engineer the sub-canopy environment in smaller patches. In particular, reduced shading of the sub-canopy in smaller patches was associated with proliferation of sediments and turf algae, which potentially contributed to the collapse of recruitment. We demonstrate the consequences of short- and longer-term degradation of E. radiata habitats and conclude that habitat fragmentation can lead to severe disruptions to kelp demography.

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Does temperature impose limits on aquatic insects via oxygen delivery/respiratory processes?

10.1603/ice.2016.107507 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

David Buchwalter

Keyword(s):

Oxygen Delivery ◽

Aquatic Insects

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Radioactive contamination of aquatic insects in stream impacted by the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident

10.1603/ice.2016.111790 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Mayumi Yoshimura

Keyword(s):

Power Plant ◽

Nuclear Power Plant ◽

Radioactive Contamination ◽

Aquatic Insects ◽

Nuclear Power ◽

Nuclear Power Plant Accident

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Preliminary Results on Aquatic Insects in the Me Linh Station for Biodiversity, Vinh Phuc Province

VNU Journal of Science Natural Sciences and Technology ◽

10.25073/2588-1140/vnunst.4696 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 33 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Nguyen Van Hieu ◽

Nguyen Van Vinh

Keyword(s):

Quantitative Analysis ◽

Aquatic Insects ◽

Field Survey ◽

Aquatic Insect ◽

Insect Species ◽

Functional Feeding Groups ◽

Species Number ◽

Feeding Groups ◽

Preliminary Results

An intensive field survey on aquatic insects of Me Linh Station for Biodiversity in Vinhphuc province was conducted in December 2015. Specimens were collected at 8 different sites and aquatic insects were collected both quantitatively by Surber net and qualitatively by hand net, pond net. As a result, a total of 110 aquatic insect species belonging to 98 genera, 49 families and 9 orders were recognized. Among these, the order Ephemeroptera had the highest species number with 26 species, followed by Odonata with 25 species, Trichoptera with 18 species, Coleoptera with 15 species, Hemiptera with 11 species, Diptera with 9 species. Lepidoptera, Plecoptera and Megaloptera had the lowest of species number, represented by 3 species of Lepidoptera, 2 species of Plecoptera and 1 species of Megaloptera. Besides, the quantitative analysis results and the functional feeding groups were provided.

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