Is it possible to simplify environmental monitoring? Approaches with zooplankton in a hydroelectric reservoir

Abstract Aim: In order to contribute to the knowledge about the simplification of biological surveys, this study evaluated the use of substitute groups, numeric and taxonomic resolution for the three main groups of zooplankton (cladocerans, copepods and rotifers) in a Hydropower Plant (UHE). The following issues were addressed: (i) the patterns of spatial and/or temporal ordering generated between each zooplankton group are in concordance? (ii) The concordance is maintained using presence/absence data instead of density data? (iii) The identification of organisms to the species level can be replaced by genus or family level? Methods Samples were taken in seven sample units over five campaigns between 2009 and 2010 in the UHE Serra da Mesa (Goiás, Brazil). To evaluate the correlation between each pair of matrices was used the Mantel test. Results The results demonstrate that the replacements should not be made among the zooplanktonic groups, requiring the monitoring of three groups (copepods, cladocerans and rotifers). Furthermore, the results suggest the use of density data of individuals rather than just presence/absence of species. Finally, the results of this study indicate the possibility to use data at species level instead of data at genus or family level. Conclusion For zooplankton community monitoring purposes only the use of taxonomic resolution showed to be efficient for this area of study, not being recommended the use of surrogate groups or numerical resolution.

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Monitoring simplification in plankton communities using different ecological approaches

Acta Limnologica Brasiliensia ◽

10.1590/s2179-975x3617 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Carla Albuquerque de Souza ◽

Karine Borges Machado ◽

João Carlos Nabout ◽

Daphne Heloisa de Freitas Muniz ◽

Eduardo Cyrino Oliveira-Filho ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Environmental Monitoring ◽

Zooplankton Community ◽

Testate Amoebae ◽

Significant Loss ◽

The Other ◽

Taxonomic Resolution ◽

Zooplankton Species ◽

Phytoplankton Communities ◽

Family Level ◽

Zooplankton Communities

Abstract Aim This study aimed to answer: (i) can phytoplankton communities be used as surrogate of zooplankton communities?; (ii) can we use ecological approaches like functional groups (FG) or morphofunctional classification (MBFG) as surrogate for phytoplankton species?; (iii) can we use substitute groups (cladocera, copepod, rotifer or testate amoebae) as surrogate for zooplankton species?; (iv) are the environmental variables’ ordination standards concordant with the ordering patterns of phytoplankton and zooplankton species?; and (v) for both communities, is the spatial pattern of ordination maintained using density data or presence/absence of individuals or lower taxonomic resolutions? Methods The study was conducted in 25 water bodies that supply central-pivot irrigation in the Federal District - Brazil (Rio Preto Basin), in October 2012. We evaluated some physical and chemical variables as well as phytoplankton and zooplankton samples. To evaluate correlation among biological groups, numerical and higher taxonomic resolutions, we performed some Mantel and Procrustes analyses. Results Evaluating the use of substitute groups, comparisons between phytoplankton and zooplankton, FG and MBFG classifications and almost all the comparisons between zooplankton groups suggested concordant patterns. However, the values of r were low, all below 0.70. Biological analyses with phytoplankton and zooplankton can be performed using presence/absence of individuals without significant loss of information, except for MBFG classification and copepods. Data may also be used at genus or family level for copepods and testate amoebae and only data at genus level for cladocerans and rotifers. Different results were found concerning taxonomic resolution for phytoplankton considering that, while being significant, the r value was less than 0.70. Conclusions For environmental monitoring purposes, it is important to sample both phytoplankton and zooplankton communities because one is not surrogate of the other one, in the same way as phytoplankton density and their functional and morphofunctional approaches. On the other hand, to simplify the environmental monitoring, it is possible to adopt presence/absence species data instead of abundance data for both zooplankton and phytoplankton communities, except for copepods and morphofunctional approach. It is also possible to adopt genera level for zooplankton community and family level for copepods and testate amoebae.

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Testing depth-related multivariate patterns of macrofauna on the Indian continental shelf using reduced taxonomic resolution and data transformation

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ◽

10.1017/s0025315411001858 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 93 (1) ◽

pp. 37-45 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

T.V. Joydas ◽

R. Damodaran

Keyword(s):

Continental Shelf ◽

Multivariate Analyses ◽

Geographical Area ◽

Species Level ◽

Taxonomic Resolution ◽

Depth Gradient ◽

Data Set ◽

Level Data ◽

Two Samples ◽

Family Level

Although taxonomic sufficiency (TS) was developed for rapid environmental assessments, it has recently been adopted to study the spatial patterns of macrobenthos in relation to natural environmental gradients. To accept TS as a routine approach in wider benthic studies, it needs to be valid for various taxa and geographically different water masses. This study examined the effects of taxonomic resolution on depth-related multivariate patterns of macrobenthic polychaetes on the western Indian continental shelf. An extensive data set based on samples collected from a wide geographical area (7°–22°N latitudes) covering a large depth gradient (30–200 m) has been analysed. Species level polychaete community data had shown a significant variation between shallow and deeper waters. Our results indicated that generic and family level data also can detect community shifts along a depth gradient in a similar way to species level data. The entire western continental margin (200 m depth) is lying in the oxygen minimum zone (dissolved oxygen <0.5 ml l−1). This study indicated that family level results were sufficient to document the correlations of low oxygen on macrobenthic polychaetes. This study also tested the effects of transformations on depth-related patterns of polychaetes. In multivariate analyses, transformations play a role in defining the balance between contributions from common and rare species in the measure of similarity of two samples. Our results showed that the type of transformations did not make any prominent differences in the multivariate analyses.

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Comparing the performance of different stream classification systems using aquatic macroinvertebrates

Acta Limnologica Brasiliensia ◽

10.1590/s2179-975x2013000400006 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 406-417 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Márlon de Castro Vasconcelos ◽

Adriano Sanches Melo ◽

Albano Schwarzbold

Keyword(s):

Randomization Test ◽

Classification Systems ◽

Data Type ◽

Taxonomic Resolution ◽

Stream Classification ◽

Environment Variables ◽

Family Level ◽

Community Data ◽

Performance Results ◽

Classification Strength

AIM: We evaluated five stream classification systems observing: 1) differences in richness, abundance and macroinvertebrates communities among stream classes within classification systems; and 2) whether classification systems present better performance using macroinvertebrates. Additionally, we evaluated the effects of taxonomic resolution and data type (abundance and presence) on results. METHODS: Five stream classification systems were used, two based on hydroregions, one based on ecoregions by FEOW, a fourth one based on stream orders and the last one based on clusters of environment variables sampled in 37 streams at Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. We used a randomization test to evaluate differences of richness and abundance, a db-MANOVA to evaluate the differences of species assemblages and Classification Strength (CS) to evaluate the classifications performance. RESULTS: There were differences of richness and abundance among stream classes within each stream classification. The same result was found for community data, except for stream order classifications in family level. We observed that stream classes obtained for each stream classification differed in terms of environment variables (db-MANOVA). The classification based on environment variables showed higher CS values than other classification systems. The taxonomic resolution was important to the observed results. Data on genera level presented CS values 12% higher than family level for cluster classification, and the data type was dependent on the classification system and taxonomic resolution employed. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that classifications based on cluster of environment variables was better than other stream classification systems, and similar results using genera level can be obtained for management programs using family resolution in a geographical context similar to this study.

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Extended family: a caddisfly new to Saskatchewan, Canada with notes on the life history ofNeophylax splendens(Trichoptera: Thremmatidae)

The Canadian Entomologist ◽

10.4039/tce.2014.46 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 147 (4) ◽

pp. 425-431 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Brittney M. Hoemsen ◽

Iain D. Phillips ◽

Dale W. Parker ◽

Aaron J. Bell ◽

Jordyn A. Bergsveinson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Life History ◽

Genetic Analysis ◽

United States Of America ◽

Extended Family ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Species Level ◽

Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽

Biological Surveys ◽

Pupal Diapause

AbstractStreams draining the Cypress Hills support unique and understudied macroinvertebrate communities in Saskatchewan, Canada. Here, we report the discovery of a species of caddisfly new to the Cypress Hills and Saskatchewan,Neophylax splendensDenning (Trichoptera: Thremmatidae). Larvae were collected early in May 2012, and are found to enter pre-pupal diapause in mid-June until mid-September. Larvae were identified asN. splendensby morphological characters and verified with genetic analysis. Its occurrence strengthens the biogeographical link between the montane regions in British Columbia, Canada and Utah, United States of America with the southwest corner of Saskatchewan. This study highlights the importance of seasonal sampling, resolute species level identifications in biological surveys and the use of genetic analyses to obtain this level of identification.

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Efficiency of sampling gears (Quadrate and Core) and Taxonomic Resolution on the Soft Bottom Intertidal Macrobenthic community of Port Blair coast

Research Journal of Chemistry and Environment ◽

10.25303/2511rjce93103 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (11) ◽

pp. 93-103

Author(s):

Nosad Sahu ◽

Ganesh Thiruchitrambalam ◽

Raj Kiran Lakra

Keyword(s):

Correlation Coefficient ◽

Similarity Index ◽

Rank Correlation ◽

Work Capacity ◽

Information Loss ◽

Taxonomic Resolution ◽

Soft Bottom ◽

Macrobenthic Communities ◽

Taxonomic Level ◽

Family Level

Ecological studies of a region cannot proceed forward without the evaluation of species diversity. With the ever-increasing demand for studies to understand the change in the macrobenthic communities, the focus has primarily been shifted towards faster results to track down the changes from the prior environments. Therefore, studying the complete benthos faunal diversity of an area leads to an unrealistic approach. Thus, researchers tend to depend on various sampling gears, which ease the work capacity. The present study compared two samplings gears (core and quadrate) in two different habitats to understand the diversity of the macrobenthic communities. In terms of abundance, the core gear showed higher significant differences as compared to quadrate. However, the gears did not significantly differ among the diversity indices (Margalef's index and Shannon- Winer index) and the cluster analysis (Bray-Curtis similarity index and nMDS). The present study found that the 'information loss' was minimal with the aggregated data at a higher taxonomic level. Spearman rank correlation coefficient revealed that the information loss was low up to family-level and the correlation coefficient decreases as the taxonomic level increases after family-level. Nonetheless, the choice of sampling gears did not influence the diversity of the soft-bottom intertidal macrobenthic communities.

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Genetic diversity of three Aegla species (Decapoda, Anomura) revealed by AFLP and mtDNA markers

Crustaceana ◽

10.1163/15685403-00003873 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 92 (4) ◽

pp. 445-462

Author(s):

Bianca L. Zimmermann ◽

Jober V. De Vargas Machado ◽

Sandro Santos ◽

Marlise L. Bartholomei-Santos

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Genetic Distances ◽

Species Level ◽

Taxonomic Resolution ◽

Similar Species ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Low Levels ◽

Management And Conservation ◽

Mtdna Markers

Abstract Representatives of the genus Aegla present a conserved morphology; thus, the increased use of molecular markers has raised many taxonomic issues. We used AFLP and mtDNA to investigate the genetic differentiation and phylogenetic relationships of morphologically similar species with overlapping distribution areas in southern Brazil: A. georginae, A. ludwigi, and A. platensis. While A. platensis is widely distributed, the critically endangered A. georginae and A. ludwigi have limited distributions. Although both markers showed populations with low levels of genetic variability, they differed markedly in revealing relationships between populations; according to AFLP, the genetic distances between A. platensis populations were as high as those between distinct species, a result not observed when considering mtDNA data. We emphasize that the use of multiple lines of evidence is necessary for defining correct levels of genetic diversity and a good species-level taxonomic resolution. Such features are essential for the management and conservation of Aegla species.

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Seasonal zooplankton development in a temperate semi-enclosed basin: two years with different spring bloom timing

Journal of Plankton Research ◽

10.1093/plankt/fbz016 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 41 (3) ◽

pp. 309-328 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Natalie Mahara ◽

Evgeny A Pakhomov ◽

Jennifer M Jackson ◽

Brian Pv Hunt

Keyword(s):

Environmental Samples ◽

Spring Bloom ◽

Zooplankton Community ◽

Early Spring ◽

Species Level ◽

Dynamic Nature ◽

Strait Of Georgia ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

Environmental Variations ◽

Zooplankton Communities

Abstract Coastal temperate waters undergo considerable intra- and interannual environmental variations, which is reflected in the dynamic nature of their zooplankton communities. Since zooplankton phenology is dependent on several factors, particularly temperature and spring bloom timing, it is imperative to understand how zooplankton communities may shift under future climate conditions with warmer temperatures and more variable spring bloom initiation. To examine zooplankton phenology and response to shifts in bloom timing, we analyzed fortnightly zooplankton and environmental samples collected in the northern Strait of Georgia (B.C., Canada), a large semi-enclosed temperate basin, in 2015 and 2016. Despite a 5-week difference in spring bloom timing, zooplankton community succession was remarkably similar between years. In both years, biomass peaked within the same calendar week and communities were separated into winter, early spring and summer-autumn assemblages that formed independent of the spring bloom timing. Although some species-level phenological differences were observed between years, predominately delayed population development, zooplankton communities appeared to demonstrate resilience to interannual environmental variations on the whole. If ongoing warming shifts the timing of zooplankton consumers’ life history timing, it could lead to a mismatch with their zooplankton prey resource that exhibits comparatively less interannual variability.

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Taxonomic and numerical sufficiency in depth- and salinity-controlled marine paleocommunities

Paleobiology ◽

10.1017/pab.2016.49 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 43 (3) ◽

pp. 463-478 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Martin Zuschin ◽

Rafał Nawrot ◽

Mathias Harzhauser ◽

Oleg Mandic ◽

Adam Tomašových

Keyword(s):

Compositional Data ◽

Environmental Gradients ◽

Community Response ◽

Species Level ◽

Taxonomic Resolution ◽

Physical Parameters ◽

Level Data ◽

Numerical Transformation ◽

Variation Explained ◽

Intertidal Habitats

AbstractNumerical and taxonomic resolution of compositional data sets affects investigators’ abilities to detect and measure relationships between communities and environmental factors. We test whether varying numerical (untransformed, square-root- and fourth-root-transformed relative abundance and presence–absence data) and taxonomic (species, genera, families) resolutions reveals different insights into early to middle Miocene molluscan communities along bathymetric and salinity gradients. The marine subtidal has a more even species-abundance distribution, a higher number of rare species, and higher species:family and species:genus ratios than the three habitats—marine and estuarine intertidal, estuarine subtidal—with higher fluctuations in salinity and other physical parameters. Taxonomic aggregation and numerical transformation of data result in very different ordinations, although all habitats differ significantly from one another at all taxonomic and numerical levels. Rank correlations between species-level and higher-taxon, among-sample dissimilarities are very high for proportional abundance and decrease strongly with increasing numerical transformation, most notably in the two intertidal habitats. The proportion of variation explained by depth is highest for family-level data, decreases gradually with numerical transformation, and is higher in marine than in estuarine habitats. The proportion of variation explained by salinity is highest for species-level data, increases gradually with numerical transformation, and is higher in subtidal than in intertidal habitats. Therefore, there is no single best numerical and taxonomic resolution for the discrimination of communities along environmental gradients: the “best” resolution depends on the environmental factor considered and the nature of community response to it. Different numerical and taxonomic transformations capture unique aspects of metacommunity assembly along environmental gradients that are not detectable at a single level of resolution. We suggest that simultaneous analyses of community gradients at multiple taxonomic and numerical resolutions provide novel insights into processes responsible for spatial and temporal community stability.

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Two practical approaches to monitoring the zooplanktonic community at Lago Grande do Curuai, Pará, Brazil

Acta Amazonica ◽

10.1590/1809-4392201404453 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 45 (3) ◽

pp. 293-298 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Leonardo Fernandes GOMES ◽

Ludgero Cardoso Galli VIEIRA ◽

Marie Paule BONNET

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Monitoring Program ◽

Zooplankton Community ◽

Species Level ◽

Genus Level ◽

Time Costs ◽

Financial Costs ◽

Long Term Monitoring ◽

Term Monitoring

The use of substitute groups in biomonitoring programs has been proposed to minimize the high financial costs and time for samples processing. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the correlation between (i) the spatial distribution among the major zooplankton groups (cladocerans, copepods, rotifers, and testaceans protozoa), (ii) the data of density and presence/absence of species, and (iii) the data of species, genera, and families from samples collected in the Lago Grande do Curuai, Pará, Brazil. A total of 55 sample of the zooplanktonic community was collected, with 28 samples obtained in March and 27 in September, 2013. The agreement between the different sets of data was assessed using Mantel and Procrustes tests. Our results indicated high correlations between genus level and species level and high correlations between presence/absence of species and abundance, regardless of the seasonal period. These results suggest that zooplankton community could be incorporated in a long-term monitoring program at relatively low financial and time costs.

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Reliability of Taxonomic Sufficiency for Simplifying Benthic Index M-AMBI Methodology in A Heavily Polluted Estuary

10.21203/rs.3.rs-109416/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hongjun Li ◽

Yi Sun ◽

Yanbin Gu ◽

Pengfei Xie ◽

Yuan Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Level ◽

Biotic Index ◽

Ecological Quality ◽

Taxonomic Sufficiency ◽

As Species ◽

Level Data ◽

Ecological Quality Status ◽

Family Level ◽

Benthic Index ◽

The Relationship

Abstract In order to assess the ecological quality status of coastal environments in Europe, the AZTI’s Marine Biotic Index (AMBI) and multivariate-AMBI (M-AMBI) have been developed. However, the applicability and validity of these methods worldwide remains in question, particularly for complex ecosystems such as estuaries. The present study, therefore, is an investigation of the relationship between the M-AMBI and different contamination variables in a eutrophic estuary in three seasons (i.e., spring, summer and autumn). In addition, the reliability of taxonomic sufficiency for simplifying M-AMBI operation was tested. The results showed that genus- and family-level data accurately reproduced the spatial-temporal patterns of species-level community assemblages. The M-AMBI values showed a consistent spatial distribution pattern in all sampling seasons, with a decreasing trend along the increasing distance from the estuary inlet. Furthermore, both genus- and family-level results performed nearly as well as species-level data in detecting the seasonal variations of different contaminants (i.e., nutrients and organic enrichment). The taxonomic sufficiency succeeded in this temperate ecoregion is owing to the high aggregation ratios at different taxonomic levels in all sampling events. In general, these findings suggested that application of taxonomic sufficiency based on the M-AMBI provides a simple and efficient method for evaluating variations of ecological quality in the Liaohe Estuary.

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