Evidence of Taxonomic and Functional Recovery of Macroinvertebrate Communities Following River Restoration

River ecosystems have been heavily degraded globally due to channel hydromorphological modifications or alterations to catchment-wide processes. Restoration actions aimed at addressing these changes and restoring ecological integrity are increasing, but evidence of the effectiveness of these actions is variable. Using a rare 7-year before-after-control-impact (BACI) study of restoration of a lowland groundwater-fed river in England, UK, we explore changes in the macroinvertebrate community following the removal of impoundments and channel narrowing to aid restoration of physical processes. Restoration activity prompted significant taxonomic and functional responses of benthic invertebrate communities in the 4 years post-restoration. Specifically, significant gains in taxonomic and functional richness were evident following restoration, although corresponding evenness and diversity measures did not mirror these trends. Restoration activities prompted a shift to more rheophilic taxa and associated traits matching the physical changes to the channel and habitat composition. Temporal changes were clearer for taxonomic compositions compared to the functional properties of macroinvertebrate communities, indicating a functional redundancy effect of new colonists inhabiting restored reaches following restoration. The results highlight the value of long-term BACI studies in river restoration assessments, as well as project appraisals incorporating both taxonomic and functional observations. We highlight the urgent need of such studies to provide evidence to inform effective river restoration strategies to address future changes such as adaption to climate change and the biodiversity crisis.

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Lake and River Restoration: Method, Evaluation and Management

Water ◽

10.3390/w12040977 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 977 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Tao Lyu ◽

Lirong Song ◽

Qiuwen Chen ◽

Gang Pan

Keyword(s):

River Restoration ◽

Knowledge Engineering ◽

Environmental Issues ◽

Research Findings ◽

Fundamental Research ◽

Global Concern ◽

Research Questions ◽

Restoration Strategies ◽

Restoration Method ◽

Selection Of

Eutrophication has become one of the major environmental issues of global concern due to the adverse effects on water quality, public health and ecosystem sustainability. Fundamental research on the restoration of eutrophic freshwaters, i.e., lakes and rivers, is crucial to support further evidence-based practical implementations. This Special Issue successfully brings together recent research findings from scientists in this field and assembles contributions on lake and river restoration. The 12 published papers can be classified into, and contribute to, three major aspects of this topic. Firstly, a background investigation into the migration of nutrients, and the characteristics of submerged biota, will guide and assist the understanding of the mechanisms of future restoration. Secondly, various restoration strategies, including control of both external and internal nutrients loading, are studied and evaluated. Thirdly, an evaluation of the field sites after restoration treatment is reported in order to support the selection of appropriate restoration approaches. This paper focuses on the current environmental issues related to lake and river restoration and has conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis in order to emphasise the fast-growing attention being paid to the research topic. The research questions and main conclusions from all papers are summarised to focus the attention toward how the presented studies aid gains in scientific knowledge, engineering experience and support for policymakers.

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Taxonomic and Functional Response of Millipedes (Diplopoda) to Urban Soil Disturbance in a Metropolitan Area

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects11010025 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 25 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Zsolt Tóth ◽

Elisabeth Hornung

Keyword(s):

Metropolitan Area ◽

Species Turnover ◽

Chemical Properties ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

Danube River ◽

Functional Responses ◽

Β Diversity ◽

Functional Richness ◽

Study Sites ◽

And Function

Urbanization, as a major cause of local species extinction and biotic homogenization, drastically alters soil life. Millipedes are a key group of soil macrodetritivores and significantly influence soil quality, mainly through their essential role in nutrient cycling. Therefore, studying their taxonomic and functional responses to urban disturbance is crucial, as they contribute to the provision of several soil-related ecosystem services in cities. Differently degraded rural, urban forests and other woody patches (e.g., parks, gardens, and cemeteries) were sampled on Buda and Pest sides of the Budapest metropolitan area divided by the Danube River. We measured the most relevant physical and chemical properties of topsoil to characterize habitats. We applied an urbanization index based on vegetation cover and built-up area of the study sites to quantify urban intensity. The composition of the assemblages was determined by the division of the city along the Danube. Urbanization was associated with a reduction in species and functional richness of millipedes on both sides of Budapest. β diversity and species turnover increased with urban intensity. Urban disturbance was the main driver in assembly of taxonomic and functional community composition. A new species (Cylindroiulus caeruleocinctus (Wood, 1864)) to the fauna of Budapest was found. Detritivore invertebrates depend on leaf litter and other dead organic matter types, therefore microsites providing these resources greatly improve their survival. Due to increasing urban disturbance, it is recommended to provide appropriate detritus and shelter sites as part of the management of green spaces in order to maintain species richness, abundance, and function of species.

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Community structure of benthic macroinvertebrate fauna of river Ichamati, India

Journal of Threatened Taxa ◽

10.11609/jott.3439.10.8.12044-12055 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 12044

Author(s):

Arnab Basu ◽

Indrani Sarkar ◽

Siddartha Datta ◽

Sheela Roy

Keyword(s):

Benthic Community ◽

Diversity Index ◽

Abiotic Factors ◽

Benthic Invertebrate ◽

Benthic Macroinvertebrate ◽

Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽

Habitat Conditions ◽

Invertebrate Communities ◽

Benthic Invertebrate Communities ◽

Hydrological Variables

Benthic macroinvertebrate communities are frequently applied as indicators of aquatic ecosystem health as many species are responsive to pollution and abrupt changes in their surroundings. The qualities of benthic invertebrate communities greatly depend on habitat conditions. Thus the diversity in benthic community varies with different habitat conditions. This investigation on the structure of the benthic invertebrate communities was conducted on river Ichamati, a trans-boundary river between India and Bangladesh to assess the cumulative effects of water quality on the aquatic biota. The study period extended from February 2011 to January 2014 at three sites from Majdiah to Hasanabad (in West Bengal, India) a stretch of 124km. A total of 23 macrobenthic species belonging to three phyla, five classes and nine orders were identified. Fifteen species of benthic invertebrates belonging to Mollusca, three species under Annelida and five species under Arthropoda were found. The highest abundance density (3633.33 indiv.m-2) and species richness (18 species) were recorded up-stream (Majdiah) where marginal habitats covered by macrophytes were significantly higher than at other sites. Both the organic carbon (4.41±1.11) and organic matter (7.48±1.56) of soil at this site were the maximum thus influencing the richness of benthic macroinvertebrate communities. Hydrological variables, viz, dissolved oxygen, pH, alkalinity; hardness, salinity, nutrients, calcium, and magnesium were studied to determine their influences on the benthic community in the upper, middle- and down-streams of the river, respectively. Shannon’s diversity index (0.95–2.07; 0.00–0.72; 0.00–0.64), dominance index (0.57–0.86; 0.00–0.44; 0.00–0.44), evenness index (0.72–0.95; 0.61–1.00; 0.00–1.00), Margalef index (0.72–2.23; 0.00–1.32; 0.00-0.28) of the upper, middle- and down-streams were calculated. Benthic macroinvertebrate density was correlated with hydrological variables which indicated that the abiotic factors had either direct or inverse influence on the richness and abundance; however, the abiotic factors did not correlate identically in all three sites.

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River restoration and the trophic structure of benthic invertebrate communities across 16 European restoration projects

Hydrobiologia ◽

10.1007/s10750-015-2569-6 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 769 (1) ◽

pp. 105-120 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Benjamin Kupilas ◽

Nikolai Friberg ◽

Brendan G. McKie ◽

Maik A. Jochmann ◽

Armin W. Lorenz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

River Restoration ◽

Trophic Structure ◽

Benthic Invertebrate ◽

Invertebrate Communities ◽

Benthic Invertebrate Communities

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Habitat models for assessing river ecosystems and their application to the development of river restoration strategies

Journal of Freshwater Ecology ◽

10.1080/02705060.2017.1371088 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 601-617 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Wei-Wei Yao ◽

Yuansheng Chen ◽

Yu Zhong ◽

Wenyi Zhang ◽

Haiyan Fan

Keyword(s):

River Restoration ◽

Habitat Models ◽

River Ecosystems ◽

Restoration Strategies

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Decay processes in woody debris influence the taxonomic and functional composition of littoral macroinvertebrates

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/cjfas-2017-0364 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 75 (10) ◽

pp. 1596-1605 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Magdalena Czarnecka ◽

Oliver Miler

Keyword(s):

Woody Debris ◽

Trophic Levels ◽

Functional Composition ◽

Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽

Functional Richness ◽

Littoral Zones ◽

Decay State ◽

Quality Of Food ◽

Decaying Wood

We examined the effects of woody debris decay state on the densities, taxonomic and functional composition, and diversity of macroinvertebrates in littoral zones of undeveloped lakes. Our study revealed that the interacting effects of increasing roughness and softness of the wood, as well as changes in the quality of food resources with progressing decomposition of woody debris, exerted the strongest impacts on macroinvertebrate communities. Structurally complex, decomposed wood supported higher densities and species richness of macroinvertebrates than undecayed wood. We also found several taxa that were typical for decayed wood, including macroinvertebrates considered as xylophages. Decaying wood underpinned greater functional richness than undecayed wood, with high densities of collector–gatherers and shredders that could benefit from organic matter originating from decomposing wooden tissue, as well as predators attracted by numerous potential prey inhabiting this complex habitat. As decaying wood enhanced abundant and diverse macroinvertebrate communities, which in turn could subsidize upper trophic levels, it provides a valuable habitat in littoral zones, particularly in lakes with already sparse macrophyte cover.

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Foraging by a young-of-the-year piscivore: the role of predator size, prey type, and density

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f05-148 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 62 (10) ◽

pp. 2330-2342 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Tracy L Galarowicz ◽

David H Wahl

Keyword(s):

Benthic Invertebrates ◽

Prey Selection ◽

Handling Time ◽

Prey Type ◽

Benthic Invertebrate ◽

Ontogenetic Changes ◽

Functional Responses ◽

Fish Prey ◽

Young Of The Year ◽

Diet Shifts

Young-of-the-year piscivores undergo ontogenetic diet shifts, but mechanisms influencing prey selection and implications for growth are unclear. We examined foraging and growth of 20- to 150-mm walleye (Sander vitreus) fed either zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, or fish over a range of prey densities in the laboratory. The number of each prey type consumed was influenced by walleye size and prey density. Walleye exhibited type II functional responses on each prey type; attack coefficients were constant across zooplankton and fish densities but decreased with benthic invertebrate densities. Handling time estimates were greater for fish than for other prey types but similar for zooplankton and benthos. Foraging efficiencies on zooplankton and benthic invertebrates increased with walleye size but were variable for fish prey. The smallest walleye size class (20 mm) had similar energy return (J·min1) and growth (g·day1) on zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, and fish. For larger walleye, both energy return and growth were highest on fish, intermediate on benthic invertebrates, and lowest on zooplankton. Diet shifts of juvenile piscivores and, consequently, growth can be explained by ontogenetic changes in foraging abilities and prey densities.

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Towards monitoring ecosystem integrity within the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

10.32942/osf.io/eyqw5 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Andrew J. Hansen ◽

Bengamin P. Noble ◽

Jaris Veneros ◽

Alyson East ◽

Scott J. Goetz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Diversity ◽

Human Impacts ◽

Ecological Integrity ◽

Convention On Biological Diversity ◽

Natural Ecosystems ◽

Ecosystem Integrity ◽

Essential Biodiversity Variables ◽

Global Biodiversity ◽

Restoration Strategies ◽

Definition Of

Signatory countries to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) are formulating indicators through 2030 under the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). These goals include increasing the integrity of natural ecosystems. However, the definition of integrity and methods for measuring it remain unspecified. Moreover, nations did not achieve their 2011-2020 CBD targets, partly due to inability to monitor and report progress on these targets. Here, we define ecological integrity (EI) and suggest a framework to measure and evaluate trends in terrestrial EI. Our approach builds on three topics: the concept of ecological integrity, satellite-based Earth observation, and Essential Biodiversity Variables. Within this framework, EI is a measure of the structure, function and composition of an ecosystem relative to the pre-industrial range of variation of these characteristics. We recommend 13 indicators of EI to facilitate the efforts of nations to monitor, evaluate, and report during implementation of the post-2020 GBF. These indicators can help assess the condition of ecosystems relative to benchmark states, and track the degradation or improvement of ecosystem condition due to human impacts or restoration strategies. If operationalized, this framework can help Parties to the CBD systematically evaluate and report progress on achieving ecosystem commitments in the post-2020 GBF

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100+ years of bird survey data reveal changes in functional fingerprints indexing ecosystem health of a tropical montane forest through time

10.1101/2020.06.30.180950 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Camila Gómez ◽

Elkin A. Tenorio ◽

Carlos Daniel Cadena

Keyword(s):

Ecological Integrity ◽

Functional Space ◽

Montane Forest ◽

Tropical Montane Forest ◽

Dispersal Ability ◽

Forest Site ◽

Tropical Regions ◽

Functional Richness ◽

Habitat Breadth ◽

And Shifts

AbstractEcologically relevant traits of organisms inhabiting an ecosystem determine its functional fingerprint. Quantifying changes in the shape, volume and shifts in the position of functional fingerprints can provide information about the effects of diversity loss or gain through time, and is a promising means to monitor ecological integrity. This, however, is seldom possible owing to limitations in historical surveys and lack of data on organismal traits, particularly in diverse tropical regions. Using detailed bird surveys from four time periods across more than one century and morphological traits of 233 species, we quantified changes in the avian functional fingerprint of a tropical montane forest site in the Andes of Colombia. We found that 79% of the variation in functional space, regardless of time period, was described by three major axes summarizing body size, dispersal ability, and habitat breadth. Changes in species composition caused significant alterations of the functional fingerprint of the assemblage, with 35 – 60% reductions in functional richness and dispersion. Owing to species extirpations and to novel additions to the assemblage, functional space is currently smaller and at least 11% different to what it was a century ago, with fewer large-sized species, more good dispersers, and fewer habitat specialists. Extirpated species had high values of functional uniqueness and distinctiveness, resulting in large reductions of functional richness and dispersion after their loss, implying potentially important consequences for ecosystem functioning. Conservation efforts aimed at maintaining ecosystem function must move beyond maintaining species numbers to designing strategies for the maintenance of ecological function by identifying and conserving species with traits conferring high vulnerability.

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Intraspecific diversity loss in a predator species alters prey community structure and ecosystem functions

PLoS Biology ◽

10.1371/journal.pbio.3001145 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. e3001145

Author(s):

Allan Raffard ◽

Julien Cucherousset ◽

José M. Montoya ◽

Murielle Richard ◽

Samson Acoca-Pidolle ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Functioning ◽

Benthic Invertebrate ◽

Intraspecific Diversity ◽

Ecosystem Functions ◽

Food Chains ◽

Predator Species ◽

Invertebrate Diversity ◽

Functional Richness ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

Genotypic Richness

Loss in intraspecific diversity can alter ecosystem functions, but the underlying mechanisms are still elusive, and intraspecific biodiversity–ecosystem function (iBEF) relationships have been restrained to primary producers. Here, we manipulated genetic and functional richness of a fish consumer (Phoxinus phoxinus) to test whether iBEF relationships exist in consumer species and whether they are more likely sustained by genetic or functional richness. We found that both genotypic and functional richness affected ecosystem functioning, either independently or interactively. Loss in genotypic richness reduced benthic invertebrate diversity consistently across functional richness treatments, whereas it reduced zooplankton diversity only when functional richness was high. Finally, losses in genotypic and functional richness altered functions (decomposition) through trophic cascades. We concluded that iBEF relationships lead to substantial top-down effects on entire food chains. The loss of genotypic richness impacted ecological properties as much as the loss of functional richness, probably because it sustains “cryptic” functional diversity.

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