Distribution and diversity of littoral macroinvertebrates within extensive reed beds of a lowland pond

Abstract

-Although habitats of hard emergent macrophyte beds, including reed beds (Phragmites australis), are very common in the littoral zones of stagnant waters in central Europe, research investigating their macroinvertebrate communities is still lacking. In this study, the spatial distribution of macroinvertebrates was studied within large reed beds in the littoral zone of a lowland fishpond (Nesyt, SE Moravia, Czech Republic). Using a hand net, horizontal line transects in the reed bed leading from the marginal area with the open water towards the shore were sampled. The results of NMDS ordination and PERMANOVA test proved that the taxonomic composition of the macroinvertebrate assemblage changed significantly along the investigated horizontal transect from the open water towards the shore, together with gradual changes in some environmental factors. The taxa diversity was found to be the highest in the areas closest to the shore. In the reed bed areas near open water, corixids, aquatic insects larvae, leeches, water mites, some naidids and tubificids, which represented free-swimming invertebrates with tracheal gill breathing, ectoparasites, gatherers/collectors and taxa preferring pelal and inorganic substrates, were more abundant compared with the interiors of reed beds. On the other side, in the shallow dense interior of reed beds close to the shore, gastropods, water slaters, some naidids and enchytraeids, aquatic beetles and dipteran larvae were characteristic taxa, which belonged especially to grazers and scrapers, shredders and invertebrates preferring phytal and POM (particulate organic matter) microhabitats. Different predators were recorded in areas near open water and near the shore. This invertebrate spatial distribution probably reflects changes in microhabitat and environmental conditions along the investigated horizontal transect. The results of this study proved that extensive reed beds serve as refuges for many groups of aquatic macroinvertebrates within lowland fishpond ecosystems.

Insectos acuáticos asociados a Eichhornia azurea (Schwartz) Kunth en ciénagas del río Atrato, Chocó - Colombia

“…De acuerdo con TUNDISI y MATSUMURA-TUNDISI (2008) y SYCHRA et al (2010), los cambios en profundidad ejercen influencia en la distribución de la macrofauna entre las raíces de las macrófitas, contribuyendo de esta forma a diferentes distribuciones de abundancia y riqueza, como las observadas en la presente investigación.…”

Macroinvertebrados aquáticos associados às raízes de Eichhornia azuera (Swarts) Kunth (Pontederiaceae) em uma lagoa marginal no Pantanal, MS

“…Estes táxons costumam apresentar elevada riqueza nos ecossistemas de água doce e, em particular, na fauna fitófila (LEARNER et al, 19 8;PINDER, 1986;RODRIGUES et al, 2013), sendo também dominantes em bancos de macrófitas aquáticas (PEARSON;MATTHEWS, 1995;TRIVINHO-STRIXINO et al, 2000;KOUAMÉ et al, 2011;MARTINS et al, 2011) onde encontram boa disponibilidade de recursos alimentares na forma de detritos orgânicos aderidos às raízes. Outras variáveis ambientais da lagoa, como, por exemplo, maior adensamento das macrófitas, proximidade das raízes do vegetal com áreas de águas abertas ou fechadas e modi cações da profundidade da lagoa, poderiam também ter in uenciado na distribuição desta macrofauna entre as raízes, contribuindo para diferentes distribuições de riqueza (SYCHRA et al, 2010).…”

Meiofauna constitute a considerable portion of invertebrate drift among moss-rich patches within a karst hydrosystem

“…In our study, Oligochaeta comprised 15% of the total drift and most of them were found interwoven with bryophytes. Although most of them reach macrofaunal dimensions, some Naididae and Enchytraeidae are recognized as meiofaunal members living as epibenthos in phytal (Giere 2009), inhabiting aquatic macrophytes (Neiff & Caringnan 1997;Phillips 2008) and bryophytes (Sychra et al 2010), feeding mostly on bacteria and diatoms (Harper et al 1981;Bott & Borchardt 1999).…”