Macrophyte stand complexity explains the functional α and β diversity of fish in a tropical river-floodplain

Multi‐scale biodiversity analyses identify the importance of continental watersheds in shaping lake zooplankton biogeography

“…Further exploration of potential mechanisms will come from future LakePulse analyses, wherein we have the opportunity to explore the relative role of local spatial vs. environmental factors, consider food web interactions, as well as quantify changes in sub-fossil assemblages between pre-industrial and contemporary times through sediment core analyses.In a conservation context,Devictor et al (2010) proposed targeting sites having both high α-and β-diversity values, as a compromise between preserving species-rich sites and ecologically unique sites. Moreover, functional β-diversity is a critical component to consider in conservation planning since functional α-diversity alone does not capture trait uniqueness(Quirino et al, 2021). Based on our results, sites from the Boreal Cordillera could be prioritized in management plans, since this ecozone harbours both high α-diversity (eveness, FDis) and species and traits LCBD values (see Figure2).Conservation goals are often focused on individual taxa such as endangered, threatened or keystone species, and in this context, the species contribution to β-diversity (SCBD) metric can be particularly informative.…”

Ecosystem services provided by freshwater macrophytes

“…For example, nutrient cycling, gases sequestration and water purification occur as a result of the activity of macrophytes together with microorganisms attached to their surface (Wetzel, 2001). The important role of macrophytes in provisioning habitat has been evidenced by a great number of observational and experimental investigations showing positive relationships between metrics that are surrogates for macrophyte complexity and the diversity of microorganisms, invertebrates and fish (Petr, 2000;Gomes et al, 2012;He et al, 2012;Dibble & Thomaz, 2009;Fontanarrosa et al, 2013;Quirino et al, 2021;Yofukuji et al, 2021). Moreover, complexity provided by macrophytes helps to trap plant propagules, enhancing the diversity of the macrophyte community itself (Gabriel & Bodensteiner, 2011;O'Hare et al, 2012;Gurnell, 2014).…”

Assessing the conservation priority of freshwater lake sites based on taxonomic, functional and environmental uniqueness

“…biodiversity, conservation assessment, ecological uniqueness, environmental heterogeneity, freshwaters, lakes, macroinvertebrates, macrophytes Lodge, 1986), and provide multiple habitats that other organisms, such as fish (e.g., Quirino et al, 2021) and macroinvertebrates (e.g., Tolonen et al, 2001), can use for foraging and shelter (e.g., . Macroinvertebrates, in turn, contribute to various ecosystem processes through herbivory, detritivory and predation, acting as key links from autochthonous and allochthonous production to secondary and primary consumers, such as benthivorous fish (Wallace & Webster, 1996).…”

“…We apply the approach to a primary producer group in lakes (here, macrophytes) and a taxonomically and functionally highly diverse group of consumers (here, macroinvertebrates). Macrophytes are key players that contribute to nutrient cycling and primary production (e.g., Carpenter & Lodge, 1986), and provide multiple habitats that other organisms, such as fish (e.g., Quirino et al, 2021) and macroinvertebrates (e.g., Tolonen et al, 2001), can use for foraging and shelter (e.g., Heino & Tolonen, 2017). Macroinvertebrates, in turn, contribute to various ecosystem processes through herbivory, detritivory and predation, acting as key links from autochthonous and allochthonous production to secondary and primary consumers, such as benthivorous fish (Wallace & Webster, 1996).…”