Pond chironomid communities revealed by molecular species delimitation reflect eutrophication

Abstract

Farm ponds in Japan originally constructed for agricultural irrigation are now at the brink of disappearance not only due to shrinking local agricultural production, but also in order to prevent flooding of the ponds due to abnormally heavy rainfall. They are, however, habitats for endemic aquatic flora and fauna, and thus sources and refuges for aquatic organisms that can also be found in lakes, rivers, and wetlands (Takamura, 2012). They are highly valued in terms of conserving freshwater biodiversity even with the on-going changes.The structure, size, water inflow and outflow, influx of inorganic and organic substances as well as the surrounding landscapes of the ponds have given rise to a wide variety of pond environments. These respective environments are habitats that actually or potentially nurture a unique set of aquatic flora and fauna (Casas et al., 2012;

Chironomidae in shallow water bodies of a protected lowland freshwater floodplain ecosystem

“…Within epiphytic and benthic communities in ponds, larval stages of Diptera are often dominant, 38 especially the Chironomidae family. 39 , 40 Chironomids are good indicators of stable pond conditions and, based on their adaptive life strategy, colonize different habitat types. 41 , 42 Bazzanti et al 42 have found that the chironomid community differs between temporary and permanent ponds – some taxa are common for both pond types, while other taxa are exclusive to or more abundant in one pond type.…”

Genome-Wide Identification of P450 Genes in Chironomid Propsilocerus akamusi Reveals Candidate Genes Involved in Gut Microbiota-Mediated Detoxification of Chlorpyrifos

“…These toxic materials could be bioaccumulated in chironomid larvae and then pass along the food chain since chironomids are critical food sources for amphibians, fish, and some predatory insects. It is worth noting that some representative taxa display generalized occurrence, which highly relies on their acclimation to adverse habitats, such as eutrophication [18] or repository contaminants from anthropogenic disturbance (e.g., heavy metals or organic compounds). However, only a limited number of studies have reported protective mechanisms that chironomids utilize to cope with stressors.…”