Spatial patterns in pond invertebrate communities: separating environmental and distance effects

Abstract

ABSTRACT1. The nature and extent of spatial pattern in communities has important implications for their dynamics and conservation. Previous studies of pond ecosystems, over relatively small spatial scales, have found little evidence of spatial autocorrelation of community composition. Patterns in community composition over greater spatial distances have not been documented.2. Here, data on macroinvertebrate communities and physico-chemical characteristics of 102 ponds over a 60 Â 60 km area of Oxfordshire, UK, were used to examine evidence for spatial autocorrelation in community composition and to separate the effects of environmental similarity and physical distance on community similarity.3. Overall similarity between communities was low, but showed significant positive spatial autocorrelation. There was evidence for both environmental and physical distance effects on spatial autocorrelation of community similarity. Community similarity was negatively related to differences in environmental conditions, but effects were only significant for large environmental differences.4. When environmental effects were accounted for, there was significant positive spatial autocorrelation of community composition over inter-site distances of up to 13 km. These results suggest that interactions between pond sites, potentially through dispersal, are evident over larger spatial scales than has previously been appreciated, and emphasize the need to consider spatial issues when developing strategies for pond conservation.

Ecology and diversity of freshwater shrimps in Banco National Park, Côte d’Ivoire (Banco River Basin)

“…This species seems to tolerate unfavourable conditions such as low dissolved oxygen and significant organic matter, as suggested by Cumberlidge (2005). It is well known that pools situated at a small geographical distance from one another tend to have similar macroinvertebrate assemblages (Briers and Biggs, 2005).…”

Environmental correlates of plant and invertebrate species richness in ponds

“…The geographical location of ponds has been shown to influence communities and species richness, including the altitude of the pond (Hinden et al 2005) and the location of the pond relative to other ponds (Briers and Biggs 2005). However, evidence for an effect of connectivity at smaller spatial scales is equivocal .…”

Ecological Drivers of Cladoceran Diversity in the Central European City (Łódź, Poland): Effects of Urbanisation and Size of the Waterbody

“…Spatial parameters such as pond connectedness and pond density can influence the structure of macroinvertebrate communities Briers and Biggs, 2005;Oertli et al, 2005;Vanschoenwinkel et al, 2007;Gledhill et al, 2008). In a connected pondscape, ponds often support a greater diversity of macroinvertebrates compared to more isolated ponds as there is greater opportunity for active and passive dispersal and colonization of invertebrate taxa (e.g., snails can be carried by vector species to nearby ponds) (Brönmark, 1985;Williams et al, 2008).…”

“…Pond connectivity has been shown to be an important influence on invertebrate structure and a control on the biodiversity of pond habitats Cottenie and De Meester, 2004;Briers and Biggs, 2005;Werner et al, 2007;Gledhill et al, 2008). Ponds with a greater proximity to other water bodies often support greater macroinvertebrate species richness compared to those with reduced proximity (Williams et al, 2008) as there is greater potential for the dispersal and colonization of macroinvertebrate taxa and recolonization after extinction events.…”