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The more Diverse Beaver Ponds are Better – a Case Study of Mollusc Communities of Steppe Streams

  • Wetland Ecology
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Abstract

The factors influencing molluscs distribution in a small steppe stream were investigated to assess the impact of beavers on their diversity and abundance. Twenty stations—in unaffected streams, beaver ponds at different stages of development, and anthropogenic ponds—were sampled in May 2019 and June 2021. In each pond, a nearshore area of 1 m2 was completely surveyed using a dip net. Twenty-one mollusc species were found. Old and drained beaver ponds were characterized by significantly higher species richness. The damming of the river, by both humans and beavers, initially resulted in decreased species diversity, then followed by increased species richness due to increased habitat heterogeneity across the valley. Maximum gamma biodiversity was observed when the river habitats included all types of beaver ponds. When ponds were abandoned, a short-term increase in mollusc biodiversity and abundance was observed. Afterward, channel processes returned the habitats to a lotic state, habitat heterogeneity began to decrease, and mollusc community evenness dropped dramatically. To conserve the mollusc biodiversity of the stream valley, it is necessary for beavers to permanently renew some ponds.

Aннoтaция

B paбoтe aнaлизиpyютcя фaктopы, влияющиe нa pacпpeдeлeниe мoллюcкoв в дoлинe мaлoй cтeпнoй peки, для oцeнки влияния бoбpoв нa иx paзнooбpaзиe и чиcлeннocть. Были пpoaнaлизиpoвaны пpoбы, coбpaнныe в мae 2019 г. и в июнe 2021 г. нa двaдцaти yчacткax peки – в нeзaпpyжeннoм вoдoтoкe, бoбpoвыx пpyдax paзныx cтaдий paзвития и в aнтpoпoгeнныx пpyдax. B пpибpeжнoй чacти кaждoгo вoдoeмa был пoлнocтью oблoвлeн 1 м2 c пoмoщью гидpoбиoлoгичecкoгo caчкa. Oбнapyжeн 21 вид мoллюcкoв. Для cтapыx и cпyщeнныx бoбpoвыx пpyдoв xapaктepнo cтaтиcтичecки дocтoвepнoe yвeличeниe видoвoгo бoгaтcтвa. Изнaчaльнoe зaпpyживaниe peки, кaк чeлoвeкoм, тaк и бoбpaми, пpивoдит к cнижeнию биopaзнooбpaзия, зa кoтopым cлeдyeт eгo yвeличeниe – блaгoдapя пocтeпeннoмy yвeличeнию paзнooбpaзия мecтooбитaний в пpeдeлax вceй дoлины. Maкcимaльнoe гaммa-paзнooбpaзиe мoллюcкoв мoжeт нaблюдaтьcя, кoгдa в дoлинe peки вcтpeчaютcя вce типы пpyдoв. Кoгдa бoбpoвыe пpyды cтaнoвятcя бpoшeнными, этo пpивoдит к кpaткoвpeмeннoмy yвeличeнию paзнooбpaзия и чиcлeннocти мoллюcкoв. Bпocлeдcтвии, pycлoвыe пpoцeccы вoзвpaщaют тaкиe пpyды к иcxoднoмy пpoтoчнoмy cocтoянию, paзнooбpaзиe мecтooбитaний cнижaeтcя, и выpoвнeннocть cooбщecтв мoллюcкoв peзкo пaдaeт. Для coxpaнeния paзнooбpaзия мoллюcкoв мaлыx вoдoтoкoв, нeoбxoдимo чтoбы бoбpы oбнoвляли чacть cвoиx пpyдoв.

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Data Availability Statement

Data available from the Zenodo digital repository https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6908506.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Anton Svinin and Vitaly Osipov for their help in collecting material in the field; management of the Privolzhskaya Lesostep nature reserve for the opportunity to work on the territory; M.V. Vinarski for help in identifying the pond snail Ampullaceana ampla.

Funding

This work was supported by the IPEE RAS task 0089–2021-0006 “Ecology and Biodiversity of Aquatic Communities” (reg. number AAAA-A18-118042490059–5).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

    Ivan W. Bashinskiy

  2. Penza State University, Penza, Russia

    Tamara G. Stojko

Authors
  1. Ivan W. Bashinskiy
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  2. Tamara G. Stojko
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Contributions

Conceptualisation: IB. Developing methods: IB, TS. Data analysis: IB, TS. Preparation of figures and tables: IB. Conducting the research, data interpretation, writing: IB, TS.

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Correspondence to Ivan W. Bashinskiy.

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Bashinskiy, I.W., Stojko, T.G. The more Diverse Beaver Ponds are Better – a Case Study of Mollusc Communities of Steppe Streams. Wetlands 42, 104 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-022-01625-8

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