Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Responses of different biodiversity indices to subsampling efforts in lotic macroinvertebrate assemblages

  • Ecology
  • Published:
Journal of Oceanology and Limnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

As a less time-consuming procedure, subsampling technology has been widely used in biological monitoring and assessment programs. It is clear that subsampling counts affect the value of traditional biodiversity indices, but its effect on taxonomic distinctness (TD) indices is less well studied. Here, we examined the responses of traditional (species richness, Shannon-Wiener diversity) and TD (average taxonomic distinctness: Δ +, and variation in taxonomic distinctness: Λ + ) indices to subsample counts using a random subsampling procedure from 50 to 400 individuals, based on macroinvertebrate datasets from three different river systems in China. At regional scale, taxa richness asymptotically increased with fixed-count size; ≥250–300 individuals to express 95% information of the raw data. In contrast, TD indices were less sensitive to the subsampling procedure. At local scale, TD indices were more stable and had less deviation than species richness and Shannon-Wiener index, even at low subsample counts, with ≥100 individuals needed to estimate 95% of the information of the actual Δ + and Λ + in the three river basins. We also found that abundance had a certain effect on diversity indices during the subsampling procedure, with different subsampling counts for species richness and TD indices varying by regions. Therefore, we suggest that TD indices are suitable for biodiversity assessment and environment monitoring. Meanwhile, pilot analyses are necessary when to determine the appropriate subsample counts for bioassessment in a new region or habitat type.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bailey R C, Norris R H, Reynoldson T B. 2001. Taxonomic resolution of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in bioassessments. Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 20 (2): 280–286.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barbour M T, Gerritsen J. 1996. Subsampling of benthic samples: a defense of the fixed–count method. Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 15 (3): 386–391.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bevilacqua S, Fraschetti S, Musco L, Guarnieri G, Terlizzi A. 2011. Low sensitiveness of taxonomic distinctness indices to human impacts: evidences across marine benthic organisms and habitat types. Ecological Indicators, 11 (2): 448–455.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bevilacqua S, Fraschetti S, Terlizzi A, Boero F. 2009. The use of taxonomic distinctness indices in assessing patterns of biodiversity in modular organisms. Marine Ecology, 30 (2): 151–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bevilacqua S, Sandulli R, Plicanti A, Terlizzi A. 2012. Taxonomic distinctness in Mediterranean marine nematodes and its relevance for environmental impact assessment. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 64 (7): 1 409–1 416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brinkhurst R O. 1986. Guide to the Freshwater Aquatic Microdrile Oligochaetes of North America. Department of Fisheries and Oceans, OttawaCanadian Special Publication of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 259p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buss D F, Carlisle D M, Chon T S, Culp J, Harding J S, Keizer–Velk H E, Robinson W A, Strachan S, Thirion C, Hughes R M. 2015. Stream biomonitoring using macroinvertebrates around the globe: a comparison of large–scale programs. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 187 (1): 4 132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell N, Neat F, Burns F, Kunzlik P. 2011. Species richness, taxonomic diversity, and taxonomic distinctness of the deep–water demersal fish community on the Northeast Atlantic continental slope (ICES Subdivision VIa). ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68 (2): 365–376.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cao Y, Larsen D P, Hughes R M. 2001. Evaluating sampling sufficiency in fish assemblage surveys: a similarity–based approach. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 58 (9): 1 782–1 793.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carter J L, Resh V H. 2001. After site selection and before data analysis: sampling, sorting, and laboratory procedures used in stream benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring programs by USA state agencies. Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 20 (4): 658–682.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen K, Hughes R M, Wang B X. 2015. Effects of fixed–count size on macroinvertebrate richness, site separation, and bioassessment of Chinese monsoonal streams. Ecological Indicators, 53: 162–170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke K R, Warwick R M. 1998. A taxonomic distinctness index and its statistical properties. Journal of Applied Ecology, 35 (4): 523–531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke K R, Warwick R M. 1999. The taxonomic distinctness measure of biodiversity: weighting of step lengths between hierarchical levels. Marine Ecology Progress, 184: 21–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke R T, Lorenz A, Sandin L, Schmidt–Kloiber A, Strackbein J, Kneebone N T, Haase P. 2006. Effects of sampling and sub–sampling variation using the STAR–AQEM sampling protocolon the precision of macroinvertebrate metrics. Hydrobiologia, 566 (1): 441–459.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Courtemanch D L. 1996. Commentary on the subsampling procedures used for rapid bioassessments. Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 15 (3): 381–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawaciren, Basang C L, Baima Qimeiduoji. 2008. Analysis of hydrologic characteristics in the Nepali Yang River Basin. Journal of China Hydrology, 28 (4): 92–94. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dudgeon D. 1999. Tropical Asian Streams: Zoobenthos, Ecology and Conservation. Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong, China. 844p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellingsen K E, Clarke K R, Somerfield P J, Warwick R M. 2005. Taxonomic distinctness as a measure of diversity applied over a large scale: the benthos of the Norwegian continental shelf. Journal of Animal Ecology, 74 (6): 1 069–1 079.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Epler J H. 2001. Identification Manual for the Larval Chironomidae (Diptera) of North and South Carolina. Johns River Water Management District, Palatka, FL. 490p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallardo B, Gascón S, Quintana X, Comín F A. 2011. How to choose a biodiversity indicator—Redundancy and complementarity of biodiversity metrics in a freshwater ecosystem. Ecological Indicators, 11 (5): 1 177–1 184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heino J, Soininen J, Lappalainen J, Virtanen R. 2005. The relationship between species richness and taxonomic distinctness in freshwater organisms. Limnology and Oceanography, 50 (3): 978–986.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hering D, Moog O, Sandin L, Verdonschot P F M. 2004. Overview and application of the AQEM assessment system. Hydrobiologia, 516 (1–3): 1–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang X M, Song Z Y, Xiong J, Xie Z C. 2014. Can excluding non–insect taxa from stream macroinvertebrate surveys enhance the sensitivity of taxonomic distinctness indices to human disturbance? Ecological Indicators, 41: 175–182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang X M, Xie Z C, Chen Y F. 2013. Longitudinal patterns of macroinvertebrate communities in relation to environmental factors in a Tibetan–Plateau river system. Quaternary International, 304: 107–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang X M, Xiong J, Xie Z C. 2017. Longitudinal and seasonal patterns of macroinvertebrate communities in a large undammed river system in Southwest China. Quaternary International, 440: 1–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King R S, Richardson C J. 2002. Evaluating subsampling approaches and macroinvertebrate taxonomic resolution for wetland bioassessment. Journal of the North American Benthological S ociety, 21 (1): 150–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ligeiro R, Ferreira W, Hughes R M, Callisto M. 2013. The problem of using fixed–area subsampling methods to estimate macroinvertebrate richness: a case study with Neotropical stream data. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 185 (5): 4 077–4 085.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lorenz A, Kirchner L, Hering D. 2004. ‘Electronic subsampling’ of macrobenthic samples: how many individuals are needed for a valid assessment result? Hydrobiologia, 516 (1–3): 299–312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magurran A E. 2004. Measuring Biological Diversity. Wiley–Blackwell, Malden, MA. 264p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marchant R. 2007. The use of taxonomic distinctness to assess environmental disturbance of insect communities from running water. Freshwater Biology, 52 (8): 1 634–1 645.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCord S B, Guha G S, Grippo R S. 2007. Effects of subsample size on seasonal and spatial comparisons of stream macroinvertebrate communities. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 135 (1–3): 409–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milošević D, Simić V, Stojković M, Živić I. 2012. Chironomid faunal composition represented by taxonomic distinctness index reveals environmental change in a lotic system over three decades. Hydrobiologia, 683 (1): 69–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morse J C, Bae Y J, Munkhjargal G, Sangpradub N, Tanida K, Vshivkova T S, Wang B X, Yang L F, Yule C M. 2007. Freshwater biomonitoring with macroinvertebrates in East Asia. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 5 (1): 33–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morse J C, Yang L F, Tian L X. 1994. Aquatic Insects of China useful for Monitoring Water Quality. Hohai University Press, Nanjing. 570p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira R B, Mugnai R, Castro C M, Baptista D F. 2011. Determining subsampling effort for the development of a rapid bioassessment protocolusing benthic macroinvertebrates in streams of Southeastern Brazil. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 175 (1–4): 75–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pu Y H, Zhang Y K, Jiang M X, Shi D L, Cao G B, Zhang D G. 2006. Study on plant diversity of Duheyuan nature reserve on the northern slope of Mt. Shennongjia, Hubei, China. Journal of Wuhan Botanical Research, 24 (4): 327–332. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Qin W H, Liu L J, Xu W G, Wang Z, Jiang M K. 2008. Prediction of ecological impacts of the planned Xiaonanhai power dam on the rare and endemic fishes nature reserve in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Journal of Ecology and Rural Environment, 24 (4): 23–26, 36. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Qu X D, Bae M J, Chon T S, Park Y S. 2013. Evaluation of subsampling efforts in estimating community indices and community structures. Ecological Informatics, 17: 3–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walsh C J. 1997. A multivariate method for determining optimal subsample size in the analysis of macroinvertebrate samples. Marine and Freshwater Research, 48 (3): 241–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warwick R M, Clarke K R. 1998. Taxonomic distinctness and environmental assessment. Journal of Applied Ecology, 35 (4): 532–543.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiggins G B. 1996. Larvae of the North American Caddisfly Genera (Trichoptera). University of Toronto Press, Toronto. 456p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilsey B, Stirling G. 2007. Species richness and evenness respond in a different manner to propagule density in developing prairie microcosm communities. Plant Ecology, 190 (2): 259–273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q T, Hu G K, Yang R R. 2016. Application of taxonomic diversity indices in assessing ecological environment: a review. Environmental Monitoring in China, 32(3): 92–98. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao J, Tang J B, Huang S S, Duan J, Guo X M, Niu D K. 2015. Study on the categories of soil erosion of Chishui River Basin and corresponding measures for soil and water conservation. Hubei Agricultural Sciences, 54 (14): 3 369–3 371. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao L, Xu Y P, Yang Z W, Xu G J, Wang Z, Xu H L. 2016. Sampling effort of periphytic diatoms for bioassessment research using taxonomic distinctness in marine ecosystems: a case study in coastal waters. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 112 (1–2): 389–392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou C F, Gui H, Zhou K Y. 2003. Larval key to families of Ephemeroptera from China (Insecta). Journal of Nanjing Normal University ( Natural Science Edition ), 26 (3): 65–68. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zintzen V, Anderson M J, Roberts C D, Diebel C E. 2011. Increasing variation in taxonomic distinctness reveals clusters of specialists in the deep sea. Ecography, 34 (2): 306–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

The authors are greatly indebted to Drs. HUANG Zhenli, TANG Tao, LU Yajing, CHU Zhenhao, GUO Shuhan, WANG Zhuo, REN Jiaying for their helps in the field sampling in CR.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CAS Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China

    Jun Wang, Zhengfei Li, Yun Zhang, Xiaoming Jiang & Zhicai Xie

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Jun Wang, Zhengfei Li & Yun Zhang

  3. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    Zhuoyan Song

Authors
  1. Jun Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhengfei Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zhuoyan Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yun Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Xiaoming Jiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Zhicai Xie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Xiaoming Jiang or Zhicai Xie.

Additional information

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31400469, 41571495, 31770460), the National Science and Technology Basic Research Program (No. 2015FY110400-4), the China Three Gorges Corporation Research Project (No. JGJ/0272015), the Key Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Comprehensive Assessment Technology of River Ecology and Environment for the Water Source Region of “South-to- North Water Diversion Central Route”), and the Program for Biodiversity Protection (No. 2017HB2096001006)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, J., Li, Z., Song, Z. et al. Responses of different biodiversity indices to subsampling efforts in lotic macroinvertebrate assemblages. J. Ocean. Limnol. 37, 122–133 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-019-7339-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-019-7339-2

Keyword

Search

Navigation