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Patterns of composition and species richness of crustaceans and aquatic insects along environmental gradients in Mediterranean water bodies

  • ECOLOGY OF EUROPEAN PONDS
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Abstract

Differences in the dynamics of ecological processes between Mediterranean and colder temperate aquatic systems could imply different patterns in faunal communities in terms of composition and biodiversity (i.e. species richness and rarity). In order to identify some of these patterns the crustacean and aquatic insect composition and biodiversity of four water body types, classified according to their salinity and water permanence, were compared. Moreover, the relationships between species richness and water, pond and landscape variables were analysed. A total number of 91 water bodies located throughout Catalunya (NE Iberian Peninsula) were sampled. Three species assemblages were observed: one for permanent freshwaters, another for temporary freshwaters, and a third one for saline waters (SW), since permanent and temporary saline water bodies had similar composition. Differences in salinity were associated with proportion of crustaceans versus insects and with singularity. Thus, saline ponds had a higher proportion of crustaceans, and lower values of singularity. Conductivity was significantly related to total (crustaceans plus insects) richness, and also related to insect richness. The main difference between the models obtained for crustacean species richness and insect species richness is the significance of landscape variables in the latter, and this fact could be related to the different dispersion types of these two faunal groups: active for insects versus passive for crustaceans.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the Comisión de Investigación Científica y Técnica (CICYT), Programa de Recursos Naturales (ref. CGL2004-05433/BOS). We thank Dr. R.K. Colwell for valuable advice on rarefaction curves. We are grateful to Dr. S. Declerck and to three anonymous reviewers whose comments improved the manuscript.

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  1. Faculty of Sciences, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, 17071, Girona, Spain

    D. Boix, S. Gascón, J. Sala, A. Badosa, S. Brucet, R. López-Flores & X. D. Quintana

  2. Mosquito Control Service of Badia de Roses and Baix Ter, Girona, Spain

    M. Martinoy & J. Gifre

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  1. D. Boix
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The ecology of European ponds: defining the characteristics of a neglected freshwater habitat

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Boix, D., Gascón, S., Sala, J. et al. Patterns of composition and species richness of crustaceans and aquatic insects along environmental gradients in Mediterranean water bodies. Hydrobiologia 597, 53–69 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-007-9221-z

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