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Munyai LF, Mugwedi L, Wasserman RJ, Dondofema F, Riddell E, Keates C, Dalu T. Water and sediment chemistry drivers of chlorophyll-a dynamics within a Ramsar declared floodplain pan wetland system. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:28549-28563. [PMID: 38561533 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33052-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Floodplain pans are hydrologically dynamic in nature and characterised by variables such as chlorophyll-a (chl-a), water, and sediment chemistry over their hydroperiods. The present study investigated the spatio-temporal variations in water and sediment physico-chemical, and chlorophyll-a concentration characteristics of six floodplain pans found in the Ramsar declared Makuleke wetlands, Kruger National Park, South Africa. The water and sediment physico-chemical variable values were generally elevated during the high-water period, whereas chlorophyll-a concentrations varied across pans and hydroperiod. Benthic chl-a concentration significantly varied across pans with concentrations ranging from 161 to 1036.2 mg m2. The two-way ANOVA showed significant differences in benthic chl-a concentration among hydroperiods, and no significant differences were observed in pelagic chl-a across pans and hydroperiods. Generally, pelagic and benthic chl-a concentration increased as water and sediment chemistry variables increased. Furthermore, three sediment variables, i.e. pH, calcium, and magnesium, and water conductivity were found to be significant in structuring benthic chlorophyll-a dynamics in pans. However, none of the sediment and water variables had a significant effect on pelagic chl-a. Hydroperiod had a significant effect on influencing chl-a concentration, with high and low water level periods being characterised by low and high chl-a concentration, respectively. The n-MDS results showed strong overlaps in chl-a biomass among the Makuleke floodplain pans across hydroperiods. The increasing chl-a concentration in these floodplain pans due to potential bioturbation effects as a result of large mammals could potentially lead to eutrophication, which in turn could affect the system's primary productivity and aquatic biota. Therefore, it is important to establish a continuous monitoring programme on these pans to inform sound management decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linton F Munyai
- School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Mpumalanga, Nelspruit, 1200, South Africa.
- Aquatic Systems Research Group, Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa.
| | - Lutendo Mugwedi
- Aquatic Systems Research Group, Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
| | - Ryan J Wasserman
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Makhanda, 6140, South Africa
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, 6140, South Africa
| | - Farai Dondofema
- Aquatic Systems Research Group, Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
| | - Eddie Riddell
- Regional Integration Unit, Conservation Management, SANParks, Kruger National Park, Skukuza, 1350, South Africa
- Centre for Water Resources Research, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa
| | - Chad Keates
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, 6140, South Africa
| | - Tatenda Dalu
- School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Mpumalanga, Nelspruit, 1200, South Africa
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda, 6140, South Africa
- Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study, Wallenberg Research Centre at Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
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2
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Kiemel K, Weithoff G, Tiedemann R. DNA metabarcoding reveals impact of local recruitment, dispersal, and hydroperiod on assembly of a zooplankton metacommunity. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:6190-6209. [PMID: 35869804 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the environmental impact on the assembly of local communities in relation to their spatial and temporal connectivity is still a challenge in metacommunity ecology. This study aims to unravel underlying metacommunity processes and environmental factors that result in observed zooplankton communities. Unlike most metacommunity studies, we jointly examine active and dormant zooplankton communities using a DNA metabarcoding approach to overcome limitations of morphological species identification. We applied two-fragment (COI and 18S) metabarcoding to monitor communities of 24 kettle holes over a two-year period to unravel (i) spatial and temporal connectivity of the communities, (ii) environmental factors influencing local communities, and (iii) dominant underlying metacommunity processes in this system. We found a strong separation of zooplankton communities from kettle holes of different hydroperiods (degree of permanency) throughout the season, while the community composition within single kettle holes did not differ between years. Species richness was primarily dependent on pH and permanency, while species diversity (Shannon Index) was influenced by kettle hole location. Community composition was impacted by kettle hole size and surrounding field crops. Environmental processes dominated temporal and spatial processes. Sediment communities showed a different composition compared to water samples but did not differ between ephemeral and permanent kettle holes. Our results suggest that communities are mainly structured by environmental filtering based on pH, kettle hole size, surrounding field crops, and permanency. Environmental filtering based on specific conditions in individual kettle holes seems to be the dominant process in community assembly in the studied zooplankton metacommunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Kiemel
- Unit of Evolutionary Biology/Systematic Zoology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Guntram Weithoff
- Unit of Ecology and Ecosystem Modelling, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Ralph Tiedemann
- Unit of Evolutionary Biology/Systematic Zoology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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Balerna JA, Kramer AM, Landry SM, Rains MC, Lewis DB. Synergistic effects of precipitation and groundwater extraction on freshwater wetland inundation. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 337:117690. [PMID: 36933535 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Wetlands provide essential ecosystem services, including nutrient cycling, flood protection, and biodiversity support, that are sensitive to changes in wetland hydrology. Wetland hydrological inputs come from precipitation, groundwater discharge, and surface run-off. Changes to these inputs via climate variation, groundwater extraction, and land development may alter the timing and magnitude of wetland inundation. Here, we use a long-term (14-year) comparative study of 152 depressional wetlands in west-central Florida to identify sources of variation in wetland inundation during two key time periods, 2005-2009 and 2010-2018. These time periods are separated by the enactment of water conservation policies in 2009, which included regional reductions in groundwater extraction. We investigated the response of wetland inundation to the interactive effects of precipitation, groundwater extraction, surrounding land development, basin geomorphology, and wetland vegetation class. Results show that water levels were lower and hydroperiods were shorter in wetlands of all vegetation classes during the first (2005-2009) time period, which corresponded with low rainfall conditions and high rates of groundwater extraction. Under water conservation policies enacted in the second (2010-2018) time period, median wetland water depths increased 1.35 m and median hydroperiods increased from 46 % to 83 %. Water-level variation was additionally less sensitive to groundwater extraction. The increase in inundation differed among vegetation classes with some wetlands not displaying signs of hydrological recovery. After accounting for effects of several explanatory factors, inundation still varied considerably among wetlands, suggesting a diversity of hydrological regimes, and thus ecological function, among individual wetlands across the landscape. Policies seeking to balance human water demand with the preservation of depressional wetlands would benefit by recognizing the heightened sensitivity of wetland inundation to groundwater extraction during periods of low precipitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Balerna
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA.
| | - Andrew M Kramer
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Shawn M Landry
- School of Geosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Mark C Rains
- School of Geosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - David B Lewis
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
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Aristone C, Mehdi H, Hamilton J, Bowen KL, Currie WJS, Kidd KA, Balshine S. Impacts of wastewater treatment plants on benthic macroinvertebrate communities in summer and winter. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 820:153224. [PMID: 35063520 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Treated effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is a major source of contamination that can impact population size, community structure, and biodiversity of aquatic organisms. However, because the majority of field research occurs during warmer periods of the year, the impacts of wastewater effluent on aquatic communities during winter has largely been neglected. In this study, we assessed the impacts of wastewater effluent on aquatic benthic macroinvertebrate (benthos) communities along the effluent gradients of two WWTPs discharging into Hamilton Harbour, Canada, during summer and winter using artificial substrates incubated for 8 weeks. At the larger of the two plants, benthic macroinvertebrate abundance was higher and diversity was lower at sites downstream of the outfall compared to upstream sites in both seasons. Whereas at the smaller plant, the opposite was observed, abundance increased and diversity decreased with distance from the outfall in both seasons. While the impacts of wastewater on benthic communities were largely similar between seasons, we did detect several general seasonal trends - family diversity of macroinvertebrates was lower during winter at both WWTPs and total abundance was also lower during winter, but only significantly so at the smaller WWTP. Further, benthic macroinvertebrate community composition differed significantly along the effluent gradients, with sites closest and farthest from the outfall being the most dissimilar. Our contrasting results between the WWTPs demonstrate that plants, with different treatment capabilities and effluent-receiving environments (industrial/urban versus wetland), can dictate how wastewater effluent impacts benthic macroinvertebrate communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea Aristone
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada.
| | - Hossein Mehdi
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada.
| | - Jonathan Hamilton
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada.
| | - Kelly L Bowen
- Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada.
| | - Warren J S Currie
- Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada.
| | - Karen A Kidd
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada; School of Earth, Environment and Society, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada; Institute for Water, Environment and Health, United Nations University, 204 - 175 Longwood Road S., Hamilton, ON L8P 0A1, Canada.
| | - Sigal Balshine
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada.
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Rizo EZ, Xu S, Tang Q, Papa RDS, Dumont HJ, Qian SS, Han BP. A global analysis of cladoceran body size and its variation linking to habitat, distribution and taxonomy. Zool J Linn Soc 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Body size is a functional trait that influences the overall biology and ecology of an organism. Studying the shape of size–frequency distributions and size variability within different scales, approximates the influence of large-scale ecological and evolutionary processes on a species. In this study we examine the patterns of distribution and variability of body size among freshwater Cladocera across different taxonomic levels, geographic distribution and habitat association. Using extensive literature data, we show the global distribution of body size in freshwater Cladocera. Hierarchical models were used to assess the effect of different categorical variables on size variability. Our results show that almost all size–frequency distributions were skewed right in all categories. The hierarchical model showed that taxonomic affiliation contributes the most to size variability in our dataset, suggesting that size might be a conserved trait. Large genera (≥1mm) have larger estimated variability compared to smaller genera. In general, our observations on size–frequency distributions and size variability show a brief insight in the varying advantages of adaptive body size in this group of organisms in both biology (physiology) and ecology (competition and co-existence). Thus, body size is a trait important to the survival and continuing evolution of Cladocera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Zeus Rizo
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shaolin Xu
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Quehui Tang
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Rey Donne S Papa
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, The Graduate School and Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
| | - Henri J Dumont
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Song S Qian
- Department of Environmental Sciences, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Bo-Ping Han
- Department of Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China
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Daniel J, Gleason JE, Cottenie K, Rooney RC. Stochastic and deterministic processes drive wetland community assembly across a gradient of environmental filtering. OIKOS 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.05987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jody Daniel
- Dept of Biology, Univ. of Waterloo, B2‐251 200 University Ave. W. Waterloo ON N2L3G1 Canada
| | | | - Karl Cottenie
- Dept of Integrative Biology, Univ. of Guelph ON Canada
| | - Rebecca C. Rooney
- Dept of Biology, Univ. of Waterloo, B2‐251 200 University Ave. W. Waterloo ON N2L3G1 Canada
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Arenas-Sánchez A, López-Heras I, Nozal L, Vighi M, Rico A. Effects of increased temperature, drought, and an insecticide on freshwater zooplankton communities. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2019; 38:396-411. [PMID: 30365191 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
In the present study we performed a microcosm experiment to assess the effects of the insecticide lufenuron on zooplankton communities exposed to increased temperature and drought in (semi-)arid regions. The experiment consisted of 3 environmental scenarios, assessed in 2 parts. Firstly, we assessed how water temperature (20 and 28 °C) affects the sensitivity and resilience of the zooplankton community to lufenuron. Secondly, we investigated the influence of drought on the structure of the zooplankton community at a high water temperature (28 °C) and evaluated its possible interaction with lufenuron. The results show that the community exposed to lufenuron at 28 °C had a faster lufenuron-related response and recovery than the community at 20 °C. The combined effects of lufenuron and temperature resulted in a synergistic effect on some taxa (Daphnia sp., Cyclopoida, and Copepoda nauplii). The tested zooplankton community had a high resilience to drought, although some particular taxa were severely affected after desiccation (Calanoida). Interactions between drought and lufenuron were not statistically significant. However, rewetting after desiccation contributed to lufenuron remobilization from sediments and resulted in a slight Cyclopoida population decline at high exposure concentrations. The study shows how environmental conditions related to global change in (semi-)arid regions may influence chemical fate and the vulnerability of zooplankton communities to chemical stress. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:396-411. © 2018 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Arenas-Sánchez
- IMDEA Water Institute, Science and Technology Campus of the University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel López-Heras
- IMDEA Water Institute, Science and Technology Campus of the University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
| | - Leonor Nozal
- IMDEA Water Institute, Science and Technology Campus of the University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
- Center for Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marco Vighi
- IMDEA Water Institute, Science and Technology Campus of the University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andreu Rico
- IMDEA Water Institute, Science and Technology Campus of the University of Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
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Stenert C, Wüsth R, Pires MM, Freiry RF, Nielsen D, Maltchik L. Composition of cladoceran dormant stages in intermittent ponds with different hydroperiod lengths. Ecol Res 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s11284-017-1498-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Trophic isotopic carbon variation increases with pond's hydroperiod: Evidence from an Austral ephemeral ecosystem. Sci Rep 2017; 7:7572. [PMID: 28790380 PMCID: PMC5548932 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08026-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Trophic variation in food web structure occurs among and within ecosystems. The magnitude of variation, however, differs from system to system. In ephemeral pond ecosystems, temporal dynamics are relatively more important than in many systems given that hydroperiod is the ultimate factor determining the presence of an aquatic state. Here, using stable isotopes we tested for changes in trophic chain length and shape over time in these dynamic aquatic ecosystems. We found that lower and intermediate trophic level structure increased over time. We discuss these findings within the context of temporal environmental stability. The dynamic nature of these ephemeral systems seems to be conducive to greater levels of intermediate and lower trophic level diversity, with omnivorous traits likely being advantageous.
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