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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 58(11)

Influence of area, altitude and hydroperiod on macroinvertebrate communities in southern Brazil wetlands

Cristina Stenert A and Leonardo Maltchik A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems, Av. Unisinos, 950, CEP 93.022-000, UNISINOS, São Leopoldo, RS, Brazil.

B Corresponding author. Email: maltchik@unisinos.br

Marine and Freshwater Research 58(11) 993-1001 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF07073
Submitted: 11 April 2007  Accepted: 11 October 2007   Published: 1 November 2007

Abstract

Wetlands are important ecosystems in southern Brazil because they show high productivity and biological diversity. However, conservative data indicate that ~90% of the wetlands have disappeared as a result of agricultural expansion. In this sense, the understanding of species composition and richness patterns in fragmented and natural wetlands is a priority for biodiversity conservation strategies. The main goal of the present study was to determine how much variation in macroinvertebrate richness and composition is explained by wetland area, hydroperiod and altitude. This survey was carried out in an extensive area of the Neotropical region (~280 000 km2 – southern Brazil) with a large number of wetland systems (72) and covering a wide gradient of altitude and wetland surface area. The macroinvertebrate richness was higher in permanent wetlands than intermittent ones, and intermittent wetlands supported a macroinvertebrate composition that clearly differed from those of permanent wetlands. Macroinvertebrate richness was positively affected by wetland area; however, this relationship was significant only in permanent wetlands. There is a need to promote conservation of all wetland systems in southern Brazil, regardless of their hydroperiod and area. These arguments are essential to develop conservation and management programs of wetlands in this region.

Additional keywords: biodiversity predictors, composition, functional feeding groups, Neotropical region, richness.


Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr Fabio de Oliveira Roque, Ms Suzana Maria Fagondes de Freitas, and Álan Panatta for collaboration in the identification of the larval midges, Dr Daniel Pereira for identification of the mollusks, and Dr Norma Luiza Würdig for identification of the ostracods. This research was supported by funds from UNISINOS (02.00.023/00–0) and CNPq (52370695.2). Leonardo Maltchik holds a Brazilian Research Council – CNPq Research Productivity grant.


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