Patterns of invertebrate emergence and succession in flooded wetland mesocosms
I. Growns
A B , S. Lewis A , D. Ryder A , W. Tsoi A and B. Vincent A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Aquatic Ecology and Restoration Group, School of Environmental and Rural Science, Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England, Trevenna Road, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: igrowns@une.edu.au
Marine and Freshwater Research 71(10) 1373-1377 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF19351
Submitted: 11 November 2019 Accepted: 19 February 2020 Published: 18 March 2020
Abstract
Floodplain wetlands are some of the most productive ecosystems available to aquatic and terrestrial organisms. However, regulation of lowland rivers can disrupt ecological processes occurring in the river–floodplain ecosystems, and environmental water can be delivered to affected wetlands to maintain productivity. It is not well understood at what stage following inundation there would be sufficient invertebrate biomass and large-sized individuals to support production and reproduction of secondary consumers. In this study we follow changes in the abundances of invertebrates after wetting in three mesocosm trials using soil from two wetlands from the north of the Murray–Darling Basin over 6-week periods. Peak abundances generally occurred in either the fifth or sixth weeks, but abundances were high after 2–3 weeks. Our results suggest that inundation of wetlands using environmental watering can achieve high productivity within a short time frame, within weeks. However, how quickly the high productivity is passed on to second-order consumers remains unclear and should be an area of future research.
References
Anderson, M. J. (2001). Permutation tests for univariate or multivariate analysis of variance and regression. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 58, 626–639.| Permutation tests for univariate or multivariate analysis of variance and regression.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Anderson, M., Gorley, R. N., and Clarke, R. K. (2008) ‘Permanova+ for Primer: Guide to Software and Statisticl Methods.’ (Primer-E Limited: Devon, UK.)
Baranyi, C., Hein, T., Holarek, C., Keckeis, S., and Schiemer, F. (2002). Zooplankton biomass and community structure in a Danube River floodplain system: effects of hydrology. Freshwater Biology 47, 473–482.
| Zooplankton biomass and community structure in a Danube River floodplain system: effects of hydrology.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Boon, P. I., and Shiel, R. J. (1990). Grazing on bacteria by zooplankton in Australian billabongs. Marine and Freshwater Research 41, 247–257.
| Grazing on bacteria by zooplankton in Australian billabongs.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Boulton, A. J., and Lloyd, L. N. (1992). Flooding frequency and invertebrate emergence from dry floodplain sediments of the River Murray, Australia. Regulated Rivers: Research and Management 7, 137–151.
| Flooding frequency and invertebrate emergence from dry floodplain sediments of the River Murray, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Brock, M. A., Nielsen, D. L., and Crossle, K. (2005). Changes in biotic communities developing from freshwater wetland sediments under experimental salinity and water regimes. Freshwater Biology 50, 1376–1390.
| Changes in biotic communities developing from freshwater wetland sediments under experimental salinity and water regimes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Burns, C. W., and Gilbert, J. J. (1986). Effects of daphnid size and density on interference between Daphnia and Keratella cochlearis 1. Limnology and Oceanography 31, 848–858.
| Effects of daphnid size and density on interference between Daphnia and Keratella cochlearis 1.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Commonwealth of Australia (2018). Commonwealth Environmental Water Office long term intervention monitoring project: Gwydir River system selected area – 2017–18 annual evaluation report. (Commonwealth Environmental Water Office, Canberra, ACT, Australia.) Available at http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/ac713de0-bc6a-4c30-8b41-9edc469691b5/files/gwydir-ltim-report-2017-18.pdf [Verified 11 March 2020].
de Melo, T. X., Dias, J. D., Simões, N. R., and Bonecker, C. C. (2019). Effects of nutrient enrichment on primary and secondary productivity in a subtropical floodplain system: an experimental approach. Hydrobiologia 827, 171–181.
| Effects of nutrient enrichment on primary and secondary productivity in a subtropical floodplain system: an experimental approach.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dias, J. D., Simões, N. R., Meerhoff, M., Lansac-Tôha, F. A., Velho, L. F. M., and Bonecker, C. C. (2016). Hydrological dynamics drives zooplankton metacommunity structure in a Neotropical floodplain. Hydrobiologia 781, 109–125.
| Hydrological dynamics drives zooplankton metacommunity structure in a Neotropical floodplain.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dzialowski, A. R., Rzepecki, M., Kostrzewska-Szlakowska, I., Kalinowska, K., Palash, A., and Lennon, J. T. (2014). Are the abiotic and biotic characteristics of aquatic mesocosms representative of in situ conditions? Journal of Limnology 73, 603–612.
| Are the abiotic and biotic characteristics of aquatic mesocosms representative of in situ conditions?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Geddes, M. C., and Puckridge, J. T. (1989). Survival and growth of larval and juvenile native fish: the importance of the floodplain. In ‘Proceedings of a Workshop on Native Fish Management’, 16–17 June 1988, Canberra, ACT, Australia. pp. 101–114. (Murray–Darling Basin Commission: Canberra, ACT, Australia.)
Gilbert, J. J. (1988). Suppression of rotifer populations by Daphnia: a review of the evidence, the mechanisms, and the effects on zooplankton community structure. Limnology and Oceanography 33, 1286–1303.
| Suppression of rotifer populations by Daphnia: a review of the evidence, the mechanisms, and the effects on zooplankton community structure.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gilbert, J. J., and Slemberger, R. S. (1985). Control of Keratella populations by interference competition from Daphnia. Limnology and Oceanography 30, 180–188.
| Control of Keratella populations by interference competition from Daphnia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hay, S. E., Jenkins, K. M., and Kingsford, R. T. (2018). Diverse invertebrate fauna using dry sediment as a refuge in semi-arid and temperate Australian rivers. Hydrobiologia 806, 95–109.
| Diverse invertebrate fauna using dry sediment as a refuge in semi-arid and temperate Australian rivers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jenkins, K., and Boulton, A. (2003). Connectivity in a dryland river: short-term aquatic microinvertebrate recruitment following floodplain inundation. Ecology 84, 2708–2723.
| Connectivity in a dryland river: short-term aquatic microinvertebrate recruitment following floodplain inundation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Junk, W. J., Bayley, P. B., and Sparks, R. E. (1989). The flood pulse concept in river–floodplain systems. Canadian Special Publication of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 106, 110–127.
King, A. J. (2004). Density and distribution of potential prey for larval fish in the main channel of a floodplain river: pelagic versus epibenthic meiofauna. River Research and Applications 20, 883–897.
| Density and distribution of potential prey for larval fish in the main channel of a floodplain river: pelagic versus epibenthic meiofauna.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kingsford, R. T. (2000). Ecological impacts of dams, water diversions and river management on floodplain wetlands in Australia. Austral Ecology 25, 109–127.
| Ecological impacts of dams, water diversions and river management on floodplain wetlands in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lindholm, M., and Hessen, D. O. (2007). Zooplankton succession on seasonal floodplains: surfing on a wave of food. Hydrobiologia 592, 95–104.
| Zooplankton succession on seasonal floodplains: surfing on a wave of food.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Murray–Darling Basin Authority (2014). Basin-wide environmental watering strategy. (MDBA: Canberra, ACT, Australia.) Available at https://www.mdba.gov.au/sites/default/files/pubs/Basin-wide-e-watering-strategy-Nov14.pdf [Verified 2 March 2020].
Office of Environment and Heritage (2011). Gwydir Wetlands Adaptive Environmental Management Plan. Synthesis of information projects and actions. (NSW Government: Sydney, NSW, Australia.) Available at https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/-/media/OEH/Corporate-Site/Documents/Water/Water-for-the-environment/gwydir-wetlands-adaptive-environmental-management-plan-110027.pdf [Verified 2 March 2020].
Robson, B. J., Lester, R. E., Baldwin, D. S., Bond, N. R., Drouart, R., Rolls, R. J., Ryder, D. S., and Thompson, R. M. (2017). Modelling food-web mediated effects of hydrological variability and environmental flows. Water Research 124, 108–128.
| Modelling food-web mediated effects of hydrological variability and environmental flows.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28750285PubMed |
Rolls, R. J., Baldwin, D. S., Bond, N. R., Lester, R. E., Robson, B. J., Ryder, D. S., Thompson, R. M., and Watson, G. A. (2017). A framework for evaluating food-web responses to hydrological manipulations in riverine systems. Journal of Environmental Management 203, 136–150.
| A framework for evaluating food-web responses to hydrological manipulations in riverine systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28783010PubMed |
Siziba, N., Chimbari, M. J., Mosepele, K., Masundire, H., and Ramberg, L. (2013). Inundation frequency and viability of microcrustacean propagules in soils of temporary aquatic habitats of lower Okavango Delta, Botswana. Ecohydrology 6, 722–730.
Stewart, R. I. A., Dossena, M., Bohan, D. A., Jeppesen, E., Kordas, R. L., Ledger, M. E., Meerhoff, M., Moss, B., Mulder, C., Shurin, J. B., Suttle, B., Thompson, R., Trimmer, M., and Woodward, G. (2013). Mesocosm experiments as a tool for ecological climate-change research. In ‘Advances in Ecological Research, Vol. 48: Global Change in Multispecies Systems, Pt 3’. (Eds G. Woodward and E. J. Ogorman.) pp. 71–181. (Elsevier Academic Press: San Diego, CA, USA.)
Tockner, K., Malard, F., and Ward, J. V. (2000). An extension of the flood pulse concept. Hydrological Processes 14, 2861–2883.
| An extension of the flood pulse concept.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Waterkeyn, A., Vanschoenwinkel, B., Vercampt, H., Grillas, P., and Brendonck, L. (2011). Long-term effects of salinity and disturbance regime on active and dormant crustacean communities. Limnology and Oceanography 56, 1008–1022.
| Long-term effects of salinity and disturbance regime on active and dormant crustacean communities.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
