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Structuring functional groups of aquatic insects along the resistance/resilience axis when facing water flow changes
Bruno S Godoy1, Francisco Valente-Neto2, Luciano L Queiroz3
1Centre of Aquatic Ecology and Fishery Federal University of Pará Belém Pará Brazil.
Ecology and Evolution
|March 31, 2022
Summary
Hydrological disturbances impact aquatic insects differently based on intensity and frequency. Intense disturbances initially reduce insect permanence, while less frequent ones have lasting negative effects, threatening Cerrado biodiversity.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Hydrology
- Conservation Biology
Background:
- Aquatic organisms exhibit varying resistance and resilience strategies to hydrological disturbances.
- Understanding these strategies is crucial for managing aquatic ecosystems amid global change.
- The Cerrado region in Brazil, a biodiversity hotspot, faces increasing hydrological alterations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how functional traits of aquatic insects influence their permanence and recolonization abilities under hydrological disturbances.
- To assess the impact of disturbance intensity and frequency on aquatic insect communities in Cerrado streams.
Main Methods:
- A manipulative experiment using 200 artificial substrates across five streams in the Cerrado.
- Exposure of substrates to controlled water flow regimes varying in frequency and intensity over 39 days.
- Application of a hierarchical Bayesian approach to estimate permanence and recolonization probabilities for nine aquatic insect life strategy groups.
Main Results:
- High-intensity water flow changes initially reduced the permanence of most aquatic insect groups, with effects diminishing over time.
- Less frequent disturbances, irrespective of intensity, consistently decreased the permanence of most insect groups.
- Differential impacts suggest varying recolonization capacities among insect groups, influenced by disturbance characteristics.
Conclusions:
- Hydrological disturbance regimes significantly affect aquatic insect community structure in the Cerrado.
- Reduced riparian vegetation and concentrated precipitation patterns due to climate change pose a threat to aquatic insect populations.
- Insects with resistance traits are particularly vulnerable, potentially leading to reduced biodiversity in this critical hotspot.
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