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The ecological role of ponds in a changing world

February 2014
Hydrobiologia 723(1)

February 2014
723(1)

DOI:10.1007/s10750-013-1719-y

Authors:

Regis Cereghino

Paul Sabatier University - Toulouse III

Dani Boix

Universitat de Girona

Henry-Michel Cauchie

Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST)

Koen Martens

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences

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The fifth conference of the European Pond Conservation Network (Luxembourg, June 2012) brought together researchers, environmental managers, and other stakeholders with the aim to share state-of-the-art knowledge on the ecology, management, and conservation of ponds in the context of the many challenges facing the wider water environment. Although well-known ecological patterns apply to most ponds in Europe and elsewhere, recent data highlight that part of the environmental variables governing pond biodiversity remain specific to climatic/biogeographic regions and to elevation ranges, suggesting that, in addition to common practice, management plans should include range-specific measures. Beyond the contribution of individual ponds to the aquatic and terrestrial life, connected networks of ponds are vital in the provision of new climate space as a response to global climate change, by allowing the observed northward and/or upward movements of species. In terms of services, ponds offer sustainable solutions to key issues of water management and climate change such as nutrient retention, rainfall interception, or carbon sequestration. While the ecological role of ponds is now well-established, authoritative research-based advice remains needed to inform future direction in the conservation of small water bodies and to further bridge the gap between science and practice.

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THE ROLE OF PONDS

The ecological role of ponds in a changing world

´gis Ce

´re

´ghino •Dani Boix •

Henry-Michel Cauchie •

Koen Martens •Beat Oertli

Received: 14 October 2013 / Accepted: 19 October 2013 / Published online: 7 November 2013

ÓSpringer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013

Abstract The ﬁfth conference of the European Pond

Conservation Network (Luxembourg, June 2012)

brought together researchers, environmental manag-

ers, and other stakeholders with the aim to share state-

of-the-art knowledge on the ecology, management,

and conservation of ponds in the context of the many

challenges facing the wider water environment.

Although well-known ecological patterns apply to

most ponds in Europe and elsewhere, recent data

highlight that part of the environmental variables

governing pond biodiversity remain speciﬁc to cli-

matic/biogeographic regions and to elevation ranges,

suggesting that, in addition to common practice,

management plans should include range-speciﬁc

measures. Beyond the contribution of individual

ponds to the aquatic and terrestrial life, connected

networks of ponds are vital in the provision of new

climate space as a response to global climate change,

by allowing the observed northward and/or upward

movements of species. In terms of services, ponds

offer sustainable solutions to key issues of water

management and climate change such as nutrient

retention, rainfall interception, or carbon sequestra-

tion. While the ecological role of ponds is now well-

established, authoritative research-based advice

remains needed to inform future direction in the

conservation of small water bodies and to further

bridge the gap between science and practice.

Keywords Biological diversity Conservation 

Climate change Ecosystem services 

Freshwater ecology

Guest editors: R. Ce

´re

´ghino, D. Boix, H.-M. Cauchie,

K. Martens & B. Oertli / Understanding the role of ponds in a

changing world

R. Ce

´re

´ghino (&)

INP, UPS EcoLab (Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et

Environnement), Universite

´de Toulouse,

31062 Toulouse, France

e-mail: regis.cereghino@univ-tlse3.fr

R. Ce

´re

´ghino

CNRS, EcoLab (UMR-CNRS 5245), 118 Route de

Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France

D. Boix

Institut d’Ecologia Aqua

`tica, Universitat de Girona

(UdG), Girona, Campus Montilivi, 17071 Girona,

Catalonia, Spain

H.-M. Cauchie

Centre de Recherche Public Gabriel Lippman, 41, Rue du

Brill, 4422 Belvaux, Luxembourg

K. Martens

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Vautierstraat

29, 1000 Brussels, Belgium

B. Oertli

University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland,

Hepia Lullier, 150 Route de Presinge, 1254 Jussy-Geneva,

Switzerland

123

Hydrobiologia (2014) 723:1–6

DOI 10.1007/s10750-013-1719-y

Introduction

Worldwide, ponds of both natural of human origin

occur in all biogeographical regions, from desert to

tundra pools in the Arctic Circle. Estimates suggest

that there are 277,400,000 ponds less than 1 hectare in

size, plus 24,120,000 water bodies ranging from 1 to

10 ha, thus representing over 90% of the global 304

millions standing waterbodies, or 30% of global

standing water by surface area (Downing et al.,

2006). A literature search among the peer-reviewed,

scientiﬁc journals suggests that the number of papers

on pond biodiversity published per year has tripled

over the past decade (source: Thomson Reuters’ Web

of Knowledge

, August 2013). In the context of

changing world (climate, landscapes, water uses, and

environmental policies), we can now ascertain that

ponds are biodiversity hotspots both in terms of

species composition and biological traits, and have a

signiﬁcant role to play in the provision of ecosystem

services (EPCN, 2008). In addition, available data

point toward the idea that artiﬁcial, ‘‘man-made’’

ponds are not fundamentally ecologically different

from the ‘‘natural’’ ones (de Marco et al., 2013).

Biological diversity of man-made ponds in farmed and

urban landscapes was unambiguously related to well-

known ecological patterns (regionalization of assem-

blages, species-area effect, and successional patterns;

Declerck et al., 2006;Ce

´re

´ghino et al., 2008b; Ruhı

et al., 2012) rather than to particular uses (Scher &

Thie

´ry, 2005; Ruggiero et al., 2008; Le Viol et al.,

2009). In other words, with their small catchments,

ponds of all origins are a practical conservation

solution waiting to happen.

Combining information collected at sites across

Europe which represent a geographical distribution of

biodiversity found in the Atlantic, Central, and Med-

iterranean regions, it becomes apparent that freshwater

species show higher biogeographic turnover in com-

position and traits in ponds than in other extensive

freshwater habitats (Ce

´re

´ghino et al., 2012). On a local

to regional scale, we know that the value of ponds for

freshwater diversity lies in the varied network of

habitats that they provide (Davies et al., 2008), even in

urban areas (Gaston et al., 2005; Vermonden et al.,

2010). While pond biologists have focused on the

aquatic biota, it is noteworthy that the interactions at

the aquatic–terrestrial interface are numerous, and the

high productivity of ponds is proﬁtable to the terrestrial

biocoenoses (Mozley, 1944; Baxter et al., 2005).

Emerging adult insects are heavily preyed on by bats,

birds, and spiders. Amphibians are preyed on by

snakes, eagles, owls, ravens, buzzards, herons, wild

boars, stoats, minks, martens, foxes, and badgers, while

the water shrew (Neomys fodiens) comes directly to

feed underwater on macroinvertebrate larvae.

In terms of services, ponds offer sustainable

solutions to some of the key issues of water manage-

ment and climate change. Ponds can remove diffuse

pollutants from surface waters, including sediment,

phosphorous, and nitrogen. For example, in the

intensively farmed landscape of northern Germany,

ponds strategically located to intercept water from

drainage systems can signiﬁcantly reduce the nutrient

load of receiving waters through denitriﬁcation,

sedimentation processes and uptake from wetland

plants (Steidl et al., 2008). Moreover, while the

purpose of such man-made ponds is related to water

management (i.e., nutrient retention), biodiversity

may beneﬁt from their presence and heterogeneity

(Becerra-Jurado et al., 2012; Herrmann, 2012). Stra-

tegically located pond networks have the potential to

hold water back at source, recharge aquifers, and

reduce the volumes of water generated before they

become a problem. Modeling studies in the United

Kingdom have shown that by installing 10,000 m

storage per km

, roughly equivalent to ten medium-

sized ponds, it is possible to capture all of a typical

heavy rainfall event from that km

, signiﬁcantly

reducing water loss (Quinn et al., 2007). Because of

their huge number, farm ponds may globally sequester

as much carbon as the oceans (Downing et al., 2008).

A single 500 m

pond could sequester yearly 1000 kg

of carbon, i.e., as much as that produced by a car

during the same time period. Such selected, striking

examples support the case for the use of pond

protection and/or creation to help ameliorate climate

change and facilitate water resource management, and

emphasize the importance of considering the pond

resource as a whole rather than as individual sites.

More recently, ponds appeared as vital in the

provision of new climate space as a response to global

climate change (Rosset & Oertli, 2011). Without

connected networks of ponds, many amphibians and

invertebrates, for example, will be unable to undertake

the observed northward movement of species (Ott,

2001; Walther et al., 2002) (or upward movement in

the mountains), further threatening species existence

2 Hydrobiologia (2014) 723:1–6

123

(Ilg & Oertli, 2013). To enable the aquatic organisms

associated with ponds to adapt to climate change,

spatial land use planning from the European to local

level needs to provide opportunities for these taxa to

move through the landscape. Consequently, spatial

planners are key stakeholders in the development of

pond conservation. Spatial planning should encourage

measures that enable the pond biota to adapt to climate

change in particular by increasing connectivity, nota-

bly between the NATURA 2000 sites.

In this general context, continuing the series of

European Pond Conservation Network conferences,

the 5th EPCN meeting (Luxembourg, June 2012)

brought together researchers, environmental manag-

ers, and other stakeholders with the aim to share state-

of-the-art knowledge on the ecology, management,

and conservation of ponds in the context of the many

challenges facing the wider water environment. This

special issue gathers some of the key information

presented by international contributors, and provides

an overview of current basic and applied issues on the

ecological role of ponds as regards biological conser-

vation, ecosystem services, and the mitigation of

climate change effects on species.

The 5th EPCN conference

The keynote presentations, oral and poster contribu-

tions were distributed among 10 topics forming

sessions that covered the multi-faceted aspects of

relevant knowledge about ponds in the ﬁelds of socio-

economy, conservation and management of species,

pond ecosystems, and pondscapes, functional and

evolutionary ecology, and landscape ecology. In

addition, three workshops were devoted to the

practical conservation of ponds, pond policy within

the EU Water Framework Directive, and ponds and

local culture.

One-hundred and ten researchers and practitioners

from 19 countries attended the conference. It is

noteworthy that participants were more evenly dis-

tributed among represented countries than during the

former 2008 and 2010 conferences and that contrib-

utors from countries outside Europe (the USA, Israel,

Uruguay, Brazil, and Morocco) were present too, thus

achieving the EPCN’s objective to better disseminate

the value of the Network (Ce

´re

´ghino et al., 2008a;

Boix et al., 2012). Still, the conference mostly

attracted scientists. The content and extent of the

projects led by EPCN scientists and the related oral

and poster presentations (as well as recent publica-

tions), however, show that projects of EPCN members

clearly include collaborations with groups of stake-

holders as well as Actions aiming at inﬂuencing and

informing those people who have a direct impact upon

the European pond resource. Under this perspective,

we claim that both the success of pond research within

the framework of competitive calls for proposals and

the ‘‘success stories’’ experienced by pond managers/

conservationist are tightly linked to the collaborative

work that researchers and managers increasingly

develop in practice (see examples on the EPCN

website: www.europeanponds.org).

Highlights

Species–area relationships, habitat heterogeneity, and

surrounding environments are well-known key drivers

for local pond diversity. Jeliazkov et al. (2013)

emphasize, however, that species richness signiﬁ-

cantly increases with pond density from local to

regional levels. In landscapes experiencing rapid

environmental changes, ponds indeed provide vital

stepping stones that are essential for the migration,

dispersal, and genetic exchange of wild species,

including those species which range over large areas

(birds and mammals) but require ponds as part of the

mosaic of wetland habitats they exploit. Where pond

density has declined, replacement through pond

creation could also restore previously fragmented

wetland landscapes (Dalbeck & Weinberg, 2009).

While the difference between large ponds and small

lakes is often debated (Oertli et al., 2005), Hamerlik

et al. (2013) report an interesting ecological threshold

separating alpine pond and lake systems, where, at a

surface area of 2 ha, the species-area pattern changes

signiﬁcantly (alpha diversity was not related to area for

water bodies below 2 ha, but was positively correlated

with area in larger systems). The signiﬁcant effects of

incoming detritus and incident light upon pond com-

munity diversity, however, reveal that changes in local

environments (e.g., the conversion of forest to crop-

ping systems) strongly inﬂuence food webs in small

water bodies (De

´zerald et al., 2013). The set of

environmental variables governing pond biodiversity

(both in terms of community composition and species

Hydrobiologia (2014) 723:1–6 3

123

traits) is to some extent speciﬁc to climatic/biogeo-

graphic regions (Ruhı

´et al., 2013; de Marco et al.,

2013; see also Ce

´re

´ghino et al., 2012) and to elevation

ranges (Ilg & Oertli, 2013). Therefore, although

biological diversity could be favoured by a common

set of pond management practices, data point toward

the idea that management plans should include eleva-

tion- and/or region-speciﬁc measures.

Life histories, dispersal patterns, and biological

interactions (notably the trophic ones) also play major

roles in determining pond biodiversity (Blaustein

et al., 2013). Life history patterns enable many

temporally segregated populations to utilize small

ecosystems by reducing competition for space and

habitat resources (de Andrade et al., 2013; see also

Cayrou & Ce

´re

´ghino, 2005). Colonization dynamics

strongly inﬂuence within and among population

genetic variation and evolutionary potential of popu-

lations (Ortells et al., 2013), and more speciﬁcally,

predators play a key role in generating patterns of food

web topology across regional environments (De

´zerald

et al., 2013). Like other freshwater (and terrestrial)

habitat types, ponds are subjected to species introduc-

tions (Rodriguez-Perez et al., 2013). Species richness

typically decreases when ﬁsh are present (Ruggiero

et al., 2008). Many ﬁsh species are predators to

macroinvertebrates, while those species introduced to

serve anthropogenic purposes (e.g., mosquitoﬁsh) can

cause substantial injuries to large numbers of larval

amphibians in a wetland (Shulse & Semlitsch, 2013).

Other introduced species like crayﬁsh or mute swans

are likely to impact either native species (e.g.,

amphibians) and habitat structure (e.g., macrophyte

beds; Gayet et al., 2013), but the extent of adverse

impacts generated by these species appears to be

density-dependent.

Although ponds are small wetland features, they

may be regarded as key components of wider

landscapes. Compared to other surface waters, ponds

still receive little effective protection from legislation

or policy. More speciﬁcally, despite much interest in

the management of catchments, protection of ponds

through landscape scale protection measures is rarely

achieved. In this context, the Important Areas for

Ponds (IAP) concept proposed and developed by Pond

Conservation in the UK (Pond Conservation, 2007)

and the European Pond Conservation Network may

serve as a relevant scheme (see an outline at http://

campus.hesge.ch/epcn/projects_propond.asp). IAPs

are conceptually similar to the Important Bird Areas

(IBAs proposed by Birdlife International) and the

Important Plant Areas (IPAs by Plantlife Interna-

tional). Owing to the wide distribution of ponds, IAPs

concern large areas of the landscape, thereby calling

for landscape level management plans.

The ecological role and more generally the value of

ponds in our landscapes are better established than a

few years ago. In light of expected economic devel-

opment, authoritative research-based advice is now

needed to inform future direction in the conservation

of small water bodies. Initiatives such as the European

Pond Conservation Network play such a role by

bringing together scientists, practitioners, and policy

makers. To date, most ongoing projects led by EPCN

members clearly aim at strengthening our understand-

ing of pond biodiversity, ecosystem services, and the

links between these two aspects. Hence, we may

expect a ﬂourish of relevant information to come and,

hopefully, the 6th EPCN conference to be held in

September 2014 in Huesca (Spain) should provide

opportunities to learn more about pond ecology, and

will certainly further contribute to bridge the gap

between science and practice.

Acknowledgments The ﬁfth conference of the European

Pond Conservation Network has been made possible thanks to

funding by the Fonds National de la Recherche (Luxembourg)

(Convention FNR/12/AM3/15) and the Centre de Recherche

Public –Gabriel Lippmann. Many thanks are due to the local

organizers L. Hoffmann, C. Penny, D. Collard, C. Walczak, B.

Fauvel, S. Bonot, and O. Marquis. Mr G. Schmidt is sincerely

thanked for organizing the ﬁeld trip in relation to the EU-LIFE

Loutre project. The scientiﬁc program of the conference has

been set in collaboration with Dr A. Hull (Liverpool John

Moores University, UK), Dr Pascale Nicolet (Pond

Conservation, UK), Dr Jeremy Biggs (Pond Conservation,

UK), and Dr T. Kalettka (Centre for Agricultural Landscape

research, Germany).

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Hydroperiod length, not pond age, determines zooplankton taxonomic and functional diversity in temporary ponds

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2024
ECOL INDIC

Mediterranean Temporary ponds (MTPs) are suffering severe alterations in their hydrological and salinity regime through global change, and restoration or conservation of these habitats is a priority. However, there is little information that can be used as a scientific basis for restoration. We studied the taxonomic and functional diversity of zooplankton communities in a set of 96 ponds in Doñana, Spain during four consecutive hydroperiods after their creation. We examined the differences across hydroperiods in alpha and beta diversity (and its turnover and nestedness components) of the rotifer, cladoceran and copepod community, as well as the influence of local environmental variables including the proximity to natural wetlands. There was no general increase in diversity indices after the first two hydroperiods. We found that shorter hydroperiods significantly reduced taxonomic diversity, but increased the contribution to functional beta diversity through turnover. Shorter hydroperiods also reduced community complexity, with long-term effects. Conductivity was the most important predictor of zooplankton alpha and beta diversity, but the direction of its effects changed between hydroperiods. The distance from a natural source of colonists, and pond depth, were key during the early stage of community assembly and after a hydrological perturbation. Our results suggest that new restoration projects for MTPs should focus on increasing local environmental heterogeneity and on reducing vulnerability to salinization. The use of functional approaches in monitoring studies can improve our understanding of mechanisms and processes affecting zooplankton community assembly under dynamic hydrological regimes. This in turn can help us predict the consequences of management and restoration policies for biodiversity conservation in MTPs.

A multi‐method approach for the identification and quantification of water balance components of two lentic small water bodies

Article

Jan 2024

The protection of the globally widespread lentic small water bodies (LSWB) must be based on detailed knowledge about their hydrological connectivity and water balance. The study aimed to identify and quantify water balance components as well as surface‐groundwater interaction of two LSWB in a characteristic lowland region with a combination of different methods. This includes the collection of hydrological data and the use of bromide and water stable isotopes ( δ ² H and δ ¹⁸ O) as tracers. With their help, mixing models were established, and daily water balances were assessed. The results show a strong bidirectional interaction of both LSWB systems with shallow groundwater. Bromide and stable isotope tracers allowed for the identification of the most relevant in‐ and outflow sources and pathways. Thereby, isotope data revealed isotopic enrichment typical for open‐water bodies and only minor precipitation inputs mainly relevant at the end of the dry season. Water balance calculations suggested accentuated seasonal dynamics that were strongly influenced by shallow groundwater, which represented large inputs into both LSWB. By that, different phases could be identified, with high inflow rates in winter and spring and decreasing fluxes in summer. In one LSWB, a drainage system was found to have a major impact next to the shallow groundwater interaction. The findings of this research provide detailed insights into the influence and importance of shallow groundwater for LSWB in lowland regions. This impacts the diffuse input of agricultural pollutants into these ecologically important landscape features.

Diversity and distribution of chironomids in Central European ponds

Article

Full-text available

May 2024

Ponds are common freshwater habitats in the European landscape that substantially contribute to local and regional biodiversity. Chironomids often dominate invertebrate communities in ponds but are usually disregarded in ecological studies due to relatively complicated taxonomy and identification issues. We present a comprehensive overview of the chironomid diversity in 246 ponds spanning a wide range of conditions extending from the Pannonian Plain to the Carpathians. Altogether, we recorded 225 taxa including 192 species from six subfamilies (Podonominae, Tanypodinae, Diamesinae, Prodiamesinae, Orthocladiinae and Chironominae). However, the chi-ronomid taxa inventory is far from complete and about 16% of the total diversity of pond-dwelling chironomids remains undetected. Chironomid alpha diversity showed a significant unimodal pattern along the elevation gradient with the highest number of taxa per pond expected around 790 m a.s.l. Gamma diversity also peaked in mid-elevations (600-800 m), and the common chironomid taxa partitioned the 2100-m long altitudinal gradient relatively evenly. The heterogeneity of chironomid communities among ponds measured as beta diversity was significantly higher in elevations below 800 m. Temperature and the proportion of surrounding forests significantly influenced alpha diversity of chironomid communities, while urban land cover and pond size had no significant effect. Ponds with a mean annual air temperature of approximately 4.8°C and a low proportion of surrounding forests are expected to harbour the most diverse chironomid communities. Our study showed that chironomids represent a very diverse and often exceptionally rich group of pond-dwelling macroin-vertebrates. Given the high diversity and broad range of occupied niches, chironomids should not be overlooked in pond ecology studies. On the contrary, they should be considered a potential model group.

Windows into the Recent Past: Simple Biotic Indices to Assess Hydrological Stability in Small, Isolated Ponds

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2024

Paweł Koperski

This article presents the four biotic indices used to assess the hydrological stability of small, fishless, lowland ponds in northern Poland’s post-glacial landscape. The assessment was based on the analyses of the relative abundance of selected macroinvertebrate taxa caught using standard and non-lethal methods. The indices were derived from a multi-year analysis of data on invertebrate composition, abiotic water parameters, and publicly available satellite data. This allowed for the reconstruction of hydrological stability, including fluctuations in water level and surface area, as well as the frequency of drying, in small water bodies in the 5–10 years before sampling. The numerical relationships between the parameters describing hydrological stability and the relative abundance of several invertebrate taxa were described. A multiple regression analysis showed that hydrological stability was generally more strongly related to faunal composition than the other abiotic parameters. The indices used in this study can be a useful tool, particularly in citizen science. It is important that their numerical bases can be easily modified depending on the local conditions.

Hourly methane and carbon dioxide fluxes from temperate ponds

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2024
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY

Ponds are regarded as greenhouse gas (GHG) emission hot spots, but how hot are they? We examined this question by measuring methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes in six forest and open land ponds on grasslands in Denmark during summer and winter. We used floating chambers with do-it-yourself sensors and automated headspace venting, allowing for 7404 hourly measurements. We found highly variable gas fluxes within ponds and between seasons and pond types. Ebullitive CH4 fluxes were more variable than diffusive CH4 fluxes. Ebullition was absent when total CH4 fluxes were lowest (15 µmol m−2 h−1), dominant (> 90%) at the highest fluxes (> 400 µmol m−2 h−1), and increased with water temperature. In summer, a minor daily increase in diffusive fluxes was found on days with high wind speed, while CH4 ebullition remained constant. CO2 fluxes paralleled the day-night balance of photosynthesis and respiration. Mean CH4 ebullition in open and forest ponds exceeded CH4 diffusive fluxes 4.1 and 7.1-fold in summer (avg. 22.5 °C) and 2.3 and 2.5-fold in winter (9.6 °C), respectively. CO2 emissions were higher on a molar basis than CH4 emissions, both in summer and winter, while their annual global warming potentials were similar. Mean annual gas emissions from open and forest ponds (1092 and 2527 g CO2e m−2 y−1) are naturally high due to extensive external input of dissolved CO2 and organic carbon relative to pond area and volume.

Programme recherche-action Les oasis du climat et de la biodiversité - Anticiper et intégrer le changement climatique dans la protection, la restauration et la création de réseaux de mares et petites zones humides : Mise en place de la démarche sur le secteur d’étude pilote la région Ile-de-France

Book

Full-text available

Dec 2023

Refuges pour de nombreuses espèces, particulièrement dans des territoires anthropisés, les mares sont des sources de biodiversité. Leur densité, leur connectivité, leur bon état de conservation en réseau conditionnent leur rôle dans l’adaptation des espèces en réponse au changement climatique. Ce sont ainsi de véritables oasis du climat et la biodiversité pour la protection de la biodiversité, polyvalents, simples à mettre en œuvre et efficaces. L’inventaire des mares de la SNPN estime que 59% des mares recensées en région Île-de-France sont en état dégradé. Dans ce contexte, face à l’urgence climatique, le déclin de la biodiversité, les actions de suivi, de protection, de restauration et création de réseaux de mares sont un des leviers indispensables, une des « Solutions fondées sur la Nature ». Face à ce constat, la SNPN en collaboration avec les partenaires du territoire, développe un programme de recherche-action pour ces petites zones humides depuis 2023 en particulier sur le secteur pilote de la région Ile-de-France. Un premier objectif de connaissance est consacré à l’état des lieux sur la situation des mares en France et au développement d’un observatoire participatif. En 2010, la SNPN a créé l’un des premiers inventaires régionaux participatifs. Une plateforme internet a été mise en place afin de récolter des données auprès des citoyens et des acteurs du territoire de la région Île-de-France. Les objectifs de la plateforme des oasis du climat et de la biodiversité sont de compléter cette première démarche et d’améliorer la connaissance par des suivis protocolés. La nouvelle plateforme sera disponible en 2024. Un deuxième objectif de recherche consiste à développer une méthodologie d’analyse et de modélisation de l’évolution de l’état des mares pour constituer une carte de zones à enjeux prioritaires d’actions de restauration et de création de réseaux de mares en intégrant et anticipant le changement climatique et les autres enjeux environnementaux. Un troisième objectif d’actions est consacré à la mise en place de la méthodologie de terrain en partenariat avec des acteurs du territoire pour un objectif à partir de 2024 30 mares protégées, restaurées et créées par an sur les zones à enjeux de la région Île-de-France. L'essence du programme réside dans la coconstruction et la collaboration avec les acteurs du territoire pour développer une dynamique sur la connaissance, la recherche et les actions de protection des réseaux de mares.

Temporal Environmental Status of a Shallow Lake Using Alpha and Beta Diversity on Phytoplankton Communities

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2024

Phytoplankton communities are excellent indicators of the environmental status of shallow lakes since changes in diversity alert us to potential deterioration. To assess the environmental condition of a shallow lake with strong anthropogenic pressure from forest monocultures, alpha and beta diversities were determined. Three monitoring stations were established in the shallow Kusrüpuyewe Lake, southern Chile, which were monitored during the 2021 austral summer and winter. Alpha diversity was high indicating a stable environmental condition. In total, 103 species in summer, 96 species in winter and a high species diversity (Shannon index: H ′ > 5 bits/ind) were recorded. Beta diversity indicated that this ecosystem is seasonally heterogeneous, is potentially productive and has a high species turnover. Based on the large species inventory, we conclude that this shallow lake is stable and diverse. Although it is threatened by the presence of forest monocultures, it maintains a stable environmental condition, mainly due to the ability of the phytoplankton present to self-regulate through the species turnover. This study provides the relevant background information to establish conservation measures around the shallow lake, an ecosystem that provides various ecosystem services for the local indigenous communities.

Unraveling the role of top predators and macrophytes in mediterranean ponds: the ecological significance of rotifers

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2024
HYDROBIOLOGIA

The Mediterranean area includes a wide variety of shallow water bodies which are recognized as hotspots of biodiversity. Here, we present the results of our study conducted on twenty-two small ponds, divided in two groups, fish free and fish stocked, along the coast and islands of the Adriatic Sea, in the Mediterranean. The main aims covered (1) the assessment of zooplankton structural and functional traits; (2) the impact of top predators (invasive mosquitofish) and macrophyte coverage on zooplankton diversity, abundance, and biomass. Overall, rotifers dominated in zooplankton diversity and abundance; it is likely that due to their small size they were not under direct fish predation. Rotifers prevailed in fish-stocked ponds, where their assemblage was shaped by food availability and macrophyte coverage. Macrophytes had a dual influence on rotifers: dense macrophyte coverage supported a high density of littoral species, while low macrophyte coverage provided a profitable condition for planktonic rotifers. In fish-stocked ponds, cladoceran and copepod density, biomass, and diversity were strongly reduced in relation to fish-free ponds. This study revealed high zooplankton diversity (77 taxa) in a Mediterranean region, structured by habitat heterogeneity and predation.

ECOLOGICAL STATUS AND PERFORMANCE THROUGH POND ECOSYSTEM WITH PERSPECTIVES FOR FUTURE CONSERVATION

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2018

Ponds perform diverse roles within the biosphere as an integral component of the hydrological system. However, studies on pond ecosystems are often neglected due to its present aquaculture potential. There are only very limited research work and no reviewon pond ecology in India. There is lack of government initiative on pond conservation in Indian context, therefore, an attempt has been made in this review paper to evaluate the ecological status and ecosystem functioning of ponds affected with pollution andencroachment with perspectives of conservation in future

Are plant communities of roadside stormwater ponds similar to those found in natural wetlands?

Preprint

Full-text available

Dec 2023

Stormwater ponds (SP) are increasingly used for water management along roads and in urban environments. How these constructed wetlands compare to natural wetlands in terms of biodiversity remains unclear, however. Studies to date have evaluated the subject in general terms, without considering the different habitats in SP and wetlands (from aquatic, at the pond edge, to terrestrial, at the upper bank) or other local and regional factors. This project aimed to compare the taxonomic diversity and composition of plant communities established in four different habitats of SP with that in either roadside or remote natural wetlands. We also evaluated the effect of various local and regional factors on those communities. Our results show that, globally, the species composition of the lower, wetter habitats was similar between SP and reference wetlands, especially roadside wetlands, while higher, drier habitats showed significant differentiation. Factors explaining observed differences between SP and both roadside and remote natural wetlands were water level fluctuations, road proximity, slope, and age of the SP. Stormwater ponds also exhibited lower beta diversity than both types of wetlands. Nonetheless, our study suggests that with some improvements in design, SP have the potential to more closely resemble natural wetlands.

Effects of mute swans on wetlands: A synthesis

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2014

The increases in mute swan (Cygnus olor Gmelin) population size have caused concern among stakeholders, who sometimes consider it as a pest species. Here, we aim to review existing studies on the ecological effects that mute swans have on wetlands. Claim that mute swans threaten other waterbirds were partly supported: mute swans sometimes behave territorially towards conspecifics and other waterbird species, but this does not systematically occur. A second common claim, that mute swans damage aquatic plant beds, was upheld in that the species did indeed affect aquatic plant communities in several studies. However, grazing by mute swans does not systematically have negative effects on aquatic plants. Habitat patch size, distance between habitat patches, resource availability and water velocity affect habitat selection process by mute swans, with varying effects depending on season and mute swan breeding status. Scientific knowledge does not support the idea that mute swan population increase can be considered as a biological invasion in Europe. Conversely, there is a genuine risk of biological invasion in North America. In light of the literature review, we discuss the relevance of mute swan population management in Europe and in North America, and propose future research avenues.

Patterns in the organization of Cerrado pond biodiversity in Brazilian pasture landscapes

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2014

There is a worldwide concern on the loss of pond biodiversity in human dominated landscapes. Nevertheless, agricultural activities appear to increase pond number in the Brazilian Cerrado through damming streams for cattle raising. These man-made ponds may represent important landscape features, but their importance to regional biodiversity has not yet been studied. Here, we evaluated differences in alpha and beta diversity under a multi-taxonomic approach, as well as tested pond size as the main driver of local species richness. We also assessed the importance of environmental heterogeneity through the analysis of the regional species accumulation curves (SAC). The overall result suggests that species turnover was the major component of regional biodiversity for all groups. Major physical and chemical water conditions had no effects on algae, macrophytes, water bugs, and birds species richness. Pond size had a significant effect on Odonata and fish species richness, while water beetles and amphibians were influenced by trophic conditions. Results from regional SAC show variations among different taxonomic groups regarding landscape heterogeneity: only algae, fish, and birds do not reached to an asymptote and had higher z-values. Our results highlight the importance of ponds for biodiversity conservation in increasingly agricultural landscapes in central Brazil.

Colonization of Daphnia magna in a newly created pond: Founder effects and secondary immigrants

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2014

In habitats recently colonized by cyclical parthenogens, founder events lead to genetic differences between populations that do not erode quickly despite ongoing dispersal. By comparing the genetic composition during initial colonization with that of the diapausing egg bank at a local scale, we here present the relative contribution of the founding clones to the build-up of genetic diversity and differentiation of a newly established cladoceran population. We monitored the population genetic structure of Daphnia magna in one newly created pond as well as the diapausing egg banks of four water bodies in the neighbouring area. Our population was founded by four individuals. After the first growing season, the largest contribution to the sexually produced resting egg bank came from only two clones. Descendants of initially rare clones and potentially also additional immigrant clones profited from outbreeding vigour and increased their frequency during the first few years after colonization. Beyond this, no further significant changes in genetic structure were observed in the egg bank. At this point, priority effects became fully operational and led to sustained population genetic differentiation from nearby ponds. Our results support that colonization dynamics strongly influence within and among population genetic variation and evolutionary potential of populations.

How can we conserve cold stenotherm communities in warming Alpine ponds?

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2014

Freshwater biodiversity has shown to be highly vulnerable to climate warming, alpine cold stenotherm populations being especially at risk of getting extinct. This paper aims at identifying the environmental factors favouring cold stenotherm species in alpine ponds. This information is required to provide management recommendations for habitats restoration or creation, needed for the mitigation of the effects of climate warming on alpine freshwater biodiversity. Cold stenotherm species richness as well as total (i.e. stenotherm and eurytherm) richness were analyzed for aquatic plants, Coleoptera and Odonata in 26 subalpine and alpine ponds from Switzerland and were related to environmental factors ecologically relevant for pond biodiversity. Our results confirmed that the set of environmental variables governing pond biodiversity in alpine or subalpine ponds is specific to altitude. Altitude and macrophyte presence were important drivers of cold stenotherm and total species richness, whereas connectivity did not show any significant relation. Therefore, the management of pond biodiversity has to be ‘altitude-specific’. Nevertheless, cold stenotherm species from the investigated alpine ponds do not show some specific requirements if compared to the other species inhabiting these ponds. Therefore, both total and cold stenotherm species richness could be favoured by the same management measures.

Local, among-site, and regional diversity patterns of benthic macroinvertebrates in high altitude waterbodies: Do ponds differ from lakes?

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2013

In this study we aimed at comparing invertebrate diversity of high altitude lakes and ponds along hierarchical spatial scales. We compared local, among-site, and regional diversity of benthic macro-invertebrates in 25 ponds and 34 lakes in the Tatra Mountains, central Europe. The ponds showed significantly lower local diversity, higher among-site diversity and similar regional diversity than the lakes. The species–area relationships (SAR), habitat heterogeneity, and environmental harshness are assumed as drivers for the local diversity patterns. An ecological threshold separating pond and lake systems emerged at an area of 2 ha, where the SAR pattern changed significantly. Differences in species turnover between these systems were likely driven by greater environmental variability and isolation of the ponds. High altitude ponds neither significantly sup-port greater regional diversity nor higher number of unique taxa than lakes. The higher among-site diver-sity of ponds relative to lakes highlights the relevance of ponds for regional diversity in mountain areas.

Expansion of Mediterranean Odonata in Germany and Europe — consequences of climatic changes

Chapter

Jan 2001

Juergen Ott

Whereas a few years ago a clear northward expansion was shown only for the dragonfly Crocothemis erythraea, a Mediterranean element of the German dragonfly fauna, now for a lot of dragonflies a comparable situation is very obvious. In this paper an overview of recent expansion of many dragonfly species in Germany and Europe will be given, as well as some information on the biological and ecological consequences. Beside this clear trend of expansion towards the north, the increase of population sizes and the colonisation of biotopes in higher altitudes, also several biological and behavioural adaptations could be registered, which will be shown in detail. Consequences and scenaria for the future of several dragonfly species and for the aquatic systems as a whole are pointed out.

Chemical and biological benefits in a stormwater wetland in Kalmar, SE Sweden

Article

Dec 2012
LIMNOLOGICA

Jan Herrmann

Diurnal habitat segregation by tadpoles in two temporary ponds in an Atlantic Rainforest remnant, Northeastern Brazil

Article

Feb 2014

Tadpoles are found in diverse aquatic habitats, where they share resources in various dimensions. Tadpole assemblages were studied in two temporary ponds in Atlantic Rainforest. Our aim was to analyze the temporal and spatial distribution patterns and their correlation with abiotic factors. Tadpoles were sampled weekly using nets, from March to December 2008. Samples were collected during the day and at night, and taken near the shore and in the centre of the ponds. Samples in inshore and pond centres were taken from both areas with and without aquatic vegetation. The assemblage consisted of 15 species in pond A and 12 species in pond B. The majority of species was accidental, and used the pond continuously. The assemblage was predominantly diurnal, which may be related to greater activity rate. In pond A the tadpoles primarily used the centre of ponds, whereas in pond B tadpoles primarily used shore areas. However, some populations showed preferences for particular environments. In pond A, environmental heterogeneity in the centre had the greatest influence on tadpole abundance. Our data suggest that temporal distribution facilitated the coexistence of different species of tadpoles in the pond but this conclusion is tentative and requires verification. Hence, more data needs to be collected so that we can propose effective area management plans.

Influence of fire salamander larvae on among-pool distribution of mosquito egg rafts: Oviposition habitat selection or egg raft predation?

Article

Feb 2014

Many amphibian populations are in decline worldwide. Surprisingly, few studies have examined how such declines may benefit mosquitoes. Amphibian larvae may compete with and prey upon mosquito larvae, and may alter oviposition habitat selection (OHS) of mosquito adults. However, often overlooked, observed among-pool egg distributions attributed to OHS may additionally or alternatively be explained by egg predation. Temporary pools of mountainous areas of the Mediterranean serve as larval habitat for both the mosquito, Culiseta longiareolata, and the salamander, Salamandra infraimmaculata. We found Culiseta larvae and egg rafts to be highly vulnerable to predation by pre-metamorphosing Salamandra larvae, but not to metamorphosing ones. In outdoor mesocosm experiments, oviposition avoidance by Culiseta females in response to caged Salamandra was not demonstrated regardless of salamander developmental stage. Egg raft abundance was significantly reduced in free-roaming, pre-metamorphosing Salamandra but not by metamorphosing ones. Thus, Salamandra larvae may have little deterrence on Culiseta oviposition. Instead, fewer egg rafts are attributed largely to egg predation. This study highlights the importance of egg raft predation in addition to OHS when interpreting the influence of predators on prey egg distributions. It also highlights that a cost of declining amphibian populations is their reduced impacts on mosquito populations.

Western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) bolster the prevalence and severity of tadpole tail injuries in experimental wetlands

Article

Feb 2014

Species introduced outside their native range to serve anthropogenic purposes may have unintended consequences on native organisms. Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis and Gambusia holbrooki) have been introduced throughout the world to control larval mosquito populations in aquatic environments, but they have also been implicated in the decline of native fish, amphibian, and aquatic invertebrate populations. We investigated the roles of introduced western mosquitofish (G. affinis), and two naturally colonizing predators (crayfish and dragonfly naiads) in inflicting tail injuries observed on ranid frog tadpoles in experimental constructed wetlands. We also examined the influence of vegetation in reducing tail injury severity. We found that mosquitofish significantly increased the prevalence and severity of tail injuries, but crayfish and dragonfly naiads contributed much less to increased injury levels. Furthermore, increased vegetation cover did not significantly attenuate tail injuries. However, after chemical removal of Gambusia, injury prevalence and severity was significantly reduced. Although previous investigations have concluded that mosquitofish prey upon the eggs and larvae of some amphibians, our results illustrate that these fish can cause substantial but apparently sub-lethal injuries to large numbers of larval amphibians in a wetland. Further investigations are needed to determine if these injuries impede the fitness of victims and lead to population reductions.

The ecological role of ponds in a changing world

Abstract

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