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Diversity
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Ecology, Diversity and Evolution of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates
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Ecology, Diversity and Evolution of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 8846

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ana Savić

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Niš 18000, Serbia
Interests: aquatic ecology; functional ecology; macroinvertebrates; functional feeding groups; benthic assemblages; springs ecosystems; trophic interaction; conservation biology; ecological modelling; biological invasions; water quality assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As we learn about the importance of macroinvertebrates in aquatic ecosystems and recognize their diversity and ubiquity, we are still amazed at both the complexity of the communities and the wondrous variety of habitats in which they are found. These include organisms that inhabit freshwater, seas and oceans, brackish waters, as well as a wide range of extreme habitats. In many cases, macroinvertebrate communities consist of hundreds of taxonomically and functionally diverse species, including benthic ones and those that swim freely. However, aquatic ecosystems are experiencing biodiversity decline at higher rates than those in terrestrial ecosystems, and global diversity is not uniform in space or time, with some parts of the planet characterized by high diversity, and others not. and certain periods in the chronological development of the planet standing out due to their high diversity and others not. Understanding these variations, especially regarding the key drivers for observed patterns, represents a major challenge in macroecology and macroevolution.

Decrease in diversity in certain ecosystems may be caused by natural processes, while in others, it is a consequence of negative anthropogenic impact. Natural disturbances are agents of natural selection that drive multiple biological adaptations along the evolutionary time. The evolutionary relationship among species (phylogeny) may be used to explain variation in species sensitivity. Macroinvertebrates are also often recommended for evaluating the effects of anthropogenic stressors at all levels of biological organization, from the molecular to the ecosystem. The relationship between ecology of macroinvertebrates and their diversity and evolution is obvious. Macroinvertebrate phylogeny is one of the aspects that make these organisms so intriguing.

This Special Issue will be dedicated to aquatic macroinvertebrates. It will cover a wide range of topics, from those related to improving sampling methods to those dealing with predicting the future or reconstructing the past of the ecosystems, as well as papers that include field-based assessment but also experimental studies in laboratory environment. Species that are stenoendemic as well as those with wide distribution will be equally included—the former due to the interesting topic of endemism, and the latter due to the issue of adaptations that enable such wide distribution. Papers that lean toward classics (for example, macroinvertebrate species biodiversity assessment based on morpho-taxonomy) as well as more modern approaches (standard DNA-based biodiversity identification tools such as DNA barcoding coupled with high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies) will all be welcome.

The Special Issue will include papers that in the broadest sense may be described as pertaining to topics of ecology, diversity, and evolution of aquatic macroinvertebrates.

Dr. Ana Savić
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • macroinvertebrates
  • aquatic ecosystem
  • monitoring, management and restoration
  • macroinvertebrate ecology
  • macroinvertebrate diversity
  • macroinvertebrate evolution
  • macroinvertebrate taxonomy
  • endangered species
  • invasive species
  • water quality

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 5335 KiB  
Article
The First Report of Holothuria (Thymiosycia) impatiens (Forsskål, 1775), (Holothuroidea: Holothuriidae) from Tunisia (Mediterranean Sea): Taxonomic, Morphological, and Molecular Data Compilation
by Donia Kalthoumi, Sara M. Francisco, Malek Miladi, Antonio Ruiz-Canales, Atf Azzouna and Joana I. Robalo
Diversity 2023, 15(4), 542; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15040542 - 09 Apr 2023
Viewed by 1331
Abstract
For the first time, specimens of Holothuria impatiens are reported from the Tunisian coast, supported by molecular (COI sequencing) and morphological (examination of ossicles) analyses. For comparative purposes, Holothuria impatiens samples were genetically analyzed with existing data from Spain, Italy, and the Red [...] Read more.
For the first time, specimens of Holothuria impatiens are reported from the Tunisian coast, supported by molecular (COI sequencing) and morphological (examination of ossicles) analyses. For comparative purposes, Holothuria impatiens samples were genetically analyzed with existing data from Spain, Italy, and the Red Sea. In addition to their external morphology, an external substance covering the individuals is described, besides the new ossicle structure described in the body wall of H. impatiens samples. The results of the morphometry of the specimens from the Tunisian coast revealed that, for two shapes of ossicles, the size of the individuals does not influence their structures. Low genetic diversity was observed in Tunisia, with two haplotypes; one of both haplotypes was reported for the first time exclusively in Tunisia. The phylogenetic tree showed that the haplotypes were shared across all locations, revealing that the Mediterranean and Red Sea individuals were clearly distinct. Further studies on the genetic diversity of H. impatiens are crucial for the evaluation of the singularity of Mediterranean populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Diversity and Evolution of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates)
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15 pages, 4980 KiB  
Article
Are Intermittent Rivers in the Karst Mediterranean Region of the Balkans Suitable as Mayfly Habitats?
by Marina Vilenica, Fran Rebrina, Lea Ružanović, Mario Rumišek, Renata Matoničkin Kepčija and Andreja Brigić
Diversity 2023, 15(2), 155; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15020155 - 21 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1169
Abstract
Intermittent rivers, common in dry parts of the world, such as the Mediterranean region, are hydrologically harsh habitats characterized by periodical flow cessation. Ephemeroptera are aquatic insects common in both lotic and lentic waterbodies, where they show a high sensitivity to anthropogenic modifications [...] Read more.
Intermittent rivers, common in dry parts of the world, such as the Mediterranean region, are hydrologically harsh habitats characterized by periodical flow cessation. Ephemeroptera are aquatic insects common in both lotic and lentic waterbodies, where they show a high sensitivity to anthropogenic modifications of their habitat. Therefore, they are widely used as bio-indicators of the freshwater’s health. However, mayfly assemblages and their ecological requirements in the karst Mediterranean intermittent habitats are still not sufficiently known. Thus, the work presented here includes an analysis of mayfly assemblages and their relationship with environmental variables in the lotic phase of four intermittent rivers in the karst Mediterranean region of Croatia. Considering that the studied intermittent rivers are hydrologically extreme environments, a total of 12 recorded mayfly species could be considered as rather high species richness. Nevertheless, species richness per river was quite low (between three and six), and was highly influenced by river morphology, physico-chemical water properties (especially conductivity, water velocity, and concentrations of dissolved oxygen), and anthropogenic pressures. Our results could contribute to the mayfly species protection in karst Mediterranean intermittent freshwater habitats in the Balkans, as well as to the development of conservation measures for those threatened habitats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Diversity and Evolution of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates)
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19 pages, 1288 KiB  
Article
Diversity and Composition of Caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) along an Elevation Gradient in Southeastern Mexico
by María Razo-González, Rodolfo Novelo-Gutiérrez, Gabriela Castaño-Meneses and Juan Márquez
Diversity 2023, 15(1), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15010110 - 13 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1783
Abstract
We analyzed the alpha and beta components of male Trichoptera diversity along an altitudinal gradient ranging from 136 to 2432 m a.s.l. by studying five assemblages of adult male caddisflies in five streams of the Sierra de Juárez, Oaxaca, Mexico. Samples were collected [...] Read more.
We analyzed the alpha and beta components of male Trichoptera diversity along an altitudinal gradient ranging from 136 to 2432 m a.s.l. by studying five assemblages of adult male caddisflies in five streams of the Sierra de Juárez, Oaxaca, Mexico. Samples were collected with light traps in the “nortes” (February) and rainy (October) seasons of 2016, recording air temperature and relative humidity. The assemblages showed an abundance pattern clearly associated with the rainy season, and a high dissimilarity in their species composition. Species richness and abundance were significantly higher at lower altitudinal levels. The highest alpha diversity was recorded in the Flor de Azahar stream; beta diversity increased with altitude and made an important contribution to gamma diversity. These results suggest that temporal and altitudinal variations affect environmental variables, which influence the structure of Trichoptera assemblages. Temperature was the primary factor determining spatial and temporal distribution patterns of caddisfly assemblages in the study area. However, in the rainy season, this factor explained a smaller proportion of the observed changes. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate other environmental variables and explore other ecosystems to provide additional evidence on the factors affecting the diversity patterns of the Trichoptera in the Sierra de Juárez. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Diversity and Evolution of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates)
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15 pages, 2005 KiB  
Article
Trophic Structure of Macrozoobenthos in Permanent Streams in the Eastern Balkans
by Biljana Rimcheska, Yanka Vidinova and Emilia Varadinova
Diversity 2022, 14(12), 1121; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14121121 - 15 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1407
Abstract
The present study provides data on the trophic structure of the benthic macroinvertebrate communities in mountainous and semi-mountainous small streams and river sections belonging to Mesta, Struma and Vardar River catchments from 7th Ecoregion. The benthic macroinvertebrates were assigned to seven Functional Feeding [...] Read more.
The present study provides data on the trophic structure of the benthic macroinvertebrate communities in mountainous and semi-mountainous small streams and river sections belonging to Mesta, Struma and Vardar River catchments from 7th Ecoregion. The benthic macroinvertebrates were assigned to seven Functional Feeding Groups. We analyzed their trophic structure and the dynamics in different seasons. The level of similarity between the sampling localities was analyzed in the context of both the river typology and the water catchment. A comparison between the two trophic indices was conducted in order to analyze the advantages of the application of these indices for assessment of the ecological status at the studied sites. We found that the trophic structure of the benthic macroinvertebrate communities in ostensibly typologically similar river sections differs at the undisturbed vs the impacted sampled sites. To a large extent, these differences were also determined by the presence of anthropogenic influence that resulted in the predominance of deposit feeders amplifying on higher disturbance on some of the studied rivers. Long-term negative pressure has led to changes in microhabitats that affect the structure and functioning of the aquatic ecosystem by transformation of the trophic structure of the macrozoobenthos. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Diversity and Evolution of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates)
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Review

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18 pages, 52321 KiB  
Review
An Updated Checklist of Freshwater Gastropods (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Emphasis on Crenobiotic Species
by Dejan Dmitrović, Ana Savić, Goran Šukalo and Vladimir Pešić
Diversity 2023, 15(3), 357; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15030357 - 01 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1744
Abstract
An updated checklist of freshwater gastropods of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including 144 species and subspecies from 59 genera and 17 families, is presented in this paper. Hydrobiidae is the most diverse family, representing ~50% of the species richness in the country. In total, [...] Read more.
An updated checklist of freshwater gastropods of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including 144 species and subspecies from 59 genera and 17 families, is presented in this paper. Hydrobiidae is the most diverse family, representing ~50% of the species richness in the country. In total, ~38% of the recorded taxa are endemic. The highest number of species was recorded from underground waters and/or springs, followed by rivers and standing waters. This inventory includes 18 crenobiotic taxa, of which 9 are endemic to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The country is divided between the Dniester–Lower Danube and Dalmatia ecoregions. The Dalmatia ecoregion has the highest overall diversity, i.e., 82 species and subspecies. Three invasive species are recorded in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our study reveals that most species still lack conservation assessments, and only five species are nationally protected. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Diversity and Evolution of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates)
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