Editorial

4 pages, 194 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates in Springs and Headwater Streams: Imperiled Habitats in a Changing World

by David E. Bowles and Weston H. Nowlin

Hydrobiology 2023, 2(3), 463-466; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrobiology2030030 - 17 Jul 2023

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Headwater streams and springs and their resident biotas are vulnerable to a broad range of anthropogenic stressors [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates in Springs and Headwater Streams: Imperiled Habitats in a Changing World)

Research

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19 pages, 1675 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of the Relationship between Stream Habitat Quality and Taxa and Trait Richness and Diversity in Piedmont Streams in North Carolina

by Anthony J. Roux and Sandra M. Clinton

Hydrobiology 2023, 2(2), 363-381; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrobiology2020024 - 26 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1454

Abstract

As impervious cover increases with urban development, stream channels are degraded by increased stormwater runoff, which negatively impacts stream habitat quality and benthic macroinvertebrate diversity. We examined the relationship between stream habitat diversity and aquatic insect taxa and trait richness and diversity at [...] Read more.

As impervious cover increases with urban development, stream channels are degraded by increased stormwater runoff, which negatively impacts stream habitat quality and benthic macroinvertebrate diversity. We examined the relationship between stream habitat diversity and aquatic insect taxa and trait richness and diversity at the watershed scale in 30 streams, covering a gradient of stream habitat quality. We then quantified the relationship between taxa and trait richness and diversity and seven microhabitats at the reach scale in ten streams with high habitat quality. We found that both taxa richness and diversity declined at a greater rate than trait richness and diversity along an in-stream habitat diversity gradient. Taxa richness was positively correlated with pools, runs, backwater, leaf packs, and riffles, while trait richness was positively correlated with runs, small wood, and riffles. Taxa diversity was positively correlated with pools and leaf packs while trait diversity was positively correlated with runs, leaf packs, small wood, and riffles. An indicator species analysis revealed that specific taxa and traits were associated with specific microhabitats or combinations of microhabitats. By correlating the taxa in urban streams with specific microhabitats, we can better evaluate the success of stream restoration in restoring stream function and in stimulating benthic macroinvertebrate recovery. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates in Springs and Headwater Streams: Imperiled Habitats in a Changing World)

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9 pages, 1103 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Flight Capacity and Response to Habitat Drying of Endemic Diving Beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) in Arkansas (USA)

by Scott D. Longing and Daniel D. Magoulick

Hydrobiology 2023, 2(2), 354-362; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrobiology2020023 - 24 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 966

Abstract

The ability to colonize new habitat is essential for wild populations affected by disturbance or other forms of habitat change. For aquatic insects in small streams, overland flight is an important strategy for dispersal when barriers to in-stream migration exist and when populations [...] Read more.

The ability to colonize new habitat is essential for wild populations affected by disturbance or other forms of habitat change. For aquatic insects in small streams, overland flight is an important strategy for dispersal when barriers to in-stream migration exist and when populations are isolated in upland habitats. Two Ozark-endemic water beetles (Heterosternuta sulphuria and Heterosternuta phoebeae) have shown little overlap in distributions, with the former frequently occurring in small upland watersheds and the latter occurring in aquatic habitats farther downstream in larger watersheds. Because H. sulphuria has been associated with perennial aquatic habitats, we hypothesized that H. sulphuria individuals could exhibit low capacity for flight, thereby affecting population distributions over time. Laboratory flight observations showed that zero individuals of H. sulphuria flew (n = 67), whereas 17 of 76 individuals of H. phoebeae were observed to fly. Stream habitat drying experiments provided further evidence of the weak capacity for flight and overland migration of H. sulphuria, with low probabilities of survivorship in microhabitats exposed to drying. Weak flight capacity and apparent intolerance to habitat drying have important implications for the evolutionary history and conservation of H. sulphuria in small Ozark streams exposed to variable flow regimes and stream margins vulnerable to disturbances. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates in Springs and Headwater Streams: Imperiled Habitats in a Changing World)

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17 pages, 1230 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Odonata as Indicators? Dragonflies and Damselflies Respond to Riparian Conditions along Ozark Spring Streams

by Cameron R. Cheri and Debra S. Finn

Hydrobiology 2023, 2(1), 260-276; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrobiology2010017 - 05 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2540

Abstract

The Odonata are not typically regarded as informative taxa for stream bioassessment in North America compared to other insects, particularly when monitoring the ecological impacts of organic pollution. However, we hypothesized that stream-dwelling odonates are useful bioindicators of riparian conditions because vegetation associated [...] Read more.

The Odonata are not typically regarded as informative taxa for stream bioassessment in North America compared to other insects, particularly when monitoring the ecological impacts of organic pollution. However, we hypothesized that stream-dwelling odonates are useful bioindicators of riparian conditions because vegetation associated with streams is used for oviposition and establishing breeding territories and is likely a cue for a suitable nymphal habitat. We sampled odonates from multiple microhabitats and all macroinvertebrates from riffle habitat in 12 Ozark Highlands (USA) spring streams along a gradient of riparian conditions. We also measured a standard suite of physical and chemical variables in each stream. We compared various aspects of the odonate and riffle macroinvertebrate assemblages among sites to evaluate sensitivity to variables associated with riparian structure compared to the other physical and chemical variables measured. The odonates were strongly associated with riparian-specific variables, while riffle macroinvertebrates were associated with riparian variables to a lesser degree. The additional environmental variables explained minimal variation in either assemblage. Overall, our results suggest that Odonata alone could be useful for biomonitoring associated with riparian structure around Ozark spring streams. The sensitivity of odonates to riparian conditions in other Nearctic regions should be further studied to identify regional and species-specific differences. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates in Springs and Headwater Streams: Imperiled Habitats in a Changing World)

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16 pages, 9009 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diversity and Seasonality of Aquatic Beetles (Coleoptera) in Three Localities of the State of Tlaxcala, Central Mexico

by Alba Magali Luna-Luna, Caleb Califre Martins, Carlos Lara and Atilano Contreras-Ramos

Hydrobiology 2023, 2(1), 244-259; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrobiology2010016 - 02 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2148

Abstract

Aquatic beetle diversity was compared between three study sites in the state of Tlaxcala, central Mexico: Stream 1 (San Ambrosio), stream 2 (San Tadeo), and a lake (Acuitlapilco). Sampling took place bimonthly during an annual cycle. A total of 2968 specimens were obtained, [...] Read more.

Aquatic beetle diversity was compared between three study sites in the state of Tlaxcala, central Mexico: Stream 1 (San Ambrosio), stream 2 (San Tadeo), and a lake (Acuitlapilco). Sampling took place bimonthly during an annual cycle. A total of 2968 specimens were obtained, which were grouped into twenty three species, fifteen genera, and six families (Elmidae, Dryopidae, Dytiscidae, Gyrinidae, Haliplidae, and Hydrophilidae). Stream 2 showed the highest values of abundance (1570 individuals), while stream 1 had the highest richness (18 species). Abundance values showed two peaks each in rainy and dry seasons. The proportion of rare and dominant species was similar in all study sites. Based on species accumulation curves, the maximum estimated number of species has not been achieved in either of the three sites. Regarding alpha diversity (effective number of species), stream 1 presented the highest zero-order diversity estimated with 18.5 species. Regarding beta diversity, lotic systems (streams 1 and 2) presented a similarity of 75%. Finally, regarding the trophic structure of the adult aquatic beetle community, herbivores, predators, and decomposers were most representative in this study. Based on our results, Tlaxcala probably holds a significant diversity of aquatic beetles. This appears to indicate that species composition in geographic areas, regardless of their relatively small size, is worth documenting and, of course, preserving. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates in Springs and Headwater Streams: Imperiled Habitats in a Changing World)

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16 pages, 2122 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Predicting Habitat and Distribution of an Interior Highlands Regional Endemic Winter Stonefly (Allocapnia mohri) in Arkansas Using Random Forest Models

by Brianna Annaratone, Camryn Larson, Clay Prater, Ashley Dowling, Daniel D. Magoulick and Michelle A. Evans-White

Hydrobiology 2023, 2(1), 196-211; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrobiology2010013 - 06 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1532

Abstract

Stoneflies are a globally threatened aquatic insect order. In Arkansas, a diverse group of winter stonefly (Capniidae: Allocapnia) have not been surveyed since the 1980s, likely because species-level identification requires the rarely-collected adult form. Allocapnia mohri, a regional endemic, was previously [...] Read more.

Stoneflies are a globally threatened aquatic insect order. In Arkansas, a diverse group of winter stonefly (Capniidae: Allocapnia) have not been surveyed since the 1980s, likely because species-level identification requires the rarely-collected adult form. Allocapnia mohri, a regional endemic, was previously commonly found in mountainous, intermittent streams from the Ouachita Mountains ecoregion north to the Ozark Highlands, but no species distributional models including land use or climate variables exist to our knowledge. We collected adults from 71 stream reaches from the historic Arkansas range from November to April 2020 and 2021. We modeled distributions using random forest (RF) models populated with landscape, climate, and both data to determine which were most predictive of species presence. Correlations between landscape or climate variables and presence were examined using multiple logistic regression. The landscape RF models performed better than the climate or landscape + climate RF models. A. mohri presence sites tended to have a greater elevation, a lower mean July temperature, and a greater percentage of very slow infiltration soils in the watershed, compared to absence sites. A. mohri was absent at the Ouachita Mountains sites and may be experiencing a range contraction or migration northward. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates in Springs and Headwater Streams: Imperiled Habitats in a Changing World)

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13 pages, 1275 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Community Structure along a Continuum in a Spring Dominated River, Missouri, USA

by Rachel L. S. Heth and David E. Bowles

Hydrobiology 2022, 1(4), 518-530; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrobiology1040031 - 14 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1514

Abstract

The Current River is a cold-water, thermally constant Missouri Ozark stream and is one of the few remaining free-flowing rivers in the U.S. The Current River’s baseflow is largely fed by hundreds of springs, which include five first-magnitude springs. Little attention has been [...] Read more.

The Current River is a cold-water, thermally constant Missouri Ozark stream and is one of the few remaining free-flowing rivers in the U.S. The Current River’s baseflow is largely fed by hundreds of springs, which include five first-magnitude springs. Little attention has been given to the influence of spring inflows on river temperature and spring influence on biodiversity. The objectives of this study were to demonstrate how large springs affect river macroinvertebrate communities, and to explore the relationships among macroinvertebrate diversity and habitat variables to estimate spring influences on community structure and diversity. Aquatic macroinvertebrates were collected from 42 riffle/run habitats of the Current River main-stem, tributaries, and springs during the winter season. Samples at each site were collected using a Slack-Surber sampler for macroinvertebrates with additional habitat variables collected: substrate size, embeddedness, periphyton, filamentous green algae, vegetation, depth, current velocity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, and pH. Beta diversity analysis was performed on consecutive pairs of site taxa richness values using the Wilson–Shmida calculation to determine the impact of main-stem confluences with either tributaries or springs, and invertebrate community relationships were explored using nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Water temperature and taxa richness exhibited similar patterns, with higher temperatures being associated with lower taxa richness. Downstream of each large-magnitude spring, taxa richness sharply decreased, while taxa richness increased downstream of tributaries. Beta diversity usually declined downstream of the confluences with springs, but increased downstream of the tributaries. Data from large springs were closely grouped in NMDS, while tributaries and main-stem sites were more widely scattered. These data indicate spring inputs produce more homogenous conditions in the main-stem river compared to more heterogenous conditions produced by tributary inputs. Macroinvertebrate diversity along the Current River also does not follow predictions from the river continuum concept, but rather diversity peaks are downstream of springs. Our data clearly demonstrate the strong influence of large springs on macroinvertebrate communities in the Current River. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates in Springs and Headwater Streams: Imperiled Habitats in a Changing World)

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Review

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37 pages, 6524 KiB

Open AccessReview

Biogeography of Selected Spring Endemics in Texas Interglacial-Drought Refugia with Unexpected Insights from a Spring-Dependent Nematode Parasite

by Mclean L. D. Worsham, Alan Bond, James Randy Gibson and David G. Huffman

Hydrobiology 2023, 2(1), 97-133; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrobiology2010007 - 09 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2098

Abstract

The contemporary distribution of crenobiontic endemics in central Texas is enigmatic because only some springs are occupied by crenobionts despite other unoccupied springs having seemingly suitable habitats. In the absence of complete paleo-records, a cohesive and widely accepted explanation for this biogeography has [...] Read more.

The contemporary distribution of crenobiontic endemics in central Texas is enigmatic because only some springs are occupied by crenobionts despite other unoccupied springs having seemingly suitable habitats. In the absence of complete paleo-records, a cohesive and widely accepted explanation for this biogeography has eluded researchers for many years. We suggest that data on contemporary species with obligate coevolution, such as parasites with multiple obligate hosts in their life cycles, can help to fill intervening gaps in the paleo-record because the contemporary distribution of such a parasite indicates that its hosts cohabitated without interruption since the arrival of the parasite. To test this conjecture, we studied one such parasite endemic to a select few central Texas springs, Huffmanela huffmani. By studying the distribution of the intermediate host, geologic and paleo-climatic records, performing lab experiments with live animals, and examining archived museum specimens of the definitive hosts from the 1950s, we were able to test multiple predictions about how the distribution of H. huffmani became what it is today. Our results corroborate a narrative suggesting that several severe droughts since the Wisconsin glaciations are responsible for having sculpted the present-day distribution of central Texas crenobionts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates in Springs and Headwater Streams: Imperiled Habitats in a Changing World)

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