Taxa-specific responses to flooding shape patterns of abundance in river rock pools

Connectivity and patch size are important landscape characteristics that drive patterns of abundance diversity across scales. However, responses to connectivity dependent on species traits. Riverine landscapes highly dynamic both spatially temporally, with hydrologic being a major driver diversity. Here we modeled the densities 2 taxa differ in life history dispersal ability, Virginia River Snail (Elimia virginica) skimmer dragonfly larvae (Pantala spp.), as function flooding, area, season >300 riverine rock pools. We found key differences how each taxon responded these predictors. Specifically, increasing pool flood height had strong negative effect snail densities, whereas nymph increased pools became isolated from river channel for longer durations time. Increasing surface area positive showed no such relationship. Dragonfly were greater summer autumn than spring, but snails difference their temporal distribution seasons. Our study highlights differential organism These findings give insight into spatiotemporal