Dispersal by terrestrial stages of stream insects in urban watersheds: a synthesis of current knowledge
نویسندگان
چکیده
Adult dispersal and completion of life cycles by aquatic insects are essential for the persistence of populations, colonization of new habitats, and maintenance of genetic diversity. However, life-cycle stages and processes associated with the terrestrial environment often are overlooked when the effect of watershed urbanization on the persistence of insects associated with streams is examined. We reviewed and synthesized current literature on the known effects of watershed urbanization on the terrestrial stage of stream insects. Some research has directly examined the effects of watershed urbanization on dispersal, but much of the evidence we present is indirect and from related studies on aquatic insect life-history traits and dispersal abilities in nonurban watersheds. Our goal is to provide examples of potential impacts that warrant further study, rather than to provide a comprehensive review of all life-history studies. We discuss how watershed land use, riparian condition, and habitat quality affect: 1) adult fitness, 2) adult dispersal, and 3) habitat fragmentation, and 4) how these factors interact with species traits. In general, we found that the localand landscape-scale changes to stream, riparian, and upland habitats that typically result from anthropogenic activities have the potential to prevent the completion of aquatic insect life cycles and to limit adult dispersal, and therefore, can affect population persistence. When considered within the spatial context of dendritic stream networks, these effects, particularly those on adult dispersal, might have important implications for design and assessment of restoration projects. We discuss a framework for how to determine the relative importance of effects on specific life-cycle stages and processes for the absence of larval populations from urban streams. Overall, more research on terrestrial life-cycle stages and processes and on adult dispersal is required to understand how urbanization might affect population persistence of insects in urban streams.
منابع مشابه
Habitat filtering and adult dispersal determine the taxonomic composition of stream insects in an urbanizing landscape
1. Suitability of the local habitat (‘habitat filtering’) and dispersal between stream reaches determines the composition of insect communities, and urban land use may affect both processes. While urban streams are often poor habitats for insects and dispersal between them is often hindered, conservation and restoration activities generally focus solely on the local (in-stream) environment. 2. ...
متن کاملUrbanization and stream salamanders: a review, conservation options, and research needs
Urban areas are increasing in size and human population density. The implications of widespread urbanization are apparent for a wide variety of stream organisms, but the responses of stream-dwelling salamanders to urbanization have been understudied historically. Studies on this assemblage have increased sufficiently over the last decade to warrant a review and synthesis of current knowledge. O...
متن کاملThe roles of abiotic factors, dispersal, and species interactions in structuring stream assemblages of black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae)
UNLABELLED BACKGROUND The patterns and drivers of species assemblages represent the core of community ecology. We focus on the assemblages of a single family of ubiquitous lotic insects, the Simuliidae (black flies), of which the larvae play a critical role in resource turnover in steams. We use Mantel tests and null models to tease out the potential influence of abiotic stream conditions, s...
متن کاملEffects of Urbanization on Nutrient Biogeochemistry of Aridland Streams
Land-use and land-cover change affect the biogeochemistry of stream ecosystems in numerous ways, both direct and indirect. Changes result from hydrologic modifications, including direct alterations of flow regimes and hydrologic flowpaths and indirect changes in hydrologic patterns via increased impervious cover in contributing areas of watersheds. Direct changes to channel morphology (i.e., re...
متن کاملApplication of Data-Mining Algorithms in the Sensitivity Analysis and Zoning of Areas Prone to Gully Erosion in the Indicator Watersheds of Khorasan Razavi Province
Extended abstract 1- Introduction Gully erosion is one of the most important sources of sediment in the watersheds and a common phenomenon in semi-arid climate that affects vast areas with different morphological, soil and climatic conditions. This type of erosion is very dangerous due to the transfer of fertile soil horizons, and the reduction of water holding capacity also is a factor for s...
متن کامل