Original paper
Dispersal traits as benthic invertebrate assemblage drivers in a neotropical large river
Saigo, Miguel; Marchese, Mercedes; Montalto, Luciana
Fundamental and Applied Limnology Volume 193 Nr. 3 (2020), p. 275 - 283
70 references
published: Apr 21, 2020
published online: Mar 23, 2020
manuscript accepted: Feb 16, 2020
final revised version received: Feb 16, 2020
manuscript revision requested: Aug 7, 2019
manuscript received: Feb 26, 2019
ArtNo. ESP141019303007, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
Metacommunity theory is a mechanistic framework that explains the interdependence of local factors and regional processes as community drivers. Recent evidence suggests that dispersal mode is a key trait that potentially affects metacommunity dynamics. We analyzed the distribution patterns of benthic macroinvertebrates with different dispersal modes in the Middle Paraná, a neotropical large river. We assessed the relative importance of local environmental conditions and regional spatial structure as assemblage drivers. Aquatic and aerial dispersers presented Clementsian and Gleasonian structures, respectively. For both groups, local environmental conditions influenced community assembly, and spatial structure (overland distances) also affected the distribution of aerial dispersers. Our study highlights that the role of spatial structure as a driver of benthic metacommunities depends on species’ dispersal modes. Aerial dispersers responded to regional spatial variables and it is likely that these organisms are also influenced by mass effects. Our results are consistent with current ideas of metacommunity dynamics in large rivers, where dispersal is not considered to limit the distribution of benthic organisms.
Keywords
Chironomidae • floodplain • macroinvertebrates • mass effects • metacommunity • Oligochaeta