ABSTRACT

Ponds are increasingly being constructed to enhance amenity values in human-dominated lowland landscapes, but little is known of design features that influence macroinvertebrates which can provide important food resources for fish and waterbirds. We quantified pond characteristics, sampled benthic and water-column macroinvertebrates in winter, and related abundance, biomass and community composition to characteristics of 34 ponds on the lower Waikato River floodplain, northern New Zealand. Compositionally different macroinvertebrate communities occupied water-column and benthic habitats. Landscape setting had a significant effect on benthic composition in terms of biomass, while the independent effects of frequency of pond drying or flooding, respectively, influenced benthic (abundance, biomass) or water-column (abundance) communities. Distance-based linear models highlighted physicochemical conditions, water depth regimes and riparian vegetation composition as key variables accounting for dissimilarity in total macroinvertebrate biomass between ponds. Our results indicate that managing hydrological stability of ponds in terms of permanence and flooding influences the composition and biomass of invertebrate communities. Within this hydrological template, design of appropriate depth regimes and riparian conditions can enhance accrual of macroinvertebrate biomass, thereby increasing food resources for fish and waterbirds.

摘要

越来越多的池塘被建造以提高人类主导的低地景观的舒适度价值，但对影响大型无脊椎动物的设计特征知之甚少，这些大型无脊椎动物可为鱼类和水鸟提供重要的食物资源。我们量化了池塘特征、冬季对底栖动物和水柱大型无脊椎动物的采样，以及新西兰北部怀卡托河下游泛滥平原 34 个池塘特征的相关丰度、生物量和群落组成。组成不同的大型无脊椎动物群落占据水柱和底栖栖息地。景观环境对生物量方面的底栖组成有显着影响，而池塘干燥或洪水频率的独立影响分别影响底栖（丰度，生物量）或水体（丰度）群落。基于距离的线性模型强调物理化学条件、水深状况和河岸植被组成是解释池塘间大型无脊椎动物总生物量差异的关键变量。我们的结果表明，在永久性和洪水方面管理池塘的水文稳定性会影响无脊椎动物群落的组成和生物量。在这个水文模板中，适当的深度制度和河岸条件的设计可以增强大型无脊椎动物生物量的增长，从而增加鱼类和水鸟的食物资源。我们的结果表明，在永久性和洪水方面管理池塘的水文稳定性会影响无脊椎动物群落的组成和生物量。在这个水文模板中，适当的深度制度和河岸条件的设计可以增强大型无脊椎动物生物量的增长，从而增加鱼类和水鸟的食物资源。我们的结果表明，在永久性和洪水方面管理池塘的水文稳定性会影响无脊椎动物群落的组成和生物量。在这个水文模板中，适当的深度制度和河岸条件的设计可以增强大型无脊椎动物生物量的增长，从而增加鱼类和水鸟的食物资源。