1. In many biomes, a variety of different small freshwater habitats, such as pools and phytotelmata can occur together in the same habitat matrix. However, both the biodiversity and the functioning of these ecosystems remain poorly known.
2. Three freshwater habitat types in a tropical West African biodiversity hotspot were studied.
3. The study demonstrated that animal communities in water-filled tree holes, temporary ponds and granite rock pools were strongly differentiated with exclusive faunas despite their spatial proximity and similar disturbance in the form of seasonal drought.
4. In particular, granite rock pools stood out with a high gamma diversity. Rock pools were also functionally different from the other two habitat types. The three habitats had contrasting predator assemblages, a differential reliance on primary production and different concentrations of available nutrients.
5. The work illustrates that the biodiversity and functions of small temporary freshwater habitats can be strongly differentiated. This shows the unique and potentially complementary roles that these habitats can fulfil in mediating fluxes of energy and nutrients and preserving aquatic biodiversity in landscapes.
6. Temporary aquatic habitats are typically overlooked in conservation policy and local management plans despite being threatened by habitat transformation. In addition, livestock can threaten savanna ponds, wood exploitation can threaten tree holes, and mining and sediment disruption can threaten rock pools. Hence, better knowledge about the ecological functioning of these ecosystems is vital to the implementation of effective conservation strategies.

中文翻译：

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热带生物多样性热点地区三个临时淡水栖息地的生物多样性和食物网结构对比

1. 在许多生物群落中，各种不同的小型淡水栖息地，例如水池和植物藻类，可以一起出现在同一个栖息地矩阵中。然而，这些生态系统的生物多样性和功能仍然知之甚少。
2. 研究了热带西非生物多样性热点的三种淡水栖息地类型。
3. 研究表明，充满水的树洞、临时池塘和花岗岩石池中的动物群落与独特的动物群有很大区别，尽管它们在空间上接近并以季节性干旱的形式受到类似的干扰。
4. 特别是，花岗岩岩池以高伽马多样性脱颖而出。岩池在功能上也与其他两种栖息地类型不同。这三个栖息地具有截然不同的捕食者组合、对初级生产的不同依赖和不同浓度的可用养分。
5. 这项工作表明，小型临时淡水栖息地的生物多样性和功能可以有很大差异。这表明这些栖息地在调节能量和养分通量以及保护景观中的水生生物多样性方面可以发挥独特和潜在的互补作用。
6. 尽管受到栖息地转变的威胁，临时水生栖息地通常在保护政策和当地管理计划中被忽视。此外，牲畜可能威胁稀树草原池塘，木材开采可能威胁树洞，采矿和沉积物破坏可能威胁岩石池。因此，更好地了解这些生态系统的生态功能对于实施有效的保护战略至关重要。