Journal
WATER
Volume 13, Issue 2, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/w13020188
Keywords
biodiversity; riparian buffer; land-use; spatial scales; nature-based solutions; agricultural management
Categories
Funding
- Swedish Research Council for Sustainable Development (FORMAS) [2016-01945]
- Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
- Research Council of Norway (NFR) [264499]
- Research Foundation of Flanders (FWO), Belgium [G0H6516N]
- Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research and Innovation (CCCDI-UEFISCDI) within PNCDI III [BiodivERsA3-2015-49-CROSSLINK]
- Formas [2016-01945] Funding Source: Formas
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The study found that riparian buffers with forested vegetation generally have higher invertebrate diversity, and there are distinct differences in invertebrate community structures between forested and unbuffered areas. Local riparian attributes significantly influence patterns in invertebrate community composition.
Stream and terrestrial ecosystems are intimately connected by riparian zones that support high biodiversity but are also vulnerable to human impacts. Landscape disturbances, overgrazing, and diffuse pollution of agrochemicals threaten riparian biodiversity and the delivery of ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. We assessed how terrestrial invertebrate communities respond to changes in riparian vegetation in Romanian agricultural catchments, with a focus on the role of forested riparian buffers. Riparian invertebrates were sampled in 10 paired sites, with each pair consisting of an unbuffered upstream reach and a downstream reach buffered with woody riparian vegetation. Our results revealed distinct invertebrate community structures in the two site types. Out of 33 invertebrate families, 13 were unique to either forested (6) or unbuffered (7) sites. Thomisidae, Clubionidae, Tetragnathidae, Curculionidae, Culicidae, and Cicadidae were associated with forested buffers, while Lycosidae, Chrysomelidae, Staphylinidae, Coccinellidae, Tettigoniidae, Formicidae, and Eutichuridae were more abundant in unbuffered sites. Despite statistically equivocal results, invertebrate diversity was generally higher in forested riparian buffers. Local riparian attributes significantly influenced patterns in invertebrate community composition. Our findings highlight the importance of local woody riparian buffers in maintaining terrestrial invertebrate diversity and their potential contribution as a multifunctional management tool in agricultural landscapes.
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