Journal
BIOLOGY LETTERS
Volume 17, Issue 6, Pages -Publisher
ROYAL SOC
DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0137
Keywords
damming; reservoir construction; fish invasion; freshwater ecosystems; human impacts; insect decline; neotropical
Categories
Funding
- Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) [2018/12225-0, 2019/08474-8]
- CNPq-Brazil
- Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPQ) [141239/2019-0]
- Royal Society [NAF/R2/180791]
- FAPESP [2017/26243-8]
- Natural Environment Research Council [NE/L002485/1]
- CNPq
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The study examined a 20-year monitoring dataset of freshwater insects from a subtropical floodplain, and found a pervasive decline in abundance of all major insect orders and families, with the main drivers being concurrent invasions of non-native insectivorous fish and changes to water stoichiometry. Long-term research is crucial for a deeper understanding of human-induced impacts on aquatic insects.
Insect abundance and diversity are declining worldwide. Although recent research found freshwater insect populations to be increasing in some regions, there is a critical lack of data from tropical and subtropical regions. Here, we examine a 20-year monitoring dataset of freshwater insects from a subtropical floodplain comprising a diverse suite of rivers, shallow lakes, channels and backwaters. We found a pervasive decline in abundance of all major insect orders (Odonata, Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera, Megaloptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera and Diptera) and families, regardless of their functional role or body size. Similarly, Chironomidae species richness decreased over the same time period. The main drivers of this pervasive insect decline were increased concurrent invasions of non-native insectivorous fish, water transparency and changes to water stoichiometry (i.e. N : P ratios) over time. All these drivers represent human impacts caused by reservoir construction. This work sheds light on the importance of long-term studies for a deeper understanding of human-induced impacts on aquatic insects. We highlight that extended anthropogenic impact monitoring and mitigation actions are pivotal in maintaining freshwater ecosystem integrity.
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