Functional diversity of macroinvertebrates as a tool to evaluate wetland restoration
Cite this dataset
Coccia, Cristina et al. (2022). Functional diversity of macroinvertebrates as a tool to evaluate wetland restoration [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.z8w9ghxcn
Abstract
Ecological restoration of aquatic ecosystems has become widespread in recent decades. Whereas the recovery of biodiversity in restored wetlands has been studied from a taxonomic perspective, our knowledge of how functional biodiversity recovers remains poorly understood.
We studied the functional diversity of macroinvertebrate communities in 32 Mediterranean temporary ponds six to seven years after their creation during a restoration in South-West Spain, and compared them with 10 natural reference sites during two consecutive hydroperiods. We compared alpha functional diversity indices, and the individual contributions of new ponds and reference sites to the regional functional beta diversity, as well as to its turnover and nestedness components. We also investigated the influence of environmental and spatial variables on the dissimilarities of functional beta diversity and its components between new ponds and reference sites.
Alpha functional diversity in new ponds was lower than in reference sites. Although the contribution of new ponds to the regional functional beta diversity was similar to that of reference sites, the latter contributed more to functional turnover, while new ponds contributed more to functional nestedness.
Dispersal limitation coupled with environmental filtering structured the functional variation in communities between new ponds and reference sites, but their relative importance differed between beta components. New ponds can hold species with unique functional compositions, but their contribution to the regional functional beta diversity was mostly due to trait losses with respect to reference sites.
Synthesis and applications. Considering different aspects of functional diversity of invertebrate communities can help elucidate the processes and mechanisms through which ecosystems recover following restoration. We encourage the use of trait-based approaches to identify trends in processes and patterns that can guide future wetland restoration projects.
Methods
See the paper.
Usage notes
Data to:
Functional diversity of macroinvertebrates as a tool to evaluate wetland restoration
Coccia et al., Journal of Applied Ecology
###Coccia_Taxonomic_data.csv###
# Species-abundance table
###Coccia_Traits.csv###
#Species-traits table
###Trait_group###
#Trait variable explication
###Coccia_Environmental_data.csv###
#Environmental and spatial data
#Pond Type: P=new ponds; R=Reference sites
#NA indicate missing values
Funding
Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa, Junta de Andalucía, Award: P10- RNM-6262
China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (China), Award: 202030E247
Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Award: CEECIND/02732/2018
Regional Government of Andalusia, Award: DOC_00215
Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Award: FJCI-2017-31709
China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (China), Award: JAE Predoctoral