This Stream_macroinvertebrates_readme.txt file was generated on 2021-02-15 by Merja Elo GENERAL INFORMATION Title: Data for: Does trait-based joint species distribution modelling reveal the signature of competition in stream macroinvertebrate communities? Principal investigator: Merja Elo; merja.t.elo@jyu.fi; University of Jyväskylä, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland; University of Jyväskylä, School of Resource Wisdom, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland. Other investigators: Jenny Jyrkänkallio-Mikkola; University of Helsinki, Department of Geosciences and Geography, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland. Otso Ovaskainen; University of Jyväskylä, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland; University of Helsinki, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, P.O. Box 65, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland; Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway. Janne Soininen; University of Helsinki, Department of Geosciences and Geography, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland. Kimmo T. Tolonen; Finnish Environment Institute, Freshwater Centre, Paavo Havaksen Tie 3, FI-90570 Oulu, Finland. Jani Heino; Finnish Environment Institute, Freshwater Centre, Paavo Havaksen Tie 3, FI-90570 Oulu, Finland. Date of data collection: 2014-09-01 – 2014-09-30 Geographic location: Western Finland Keywords: freshwater, aquatic macroinvertebrate, stream DATA & FILE OVERVIEW File: Stream_macroinvertebrates.csv – Abundance of 40 aquatic macroinvertebrate species in and environmental characteristics of 105 stream sites Date that the file was created: 2021-02-15 SHARING AND ACCESS INFORMATION Links to publications that use the data: Elo, M, Jyrkänkallio-Mikkola, J, Ovaskainen, O, Soininen, J, Tolonen, K & Heino J (2021) Does trait-based joint species distribution modelling reveal the signature of competition in stream macroinvertebrate communities? Journal of Animal Ecology METHODOLOGICAL INFORMATION The stream sites were located in western Finland with a North-South gradient of more than 500 km, representing geographic variation from 60 to 65°N and from 22 to 26°E. The stream sites were selected to cover as much variation in local stream environmental conditions as possible. The catchments also covered a wide variation in land use from catchments dominated (50-60%) by agriculture to catchments almost entirely (80-90%) covered by natural boreal forests. The 105 stream sites were collected from 21 river basins, i.e., five separate streams draining into each of 21 river basins were surveyed. The stream sites were sampled in September 2014, because most aquatic insect species are found in their larval stage in early autumn. At each stream site, we measured seven variables that describe habitat characteristics and five water quality variables. For habitat characteristics, we measured (1) current velocity (m s-1) with a Schiltknecht MiniAir 2 flow meter (Schiltknecht, Gossau, Switzerland) from the middle of bottom and surface, and (2) depth (cm) at 30 random spots in each stream site. The 30 measurements were taken from three spots in each of the ten random cross-channel width measurements (see below): one from the middle of the channel, and the other two from both sides at a distance of ¼ of the channel width from the shoreline. In addition, we measured (3) percentage coverage (%) of mosses and particle size distributions at ten random locations in each site. Inorganic particle size classes (%) were visually estimated in 0.25 m2 squares using a modified Wenthworth’s (1922) scale. From the relative proportions of each particle size class [sand (0.25–2 mm), gravel (2–16 mm), pebble (16–64 mm), cobble (64–256 mm), boulder (256–1024 mm)] we calculated (4) mean grain size (mm) which was used as an instream habitat variable. We also measured (5) mean stream width based on ten random cross-channel measurements at each site, and (6) visually estimated shading of a stream by riparian vegetation (%) and (7) riparian deciduous tree cover (%) at each stream site. For water chemistry variables, we measured (1) pH and (2) conductivity (mS m–1) in the field using YSI device model 556 MPS (YSI Inc., Ohio, USA), and took additional water samples during the field sampling. Water samples were subsequently analysed for (3) total nitrogen (TN; µgl-1)), (4) total phosphorus (TP; µgl-1) and (5) water colour (Pt mgl-1) following Finnish national standards [SFS-EN ISO 1568-1 (2004) for TP, EN ISO 11905-1 (1998) for TN and SFS-EN ISO 7887 (2012) for water colour]. To sample benthic macroinvertebrates, we took a 2-minute kick-net sample (net mesh size: 0.5 mm) at each of the 105 stream sites surveyed. The sample consisted of four 30-seconds samples that were obtained to cover the main microhabitats (i.e. variations in current velocity, depth, particle size and macrophyte cover) at a riffle site of c. 25 to 50 m2. The four samples were pooled, preserved in ethanol in the field and taken to the laboratory for further processing. In the laboratory, all invertebrates were separated from debris and they were identified mostly to species level (76% of taxa). However, young instars and individuals lacking species level taxonomic keys were identified to genus level. Chironomidae, Ceratopogonidae, Simuliidae, Hydracarina, Oligochaeta and Turbellaria were identified to a coarser taxonomic level, and were thus excluded from the analyses. We selected the macroinvertebrate species occupying at least ten sites and at least 100 individuals, resulting in a set of 40 species. EN ISO 11905-1. (1998). Water quality - Determination of nitrogen - Part 1: Method using oxidative digestion with peroxodisulfate. SFS-EN ISO 15681-1 (2004) Water quality. Determination of orthophosphate and total phosphorus contents by flow analysis (FIA and CFA). Part 1: Method by flow injection analysis (ISO 15681-1:2003). SFS-EN ISO 7887. (2012). Water quality - Examination and determination of colour of water. DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION: Stream_macroinvertebrates.csv Number of variables: 56 Number of cases: 105 Site: ID for each stream site (1-105) River: ID for each river basin (1-21: five stream sites in each) coor_n: latitudinal coordinate for a site (ETRS-TM35-FIN) coor_e: longitudinal coordinate for a site (ETRS-TM35-FIN) Velocity: mean current velocity (m s-1) Depth: mean depth (cm) Moss_cover: percentage coverage (%) of mosses Grain_size: mean grain size (mm) Width: mean stream width Shading: shading of a stream by riparian vegetation (%) Deciduous_trees: riparian deciduous tree cover (%) pH: pH Conductivity: conductivity (mS m–1) TN: total nitrogen (µgl-1) TP: total phosphorus (µgl-1) Colour: water colour (Pt mgl-1) Agapetus_ochripes: number of individuals Amphinemura_borealis: number of individuals Ancylus_fluviatilis: number of individuals Asellus_aquaticus: number of individuals Athripsodes_cinereus: number of individuals Baetis_digitatus: number of individuals Baetis_rhodani: number of individuals Baetis_subalpinus: number of individuals Capnopsis_schilleri: number of individuals Ceraclea_excisa: number of individuals Diura_bicaudata: number of individuals Elmis_aenea: number of individuals Erpobdella_octoculata: number of individuals Gammarus_pulex: number of individuals Heptagenia_dalecarlica: number of individuals Heptagenia_sulphurea: number of individuals Hydraena_gracilis: number of individuals Hydraena_riparia: number of individuals Hydropsyche_angustipennis: number of individuals Hydropsyche_pellucidula: number of individuals Hydropsyche_siltalai: number of individuals Isoperla_difformis: number of individuals Lepidostoma_hirtum: number of individuals Leuctra_hippopus: number of individuals Limnius_volckmari: number of individuals Limnophora_riparia: number of individuals Micrasema_gelidum: number of individuals Nemoura_avicularis: number of individuals Nemoura_cinerea: number of individuals Neureclipsis_bimaculata: number of individuals Oulimnius_tuberculatus: number of individuals Plectrocnemia_conspersa: number of individuals Polycentropus_flavomaculatus: number of individuals Protonemura_meyeri: number of individuals Psychomyia_pusilla: number of individuals Rhyacophila_fasciata: number of individuals Rhyacophila_nubila: number of individuals Silo_pallipes: number of individuals Spirosperma_ferox: number of individuals Taeniopteryx_nebulosa: number of individuals