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Richness gradients of stream invertebrates across the USA: taxonomy- and trait-based approaches

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Abstract

Large-scale diversity patterns in relationship to environmental factors at multiple spatial scales have been well-studied for many taxonomic groups; however, freshwater ecosystems remain understudied. Biodiversity is now widely recognized to encompass many more factors than just species numbers, particularly the inclusion of functional attributes. In this study, we examined richness patterns of stream invertebrate genera and their biological traits (“functional” richness) across 364 sites in the contiguous USA. In particular, we focused on the relationship between taxonomy- and trait-based richness to test for functional redundancy in stream communities. Further, we obtained environmental data to model the relative importance of local and watershed-scale environmental factors and residual spatial (latitude, longitude) influences on taxonomy- and trait-based richness. Trait richness increased linearly with genus richness (slope ≪ 1), although this appears to be an artifact of the restricted range of genus richness in our study (32 genera maximum). Furthermore, trait richness was significantly lower than expected under random community assembly. In contrast, the Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) genera exhibited a saturating pattern between trait and genus richness and trait richness was no different from random. Our study indicates that there is functional redundancy among stream invertebrate genera, likely as a result of harsh habitat filters limiting trait diversity. Environmental factors (including spatially structured environmental factors) were always more important than spatial factors (latitude, longitude) in structuring richness despite strong longitudinal patterns of all richness measures (these differences were only significant for EPT genera). Finally, we found no significant difference in the relative importance of local and watershed scale environmental factors for taxonomy- and trait-based richness.

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Abbreviations

AIC:

Aikake’s Information Criterion

EMAP:

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program

EPA:

US Environmental Protection Agency

EPT:

Ephemeroptera, Plectopera, Trichoptera

GIS:

Geographic Information System

SD:

Standard deviation

SE:

Standard error

USA:

United States of America

WSA:

Water Survey of America

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Acknowledgments

We thank Alan Herlihy and Dave Peck for providing access to the WSA database. Two anonymous reviewers made valuable comments on the manuscript. This research was funded in part by a Marie Curie Incoming International Fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS-UMR 5023 Écologie des Hydrosystèmes Fluviaux, Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, 69622, Villeurbanne Cedex, France

    Leah A. Bêche

  2. CNRS—Biodiversité des Écosystemes Lotiques, Parcieux, France

    Bernhard Statzner

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  1. Leah A. Bêche
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Correspondence to Leah A. Bêche.

Appendix

Appendix

See Tables 6 and 7.

Table 6 The 11 traits described in 61 trait categories used in determining trait richness
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Table 7 Pearson correlations (r) among local and watershed environmental variables used in richness models for the 364 sites retained for analysis
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Bêche, L.A., Statzner, B. Richness gradients of stream invertebrates across the USA: taxonomy- and trait-based approaches. Biodivers Conserv 18, 3909–3930 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-009-9688-1

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