The upper Neretva River discontinuum: gradients of taxonomic and functional diversity of benthic invertebrates in a wild Balkan river
Free-flowing rivers are highly valuable to understand the taxonomic and functional community structure of organisms that inhabit fluvial ecosystems. We investigated patterns of macroinvertebrate community composition and food web structure using stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N), including potential...
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University of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani)
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Natura Sloveniae |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.uni-lj.si/NaturaSloveniae/article/view/17231 |
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| author | Edurne Estévez Davina Dietrich Simone Sahler Fabian Vassanelli Sara Widera Jan Martini Wolfgang Wanek Gabriel Singer |
| author_facet | Edurne Estévez Davina Dietrich Simone Sahler Fabian Vassanelli Sara Widera Jan Martini Wolfgang Wanek Gabriel Singer |
| author_sort | Edurne Estévez |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Free-flowing rivers are highly valuable to understand the taxonomic and functional community structure of organisms that inhabit fluvial ecosystems. We investigated patterns of macroinvertebrate community composition and food web structure using stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N), including potential environmental drivers, over a free-flowing river continuum in the upper course of the Neretva River in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Results showed a high taxonomic diversity, a high percentage of EPT taxa (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera), and a slightly heterotrophic ecosystem (average allochthonous assimilation = 54%). The taxonomic composition differed prominently between a tributary located upstream and the mainstem. However, we also found notable species turnover between the upper (headwater and midsection) reaches and the downstream reaches of the mainstem. Macroinvertebrate abundance and the percentage of EPT peaked downstream while midsection reaches showed the highest taxonomic richness and diversity and allochthonous assimilation. Most of the functional metrics (maximum and average trophic position and isotopic richness and evenness) showed pronounced discontinuities in their spatial patterns, which did not follow the predictions of the River Continuum Concept. These results highlight the uniqueness of this section of the Neretva, where natural discontinuities structure macroinvertebrate communities in ways and by mechanisms not captured by smooth ecological concepts.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-820853ad55444fa1a2363e75942b6160 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1580-0814 1854-3081 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | University of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Natura Sloveniae |
| spelling | doaj-art-820853ad55444fa1a2363e75942b61602025-01-29T20:47:06ZengUniversity of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani)Natura Sloveniae1580-08141854-30812023-12-0125310.14720/ns.25.3.111-135The upper Neretva River discontinuum: gradients of taxonomic and functional diversity of benthic invertebrates in a wild Balkan riverEdurne Estévez0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6847-6089Davina Dietrich1Simone Sahler2Fabian Vassanelli3Sara Widera4Jan Martini5Wolfgang Wanek6Gabriel Singer7Department of Ecology, Fluvial Ecosystem Ecology, University of InnsbruckDepartment of Ecology, Fluvial Ecosystem Ecology, University of InnsbruckDepartment of Ecology, Fluvial Ecosystem Ecology, University of InnsbruckDepartment of Ecology, Fluvial Ecosystem Ecology, University of InnsbruckDepartment of Ecology, Fluvial Ecosystem Ecology, University of InnsbruckDepartment of Ecology, Fluvial Ecosystem Ecology, University of InnsbruckDepartment of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Division of Terrestrial Ecosystem Research, University of ViennaDepartment of Ecology, Fluvial Ecosystem Ecology, University of Innsbruck Free-flowing rivers are highly valuable to understand the taxonomic and functional community structure of organisms that inhabit fluvial ecosystems. We investigated patterns of macroinvertebrate community composition and food web structure using stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N), including potential environmental drivers, over a free-flowing river continuum in the upper course of the Neretva River in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Results showed a high taxonomic diversity, a high percentage of EPT taxa (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera), and a slightly heterotrophic ecosystem (average allochthonous assimilation = 54%). The taxonomic composition differed prominently between a tributary located upstream and the mainstem. However, we also found notable species turnover between the upper (headwater and midsection) reaches and the downstream reaches of the mainstem. Macroinvertebrate abundance and the percentage of EPT peaked downstream while midsection reaches showed the highest taxonomic richness and diversity and allochthonous assimilation. Most of the functional metrics (maximum and average trophic position and isotopic richness and evenness) showed pronounced discontinuities in their spatial patterns, which did not follow the predictions of the River Continuum Concept. These results highlight the uniqueness of this section of the Neretva, where natural discontinuities structure macroinvertebrate communities in ways and by mechanisms not captured by smooth ecological concepts. https://journals.uni-lj.si/NaturaSloveniae/article/view/17231allochthonous assimilationtrophic positionstable isotopesEPT taxafood web |
| spellingShingle | Edurne Estévez Davina Dietrich Simone Sahler Fabian Vassanelli Sara Widera Jan Martini Wolfgang Wanek Gabriel Singer The upper Neretva River discontinuum: gradients of taxonomic and functional diversity of benthic invertebrates in a wild Balkan river Natura Sloveniae allochthonous assimilation trophic position stable isotopes EPT taxa food web |
| title | The upper Neretva River discontinuum: gradients of taxonomic and functional diversity of benthic invertebrates in a wild Balkan river |
| title_full | The upper Neretva River discontinuum: gradients of taxonomic and functional diversity of benthic invertebrates in a wild Balkan river |
| title_fullStr | The upper Neretva River discontinuum: gradients of taxonomic and functional diversity of benthic invertebrates in a wild Balkan river |
| title_full_unstemmed | The upper Neretva River discontinuum: gradients of taxonomic and functional diversity of benthic invertebrates in a wild Balkan river |
| title_short | The upper Neretva River discontinuum: gradients of taxonomic and functional diversity of benthic invertebrates in a wild Balkan river |
| title_sort | upper neretva river discontinuum gradients of taxonomic and functional diversity of benthic invertebrates in a wild balkan river |
| topic | allochthonous assimilation trophic position stable isotopes EPT taxa food web |
| url | https://journals.uni-lj.si/NaturaSloveniae/article/view/17231 |
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