Environmental controls on the distribution and diversity of lentic Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) across an altitudinal gradient in tropical South America

Ecology and Evolution
Frazer Matthews-BirdStephen J Brooks

Abstract

To predict the response of aquatic ecosystems to future global climate change, data on the ecology and distribution of keystone groups in freshwater ecosystems are needed. In contrast to mid- and high-latitude zones, such data are scarce across tropical South America (Neotropics). We present the distribution and diversity of chironomid species using surface sediments of 59 lakes from the Andes to the Amazon (0.1-17°S and 64-78°W) within the Neotropics. We assess the spatial variation in community assemblages and identify the key variables influencing the distributional patterns. The relationships between environmental variables (pH, conductivity, depth, and sediment organic content), climatic data, and chironomid assemblages were assessed using multivariate statistics (detrended correspondence analysis and canonical correspondence analysis). Climatic parameters (temperature and precipitation) were most significant in describing the variance in chironomid assemblages. Temperature and precipitation are both predicted to change under future climate change scenarios in the tropical Andes. Our findings suggest taxa of Orthocladiinae, which show a preference to cold high-elevation oligotrophic lakes, will likely see range contraction...Continue Reading

References

Feb 1, 2000·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·I Hughes
Mar 8, 2000·Nature·N MyersJ Kent
Mar 29, 2002·Nature·Gian-Reto WaltherFranz Bairlein
Aug 6, 2008·Journal of Insect Physiology·Valeria LencioniMariano Beltramini
Oct 29, 2011·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Hilde Eggermont, Oliver Heiri
Jul 26, 2012·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·Michael NotaroJohn W Williams
Sep 12, 2014·Nature Communications·Oliver HeiriAndré F Lotter

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