E-Thesis 59 views 23 downloads
The Effect of Spatial Scale on Aquatic Insect Communities in Peatlands / IMOGEN COCKWELL
Swansea University Author: IMOGEN COCKWELL
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PDF | E-Thesis – open access
Copyright: the author, Imogen Kate Cockwell, 2025. Distributed under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 4.0 License (CC BY-NC 4.0).
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Abstract
Despite their ecological importance, 50% of Europe’s peatlands have been degraded.Restoration efforts include rewetting, however, the effects on aquatic insects are poorly understood. This study investigated aquatic insect diversity, community similarity and spatial synchrony across newly-created pe...
| Published: |
Swansea
2025
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| Institution: | Swansea University |
| Degree level: | Master of Research |
| Degree name: | MRes |
| Supervisor: | Harris, W. E., and Bull, J. C. |
| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71071 |
| Abstract: |
Despite their ecological importance, 50% of Europe’s peatlands have been degraded.Restoration efforts include rewetting, however, the effects on aquatic insects are poorly understood. This study investigated aquatic insect diversity, community similarity and spatial synchrony across newly-created peatland pools at the Castell Nos Habitat Restoration Area, South Wales. The questions addressed were: Does pool diversity change with distance from a source? Does distance between pools affect community similarity? Does spatial synchrony between neighbouring pools change with distance from a source?One hundred pools at varying distances from an established source pond (64-377 m) were sampled as 25 clusters of four. Aquatic insects were collected by standardised dip-netting, preserved in ethanol, and identified to species or family level. Pool temperature, pH, TDS and depth were measured. Abundance and richness were recorded per pool, with associated coefficients of variation calculated per cluster. Generalised linear models investigated variation with distance from source. Simpson’s similarity index was calculated between pairwise pools, and a Mantel test analysed correlation with pairwise distance.Twenty-eight species were identified representing 13 families, with Chironomidae being most abundance and Dytiscidae most widespread. Neither abundance nor richness varied with distance, suggesting strong dispersal by key taxa. Community similarity between pools decreased weakly with increasing distance, but this was only significant at very short ranges.Coefficient of variation in abundance and richness increased significantly with increasing distance from source, indicating a homogenising effect of the pond on nearby communities.Findings suggest that, whilst strong dispersal ability may enable widespread colonisation, local patterns of community similarity and synchrony can be shaped by fine-scale spatial structure.For effective peatland conservation, restoration efforts should consider creating well-connected landscapes with environmental heterogeneity to promote asynchrony and enhance community resilience and diversity. Future research should examine patterns on larger spatial and temporal scales to inform long-term management. |
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| Keywords: |
Entomology, Ecology, Peatland Restoration, Metacommunity, Biodiversity, Spatial Synchrony, Community Similarity |
| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |