Aquatic macroinvertebrate richness and diversity associated with native submerged aquatic vegetation plantings increases in longer-managed and wetland-channeled effluent constructed urban wetlands

• Published in: Wetlands ecology and management 2020-06, Vol.28 (3), p.461-477
• Main Authors: Schad, Aaron N., Kennedy, James H., Dick, Gary O., Dodd, Lynde
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abundance; Aquatic habitats; Aquatic insects; Aquatic plants; Artificial wetlands; Biodiversity; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Community structure; Conservation Biology/Ecology; Ecosystem management; Effluents; Environmental Law/Policy/Ecojustice; Floodways; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Freshwater plants; Habitats; Hydrology/Water Resources; Life Sciences; Macroinvertebrates; Marine & Freshwater Sciences; Original Paper; Physicochemical processes; Physicochemical properties; Plant cover; Plant species; Pollutants; Vegetation; Vegetation cover; Wastewater; Water Quality/Water Pollution; Water temperature; Wetland management; Wetlands; Zoobenthos
• ISSN: 0923-4861; 1572-9834
• DOI: 10.1007/s11273-020-09724-1

Macroinvertebrate community structure and assemblages associated with the planted, native submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) species Heteranthera dubia (Jacq.) MacMillan and Potamogeton nodosus Poiret were examined in a series of constructed urban floodway wetlands, the Dallas Floodway Extension Lower Chain of Wetlands, Dallas, TX, USA. Macroinvertebrate community metrics, including abundance, richness, diversity, and evenness associated with SAV and three different wetlands of varying construction completion dates, water sources (direct or wetland-channeled wastewater effluent), and ecosystem management stage (established/reference or developing) were compared and analyzed. Assemblages at sampling sites were also classified and related to vegetation and wetland physicochemical parameters. Plant species affected only macroinvertebrate abundance, with the less-dissected P. nodosus supporting higher counts than H. dubia . Wetland age and water-effluent type had the most substantial effect on macroinvertebrate communities. The older, longer-managed wetland and wetland-channeled effluent habitat consistently demonstrated higher quality metrics and biodiversity than newly constructed, direct effluent wetland habitat. Increased vegetation cover and wetland age, coupled with moderate water temperature, pH, and DO levels were characteristics of more rich and diverse macroinvertebrate communities, including pollutant-sensitive taxa, such as Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera.