Effects of diversity on community assembly in newly formed pond communities

Abstract Theory suggests that in a new habitat, initial levels of genetic or species diversity can influence subsequent community assembly. Nevertheless, empirical investigations of these diversity effects in newly created habitats remain rare at both the genetic and species level, especially for an...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Christopher J. Holmes, Stephanie Figary, Kimberly L. Schulz, Carla E. Cáceres
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-07-01
Series:Ecosphere
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1377
_version_ 1818047823192522752
author Christopher J. Holmes
Stephanie Figary
Kimberly L. Schulz
Carla E. Cáceres
author_facet Christopher J. Holmes
Stephanie Figary
Kimberly L. Schulz
Carla E. Cáceres
author_sort Christopher J. Holmes
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Theory suggests that in a new habitat, initial levels of genetic or species diversity can influence subsequent community assembly. Nevertheless, empirical investigations of these diversity effects in newly created habitats remain rare at both the genetic and species level, especially for animal systems. To test this theory, we conducted a field experiment in which initial stocking diversity (both intra‐ and interspecific) of freshwater zooplankton in newly constructed pools was manipulated in a 2 × 2 fully factorial design. Zooplankton communities were sampled every 2 weeks from May to August in 2011 and 2012, and once in May of 2013 and 2014. Estimates of overland dispersal were measured in 2012. Despite theoretical predictions, we found no difference in taxonomic richness among stocking treatments after 4 yr. A total of 24 species was recorded in the experimental pool metacommunity, with average cumulative taxonomic richness ranging from 6.1 to 7.6 species per pool. Using dispersal traps, we found that dispersal of zooplankton was rapid, with eight taxa dispersing within 7 d; we found no difference in the number of dispersed propagules based on number of neighboring source pools. Despite theoretical predictions regarding diversity and community assembly, our study suggests that initial diversity may have no effect on early successional community species richness.
first_indexed 2024-12-10T10:11:54Z
format Article
id doaj.art-dff1ba07a40840cb9262d90436806ad4
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2150-8925
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-10T10:11:54Z
publishDate 2016-07-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Ecosphere
spelling doaj.art-dff1ba07a40840cb9262d90436806ad42022-12-22T01:53:06ZengWileyEcosphere2150-89252016-07-0177n/an/a10.1002/ecs2.1377Effects of diversity on community assembly in newly formed pond communitiesChristopher J. Holmes0Stephanie Figary1Kimberly L. Schulz2Carla E. Cáceres3Department of Animal Biology School of Integrative Biology University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign 515 Morrill Hall 505 S. Goodwin Avenue Urbana Illinois 61801 USADepartment of Environmental and Forest Biology College of Environmental Science and Forestry State University of New York 1 Forestry Drive Syracuse New York 13210 USADepartment of Environmental and Forest Biology College of Environmental Science and Forestry State University of New York 1 Forestry Drive Syracuse New York 13210 USADepartment of Animal Biology School of Integrative Biology University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign 515 Morrill Hall 505 S. Goodwin Avenue Urbana Illinois 61801 USAAbstract Theory suggests that in a new habitat, initial levels of genetic or species diversity can influence subsequent community assembly. Nevertheless, empirical investigations of these diversity effects in newly created habitats remain rare at both the genetic and species level, especially for animal systems. To test this theory, we conducted a field experiment in which initial stocking diversity (both intra‐ and interspecific) of freshwater zooplankton in newly constructed pools was manipulated in a 2 × 2 fully factorial design. Zooplankton communities were sampled every 2 weeks from May to August in 2011 and 2012, and once in May of 2013 and 2014. Estimates of overland dispersal were measured in 2012. Despite theoretical predictions, we found no difference in taxonomic richness among stocking treatments after 4 yr. A total of 24 species was recorded in the experimental pool metacommunity, with average cumulative taxonomic richness ranging from 6.1 to 7.6 species per pool. Using dispersal traps, we found that dispersal of zooplankton was rapid, with eight taxa dispersing within 7 d; we found no difference in the number of dispersed propagules based on number of neighboring source pools. Despite theoretical predictions regarding diversity and community assembly, our study suggests that initial diversity may have no effect on early successional community species richness.https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1377biodiversitycolonizationcommunity assemblyDaphniadispersalecology
spellingShingle Christopher J. Holmes
Stephanie Figary
Kimberly L. Schulz
Carla E. Cáceres
Effects of diversity on community assembly in newly formed pond communities
Ecosphere
biodiversity
colonization
community assembly
Daphnia
dispersal
ecology
title Effects of diversity on community assembly in newly formed pond communities
title_full Effects of diversity on community assembly in newly formed pond communities
title_fullStr Effects of diversity on community assembly in newly formed pond communities
title_full_unstemmed Effects of diversity on community assembly in newly formed pond communities
title_short Effects of diversity on community assembly in newly formed pond communities
title_sort effects of diversity on community assembly in newly formed pond communities
topic biodiversity
colonization
community assembly
Daphnia
dispersal
ecology
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1377
work_keys_str_mv AT christopherjholmes effectsofdiversityoncommunityassemblyinnewlyformedpondcommunities
AT stephaniefigary effectsofdiversityoncommunityassemblyinnewlyformedpondcommunities
AT kimberlylschulz effectsofdiversityoncommunityassemblyinnewlyformedpondcommunities
AT carlaecaceres effectsofdiversityoncommunityassemblyinnewlyformedpondcommunities