Impoundment, environmental variables and temporal scale predict zooplankton beta diversity patterns in an Amazonian river basin

Abstract

The implementation of environmental monitoring programs in areas under anthropogenic pressure is essential to investigate the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity in ecosystems and to establish the most appropriate conservation strategies according to the area. We investigated whether environmental variables or temporal scale influenced zooplankton spatial diversity and beta diversity components in the Madeira River basin (Amazon tributary, Rondônia state, Brazil) from 2009 to 2015. We also investigated the local site contribution to overall beta diversity (LCBD) and to each of its components, to be able to propose conservation strategies more suitable for the river basin. Alpha diversity values decreased over time, while total beta diversity and the abundance difference component increased. A pattern of abundance difference (Podani family) dominated spatial beta diversity within the major sampling campaigns (at each time point). Environmental variables and heterogeneity, temporal scale (sampling campaigns), and also the dam installation contributed to variation in spatial beta diversity and its components. On the other hand, the flood pulse did not influence spatial beta diversity over time. Few sites contributed significantly to beta diversity prior dam installation, but most sites contributed significantly to beta diversity values at least at one point in time, in the post-dam phase. Thus, post-damming, all sites should continue to be monitored for conservation and restoration of zooplankton communities and biodiversity preservation, as changes are likely to still occur. Analysis of beta diversity, its components, and LCBD, are useful and efficient methods to study spatio-temporal changes in communities and identify critical sites. Impoundment and environmental variation significantly affect zooplankton community beta diversity, dependent on underlying mechanisms such as substitution or abundance differences that diversify communities spatially and temporally.