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Aquatic pathogens often cannot tolerate drying, and thus their spread, and diversity across a landscape may depend on interactions between hydrological conditions and the movement of infected hosts. The aquatic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( Bd ) is a nearly ubiquitous pathogen of amphibians and particular lineages have been associated with host declines. By coupling amphibian surveys with molecular pathogen detection and genotyping techniques, we characterized the spatial dynamics and genetic diversity of Bd on a landscape containing both permanent and ephemeral ponds. In doing so, we aimed to clarify how pathogen loads and prevalences vary across seasons and among habitat types, and which host species move the pathogen from place to place. At the start of spring breeding, Bd prevalence was lower on amphibians sampled from ephemeral ponds. For the remainder of the amphibian active season, prevalence was similar across both ephemeral and permanent ponds, with variation in prevalence being well-explained by a hump-shaped relationship with host body temperature. The first amphibians to arrive at these ephemeral ponds infected were species that breed in ephemeral ponds and likely emerged infected from terrestrial hibernacula. However, species from permanent ponds, most of which hibernate aquatically, later visited the ephemeral ponds and these animals had a greater prevalence and load of Bd , suggesting that migrants among ponds and pond types also move Bd across the landscape. The Bd we sampled was genetically diverse within ponds but showed little genetic structure among ponds, host species, or seasons. Taken together, our findings suggest that Bd can be diverse even at small scales and moves readily across a landscape with help from a wide variety of hosts.

Research suggests that a positive relationship exists between diversity and ecological function, yet the multi‐trophic effects of biodiversity remain poorly understood. The resource complementarity hypothesis suggests that increasing the trait diversity of resources provides a more complete diet for consumers, elevating consumer feeding rates. Whereas previous tests of this mechanism have measured trait diversity as the variation of single traits or the richness of functional groups, we employed a multivariate trait index to manipulate the chemical diversity of temperate tree litter species in outdoor pond mesocosms. We inoculated outdoor mesocosms with diverse and multi‐trophic communities of microbial and macro‐consumer species that rely on leaf litter for energy and nutrients. Litter was provided at three levels of chemical trait diversity, a constant level of species richness, and an equal representation of all litter species. Over three months, we measured more than 65 responses, and assessed the effects of litter chemical diversity and chemical trait means (i.e., community‐weighted means). We found that litter chemical diversity positively correlated with decomposition rate of leaf litter, but had no effect on biomass or density of producers and consumers. However, the pond communities often responded to chemical trait means, particularly those related to nutrients, structure, and defense. Our results suggest that resource complementarity does have some effect on the release of energy and nutrients from decomposing substrates in forest ponds, but does not have multi‐trophic effects. Our results further suggest that loss of tree biodiversity could affect forest ecosystem functionality, and particularly the processes occurring in and around ponds and wetlands.

Ephemeral ponds (EPs) are small isolated wetlands within a forested upland matrix that typically flood in spring and dry over the growing season. We compared the vegetation of permanent wetlands to that of EPs to describe: 1) plant community structure, 2) functional group structure, 3) α- and β-diversity patterns including shared species, and 4) floristic quality. We studied 57 wetlands (33 ephemeral, 24 permanent) in the Chippewa Moraine region of northwestern Wisconsin during 2013–2014. Vegetation analysis separated wetlands into 3 groups: EPs (n = 33), sedge meadow (SM; n = 11), and lacustrine fringe (LF; n = 13) wetlands. EPs had high specific conductivity, soluble reactive P and total P, small area and catchment size, and high canopy cover compared to permanent wetland communities. Ephemeral and permanent wetlands had highly variable water depth, pH, peat depth, and tree basal area. EPs had a higher proportion of woody indicator species (50%) than did permanent wetlands (9.1%). SMs and LFs had a high graminoid cover, whereas EPs had high annual, fern, and woody vegetation cover. Species richness guild structure was similar among the different wetland groups, except for EPs, which had a higher proportion of woody plant species. Both EPs and LFs had significantly lower α and higher β diversity than SMs. EPs had significantly higher species turnover than LFs or SMs. Higher proportions of species were shared within than among wetland classes. The mean proportion of EP species in permanent wetlands was relatively low (∼30%). A higher proportion of EP species was shared with SMs than LFs. EPs floristic quality was intermediate to that of SMs (high) and LFs (low), indicating that EPs do not have low floristic quality. EP species in the glaciated Upper Midwest may not be endemic, but the EP plant community is different from those of permanent wetland types and worthy of conservation.

White-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) and Central American tapir (Tapirus bairdii) are two endangered ungulates that inhabit the Maya Forest in Southern Mexico. These species need water sources almost every day to fill their ecological and physiological needs. How have they survived in a landscape like the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve where the water is very scarce and temporal? We analyzed 10 years of data for both species, collected through the intensive use of camera traps located in 18 ephemeral ponds of the Mexican side of the Maya Forest. These data in combination with occasional data on individual movements of both species collected with radiotelemetry allowed us to describe changes in occupancy, abundance, and movements that show the different strategies these species must cope with during dry periods. The white-lipped peccary population passed through cycles and disappeared from periods of water scarcity, and later, they appeared and stayed close to a few sources of water while the tapir population remained constant and occupied almost all sources of water throughout the years. This contribution increases the ecological knowledge and survival strategies of two endangered tropical ungulates of Mesoamerican Forests that have been disappearing at alarming rates in other forests of the region.

Mediterranean temporary ponds are recognized as conservation priority habitats that face anthropogenic threats and are important habitats for a number of aquatic and terrestrial animals and plants. Bats are a diverse group of animals that use ponds for drinking and feeding on emerging aquatic insects and terrestrial insects in the riparian zone. We investigated the importance of temporary ponds for bats in Greece by acoustically sampling bat community structures and activity at temporary ponds throughout the year. We sampled monthly, from 3 to 13 months in 2019–2020, at sites at the pond edge and approximately 150–300 m away from the edge, at four temporary ponds in northern and southern Greece. Our results confirm the importance of temporary ponds for bats as activity was recorded year-round and was high in all but the winter months. In general, the distance to the edge of the pond and the presence of water in the pond explained bat activity together with air temperature. Importantly, whether dry or not, all ponds supported bat activity, independent of their particular characteristics. This study highlights the urgent need for the conservation of temporary ponds, especially in areas with limited water availability.

Large branchiopods is a group of poorly understood crustaceans which is highly threatened by the impact of human activities. Currently, their protection is difficult due to large deficiencies in documentation of their places of occurrence and not well researched ecology. After rediscovery of in Poland by Cukier in 2019, we conducted a survey to identify the species found at the Łąki Jaktorowskie Fisheries Research Station, Poland. This study consisted of observations and measurements of animals reared from cysts which had been obtained from soil samples taken at the nursery ponds in the study area. The following species were found: , , and . We are presenting results of the morphometric measurements of and the morphometric measurements of from their only known population in Poland. Males were found in the population, contrary to what has been documented previously. Large branchiopods have been repeatedly found in fishponds, and this work confirms the potentially high importance of ponds in the conservation of large branchiopods. With this study, we are drawing attention to the necessity of research about the distribution of large branchiopods in Poland.

Ephemeral aquatic environments are important habitats for a variety of species. They are highly variable with regards to vegetation structure and physico‐chemical features that potentially mediate outcomes of biotic interactions. Multiple environmental variables and their emergent impacts on the relationship between prey consumption rate by a predator and prey density (functional response), however, are rarely assessed. Here, we investigated the combined effects of temperature and habitat complexity on the functional response of the freshwater predatory notonectid Enithares sobria on the cladoceran prey organism Daphnia longispina. A Type II functional response was observed for E. sobria predating on D. longispina and while temperature and habitat complexity had no effect on the response type, these environmental variables interacted with consequences for the magnitude of the functional responses. Overall, structural complexity favored the predator as greater consumption was observed in the most complex habitat treatment. Temperature effects were also evident although these effects were not unidirectional with regard to treatment factor gradients as predators were the most successful at intermediary temperatures. Furthermore, there was a complex interplay between habitat complexity and temperature, with attack rates being greatest at low and high complexities within intermediate temperatures, while at zero complexity attack rates were greatest at the lowest temperature. The effect of habitat on handling times was only evident in the low temperature treatments which decreased steadily with each increase in complexity. Through the application of functional responses the synergistic effects of multiple environmental drivers on predator–prey interaction outcomes have been highlighted, adding insight into how interactions among species may be affected by natural or artificially induced environmental variability.

In this investigation, hydrological time series of three ponds located in the province of Córdoba (southern Spain) at a daily scale has been analyzed. For the first time, a detailed evolution of the water level of Jarales, Conde, and Amarga ponds has been acquired by means of the installation of level loggers in the deepest point of each of the ponds. We have modeled the water level evolution using a simple one-dimensional model. Calibration of the model was very satisfactory in two of the ponds. The model was then setup and simulated for two future Scenarios: A (IPCC climate change scenario) and B (climate change + groundwater withdrawal within the basin). Two ponds were classified as discharge ponds, which are the hydrological regime of the majority of southern Spain’s continental ponds. One was classified as a recharge pond. With regard to the results obtained in the simulations for Scenarios A and B, our results showed that IPCC scenario will reduce hydroperiod significantly in the three ponds, with a reduction of approximately 500 cm in the water level. With respect to groundwater withdrawal within the basins, results show a very high impact in the hydroperiod in Amarga and Conde ponds.

Organisms respond to climate change in many different ways and their local extinction risk may vary widely among taxa. Crustaceans from freshwater temporary ponds produce resting eggs to cope with environmental uncertainty and, as a consequence, egg banks have a fundamental role for population persistence. The egg bank dynamics of six clonal lineages of Heterocypris incongruens (Ostracoda) from Northern Italy were simulated. Clonal lineages W1 and W2 are the most common “winter ecotypes”, clonal lineages S1 and S2 are allochthonous “summer ecotypes” and clonal lineages I1 and I2 are relatively rare and generalist in terms of seasonality. Fecundity and proportion of resting eggs vary by clonal lineage, temperature and photoperiod. The clonal extinction risk was estimated in present climate conditions and under climate change. For comparison, and to assess the potential colonization of northern ponds, clonal lineages from Lampedusa Island (Southern Italy), L, were considered. Cohen’s general model was used for simulating egg bank dynamics and the extinction rate of each clonal lineage was estimated with uncertainty analysis. A 30 year simulation in present and climate change conditions was carried out. Extinction rates were lower in climate change conditions than in present conditions. Hydroperiod, hatching rate and egg deterioration rate were the critical factors that affected extinction rates. Extinction rates varied among clonal lineages. This suggests that H. incongruens might be able to have multiple responses to climate change due to its genetic diversity. In climate change conditions, W clonal lineages underwent a niche expansion, while a mismatch between photoperiod and hydroperiod might generate a detrimental effect on the phenology of summer S clonal lineages that might cause their extinction. Southern clonal lineages L, showing an intermediate extinction rate, might colonize northern temporary ponds.

Feral swine Sus scrofa have been implicated as a major threat to sensitive habitats and ecosystems as well as threatened wildlife. Nevertheless, direct and indirect impacts on threatened species (especially small, fossorial species) are not well documented. The decline of the U.S. federally endangered reticulated flatwoods salamander Ambystoma bishopi, categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, has been rapid and there are few remaining breeding locations for this species. The flatwoods salamander depends on complex herbaceous vegetation in all life stages, including eggs, larvae and adults. Historically sets of hog tracks have been observed only occasionally in the vicinity of monitored reticulated flatwoods salamander breeding wetlands, and damage to the wetlands had never been recorded. However, during the autumn–winter breeding season of 2013–2014 we observed a large increase in hog sign, including extensive rooting damage, in known flatwoods salamander breeding wetlands. Our objective was to assess the amount of hog sign and damage in these wetlands and to take corrective management actions to curb additional impacts. Of 28 wetlands surveyed for hog sign, presence was recorded at 68%, and damage at 54%. Of the 11 sites known to be occupied by flatwoods salamanders in 2013–2014, 64% had presence, and 55% had damage. We found that regular monitoring of disturbance in wetland habitats was a valuable tool to determine when intervention was needed and to assess the effectiveness of intervention. Habitat damage caused by feral hogs poses a potentially serious threat to the salamanders, which needs to be mitigated using methods to control and exclude hogs from this sensitive habitat.