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1. The phylogenetically isolated South African endemic diving beetle Caperhantus cicurius (Fabricius, 1787): redescription and range extensions (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Colymbetinae)

Author: David T. Bilton, Clive R. Turner, and Musa C. Mlambo
Subjects: Aquatic Coleoptera, endemic species, new records, Biology (General), QH301-705.5
Abstract: New distribution records and a redescription are presented for Caperhantus cicurius (Fabricius, 1787), a diving beetle endemic to the Cape region of South Africa, which is only distantly related to other Afrotropical dytiscids. We show that the species is much more widely distributed than previously recognized and present details of occupied habitats for the ﬁrst time. Caperhantus cicurius occurs throughout the winter rainfall zone in South Africa, from Namaqualand to the Eastern Cape Province, particularly in temporary waters in the Fynbos and Succulent Karoo biomes.
Published: 2024
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2. Unravelling large-scale patterns and drivers of biodiversity in dry rivers

Author: Arnaud Foulquier, Thibault Datry, Roland Corti, Daniel von Schiller, Klement Tockner, Rachel Stubbington, Mark O. Gessner, Frédéric Boyer, Marc Ohlmann, Wilfried Thuiller, Delphine Rioux, Christian Miquel, Ricardo Albariño, Daniel C. Allen, Florian Altermatt, Maria Isabel Arce, Shai Arnon, Damien Banas, Andy Banegas-Medina, Erin Beller, Melanie L. Blanchette, Joanna Blessing, Iola Gonçalves Boëchat, Kate Boersma, Michael Bogan, Núria Bonada, Nick Bond, Katherine Brintrup, Andreas Bruder, Ryan Burrows, Tommaso Cancellario, Cristina Canhoto, Stephanie Carlson, Núria Cid, Julien Cornut, Michael Danger, Bianca de Freitas Terra, Anna Maria De Girolamo, Rubén del Campo, Verónica Díaz Villanueva, Fiona Dyer, Arturo Elosegi, Catherine Febria, Ricardo Figueroa Jara, Brian Four, Sarig Gafny, Rosa Gómez, Lluís Gómez-Gener, Simone Guareschi, Björn Gücker, Jason Hwan, J. Iwan Jones, Patrick S. Kubheka, Alex Laini, Simone Daniela Langhans, Bertrand Launay, Guillaume Le Goff, Catherine Leigh, Chelsea Little, Stefan Lorenz, Jonathan Marshall, Eduardo J. Martin Sanz, Angus McIntosh, Clara Mendoza-Lera, Elisabeth I. Meyer, Marko Miliša, Musa C. Mlambo, Manuela Morais, Nabor Moya, Peter Negus, Dev Niyogi, Iluminada Pagán, Athina Papatheodoulou, Giuseppe Pappagallo, Isabel Pardo, Petr Pařil, Steffen U. Pauls, Marek Polášek, Pablo Rodríguez-Lozano, Robert J. Rolls, Maria Mar Sánchez-Montoya, Ana Savić, Oleksandra Shumilova, Kandikere R. Sridhar, Alisha Steward, Amina Taleb, Avi Uzan, Yefrin Valladares, Ross Vander Vorste, Nathan J. Waltham, Dominik H. Zak, and Annamaria Zoppini
Subjects: Science
Abstract: Abstract More than half of the world’s rivers dry up periodically, but our understanding of the biological communities in dry riverbeds remains limited. Specifically, the roles of dispersal, environmental filtering and biotic interactions in driving biodiversity in dry rivers are poorly understood. Here, we conduct a large-scale coordinated survey of patterns and drivers of biodiversity in dry riverbeds. We focus on eight major taxa, including microorganisms, invertebrates and plants: Algae, Archaea, Bacteria, Fungi, Protozoa, Arthropods, Nematodes and Streptophyta. We use environmental DNA metabarcoding to assess biodiversity in dry sediments collected over a 1-year period from 84 non-perennial rivers across 19 countries on four continents. Both direct factors, such as nutrient and carbon availability, and indirect factors such as climate influence the local biodiversity of most taxa. Limited resource availability and prolonged dry phases favor oligotrophic microbial taxa. Co-variation among taxa, particularly Bacteria, Fungi, Algae and Protozoa, explain more spatial variation in community composition than dispersal or environmental gradients. This finding suggests that biotic interactions or unmeasured ecological and evolutionary factors may strongly influence communities during dry phases, altering biodiversity responses to global changes.
Published: 2024
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3. Water beetles (Coleoptera) associated with Afrotemperate Forest patches in the Garden Route National Park, South Africa

Author: Matthew S. Bird, David T. Bilton, Musa C. Mlambo, and Renzo Perissinotto
Subjects: Zoology, QL1-991
Abstract: Southern Afrotemperate Forest is concentrated in the southern Cape region of South Africa and whilst it is relatively well known botanically, the fauna, specifically the aquatic invertebrate fauna, is poorly documented. The majority of remaining intact forest habitat is contained within the Garden Route National Park (GRNP), which straddles the provincial boundary between the Western and Eastern Cape. This study undertakes a survey of the water beetle fauna inhabiting the GRNP. The aquatic ecosystems within temperate forests of the region are poorly researched from an ecological and biodiversity perspective, despite being known to harbour endemic invertebrate elements. We collected water beetles and in situ physico-chemical data from a total of 31 waterbodies across the park over two seasons (summer and late winter) in 2017. The waterbodies sampled were mostly small freshwater perennial streams and isolated forest ponds. A total of 61 beetle taxa was recorded (29 Adephaga, 32 Polyphaga) from these waterbodies. The water beetle fauna of these forests appears to be diverse and contains many species endemic to the fynbos-dominated Cape Floristic Region, but very few of the species appear to be forest specialists. This is in contrast to the fynbos heathland habitat of the region, which harbours a high number of water beetle species endemic to this habitat, often with Gondwanan affinity. Our study is the first to document the water beetles of Afrotemperate Forests in the southern Cape region and provides an important baseline for future work on such habitats in the region and in other parts of southern Africa.
Published: 2023
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4. Excessive red tape is strangling biodiversity research in South Africa

Author: Graham J. Alexander, Krystal A. Tolley, Bryan Maritz, Andrew McKechnie, Paul Manger, Robert L. Thomson, Carsten Schradin, Andrea Fuller, Leith Meyer, Robyn S. Hetem, Michael Cherry, Werner Conradie, Aaron M. Bauer, David Maphisa, Justin O'Riain, Daniel M. Parker, Musa C. Mlambo, Gary Bronner, Kim Madikiza, Adriaan Engelbrecht, Alan T.K. Lee, Bettine Jansen van Vuuren, Tshifhiwa G. Mandiwana-Neudani, Darren Pietersen, Jan A. Venter, Michael J. Somers, Rob Slotow, W. Maartin Strauss, Marc S. Humphries, Peter G. Ryan, and Graham I.H. Kerley
Subjects: research productivity, human capital development, Nagoya Protocol, bureaucracy, Science, Science (General), Q1-390, Social Sciences, Social sciences (General), H1-99
Published: 2021
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5. The importance of museum collections in determining biodiversity patterns, using a freshwater mussel Unio caffer (Krauss 1848) as an example

Author: Bayanda Sonamzi, Musa C. Mlambo, Chris C. Appleton, and Helen M. Barber-James
Subjects: museum collections, unionoida, disjunct distribution, freshwater bivalvia, south africa, General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution, QH1-199.5
Abstract: Background: Two recent distributional maps of the African freshwater mussel Unio caffer (Krauss 1848) in South Africa represented an incomplete picture compared to the records held by the national museums. Objectives: This study is partly in response to them, with the aim to compare and contrast the distribution maps of the published papers with the distribution records held by the national museums. Method: We requested the distribution records of U. caffer from four South African museums. We visited and worked on the U. caffer collections of three of these museums to confirm the taxonomic identity of their specimens and gather occurrence records. We also extracted the distributional records from the two published maps, and plotted all these records using the geographic information system, ESRI ArcGIS. Results: The distribution map based on the museum records showed that this species occurred in all nine provinces of the country, thus revealing a much broader historical occurrence than previous known. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the crucial function of museums, natural history collections in facilitating understanding about biodiversity patterns using U. caffer distribution as an example. However, as museum records mainly show historical occurrence, there is a need to conduct further studies to assess the current population trends of this species. Although the current International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) conservation assessment of this species is Least Concern, pressures on native fish, which host the larval stages of this mussel, and the declining environmental conditions of rivers in the country may affect the conservation status in the near future.
Published: 2019
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6. Concerted intervention needed to escalate PhD numbers: A comment

Author: Musa C. Mlambo
Subjects: Science, Science (General), Q1-390, Social Sciences, Social sciences (General), H1-99
Published: 2010
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7. Phylogenetic assessment of the halophilic Australian gastropod Coxiella and South African Tomichia resolves taxonomic uncertainties, uncovers new species and supports a Gondwanan link

Author: Angus D'Arcy Lawrie, Jennifer Chaplin, Lisa Kirkendale, Corey Whisson, Adrian Pinder, and Musa C. Mlambo
Subjects: Genetics, Molecular Biology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Published: 2023

8. A new desiccation-resistant midge from ephemeral rock pools in South Africa, Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) cranstoni sp. nov. (Diptera: Chironomidae)

Author: Musa C. Mlambo, Samuel Motitsoe, and Richard CORNETTE
Subjects: Male, South Africa, Larva, Animals, Animal Science and Zoology, Female, Desiccation, Animal Distribution, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Chironomidae
Abstract: One newly described species of Chironomidae, Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) cranstoni sp. nov., was discovered in ephemeral rock pools from the Maloti-Drakensberg mountains in South Africa. Desiccation-resistant larvae were obtained from bottom sediments of rock pools that had been dry for the previous several months. After rehydration, ex situ adults emerged and were collected. The morphology and diagnostic characters of the new species (male and female adults) are described here together with an analysis based on their COI gene sequence.
Published: 2022

9. List of contributors

Author: Alexandre P. Almeida, Xavier Armengol, Michael A. Barger, Alice F. Besterman, Ian Bredin, Luc Brendonck, Leandro Castello, Ross N. Cuthbert, Tatenda Dalu, Isaure de Buron, Lizaan de Necker, James B. Deemy, Layon O. Demarchi, Chris Dickens, Timothy Dube, Trevor Dube, Allison Durland-Donahou, C. Max Finlayson, Hervé Fritz, Ángel Gálvez, Madeline G. Garner, Marcelo Gordo, Richard Greenfield, Britney M. Hall, Jeffrey E. Hill, Kenneth Irvine, Nancy M. Job, Wolfgang Junk, Chad Keates, Nikol Kmentová, Elifuraha Laltaika, Aline Lopes, Wilmien J. Luus-Powell, Anne E. Magurran, Caston M. Makaka, Thomas Marambanyika, Robin L. McLachlan, Francesc Mesquita-Joanes, Musa C. Mlambo, Leandro J.C.L. Moraes, Sydney Moyo, Josphine Mundava, Peter Mundy, Tatenda Musasa, Grite N. Mwaijengo, Tongayi Mwedzi, Edward C. Netherlands, Tamuka Nhiwatiwa, Alan F.S. Oliveira, Maria E. Oliveira, Pia Parolin, Josephine Pegg, Maria T.F. Piedade, Tom Pinceel, Renata M. Pirani, Raíssa N. Rainha, Berel M. Rampheri, Todd C. Rasmussen, Martin Reichard, D. Christopher Rogers, Sukonthip Savatenalinton, Jochen Schöngart, Cletah Shoko, Erwin J.J. Sieben, Ariane A.A. Silva, Josie South, Kimberly K. Takagi, Tawanda Tarakini, Kaelyn N. Tyler, Kay van Damme, Maarten P.M. Vanhove, Bram Vanschoenwinkel, Ryan J. Wasserman, Fernanda P. Werneck, Olaf L.F. Weyl, Florian Wittmann, and Summer G. Wright
Published: 2022

10. Macroinvertebrates

Author: Trevor Dube, Caston M. Makaka, Grite N. Mwaijengo, Musa C. Mlambo, and Luc Brendonck
Published: 2022

11. Excessive red tape is strangling biodiversity research in South Africa

Author: Jansen van Vuuren Bettine, Aaron M. Bauer, Robert L. Thomson, Werner Conradie, Jan A. Venter, Robyn S. Hetem, Rob Slotow, W. Maartin Strauss, Graham I. H. Kerley, Darren William Pietersen, Andrew E. McKechnie, Michael I. Cherry, David H. Maphisa, Michael J. Somers, Marc S. Humphries, Justin O’Riain, Peter G. Ryan, Andrea Fuller, Kim Madikiza, Adriaan Engelbrecht, Alan T. K. Lee, Bryan Maritz, Carsten Schradin, Leith C. R. Meyer, Tshifhiwa G. Mandiwana-Neudani, Paul R. Manger, Krystal A. Tolley, Gary N. Bronner, Musa C. Mlambo, Graham J. Alexander, Daniel M. Parker, Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie (DEPE-IPHC), Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), and Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Subjects: 0301 basic medicine, Science (General), media_common.quotation_subject, Science, Biodiversity, Social Sciences, Legislation, bureaucracy, 010402 general chemistry, 01 natural sciences, General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, 03 medical and health sciences, Q1-390, Political science, human capital development, Nagoya Protocol, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, media_common, H1-99, Agroforestry, research productivity, 0104 chemical sciences, Social sciences (General), 030104 developmental biology, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Bureaucracy, General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Abstract: International audience
Published: 2021

12. A tale of records from Hakskeen Pan, the first record of Pumilibranchipus deserti Hamer and Brendonck, 1995 (Anostraca, Branchiopoda) from South Africa and the pursuit of a new world land speed record

Author: E Meyer-Milne and Musa C. Mlambo
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, biology, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Branchiopoda, Ephemeral wetlands, 010501 environmental sciences, Aquatic Science, biology.organism_classification, 01 natural sciences, Archaeology, Geography, Anostraca, Cape, Flagship species, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Fairy shrimps, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract: Until now, Pumilibranchipus deserti was known from only one locality in Namibia. This paper reports the first record of this species from South Africa in Hakskeen Pan, Northern Cape, which represen...
Published: 2019

13. The negative impacts of fire on the resurrection ecology of invertebrates from temporary wetlands in Cape Flats Sand Fynbos in the Western Cape, South Africa

Author: Cecile Reed, Michelle Blanckenberg, Denham Parker, and Musa C. Mlambo
Subjects: geography, Resurrection ecology, geography.geographical_feature_category, Ecology, Cape, Western cape, Wetland, Fire ecology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Invertebrate
Published: 2019

14. Leaf litter decomposition and decomposer communities in streams affected by intensive forest biomass removal

Author: Hannu Fritze, Riku Paavola, Pauliina Louhi, Musa C. Mlambo, and Timo Muotka
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Biomass (ecology), River ecosystem, Ecology, biology, Logging, Biodiversity, General Decision Sciences, Species diversity, 010501 environmental sciences, Plant litter, biology.organism_classification, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Alder, Decomposer, Environmental science, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Abstract: The complexity and multidimensionality of freshwater processes require multiple metrics to assess their responses to disturbances. However, studies have historically relied on structural attributes, while functional attributes have received much less attention. The relative ease of implementing functional attributes, like leaf decomposition assays, make them an attractive choice to complement structural attributes (e.g. species diversity and community composition). However, the congruence of these disparate attributes is still debatable, as studies have reported results to be strongly context-dependent. The concept of using forest biomass as a source of alternative energy instead of fossil fuel has led to rapid changes in forestry practices. One of these practices involves removal of logging residues that would have otherwise been left on site (logging residue removal, LRR), potentially leaving the landscape prone to high erosion, run-off and sedimentation. This study investigated the decomposition rates of alder leaves in sites affected by LRR compared with conventionally logged (CL) and near-natural, non-harvested sites. Our results revealed CL as having the strongest effects, while LRR had an intermediate response, both in terms of decomposition rates (ktotal, kmicrobial and kshredders) and microbial biomass. These results match those for structural attributes reported previously at the same sites, thus providing multiple lines of evidence for the ecosystem-level impacts of forestry activities. Bacterial biomass on decomposing leaves was consistently several orders of magnitude greater than that of fungi in all study streams and treatments. Most previous research on the relative contributions of shredders, fungi and bacteria to leaf decomposition has focused on fast-flowing riffles and more research is needed to clarify their relative roles in other types of running waters, such as the slow-flowing, strongly allochthonous and humic forest streams studied by here. In conclusion, this study points to further need to revise the current practice of forestry activities in light of its negative impact on biodiversity.
Published: 2019

15. Trophic interactions and food web structure of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in afromontane wetlands: the influence of hydroperiod

Author: Samuel N. Motitsoe, Musa C. Mlambo, and Nonkazimulo D. Mdidimba
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Ecology, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Species distribution, Community structure, Biodiversity, Wetland, Aquatic Science, Biology, 01 natural sciences, Food web, Food chain, Ecosystem, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Water Science and Technology, Trophic level
Abstract: Hydroperiod is considered an important aspect in shaping community structure and ecosystem patterns in temporary wetlands. However, most studies have focused on the community structure, demonstrating that biotic diversity increases with hydroperiod. Theory suggests that ecosystem patterns like trophic interactions and food web structure will also respond to hydroperiod in the same way. However, there are limited studies exploring ecosystem structure and patterns to changing hydroperiod in temporary wetlands. Maloti-Drakensberg Mountain region of southern Africa has a series of rock pools (shorter hydroperiod) and tarns (longer hydroperiod) that allowed us to explore the effect of hydroperiod on aquatic biodiversity and trophic interactions using stable isotope techniques. We hypothesised that tarns will have higher biotic diversity and complex food web structure as compared to rock pools, which we expected to exhibit low biotic diversity and simple food web structure. Our results were in agreement with our hypothesis, where tarns were characterised by longer food chain length, higher trophic level diversity, greater trophic divergence and even species distribution in the isotopic space. Thus, demonstrating a well-developed and complex food web structure. In contrary, rock pools were characterised by shorter food chain length, small trophic diversity with trophic redundancies and species clustering. Thus, representing a simple and a poorly developed food web structure. Further, macroinvertebrate biotic diversity was significantly higher in longer hydroperiods, also longer hydroperiod exhibited less dramatic changes in the physicochemistry characteristics, representing a more stable environment than shorter hydroperiods. This study demonstrates that hydroperiod not only affects aquatic biological diversity but ecosystem structure, as well.
Published: 2021

16. The role of anthropogenic habitats in freshwater mussel conservation

Author: Vincent Prié, Karel Douda, Simone Varandas, Anna Maria Labecka, Keiko Nakamura, Spase Shumka, Lucas Rezende Penido Paschoal, Ekaterina S. Konopleva, Juergen Geist, Martin Österling, Iga Lewin, Manuel Lopes-Lima, Mitsunori Nakano, M.W. Klunzinger, Mikhail O. Son, Ronaldo Sousa, Amílcar Teixeira, Alexandra Zieritz, Frankie Thielen, Hugh A. Jones, John M. Pfeiffer, Allan K Smith, Ivan N. Bolotov, Xiaoping Wu, Dariusz Halabowski, Olga V. Aksenova, Yulia V. Bespalaya, Ilya V. Vikhrev, Nicoletta Riccardi, Joana Garrido Nogueira, Xiongjun Liu, Carlos A. Lasso, Rogério Alexandre Nunes dos Santos, Jon Mageroy, Santiago Hernan Torres, Musa C. Mlambo, and Universidade do Minho
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, novel ecosystems, Conservation of Natural Resources, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Zoology and botany: 480 [VDP], Biodiversity, Fresh Water, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Novel ecosystem, Freshwater ecosystem, ecological traps, unionids, freshwater biodiversity, Animals, Humans, Environmental Chemistry, IUCN Red List, Dominance (ecology), 14. Life underwater, sink habitats, freshawter biodiversity, Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480 [VDP], Ecosystem, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, General Environmental Science, Global and Planetary Change, Ciências Naturais::Ciências Biológicas, Science & Technology, Ecology, 15. Life on land, Bivalvia, Europe, Geography, Habitat, 13. Climate action, North America, Threatened species, Ecological trap
Abstract: The data that supports the findings of this study are available in the supplementary material of this article., Anthropogenic freshwater habitats may provide undervalued prospects for long-term conservation as part of species conservation planning. This fundamental, but overlooked, issue requires attention considering the pace that humans have been altering natural freshwater ecosystems and the accelerated levels of biodiversity decline in recent decades. We compiled 709 records of freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) inhabiting a broad variety of anthropogenic habitat types (from small ponds to large reservoirs and canals) and reviewed their importance as refuges for this faunal group. Most records came from Europe and North America, with a clear dominance of canals and reservoirs. The dataset covered 228 species, including 34 threatened species on the IUCN Red List. We discuss the conservation importance and provide guidance on how these anthropogenic habitats could be managed to provide optimal conservation value to freshwater mussels. This review also shows that some of these habitats may function as ecological traps owing to conflicting management practices or because they act as a sink for some populations. Therefore, anthropogenic habitats should not be seen as a panacea to resolve conservation problems. More information is necessary to better understand the trade-offs between human use and the conservation of freshwater mussels (and other biota) within anthropogenic habitats, given the low number of quantitative studies and the strong biogeographic knowledge bias that persists., This publication is based upon work from COST Action CA18239, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). A.M.L. was financed by the Institute of Environmental Sciences Jagiellonian University (N18/DBS/000003) and K.N. by the Aragón Government. The authors acknowledge Jarosław Andrzejewski, Bartosz Czader, Anna Fica, Marcin Horbacz, Tomasz Jonderko, Steinar Kålås, Tomasz Kapela, Bjørn Mejdell Larsen, Maciej Pabijan, Katarzyna Pawlik, Ilona Popławska, Joanna Przybylska, Tomasz Przybył, Mateusz Rybak, Kjell Sandaas, Jarosław Słowikowski, Tomasz Szczasny, Michał Zawadzki and Paweł Zowada for providing detailed information on specific examples concerning freshwater mussels in anthropogenic habitats. We thank the editor and two anonymous referees for the valuable suggestions made, which increased the clarity of our manuscript.
Published: 2021

17. Protected and un-protected urban wetlands have similar aquatic macroinvertebrate communities: A case study from the Cape Flats Sand Fynbos region of southern Africa

Author: Denham Parker, Michelle Blanckenberg, Musa C. Mlambo, Cecile Reed, and Samuel N. Motitsoe
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Topography, Aquatic Organisms, Geologic Sediments, Biodiversity, Marine and Aquatic Sciences, Wetland, 01 natural sciences, Ecosystem services, Geographic Areas, Conservation Science, Sedimentary Geology, Multidisciplinary, geography.geographical_feature_category, Ecology, Geography, Aquatic ecosystem, Geology, Urban ecology, Shannon Index, Community Ecology, Medicine, Species evenness, Regression Analysis, Research Article, Freshwater Environments, Urban Areas, Ecological Metrics, Science, 010603 evolutionary biology, Africa, Southern, Public space, Species Specificity, Animals, Urban Ecology, Cities, Community Structure, Petrology, geography, Landforms, Analysis of Variance, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Aquatic Environments, Biology and Life Sciences, Geomorphology, Species Diversity, Invertebrates, Wetlands, Multivariate Analysis, Earth Sciences, Sediment, Species richness
Abstract: Rapid urbanisation has led to major landscape alterations, affecting aquatic ecosystems' hydrological and biogeochemical cycles, and biodiversity. Thus, habitat alteration is considered a major driver of aquatic biodiversity loss and related aquatic ecosystem goods and services. This study aimed to investigate and compare aquatic macroinvertebrate richness, diversity and community structure between urban temporary wetlands, located within protected and un-protected areas. The latter were found within an open public space or park with no protection or conservation status, whereas the former were inaccessible to the public and had formal protected, conservation status. We hypothesised that; (1) protected urban wetlands will harbour higher aquatic macroinvertebrate biodiversity (both dry and wet) as compared to un-protected urban wetlands, and (2) that the community composition between the two urban wetlands types will be significantly different. Contrary to our hypothesis, our results revealed no major differences between protected and un-protected urban wetlands, based on the measures investigated (i.e. taxon richness, Shannon-Weiner diversity, Pielou's evenness and community composition) during the dry and wet phase. The only exception was community composition, which revealed significant differences between these urban wetland types. These results suggest that human activities (potential littering and polluting) in the un-protected urban wetlands have not yet resulted in drastic change in macroinvertebrate richness and composition, at least from the dry phase. This suggests a potential for un-protected urban wetlands suffering from minimal human impact to act as important reservoirs of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Published: 2020

18. Deeper knowledge of shallow waters: reviewing the invertebrate fauna of southern African temporary wetlands

Author: Matthew S. Bird, Alexandra J. Holland, David T. Bilton, Martin H. Villet, Musa C. Mlambo, Tatenda Dalu, Ryan J. Wasserman, Helen M. Barber-James, Jenny A. Day, and Luc Brendonck
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, geography.geographical_feature_category, Ecology, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Fauna, Biodiversity, Wetland, Aquatic Science, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Geography, Habitat, IUCN Red List, Conservation status, Species richness, Endemism
Abstract: Temporary lentic wetlands are becoming increasingly recognised for their collective role in contributing to biodiversity at the landscape scale. In southern Africa, a region with a high density of such wetlands, information characterising the fauna of these systems is disparate and often obscurely published. Here we provide a collation and synthesis of published research on the aquatic invertebrate fauna inhabiting temporary lentic wetlands of the region. We expose the poor taxonomic knowledge of most groups, which makes it difficult to comment on patterns of richness and endemism. Only a few groups (e.g. large branchiopods, ostracods, copepods and cladocerans) appear to reach higher richness and/or endemicity in temporary wetlands compared to their permanent wetland counterparts. IUCN Red List information is lacking for most taxa, thus making it difficult to comment on the conservation status of much of the invertebrate fauna. However, except for a few specialist groups, many of the taxa inhabiting these environments appear to be habitat generalists that opportunistically exploit these waterbodies and this is hypothesised as one of the reasons why endemism appears to be low for most taxa. Given that taxonomy underpins ecology, the urgent need for more foundational taxonomic work on these systems becomes glaringly apparent.
Published: 2018

19. The importance of museum collections in determining biodiversity patterns, using a freshwater mussel Unio caffer (Krauss 1848) as an example

Author: Musa C. Mlambo, Chris C. Appleton, Bayanda Sonamzi, and Helen M. Barber-James
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Unionoida, south africa, lcsh:QH1-199.5, Population, Biodiversity, Distribution (economics), Plant Science, lcsh:General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, South Africa, IUCN Red List, education, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, disjunct distribution, freshwater Bivalvia, education.field_of_study, biology, business.industry, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Disjunct distribution, unionoida, freshwater bivalvia, biology.organism_classification, humanities, Fishery, Natural history, Geography, Conservation status, business, museum collections
Abstract: Background: Two recent distributional maps of the African freshwater mussel Unio caffer (Krauss 1848) in South Africa represented an incomplete picture compared to the records held by the national museums. Objectives: This study is partly in response to them, with the aim to compare and contrast the distribution maps of the published papers with the distribution records held by the national museums. Method: We requested the distribution records of U. caffer from four South African museums. We visited and worked on the U. caffer collections of three of these museums to confirm the taxonomic identity of their specimens and gather occurrence records. We also extracted the distributional records from the two published maps, and plotted all these records using the geographic information system, ESRI ArcGIS. Results: The distribution map based on the museum records showed that this species occurred in all nine provinces of the country, thus revealing a much broader historical occurrence than previous known. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the crucial function of museums, natural history collections in facilitating understanding about biodiversity patterns using U. caffer distribution as an example. However, as museum records mainly show historical occurrence, there is a need to conduct further studies to assess the current population trends of this species. Although the current International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) conservation assessment of this species is Least Concern, pressures on native fish, which host the larval stages of this mussel, and the declining environmental conditions of rivers in the country may affect the conservation status in the near future.
Published: 2019

20. Two new Mesoceration Janssens, 1967 from the Piketberg, South Africa (Coleoptera, Hydraenidae)

Author: David T. Bilton and Musa C. Mlambo
Subjects: Insecta, Arthropoda, biology, Range (biology), Zoology, Cape peninsula, Hydraenidae, Biodiversity, biology.organism_classification, Explanatum, Coleoptera, South Africa, Genus, Western cape, Animalia, Animals, Animal Science and Zoology, Animal Distribution, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Taxonomy
Abstract: Mesoceration explanatum sp. nov. and M. piketbergense sp. nov. are described from the Piketberg range in the Western Cape Province, South Africa, bringing the total number of known species in the genus to 55, all of which are endemic to South Africa. M. explanatum sp. nov. is a member of the truncatum group, whilst M piketbergense sp. nov. belongs to the endroedyi group and is apparently closely related to M. concessum Perkins & Balfour-Browne, 1994 and M. tabulare Perkins, 2008, both of which are endemic to the Cape Peninsula. The two new species were both relatively abundant in the Piketberg, and may be narrowly endemic to this inselberg-like mountain range.
Published: 2019

21. Revalidation of Caridina natalensis De Man, 1908 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) in the South Western Indian Ocean

Author: Gérard Marquet, Philippe Keith, Magalie Castelin, Valentin de Mazancourt, Clementine Renneville, Musa C. Mlambo, Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA), Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université des Antilles (UA), Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB ), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université des Antilles (UA), and Rhodes University, Grahamstown
Subjects: Morphology, 16S, Arthropoda, Mayotte, Zoology, Fresh Water, Seychelles, [SDV.BID.SPT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity/Systematics, Phylogenetics and taxonomy, Comoros, Atyidae, Revalidation, South Africa, Decapoda, Madagascar, Animalia, Animals, Malacostraca, Caridina nilotica, Indian Ocean, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Taxonomy, Ovum, biology, Freshwater shrimp, Biodiversity, biology.organism_classification, Crustacean, Caridina, Mitochondria, [SDV.BA.ZI]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Invertebrate Zoology, Indian ocean, Integrative taxonomy, Animal Science and Zoology
Abstract: International audience; Numerous specimens of a freshwater shrimp with small eggs belonging to the Caridina nilotica complex collected in the South Western Indian Ocean were studied and compared with recent and old collection specimens genetically (16S mitochondrial analysis for recent and type specimens) and morphologically. The results revealed that, in the Indian Ocean, what has been identified by several authors under various species names of the complex C. nilotica, was in fact C. natalensis De Man, 1908. This valid species is re-described and compared with closely related species, often confused with it in this area: C. brachydactyla De Man, 1908, C. brevidactyla Roux, 1920, C. gracilipes De Man, 1892 and C. longirostris H. Milne Edwards, 1837
Published: 2019

22. Sediment Respiration Pulses in Intermittent Rivers and Ephemeral Streams

Author: Robert J. Rolls, Chelsea J. Little, Simone Guareschi, Annamaria Zoppini, R. Vander Vorste, Eduardo J. Martín, Arnaud Foulquier, Núria Cid, Kate S. Boersma, Michael T. Bogan, Björn Gücker, Cleo Woelfle-Erskine, Amina Taleb, V. D. Diaz-Villanueva, Manuela Morais, J. Marshall, Arturo Elosegi, Vladimir Pešić, Lluís Gómez-Gener, S. Kubheka, Marko Miliša, Clara Mendoza-Lera, Florian Altermatt, Rachel Stubbington, Iola G. Boëchat, Ryan M. Burrows, Arnaud Dehedin, Damien Banas, Iñaki Odriozola, Núria Bonada, Roland Corti, Marcos Moleón, R. Gómez, Ricardo J. Albariño, Erin E. Beller, Alex Laini, Pablo Rodríguez-Lozano, Andreas Bruder, Melanie L. Blanchette, Felicitas Hoppeler, Shai Arnon, B. de Freitas Terra, A. Papatheodoulou, Nathan J. Waltham, Christophe Piscart, Rafael Marcé, Catherine M. Febria, A. Uzan, Peter M. Negus, Dev K. Niyogi, Dominik Zak, Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié, Ana Savić, Catherine Leigh, R. Figueroa, Sarig Gafny, Alisha L. Steward, Emile Faye, Elisabeth I. Meyer, Petr Pařil, Daniel C. Allen, Klement Tockner, D. von Schiller, Mark O. Gessner, K. Brintrup, Jason L. Hwan, Fiona Dyer, C. P. Duerdoth, Gonzalo García-Baquero, Michael Danger, Isabel Pardo, Musa C. Mlambo, R. del Campo, Tommaso Cancellario, Brian Four, A. M. De Girolamo, Thibault Datry, Oleksandra Shumilova, María Isabel Arce, M. M. Sánchez-Montoya, Marek Polášek, Nick Bond, Juan F. Blanco-Libreros, Simone D. Langhans, Stephanie M. Carlson, Andy Banegas-Medina, Manuel A. S. Graça, Joanna Blessing, Biel Obrador, Stefan Lorenz, Christiane Zarfl, Angus R. McIntosh, European Commission, Milieux aquatiques, écologie et pollutions (UR MALY), Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA), Leibniz-Institut für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei (IGB), Leibniz Association, Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country, Department of Advanced Materials, Cranfield University, Laboratoire d'Ecologie des Hydrosystèmes Fluviaux (EHF), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Environnements Continentaux (LIEC), Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Purdue University [West Lafayette], Centro de investigaciones biológicas, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, évolution [Rennes] (ECOBIO), Université de Rennes 1 (UR1), Université de Rennes (UNIV-RENNES)-Université de Rennes (UNIV-RENNES)-Institut Ecologie et Environnement (INEE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Rennes (OSUR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire d'Electronique Quantique, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediene [Alger] (USTHB)-Faculté de Physique, 748625, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, 603629, European Commission, CGL2017‐86788‐C3‐3‐P, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, PP00P3_179089, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, IT‐951‐16, Eusko Jaurlaritza, CA15113, European Cooperation in Science and Technology, Universidad del Pais Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea [Espagne] (UPV/EHU), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), RiverLy (UR Riverly), Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA ), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), Austrian Science Fund (FWF), Instituto Catalán de Investigación del Agua - ICRA (SPAIN) (ICRA), Laboratory of Molecular Structure Characterization [Prague] (MBU / CAS), Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences (MBU / CAS), Czech Academy of Sciences [Prague] (CAS)-Czech Academy of Sciences [Prague] (CAS), University of Barcelona, Technische Universität Berlin (TU), Nottingham Trent University, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente [Bariloche] (INIBIOMA-CONICET), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas [Buenos Aires] (CONICET)-Universidad Nacional del Comahue [Neuquén] (UNCOMA), University of Oklahoma (OU), Universität Zürich [Zürich] = University of Zurich (UZH), Swiss Federal Insitute of Aquatic Science and Technology [Dübendorf] (EAWAG), The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research (BIDR), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), Unité de Recherches Animal et Fonctionnalités des Produits Animaux (URAFPA), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université de Lorraine (UL), Universidad de Concepción - University of Concepcion [Chile], Department of Geography [Berkeley], University of California [Berkeley], University of California-University of California, Edith Cowan University (ECU), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation [Canberra] (CSIRO)-Planning and Transport Research Centre (PATREC), Universidad de Antioquia = University of Antioquia [Medellín, Colombia], Queensland Government, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei (UFSJ), University of San Diego, University of Arizona, La Trobe University, Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana [Manno] (SUPSI), Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University [Brisbane], Universidad de Navarra [Pamplona] (UNAV), Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management [Berkeley] (ESPM), Institut Ecologie et Environnement (INEE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Terre et Environnement de Lorraine (OTELo), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Universidade Estadual Vale do Acarau, Asconit Consultants, National Research Council, Water Research Institute, Universidad de Murcia, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), University of Canberra, Fonctionnement agroécologique et performances des systèmes de cultures horticoles (UPR HORTSYS), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad), School of biological Sciences [Christchurch], University of Canterbury [Christchurch], University of Windsor [Ca], Département Ecologie des Forêts, Prairies et milieux Aquatiques (DEPT EFPA), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Ruppin Academic Center, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science [Umeå], Umeå University, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE UC), Universidade de Coimbra [Coimbra], Loughborough University, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main-Senckenberg – Leibniz Institution for Biodiversity and Earth System Research - Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Leibniz Association-Leibniz Association, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, University of Parma = Università degli studi di Parma [Parme, Italie], University of Otago [Dunedin, Nouvelle-Zélande], Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), Queensland University of Technology [Brisbane] (QUT), Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity (IEB), Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster (WWU), University of Zagreb, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, Universidad de Granada (UGR), Universidade de Évora, Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T), University of Missouri System, Terra Cypria - Cyprus Conservation Foundation, Universidade de Vigo, Masaryk University [Brno] (MUNI), University of Montenegro (UCG), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Rennes (OSUR)-Institut Ecologie et Environnement (INEE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Rennes 1 (UR1), Université de Rennes (UNIV-RENNES)-Université de Rennes (UNIV-RENNES), School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England (UNE), University of Niš, Freie Universität Berlin, University of Trento [Trento], Université Aboubekr Belkaid - University of Belkaïd Abou Bekr [Tlemcen], Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Partenaires INRAE, Centre for TropicalWater and Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER), School of Earth and Environmental Sciences [Australia], James Cook University (JCU)-James Cook University (JCU), University of Washington [Seattle], Universität Rostock, Aarhus University [Aarhus], Center for Applied Geoscience [Tübingen] (ZAG), Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen = Eberhard Karls University of Tuebingen, Short-Term Scientific Mission of the COST Action : CA15113, European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST), European Commission : 603629 , 748625, Grant for Research Groups of the Basque University System - Basque Government : IT-951-16, Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through project CHYDROCHANGE : CGL2017-86788C3-2-P , CGL2017-86788-C3-3-P, Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) - European Commission : PP00P3_150698, PP00P3_179089, EU project LIFE+ TRivers : LIFE13 ENV/ES/000341, INTER-COST project : LTC17017, CONICYT/FONDAT/15130015, European Project: 748625,H2020-MSCA-IF-2016,SABER CULTURAL, European Project: 0934954(2009), Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences [Prague, Czech Republic] (MBU / CAS), Technical University of Berlin / Technische Universität Berlin (TU), Université de Lorraine (UL)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), University of California [Berkeley] (UC Berkeley), University of California (UC)-University of California (UC), University of San Diego (USD), Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana = University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland [Manno] (SUPSI), Università degli studi di Parma = University of Parma (UNIPR), Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster = University of Münster (WWU), Universidad de Granada = University of Granada (UGR), Université de Rennes (UR)-Institut Ecologie et Environnement (INEE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Rennes (OSUR), and Université de Rennes (UR)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Rennes 2 (UR2)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Rennes 2 (UR2)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Subjects: Carbon sequestration, 0106 biological sciences, Atmospheric Science, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, [SDE.MCG]Environmental Sciences/Global Changes, river, CO, 2, intermittent, respiration, stream, temporary, STREAMS, Atmospheric sciences, 01 natural sciences, River sediments, chemistry.chemical_compound, Rivers, Respiration, Environmental Chemistry, Ecosystem, Captura i emmagatzematge de diòxid de carboni, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, Cursos d'aigua, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, General Environmental Science, Riparian zone, Global and Planetary Change, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Sediments fluvials, fungi, River, Stream, Intermittent, Temporary, CO2, CO2 emissions, C cycling, stream respiration, Sediment, Vegetation, 15. Life on land, 6. Clean water, chemistry, 13. Climate action, CO 2, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Carbon dioxide, Plant cover, Environmental science
Abstract: The dataset (Data File S1; DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.8863721) and the R code used to generate the results (Code S1; DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.8863655), including step by step explanations of the statistical tests, have been deposited in Figshare Digital Repository (https://figshare.com/projects/Sediment_Respiration_Pulses_in_Intermittent_Rivers_and_Ephemeral_Streams/66104)., Intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES) may represent over half the global stream network, but their contribution to respiration and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is largely undetermined. In particular, little is known about the variability and drivers of respiration in IRES sediments upon rewetting, which could result in large pulses of CO2. We present a global study examining sediments from 200 dry IRES reaches spanning multiple biomes. Results from standardized assays show that mean respiration increased 32–66-fold upon sediment rewetting. Structural equation modelling indicates that this response was driven by sediment texture and organic matter quantity and quality, which, in turn, were influenced by climate, land use and riparian plant cover. Our estimates suggest that respiration pulses resulting from rewetting of IRES sediments could contribute significantly to annual CO2 emissions from the global stream network, with a single respiration pulse potentially increasing emission by 0.2–0.7%. As the spatial and temporal extent of IRES increases globally, our results highlight the importance of recognizing the influence of wetting-drying cycles on respiration and CO2 emissions in stream networks., We thank Y. Etxeberria, L. Sánchez, C. Gutiérrez, G. LeGoff and B. Launay for laboratory support. DvS was supported by a Short-Term Scientific Mission of the COST Action CA15113 (SMIRES, Science and Management of Intermittent Rivers and Ephemeral Streams, www.smires.eu), supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) and received additional funding from the EU’s 7th Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement No. 603629 (GLOBAQUA) and a Grant for Research Groups of the Basque University System (IT-951-16) funded by the Basque Government. RM and BO were supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through project C-HYDROCHANGE (CGL2017-86788-C3-2-P and CGL2017-86788-C3-3-P). FA was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation grants No. PP00P3_150698 and PP00P3_179089. NC was supported by the EU project LIFE+ TRivers (LIFE13 ENV/ES/000341). SDL received funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 748625. PP and MP were supported by INTER-COST project LTC17017. The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Published: 2019

23. Simulating rewetting events in intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams: a global analysis of leached nutrients and organic matter

Author: Arnaud Foulquier, Michael T. Bogan, Björn Gücker, Roland Corti, Daniel von Schiller, Pablo Rodríguez-Lozano, Fiona Dyer, Vladimir Pešić, Stefan Lorenz, Klement Tockner, Jonathan C. Marshall, Lluís Gómez-Gener, Ana Savić, Thibault Datry, Dominik Zak, Rubén del Campo, Marcos Moleón, Clara Mendoza-Lera, Elisabeth I. Meyer, Chelsea J. Little, Simone Guareschi, Ross Vander Vorste, Richardo Figueroa, Florian Altermatt, Michael Danger, Oleksandra Shumilova, Musa C. Mlambo, Rosa Gómez Cerezo, Annamaria Zoppini, Joanna Blessing, Kate S. Boersma, Petr Paril, Núria Bonada, Alisha L. Steward, Christiane Zarfl, Amina Taleb, Manuel A. S. Graça, Juan F. Blanco-Libreros, Peter M. Negus, Isabel Pardo, Iola G. Boëchat, Ryan M. Burrows, Stephanie M. Carlson, Angus R. McIntosh, Mark O. Gessner, Andy Banegas-Medina, Simone D. Langhans, María Isabel Arce, Kate Brintrup, Rachel Stubbington, Pierre Gnohossou, Biel Obrador, Athina Papatheodoulou, Erin E. Beller, Nick Bond, Shai Arnon, Robert J. Rolls, Brian Four, Catherine M. Febria, Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié, Bianca de Freitas Terra, Catherine Leigh, Emile Faye, Andreas Bruder, Daniel C. Allan, Jason L. Hwan, Núria Cid, Skhumbuzo Kubheka, Damien Banas, Nathan J. Waltham, M. M. Sánchez-Montoya, Arturo Elosegi, Marko Miliša, Dev K. Niyogi, Anna Maria De Girolamo, Tommaso Cancellario, Melanie L. Blanchette, European Commission, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Freie Universität Berlin, University of Trento, Universität Rostock, Aarhus University, Institut National de Recherche en Sciences et Technologies pour l'Environnement et l'Agriculture (IRSTEA), University of the Basque Country (University of the Basque Country), Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry]), University of Barcelona, Austrian Science Fund (FWF), University of Oklahoma (OU), University of Zurich, Centro de Edafologia y Biologia Aplicada del Segura, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), Unité de Recherches Animal et Fonctionnalités des Produits Animaux (URAFPA), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université de Lorraine (UL), Universidad de Concepción, University of California [Berkeley], University of California, Edith Cowan University, University of Antioquia, Queensland Government, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei (UFSJ), University of California [San Diego] (UC San Diego), University of Arizona, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona [Barcelona] (UAB), La Trobe University, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Switzerland, Griffith University [Brisbane], University of Navarra, Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Environnements Continentaux (LIEC), Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Lorraine (UL), Universidade Estadual Vale do Acarau, National Council of Research, Water Research Institute, Universidad de Murcia, University of Canberra, Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad), University of Canterbury, University of Windsor, Département Ecologie des Forêts, Prairies et milieux Aquatiques (DEPT EFPA), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Berlin Institute of Technology, Université de Parakou, Umea University, University of Coimbra, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, University of Otago [Dunedin, Nouvelle-Zélande], Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), Queensland University of Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Brandenburg University of Technology, University of Münster, University of Zagreb, Rhodes University, Universidad de Granada (UGR), Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T), University of Missouri System, Terra Cypria - Cyprus Conservation Foundation, Universidate de Vigo, Masaryk University, University of Montenegro (UCG), University of New England (UNE), University of Niš, Nottingham Trent University, Université de Tlemcen, James Cook University (JCU), University of Tübingen, Aarhus University [Aarhus], Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA ), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Institut Ecologie et Environnement (INEE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Terre et Environnement de Lorraine (OTELo), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University of Canterbury [Christchurch], University of Windsor [Ca], Université de Parakou (UP), Department of Ecology and Environmental Science [Umeå], Umeå University, Swiss Federal Insitute of Aquatic Science and Technology [Dübendorf] (EAWAG), Rhodes University, Grahamstown, Universidade de Vigo, and Masaryk University [Brno] (MUNI)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Geologic Sediments, sédiment, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Climate, rehumectation, 01 natural sciences, Substance nutritive, Klimatforskning, chemistry.chemical_compound, zone humide temporaire, Nutrient, Nitrate, matière organique dissoute, Dissolved organic carbon, Canvi climàtic, Primary Research Article, Organic Chemicals, General Environmental Science, chemistry.chemical_classification, Global and Planetary Change, leaf litter, cycle des nutriments, Ecology, zone climatique, Litière végétale, Sediments fluvials, sediments, Lessivage du sol, 6. Clean water, Lixiviació, biofilms, leaching, rewetting, temporary rivers, climatic region, climate change, Environmental chemistry, Leaching (pedology), Biogeochemical cycle, Climate Research, P40 - Météorologie et climatologie, [SDE.MCG]Environmental Sciences/Global Changes, Cours d'eau, Climate change, Biological Availability, 010603 evolutionary biology, River sediments, Sécheresse, biodisponibilité, Rivers, Environmental Chemistry, Organic matter, litière du sol, Matière organique, P10 - Ressources en eau et leur gestion, variation géographique, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Changement climatique, Nitrates, entraînement par lessivage, P35 - Fertilité du sol, Nutrients, 15. Life on land, Primary Research Articles, Arid, Climatic change, Plant Leaves, chemistry, 13. Climate action, Environmental science, bioavailability
Abstract: Climate change and human pressures are changing the global distribution and the extent of intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES), which comprise half of the global river network area. IRES are characterized by periods of flow cessation, during which channel substrates accumulate and undergo physico‐chemical changes (preconditioning), and periods of flow resumption, when these substrates are rewetted and release pulses of dissolved nutrients and organic matter (OM). However, there are no estimates of the amounts and quality of leached substances, nor is there information on the underlying environmental constraints operating at the global scale. We experimentally simulated, under standard laboratory conditions, rewetting of leaves, riverbed sediments, and epilithic biofilms collected during the dry phase across 205 IRES from five major climate zones. We determined the amounts and qualitative characteristics of the leached nutrients and OM, and estimated their areal fluxes from riverbeds. In addition, we evaluated the variance in leachate characteristics in relation to selected environmental variables and substrate characteristics. We found that sediments, due to their large quantities within riverbeds, contribute most to the overall flux of dissolved substances during rewetting events (56%–98%), and that flux rates distinctly differ among climate zones. Dissolved organic carbon, phenolics, and nitrate contributed most to the areal fluxes. The largest amounts of leached substances were found in the continental climate zone, coinciding with the lowest potential bioavailability of the leached OM. The opposite pattern was found in the arid zone. Environmental variables expected to be modified under climate change (i.e. potential evapotranspiration, aridity, dry period duration, land use) were correlated with the amount of leached substances, with the strongest relationship found for sediments. These results show that the role of IRES should be accounted for in global biogeochemical cycles, especially because prevalence of IRES will increase due to increasing severity of drying events., In this study we experimentally simulated under laboratory conditions rewetting of leaves, riverbed sediments, and epilithic biofilms collected during the dry phase from intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams covering global spatial scale. We determined the amounts and quality of the leached nutrients and dissolved organic matter, assessed their inter‐substrate and cross‐climate differences, and estimated areal fluxes from 1 m2 of riverbeds. In addition, we evaluated the variance in leachate characteristics related to selected environmental variables and substrate characteristics.
Published: 2019

24. A global analysis of terrestrial plant litter dynamics in non-perennial waterways

Author: Roland Corti, Clara Mendoza-Lera, Ross Vander Vorste, María Isabel Arce, Iola G. Boëchat, Ryan M. Burrows, A. Uzan, Jonathan C. Marshall, Nick Bond, Cleo Woelfle-Erskine, Christopher T. Robinson, S. Kubheka, Damien Banas, Vladimir Pešić, Arnaud Foulquier, Klement Tockner, Nathan J. Waltham, Núria Cid, Thibault Datry, Michael T. Bogan, Marcos Moleón, Melanie L. Blanchette, Björn Gücker, Brian Four, Sudeep D. Ghate, Michael Danger, Musa C. Mlambo, V. D. Diaz-Villanueva, Florian Altermatt, Rosa Gómez, K. C. Brintrup Barría, Evans De La Barra, Manuela Morais, Richard G. Storey, Robert J. Rolls, Bianca de Freitas Terra, Tommaso Cancellario, Nabor Moya, A. M. De Girolamo, Arturo Elosegi, Chelsea J. Little, Amina Taleb, Ana Savić, R. del Campo, Simone Guareschi, Dominik Zak, Elisabeth I. Meyer, J. I. Jones, Annamaria Zoppini, Dev K. Niyogi, Peter M. Negus, Manuel A. S. Graça, Isabel Pardo, Pablo Rodríguez-Lozano, Eduardo J. Martín, Kate S. Boersma, Petr Pařil, Erin E. Beller, Alex Laini, Kandikere R. Sridhar, Cristina Canhoto, Felicitas Hoppeler, D. von Schiller, Shai Arnon, Rachel Stubbington, Sarig Gafny, Alisha L. Steward, Núria Bonada, Lluís Gómez-Gener, Ricardo J. Albariño, A. Papatheodoulou, Joanna Blessing, Steffen U. Pauls, Juan F. Blanco-Libreros, Simone D. Langhans, Christiane Zarfl, Jean-Christophe Clément, Mark O. Gessner, Angus R. McIntosh, Fiona Dyer, Oleksandra Shumilova, Catherine M. Febria, Marek Polášek, Stefan Lorenz, Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié, Stephanie M. Carlson, Andy Banegas-Medina, Jason L. Hwan, M. M. Sánchez-Montoya, Daniel C. Allen, Catherine Leigh, Emile Faye, Marko Miliša, Andreas Bruder, Milieux aquatiques, écologie et pollutions (UR MALY), Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA), Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA ), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), Leibniz-Institut für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei (IGB), Leibniz Association, Universidad del Pais Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea [Espagne] (UPV/EHU), Centre Alpin de Recherche sur les Réseaux Trophiques et Ecosystèmes Limniques (CARRTEL), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry]), School of Geography and the Environment [Oxford] (SoGE), University of Oxford [Oxford], Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología [Río Negro] (IIPG), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas [Buenos Aires] (CONICET)-Universidad Nacional de Río Negro (UNRN), Unité de Recherches Animal et Fonctionnalités des Produits Animaux (URAFPA), Université de Lorraine (UL)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Environnements Continentaux (LIEC), Institut Ecologie et Environnement (INEE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Terre et Environnement de Lorraine (OTELo), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country, Intelligent Control Systems Laboratory (ICSL), Griffith University [Brisbane], Conseil Général du Rhône, Département du Rhône, Science et Ingénierie des Matériaux et Procédés (SIMaP ), Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Institut de Chimie du CNRS (INC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019] (UGA [2016-2019]), Purdue University [West Lafayette], Centro de investigaciones biológicas, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Klinik für Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Ulm - University Hospital of Ulm, Department of Biosciences [Mangalore], Mangalore University, Langenberg, Heike, Goldin, Tamara, Plail, Melissa, Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), School of Geography and the Environment [Oxford], Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université de Lorraine (UL), Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Science et Ingénierie des Matériaux et Procédés (SIMaP), Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP)-Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble (INPG)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Institut de Recherches Subatomiques (IReS), Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Cancéropôle du Grand Est-Université Louis Pasteur - Strasbourg I-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Milieux aquatiques, écologie et pollutions ( UR MALY ), Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture ( IRSTEA ), Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine ( LECA ), Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 ( UJF ) -Université Savoie Mont Blanc ( USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry] ) -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ), Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology & Inland Fisheries, Universidad del Pais Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea ( UPV/EHU ), Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries ( IGB ), Freie Universität Berlin [Berlin], Centre Alpin de Recherche sur les Réseaux Trophiques et Ecosystèmes Limniques ( CARRTEL ), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique ( INRA ) -Université Savoie Mont Blanc ( USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry] ), Laboratoire Environnement Géomécanique et Ouvrages ( LAEGO ), Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine ( INPL ), Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología, Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, Unité de Recherches Animal et Fonctionnalités des Produits Animaux ( URAFPA ), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique ( INRA ) -Université de Lorraine ( UL ), Universitat de Barcelona ( UB ), Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Environnements Continentaux ( LIEC ), Université de Lorraine ( UL ) -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ), Centre d'études et de recherches appliquées à la gestion ( CERAG ), Université Pierre Mendès France - Grenoble 2 ( UPMF ) -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ), Intelligent Control Systems Laboratory ( ICSL ), Griffith University, Science et Ingénierie des Matériaux et Procédés ( SIMaP ), Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 ( UJF ) -Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology ( Grenoble INP ) -Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble ( INPG ) -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ) -Université Grenoble Alpes ( UGA ), Spanish National Research Council ( CSIC ), Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Organic Chemistry Division-I, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad-500 007, India, Institut de Recherches Subatomiques ( IReS ), and Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS ( IN2P3 ) -Cancéropôle du Grand Est-Université Louis Pasteur - Strasbourg I-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS )
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, RIVERS, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Perennial plant, ved/biology.organism_classification_rank.species, C CYCLE, SEQUESTRATION, 01 natural sciences, [ SDE ] Environmental Sciences, ECOSYSTEMS, ZONE CLIMATIQUE, 212 dry riverbeds, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, DROUGHT, CLIMATE-CHANGE, geography.geographical_feature_category, CYCLE DU CARBONE, Plant litter, CARBON-DIOXIDE EMISSIONS, 6. Clean water, global research, CO2 EMISSION, [ SDE.MCG ] Environmental Sciences/Global Changes, TEMPORARY RIVERS, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Ecosystem ecology, DECOMPOSITION, riverbeds, P40 - Météorologie et climatologie, [SDE.MCG]Environmental Sciences/Global Changes, VÉGÉTATION RIPICOLE, ephemeral streams, ECOLOGY, Terrestrial plant, [ SDU.ENVI ] Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces, environment, STREAMS, P10 - Ressources en eau et leur gestion, GLOBAL CHANGE, [SDU.ENVI]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces, environment, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Riparian zone, RIVER ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONING, Hydrology, geography, ved/biology, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, RIPARIAN VEGETATION, Global change, 15. Life on land, Arid, global change, river ecosystem functioning, CO2 emissions, temporary rivers, riparian vegetation, C cycle, COURS D'EAU, 13. Climate action, CO2 EMISSIONS, CHANGEMENT CLIMATIQUE, C-CYCLING, PATTERNS, Litter, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Environmental science, terrestrial plant litter, intermittent rivers, MATTER, LITIÈRE VÉGÉTALE
Abstract: International audience; Perennial rivers and streams make a disproportionate contribution to global carbon (C) cycling. However, the contribution of intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES), which sometimes cease to flow and can dry completely, is largely ignored although they represent over half the global river network. Substantial amounts of terrestrial plant litter (TPL) accumulate in dry riverbeds and, upon rewetting, this material can undergo rapid microbial processing. We present the results of a global research collaboration that collected and analysed TPL from 212 dry riverbeds across major environmental gradients and climate zones. We assessed litter decomposability by quantifying the litter carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and oxygen (O2) consumption in standardized assays and estimated the potential short-term CO2 emissions during rewetting events. Aridity, cover of riparian vegetation, channel width and dry-phase duration explained most variability in the quantity and decomposability of plant litter in IRES. Our estimates indicate that a single pulse of CO2 emission upon litter rewetting contributes up to 10% of the daily CO2 emission from perennial rivers and stream, particularly in temperate climates. This indicates that the contributions of IRES should be included in global C-cycling assessments.
Published: 2018

25. Bioenergy vs biodiversity: effects of intensive forest biomass removal on stream and riparian communities

Author: Risto Virtanen, Riku Paavola, Pauliina Louhi, Musa C. Mlambo, Janne Soininen, and Timo Muotka
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, River ecosystem, hakkuut, Forest management, Biodiversity, 010501 environmental sciences, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Freshwater ecosystem, sammalet, piilevät, hakkuujätteet, Riparian forest, 14. Life underwater, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Riparian zone, geography, Biomass (ecology), geography.geographical_feature_category, Agroforestry, Ecology, Keski-Suomi, Logging, Forestry, selkärangattomat, 15. Life on land, ta4112, luonnon monimuotoisuus, kaksisiipiäiset, biodiversiteetti, bioenergia, pohjaeläimistö, 13. Climate action, virtavedet, putkilokasvit, ta1181, Environmental science, energiantuotanto, joet
Abstract: The removal of forest logging residues for bioenergy production is projected to increase by several orders of magnitudes in the near future. Little is known about the environmental consequences of this practice, however, especially in freshwater ecosystems. Using data from 18 headwater streams in central Finland, we assessed the responses of four lotic (diatoms, bryophytes, dipterans and benthic macroinvertebrates) and two riparian (bryophytes and vascular plants) organism groups to logging residue removal (LRR). The streams were divided in three groups: unharvested, conventional logging (no LRR) or LRR (both conventional logging and LRR). We hypothesized that conventional logging would result in intermediate biodiversity and environmental responses, with LRR showing the strongest effects. Contrary to our expectation, conventional logging elicited the strongest responses, whereas LRR had little additional impact when compared with conventional logging. This likely reflects a stricter adherence by the LRR operators to forest management guidelines. Our approach of comparing both conventional logging and LRR to unharvested sites yielded important insights that would have been missed otherwise. Rigorous monitoring using multiple taxonomic groups of both terrestrial and freshwater origin is needed to detect the longterm effects of LRR activities.
Published: 2015

26. Not all traits are ‘functional’: insights from taxonomy and biodiversity-ecosystem functioning research

Author: Musa C. Mlambo
Subjects: Functional ecology, Ecology, Community, Biodiversity, Biology, Phylogenetic diversity, Evolutionary biology, Trait, Ecosystem, Species richness, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Organism, Nature and Landscape Conservation
Abstract: The current definition of a functional trait as any trait that is linked to growth, reproduction and survival is problematic. With this logic all traits within an organism can be defined as functional, because there is no one trait that is not linked to these processes. Such a definition, therefore, hinders the realignment of functional traits with biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationship (BEFR) and is also out of sync with taxonomy resulting in an unfortunate view of functional diversity as a combination of any available morphological, physiological and life-history traits. This paper argues that functional traits have to be functional, meaning that they have to demonstrably effect or respond to ecosystem processes, and following the insights of BEFR they should experimentally be tested too. The recent crop of studies comparing taxonomical versus functional diversity appears to be conceptually flawed, as they conflate trait-based and species-based approaches. If the focus is on the trait-based approach, then taxonomic diversity should be comprised of trait information too, which is given in the species taxonomic descriptions and not just species richness. Instead of the concept of functional traits being easier and quicker than species-based assessment, it is actually more demanding, and the burden of proof for identifying functional traits is much higher. Demonstrating that a trait plays a crucial role in ecosystem processes (i.e. functional) requires a far greater understanding of the organism and its interaction with the environment. The effort put on the functional traits, however considerable, may yield novel insights that are not possible with species-based approach.
Published: 2014

27. Macroinvertebrates as unreliable indicators of human disturbance in temporary depression wetlands of the south-western Cape, South Africa

Author: Musa C. Mlambo, Matthew S. Bird, and Jenny A. Day
Subjects: geography, River ecosystem, Disturbance (geology), Taxon, geography.geographical_feature_category, Habitat, Ecology, Cape, food and beverages, Wetland, Species richness, Aquatic Science, Invertebrate
Abstract: Macroinvertebrates have a successful history of use as indicators of human impact in lotic environments. More recently, macroinvertebrate indices have been recommended for use in certain wetland types. Yet some authors do not recommend macroinvertebrates indices of wetland condition in areas with pronounced natural environmental heterogeneity. Our study provides a preliminary assessment of the feasibility of using macroinvertebrates for bioassessment of temporary isolated depression wetlands in the south-western Cape region of South Africa. We expected natural environmental heterogeneity among wetlands to exert a stronger influence on macroinvertebrates than human disturbance factors. Partitioning of the variation in macroinvertebrate assemblage composition that could be attributed to human disturbance factors (within and adjacent to wetlands), environmental variables and spatio-temporal factors indicated that environmental and spatio-temporal factors independent of human disturbances largely determined assemblage composition, whilst human disturbance played a relatively minor role. Linear regressions of taxon richness/diversity measures, individual families and a collation of metrics against measures of habitat transformation around wetlands and scores from a rapid assessment index of human disturbance revealed poor relationships. The univariate and multivariate patterns observed in this study do not lend themselves to the creation of a macroinvertebrate index of human disturbance for temporary wetlands in the region.
Published: 2013

28. Wicked: The Problem of Biodiversity Loss

Author: Musa C. Mlambo and Martin Sharman
Subjects: media_common.quotation_subject, Economics, Econometrics and Finance (miscellaneous), Art, Environmental Science (miscellaneous), Humanities, media_common
Abstract: Wicked problems are not solvable with established methods. They require unprecedented solutions that can only be realised by thinking outside the box. Because a solution to a problem depends on how the latter is identified and defined, understanding and treating biodiversity loss as a wicked problem is a first crucial step in tackling it. Stopping biodiversity loss is not going to be easy, but is achievable. The key ingredients are taking personal responsibility, use of multidisciplinary approaches, and development of institutions.
Published: 2012

29. How to ensure a credible and efficient IPBES?

Author: Luiz Domeignoz Horta, Musa C. Mlambo, Sylvia I. Martinez, Katrin Vohland, Bege Jonsson, and Axel Paulsch
Subjects: Sustainable development, Process management, business.industry, Process (engineering), General assembly, Corporate governance, media_common.quotation_subject, Geography, Planning and Development, Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law, Public relations, Ecosystem services, Action (philosophy), Transparency (graphic), business, Function (engineering), media_common
Abstract: The accelerated loss of biodiversity, impaired ecosystem services, and lack of policy action pose a major threat to human welfare. The installation of an Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), as decided upon at the UN general assembly in December 2010, will provide a much needed framework to better coordinate global response to biodiversity loss. The Busan Outcome laid out the foundation of the structure, function and governance of the IPBES. However, the main goal is to make IPBES credible and effective. Here we discuss three main challenges for IPBES: (1) How to identify topics for the agenda and the assessments, (2) how to organise the assessment process, and (3) how to make findings more policy relevant. In this contribution we recommend that scientists actively act as “early warners”, identify pertinent topics that unify different stakeholders, and reflect the characteristics of the different regions and scales. Science has to be independent and improve its communication e.g. through the elaboration of different models and policy scenarios. A short reflection on fairness and effectivity leads to the conclusion that trust due to transparency will be one of the main factors that determines the success of IPBES.
Published: 2011

30. Author Correction: A global analysis of terrestrial plant litter dynamics in non-perennial waterways

Author: Ana Savić, Elisabeth I. Meyer, Ross Vander Vorste, Núria Cid, M. M. Sánchez-Montoya, S. Gafny, J. I. Jones, Christopher T. Robinson, Arnaud Foulquier, Marko Miliša, María Isabel Arce, A. Papatheodoulou, Cleo Woelfle-Erskine, S. Kubheka, Michael T. Bogan, Damien Banas, Björn Gücker, Chelsea J. Little, Isabel Pardo, Nabor Moya, Ahmed Taleb, Simone Guareschi, Nathan J. Waltham, V. D. Diaz-Villanueva, R. del Campo, Manuela Morais, Annamaria Zoppini, Erin E. Beller, Alex Laini, Manuel A. S. Graça, Clara Mendoza-Lera, Petr Pařil, Kate S. Boersma, Ricardo J. Albariño, Shai Arnon, Melanie L. Blanchette, Daniel C. Allen, Catherine Leigh, Klement Tockner, D. von Schiller, Nick Bond, Pablo Rodríguez-Lozano, Emile Faye, Jason L. Hwan, Rosa Gómez, Iola G. Boëchat, Ryan M. Burrows, Brian Four, Dominik Zak, Jonathan C. Marshall, E. Martín, Florian Altermatt, Marcos Moleón, Bianca de Freitas Terra, Michael Danger, Musa C. Mlambo, F. Hoppeler, Evans De La Barra, Núria Bonada, Steffen U. Pauls, A. Uzan, Stefan Lorenz, Peter M. Negus, Lluís Gómez-Gener, Vladimir Pešić, Mark O. Gessner, Robert J. Rolls, Andreas Bruder, Fiona Dyer, Oleksandra Shumilova, Roland Corti, Cristina Canhoto, Sudeep D. Ghate, Marek Polášek, Stephanie M. Carlson, Andy Banegas-Medina, K. R. Sridhar, Richard G. Storey, Joanna Blessing, Thibault Datry, Christiane Zarfl, Angus R. McIntosh, Juan F. Blanco-Libreros, Simone D. Langhans, Jean-Christophe Clément, K. C. Brintrup Barría, Rachel Stubbington, Catherine M. Febria, Sophie Cauvy-Fraunié, Alisha L. Steward, Tommaso Cancellario, A. M. De Girolamo, Arturo Elosegi, and Dev K. Niyogi
Subjects: Hydrology (agriculture), Perennial plant, Ecology, ved/biology, Terrestrial plant, ved/biology.organism_classification_rank.species, Litter, General Earth and Planetary Sciences, Environmental science, Freshwater ecology, Carbon cycle
Abstract: Correction to: Nature Geoscience https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-018-0134-4, published online 21 May 2018. In the version of this Article originally published, the affiliation for M. I. Arce was incorrect; it should have been: 5Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany. This has now been corrected in the online versions of the Article.
Published: 2018

31. The urgent need for human well-being elements in biodiversity research

Author: Musa C. Mlambo
Subjects: Ecology, Scope (project management), business.industry, Ecology (disciplines), Environmental resource management, Biodiversity, Research needs, Public attention, Biodiversity conservation, Political science, Well-being, Measurement of biodiversity, business, Environmental planning, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Nature and Landscape Conservation
Abstract: Biodiversity research needs to broaden its scope by incorporating human well-being elements if it is to attract public attention and thus affect conservation policy. Emphasizing the invaluable link between biodiversity conservation and human well-being will likely change the current, apathetic public perceptions about biodiversity conservation—the results of which are evident in the lack of urgency in tackling the crisis of biodiversity loss.
Published: 2012

32. A Comment: Functional Feeding Groups as a Taxonomic Surrogate for a Grassland Arthropod Assemblage

Author: Musa C. Mlambo
Subjects: Scarabaeidae, Pentatomoidea, Ecology, Neuroptera, Rebuttal, Paleontology, Biology, biology.organism_classification, Ichneumonoidea, Evolutionary biology, Insect Science, Assemblage (archaeology), Animal Science and Zoology, Identification (biology), Taxonomic rank, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Abstract: M. Mlambo (2011) raises very valid points in his commentary on our paper (Buschke & Seaman 2011). Although much can be said about the merits (or lack thereof) of our study, we limit our rebuttal to the four points specifically raised by Mlambo. The first point, that assigning functional feeding groups (FFG) is simpler than assigning family level, is rightfully contested by Mlambo and our paper did not provide quantitative evidence of this. Certain FFG cannot be assigned without traditional taxonomic efforts but many others can. For example, although large families such as Scarabaeidae and Muscidae cannot easily be assigned to FFG without further identification, many orders, such as adult Odonata, Neuroptera and Orthoptera, and superfamilies, such as parasitoid Ichneumonoidea and the piercing/sucking Pentatomoidea, share broad feeding styles. Based on our experience, we believe that on average it is simpler to assign FFG than other taxonomic levels. Mlambo's assertion that Kaiser et al. (2009) provide empirical evidence against the use of FFG is unfounded: their study also lacked quantitative evidence of taxonomic difficulties and their judgements were as subjective as ours.
Published: 2011

33. Diversity patterns of temporary wetland macroinvertebrate assemblages in the south-western Cape, South Africa

Author: Jenny A. Day, Matthew S. Bird, Musa C. Mlambo, and Cecile Reed
Subjects: Biotope, geography, geography.geographical_feature_category, biology, Ecology, Wetland, Aquatic Science, biology.organism_classification, Taxon, Physidae, Cape, Species richness, Relative species abundance, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Invertebrate
Abstract: Although macroinvertebrates are potentially useful for assessing the condition of temporary wetlands, little is yet known about them. Macroinvertebrate assemblages were assessed in 138 temporary wetlands in the south-western Cape, recording 126 taxa. However, predicted richness estimates were all higher than the observed richness. Five new species were collected—three hydraenid beetles, one streptocephalid fairy shrimp and one hydryphantid acarine—indicating the current paucity of knowledge about temporary wetland macroinvertebrates. The occurrence of the invasive snail Aplexa marmorata (Physidae) in this region was recorded for the first time. Assemblages were dominated by a few widespread taxa. Only four out of 73 genera accounted for more than half the total relative abundance and only two of these occurred in more than half the wetlands. Vegetated biotopes supported a higher relative abundance than open-water biotopes, but no difference existed between wetlands with one, two or three biotopes, indicating the conservation potential of wetlands with homogeneous biotopes. Wetlands from the different wetland regions did not show a clear separation based on their assemblage composition.Keywords: Acarina, Aplexa marmorata, Cederberg, flagship species, Mediterranean-type climateAfrican Journal of Aquatic Science 2011, 36(3): 299–308
Published: 2012

34. Protected and un-protected urban wetlands have similar aquatic macroinvertebrate communities: A case study from the Cape Flats Sand Fynbos region of southern Africa.

Author: Michelle Blanckenberg, Musa C Mlambo, Denham Parker, Samuel N Motitsoe, and Cecile Reed
Subjects: Medicine, Science
Abstract: Rapid urbanisation has led to major landscape alterations, affecting aquatic ecosystems' hydrological and biogeochemical cycles, and biodiversity. Thus, habitat alteration is considered a major driver of aquatic biodiversity loss and related aquatic ecosystem goods and services. This study aimed to investigate and compare aquatic macroinvertebrate richness, diversity and community structure between urban temporary wetlands, located within protected and un-protected areas. The latter were found within an open public space or park with no protection or conservation status, whereas the former were inaccessible to the public and had formal protected, conservation status. We hypothesised that; (1) protected urban wetlands will harbour higher aquatic macroinvertebrate biodiversity (both dry and wet) as compared to un-protected urban wetlands, and (2) that the community composition between the two urban wetlands types will be significantly different. Contrary to our hypothesis, our results revealed no major differences between protected and un-protected urban wetlands, based on the measures investigated (i.e. taxon richness, Shannon-Weiner diversity, Pielou's evenness and community composition) during the dry and wet phase. The only exception was community composition, which revealed significant differences between these urban wetland types. These results suggest that human activities (potential littering and polluting) in the un-protected urban wetlands have not yet resulted in drastic change in macroinvertebrate richness and composition, at least from the dry phase. This suggests a potential for un-protected urban wetlands suffering from minimal human impact to act as important reservoirs of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Published: 2020
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34 results on '"Musa C. Mlambo"'

1. The phylogenetically isolated South African endemic diving beetle Caperhantus cicurius (Fabricius, 1787): redescription and range extensions (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Colymbetinae)

2. Unravelling large-scale patterns and drivers of biodiversity in dry rivers

3. Water beetles (Coleoptera) associated with Afrotemperate Forest patches in the Garden Route National Park, South Africa

4. Excessive red tape is strangling biodiversity research in South Africa

5. The importance of museum collections in determining biodiversity patterns, using a freshwater mussel Unio caffer (Krauss 1848) as an example

6. Concerted intervention needed to escalate PhD numbers: A comment

7. Phylogenetic assessment of the halophilic Australian gastropod Coxiella and South African Tomichia resolves taxonomic uncertainties, uncovers new species and supports a Gondwanan link

8. A new desiccation-resistant midge from ephemeral rock pools in South Africa, Polypedilum (Pentapedilum) cranstoni sp. nov. (Diptera: Chironomidae)

9. List of contributors

10. Macroinvertebrates

11. Excessive red tape is strangling biodiversity research in South Africa

12. A tale of records from Hakskeen Pan, the first record of Pumilibranchipus deserti Hamer and Brendonck, 1995 (Anostraca, Branchiopoda) from South Africa and the pursuit of a new world land speed record

13. The negative impacts of fire on the resurrection ecology of invertebrates from temporary wetlands in Cape Flats Sand Fynbos in the Western Cape, South Africa

14. Leaf litter decomposition and decomposer communities in streams affected by intensive forest biomass removal

15. Trophic interactions and food web structure of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in afromontane wetlands: the influence of hydroperiod

16. The role of anthropogenic habitats in freshwater mussel conservation

17. Protected and un-protected urban wetlands have similar aquatic macroinvertebrate communities: A case study from the Cape Flats Sand Fynbos region of southern Africa

18. Deeper knowledge of shallow waters: reviewing the invertebrate fauna of southern African temporary wetlands

19. The importance of museum collections in determining biodiversity patterns, using a freshwater mussel Unio caffer (Krauss 1848) as an example

20. Two new Mesoceration Janssens, 1967 from the Piketberg, South Africa (Coleoptera, Hydraenidae)

21. Revalidation of Caridina natalensis De Man, 1908 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) in the South Western Indian Ocean

22. Sediment Respiration Pulses in Intermittent Rivers and Ephemeral Streams

23. Simulating rewetting events in intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams: a global analysis of leached nutrients and organic matter

24. A global analysis of terrestrial plant litter dynamics in non-perennial waterways

25. Bioenergy vs biodiversity: effects of intensive forest biomass removal on stream and riparian communities

26. Not all traits are ‘functional’: insights from taxonomy and biodiversity-ecosystem functioning research

27. Macroinvertebrates as unreliable indicators of human disturbance in temporary depression wetlands of the south-western Cape, South Africa

28. Wicked: The Problem of Biodiversity Loss

29. How to ensure a credible and efficient IPBES?

30. Author Correction: A global analysis of terrestrial plant litter dynamics in non-perennial waterways

31. The urgent need for human well-being elements in biodiversity research

32. A Comment: Functional Feeding Groups as a Taxonomic Surrogate for a Grassland Arthropod Assemblage

33. Diversity patterns of temporary wetland macroinvertebrate assemblages in the south-western Cape, South Africa

34. Protected and un-protected urban wetlands have similar aquatic macroinvertebrate communities: A case study from the Cape Flats Sand Fynbos region of southern Africa.

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