5/21/2015  |   13:30 - 13:45   |  103DE

IMPACTS OF FLOW REGULATION ON DISTRIBUTION, BEHAVIOR, AND PHYSIOLOGY OF NEOPORUS SP. (COLEOPTERA: DYTISCIDAE), A COMMON INHABITANT OF SOUTHEASTERN FLOODPLAINS Lack of regular flood events on regulated rivers can have wide-ranging effects on the distribution of floodplain inhabitants. This study aims to determine the effects of flow regulation on the predaceous diving beetle Neoporus sp., a widespread southeastern U.S. floodplain inhabitant. Floodplains of three regulated and three unregulated river systems were investigated over a three-year period to determine differences among the systems regarding Neoporus (1) distribution across the floodplains, (2) propensity for flight (dispersal), and (3) lipid and protein stores. The data show distinct differences between the rivers: Neoporus populations were restricted to permanent waters on the regulated floodplains, while on the unregulated floodplains they regularly accessed temporary waters (p<0.001). Behaviorally, populations in regulated systems were significantly less likely to disperse via flight (p<0.001). Physiologically, individuals in regulated systems contained significantly lower concentrations of lipids than those in unregulated systems (p=0.03). Protein concentrations did not differ. These results suggest that a lack of regular flood events has significantly affected multiple aspects of Neoporus populations in regulated systems. Thus, Neoporus may be a useful indicator of overall floodplain connectivity.

Courtney Holt (Primary Presenter/Author), University of Georgia, crholt@uga.edu;


Darold Batzer (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, dbatzer@uga.edu;

5/21/2015  |   13:45 - 14:00   |  103DE

ENERGY FLOWS AND SUBSIDIES ACROSS AQUATIC-TERRESTRIAL BOUNDARIES OF TEMPORARY PONDS VIA AMPHIBIAN MIGRATIONS Subsidies of materials and energy across aquatic-terrestrial boundaries are recognized in systems ranging from oceanic islands to freshwater wetlands. Such subsidies are important for recipient habitats and can alter consumer distribution and increase consumer growth, abundance, and biomass. Temporary ponds can be closely linked to surrounding forests via forest-to-pond and pond-to-forest subsidies, including amphibian egg deposition and metamorph emergence, respectively. We intensively sampled amphibian assemblages in eight temporary ponds in Southern IL to quantify energy flow associated with egg deposition and metamorph emergence of each species breeding in the ponds. Fluxes in and out of ponds were highly variable. For example, spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) transported between 1.9-71.3 g AFDM from the surrounding forest into ponds via egg deposition, while metamorph emergence exported 0-147.5 g AFDM from ponds. A. maculatum energy exports from ponds exceeded inputs for three ponds and inputs exceeded exports for the remaining ponds. We used these estimates to produce a total amphibian energy budget for each pond. Understanding the roles of amphibians in linking habitats is increasingly important in light of ongoing population declines and losses.

Kelley Fritz (Primary Presenter/Author), Southeastern Missouri State University, k.a.fritz24@gmail.com;


Lucas Kirschman (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Southern Illinois University Carbondale, l.j.kirschman@gmail.com;


Matt Whiles (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Florida, mwhiles@ufl.edu;

5/21/2015  |   14:00 - 14:15   |  103DE

EMERGING AMPHIBIANS AS A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS FOR RIPARIAN PREDATORS Ecological subsidies, transfers of energy and materials between habitats, can affect food web dynamics in recipient ecosystems. Aquatic-terrestrial subsidies have received a fair amount of attention due to the seemingly distinct boundaries between these habitats. We investigated the transport of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) across the aquatic-terrestrial boundary via amphibian emergences. We hypothesized that consumption of emergent amphibians by ground-dwelling spiders is an important pathway for PUFA transfers to terrestrial habitats. Three Wolf Spider species (Tigrosa georgicola, Schizocosa crassipes, Schizocosa saltatrix) were collected from temporary pond margin (“pond”) and adjacent upland habitats (“upland”). Lipids were extracted and analyzed to determine total lipid content and fatty acid profile. There was a significant difference in n-3 fatty acid content between pond and upland T. georgicola individuals (ANOSIM p=0.035), suggesting that spiders in riparian habitats are consuming more aquatic prey. Results suggest this type of aquatic-terrestrial transfer may represent an important pathway for PUFA subsidies to riparian food webs.

Shelby Vega (Primary Presenter/Author), Texas A&M University, shelby.vega15@gmail.com;


Kelley Fritz (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Southeastern Missouri State University, k.a.fritz24@gmail.com;


Lucas Kirschman (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Southern Illinois University Carbondale, l.j.kirschman@gmail.com;


Matt Whiles (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Florida, mwhiles@ufl.edu;


Jesse Trushenski (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Department of Fish and Game, Eagle Fish Health LaboratoryEagle, Idaho, USA, saluski@siu.edu;

5/21/2015  |   14:15 - 14:30   |  103DE

THE EFFECTS OF CHANGING VEGETATION STRUCTURE AND WETLAND HYDROLOGY ON AQUATIC COMMUNITIES IN FIRE-SUPPRESSED WETLANDS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES In the southeastern United States, ephemeral wetlands are commonly embedded within pine flatwoods, but a history of fire suppression and exclusion has altered the natural disturbance regime of these wetlands. Wetlands excluded from frequent fire are characterized by a shift in vegetation structure, which occurs through development of a woody mid-story and decline of herbaceous plants. We monitored 21 ephemeral wetlands in northwest Florida that contained a range of vegetation and hydrologic characteristics, and in each wetland we sampled the amphibian and aquatic invertebrate communities. We found that amphibian community composition was similar across a range of wetland vegetation characteristics, but varied over a range of wetland hydroperiods. We created multiple linear regression models that assessed the influence of wetland vegetation and hydrology on the relative abundance of three invertebrate groups. The best-approximating models indicated that relative abundance of each aquatic invertebrate group responded differently to vegetation and hydrology. Our results demonstrate that fire suppression and exclusion can lead to a shift in aquatic community composition in pine flatwoods wetlands.

Houston Chandler (Primary Presenter/Author), The ORIANNE SOCIETY, hchandler@oriannesociety.org;


Thomas Gorman (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Virginia Tech, gormant@vt.edu;


Carola Haas (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Virginia Tech, cahaas@vt.edu;

5/21/2015  |   14:30 - 14:45   |  103DE

BIRTH, LIFE, AND DORMANCY OF AN EPHEMERAL FOOD WEB Community assembly provides insights into trophic level interactions through space and time. However, studies rarely span sufficient time periods. We use playa wetlands to explore if traditional community assembly applies to ephemeral ecosystems. We tracked invertebrate diversity and abundance through multiple hydroperiods in six playa wetlands. We used stable isotope techniques to investigate trophic structure (size, variation, and redundancy). Playa wetland communities generally increased in diversity and abundance early, then declined. Community structure was reflective more of temporal changes, whereas food chain length and food web complexity were associated with community membership (overall taxa, insect, and predator richness). Food web redundancy was positively associated with total invertebrate density and biomass. Community assembly in playas proceeds differently depending upon which species are active. While community density and diversity did increase early, the community decline could be due to a combination of many factors. Food web structure patterns could be due to the specific traits and behaviors of individual immigrating and emigrating organisms. The instability of ephemeral ecosystems means we need to incorporate the disconnection of temporal scales into assembly theory.

Brian O'Neill (Primary Presenter/Author), University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, brianjoneill@outlook.com;


James H. Thorp (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Kansas/Kansas Biological Survey, thorp@ku.edu;

5/21/2015  |   14:45 - 15:00   |  103DE

AQUATIC MACROINVERTEBRATE METACOMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN FORESTED WETLANDS OF WEST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN Factors regulating faunal community assembly in isolated habitat patches have long been of interest to community ecologists. Interspecific relationships, environmental characteristics, and dispersal among patches all play a role in community assembly; however the influence of these factors may vary considerably across taxonomic membership. Metacommunity theory integrates local ecological processes such as species sorting on community assembly along with landscape-level processes such as dispersal. There is a need to assess this theory and expand upon it. This study investigates aquatic macroinvertebrate community structure across 55 wetland communities. We sampled invertebrate community structure in 39 ephemeral and 16 permanent wetland communities in west-central Wisconsin using D-nets and surface-associated activity traps three times from May until July. We investigated how functional feeding group, taxonomic diversity, community structure, and organisms’ life-history characteristics are related to environmental characteristics and spatial connectivity among isolated wetlands. Results indicate differential responses to time of sampling, environmental characteristics and spatial relationships among these taxonomic groups.

Matthew Church (Primary Presenter/Author), Flathead Lake Biological Station, matt.church@flbs.umt.edu;


Amanda Little (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Wisconsin-Stout, littlea@uwstout.edu;

5/21/2015  |   15:00 - 15:15   |  103DE

AQUATIC MACROINVERTEBRATE METACOMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN FORESTED WETLANDS OF WEST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN Factors regulating faunal community assembly in isolated habitat patches have long been of interest to community ecologists. Interspecific relationships, environmental characteristics, and dispersal among patches all play a role in community assembly; however the influence of these factors may vary considerably across taxonomic membership. Metacommunity theory integrates local ecological processes such as species sorting on community assembly along with landscape-level processes such as dispersal. There is a need to assess this theory and expand upon it. This study investigates aquatic macroinvertebrate community structure across 55 wetland communities. We sampled invertebrate community structure in 39 ephemeral and 16 permanent wetland communities in west-central Wisconsin using D-nets and surface-associated activity traps three times from May until July. We investigated how functional feeding group, taxonomic diversity, community structure, and organisms’ life-history characteristics are related to environmental characteristics and spatial connectivity among isolated wetlands. Results indicate differential responses to time of sampling, environmental characteristics and spatial relationships among these taxonomic groups.

Matthew Church (Primary Presenter/Author), Flathead Lake Biological Station, matt.church@flbs.umt.edu;


Amanda Little (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Wisconsin-Stout, littlea@uwstout.edu;