Diversity and spatial heterogeneity of mangrove associated sponges of Curaçao and Aruba

Sponges are major epibionts of mangrove roots in the Caribbean. Mangrove sponge communities in the Caribbean mainly consist of species that are typical to this habitat and community compositions often differ from those found on coral reefs nearby. Heterogeneity in species distributions between locations and within locations between roots is often reported. This study quantifies the diversity and abundance of mangrove associated sponges in the inner bays of Curaçao and Aruba and correlates variability of regional sponge diversity with environmental variables measured along the surveyed sites. Tannin concentrations vary between mangrove roots, and were correlated to sponge cover as a possible cause for habitat heterogeneity on a smaller scale. A total of 22 species was observed. Heterogeneity in species richness and abundance was apparent, and several sponge species were restricted in their depth of occurrence. Statistical data reduction suggests that sponge diversity may be partly explained by the distance towards adjacent reefs and to the degree of eutrophication, in which the latter is comprised of rate of planktonic respiration, total carbon and turbidity. Tannin concentrations did not determine within locality species heterogeneity as a priori postulated, but were positively related to sponge cover for reasons not yet elucidated

Land use affects lowland stream ecosystems through dissolved oxygen regimes

The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of surrounding land use on the structure and functioning of lowland stream ecosystems. To this end, five different land use types were selected (forest, extensive grassland, intensive grassland, cropland and wastewater treatment plant) each represented by four replicate streams, in which diel dissolved oxygen concentrations were recorded, sediment and water quality parameters were measured and macroinvertebrate community composition was determined. Chironomus sp., Oligochaeta and Gastropoda dominated the cropland and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) streams, while Plecoptera and most Trichoptera only occurred in forest and extensive grassland streams. Forest streams communities were related to a high oxygen saturation, a high C/N ratio in the sediment and woody debris and coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) substrate cover. Macroinvertebrate communities in cropland and WWTP streams were related to a low oxygen saturation in water and sediment and high concentrations of dissolved nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon. It is concluded that land use specific impacts on lowland streams are likely exerted via fine sediment accumulation in deposition zones, affecting oxygen regimes, sediment oxygen demand and stream metabolism, ultimately changing macroinvertebrate community composition. This study supports therefore the importance of including the catchment scale in ecological stream quality assessments, combining structural and functional endpoints