Large Scale Relationship between Aquatic Insect Traits and Climate

<div><p>Climate is the predominant environmental driver of freshwater assemblage pattern on large spatial scales, and traits of freshwater organisms have shown considerable potential to identify impacts of climate change. Although several studies suggest traits that may indicate vulnerability to climate change, the empirical relationship between freshwater assemblage trait composition and climate has been rarely examined on large scales. We compared the responses of the assumed climate-associated traits from six grouping features to 35 bioclimatic indices (~18 km resolution) for five insect orders (Diptera, Ephemeroptera, Odonata, Plecoptera and Trichoptera), evaluated their potential for changing distribution pattern under future climate change and identified the most influential bioclimatic indices. The data comprised 782 species and 395 genera sampled in 4,752 stream sites during 2006 and 2007 in Germany (~357,000 km^² spatial extent). We quantified the variability and spatial autocorrelation in the traits and orders that are associated with the combined and individual bioclimatic indices. Traits of temperature preference grouping feature that are the products of several other underlying climate-associated traits, and the insect order Ephemeroptera exhibited the strongest response to the bioclimatic indices as well as the highest potential for changing distribution pattern. Regarding individual traits, insects in general and ephemeropterans preferring very cold temperature showed the highest response, and the insects preferring cold and trichopterans preferring moderate temperature showed the highest potential for changing distribution. We showed that the seasonal radiation and moisture are the most influential bioclimatic aspects, and thus changes in these aspects may affect the most responsive traits and orders and drive a change in their spatial distribution pattern. Our findings support the development of trait-based metrics to predict and detect climate-related changes of freshwater assemblages.</p></div

Annual averaged abundance weighted traits across 4,752 stream sites in Germany for the ecological traits of the full data.

<p>The figure sub-captions and panel captions indicate names of grouping features and traits, respectively. The gray dots indicate the zero abundance, i.e. trait absence.</p

Distribution of the 4,752 stream sites sampled by the German national bio-monitoring program during 2006–2007.

<p>Spatial reference system is WGS 1984.</p

Conversion steps from abundance classes of the selected aquatic insects to trait compositional (annual averaged abundance weighted traits) data.

<p>Conversion steps from abundance classes of the selected aquatic insects to trait compositional (annual averaged abundance weighted traits) data.</p

Annual averaged abundance weighted traits across 4,752 stream sites in Germany for the biological traits of the full data.

<p>The figure sub-captions and panel captions indicate names of grouping features and traits, respectively. The gray dots indicate the zero abundance, i.e. trait absence.</p

Raw data for review on the effects of toxicants on freshwater ecosystem functions

Raw data for review on the effects of toxicants on freshwater ecosystem function

Data from Szöcs, Eduard, Ben J. Kefford, and Ralf B. Schäfer. “Is There an Interaction of the Effects of Salinity and Pesticides on the Community Structure of Macroinvertebrates?” Science of The Total Environment 437 (2012): 121 – 126.

see README.tx

Data from: Effects of anthropogenic salinisation on biological traits and community composition of stream macroinvertebrates.

<p>Szöcs, E., Eckhard Coring, Jürgen Bäthe, Ralf B. Schäfer (2014). Data from: Effects of anthropogenic salinisation on biological traits and community composition of stream macroinvertebrates.  Science of the Total Environment 468–469: 943–949. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969713009728</p> <p> </p> <p>Data and R-script to reproduce our findings.</p> <p>Note: Only the trait-analysis can be reproduced. Data for trait-frequencies and electric conductivity is provided within the project-folder.<br>Abundance data is propietary and cannot be provided. Nevertheless code for data-cleaning and abundance-analysis is provided here, but commented out.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>For further details please read the README file.</p

Average CH₄ concentrations (µmol L⁻¹) and bulk sediment characteristics (TOC, C:N ratio, porosity and δ¹³C) of samples from the studied impoundments (in parentheses are standard errors, ±SE (when applicable).

<p>Average CH₄ concentrations (µmol L⁻¹) and bulk sediment characteristics (TOC, C:N ratio, porosity and δ¹³C) of samples from the studied impoundments (in parentheses are standard errors, ±SE (when applicable).</p

Relationships between pore-water CH₄ concentrations and δ¹³C values.

<p>TNP 4^th, CMI 3^rd, CMI 4^th and SOM stands for Tanypodinae fourth generation, Chironomini third and fourth generation, and sedimentary organic matter, respectively.</p