Effects of local processes and spatial isolation on aquatic community assembly: a simulation of land use intensification

• Grant number: 17/04122-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: June 01, 2017
• End date: February 29, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Theoretical Ecology
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Luis Cesar Schiesari
• Grantee: Rodolfo Mei Pelinson
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/18790-3 - Environmental effects of the pasture-sugarcane conversion and pasture intensification, AP.PFPMCG.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 18/07714-2 - Effects of land use intensification on freshwater community similarity and beta diversity, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Land use intensification can affect aquatic community assembly processes by alterations in the terrestrial landscape, where organisms disperse, and by alterations in local aquatic habitat conditions. In this project, we propose to test how land use intensification and spatial isolation affect aquatic community assembly. To do so, we will perform a field experiment in which we will build replicated artificial ponds at different distances from a water body that will work as a source of colonizers. These ponds, that will be freely colonized by amphibians and insect predators, will be submitted to different environmental filters associated to land use intensification: introduction of fish predators; hydroperiod alterations; and use of agrochemicals. We expect that spatial isolation will have a negative effect on occupancy rates, abundance and species richness, especially for groups with poor dispersal ability such as amphibians. We also expect the local environmental filters to negatively affect occupancy rates, abundance, and species richness, and to alter species composition. Additionally, the effect of the local environmental filters should interact with spatial isolation making its effects: lower at not isolated communities, because of the constant arrival of migrants; lower at too isolated communities, because of dispersal limitation; and higher at moderately isolated communities, where dispersal limitation is not too low, allowing all species to arrive at all habitats, neither too high, preventing constant recolonization of unsuitable habitats. Therefore, this project has great potential to elucidate how land use can affect aquatic community assembly. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PELINSON, RODOLFO MEI; LEIBOLD, MATHEW A.; SCHIESARI, LUIS. Top predator introduction changes the effects of spatial isolation on freshwater community structure. ECOLOGY, v. 102, n. 11, SEP 2021. (14/16320-7, 18/07714-2, 15/18790-3, 17/04122-4)

PELINSON, RODOLFO MEI; LEIBOLD, MATHEW A.; SCHIESARI, LUIS. Community variability in pond metacommunities: interactive effects of predators and isolation on stochastic community assembly. OIKOS, v. 2022, n. 5, p. 13-pg., 2022-03-08. (15/18790-3, 17/04122-4, 18/07714-2)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

PELINSON, Rodolfo Mei. Effects of local processes and spatial isolation on freshwater community assembly: a simulation of land-use intensification. 2020. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Biociências (IBIOC/SB) São Paulo.