Which locations harbor unique biodiversity? Investigating biological singularity through observational data and meta-analysis

• Grant number: 25/12180-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: October 15, 2025
• End date: February 14, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Applied Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Danielle Katharine Petsch
• Grantee: Caroline de Mello Correia
• Supervisor: Karl Cottenie
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Guelph, Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/18139-7 - Does the position in the river network influence the rarity and uniqueness of aquatic insects in tropical streams?, BP.MS

Abstract

Species distribution is not homogeneous across the globe, as historical, spatial, and environmental factors make species composition more unique in some locations than in others. Particularly in dendritic aquatic ecosystems, connectivity between river segments and environmental heterogeneity can shape the composition of biological communities. This study aims to understand ecological uniqueness patterns by conducting (i) a systematic review on the subject and (ii) investigating the effect of hydrological isolation and environmental heterogeneity on stream aquatic insects. To achieve this, we will integrate primary data collected from streams in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest-where aquatic insects were sampled in headwater and central segments within Conservation Units-with secondary data obtained from a global systematic review of studies using the Local Contribution to Beta Diversity (LCBD) metric. The degree of isolation of stream segments will be measured based on hydrological connectivity and the presence of physical barriers, while environmental heterogeneity will be assessed through limnological and habitat structural variables. For the first chapter, meta-analytical approaches will be used to evaluate global trends in LCBD. In the second chapter, we will employ statistical models to test how network position and environmental heterogeneity influence LCBD in tropical streams. The systematic review follows a protocol with predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria for articles. The research will be partially conducted during an internship in Canada. The results will contribute to advancements in metacommunity ecology, supporting the conservation of rare species and the management of aquatic environments. Furthermore, the acquired knowledge will be disseminated through scientific publications, workshops, and international collaborations.