May 6, 2017 - Fairy shrimps ... All cladocerans. Lythrum hyssopifolia. 'Good'. Ecological. Integrity. Flora ... At least 2 categories of 'Good', one of which.
ASSESSING THE ECOLOGICAL QUALITY OF POOLS AND POOL LANDSCAPES IN THE MALTESE ISLANDS a
b,c
a
Sandro Lanfranco , Jennifer Shunfenthal , Lara Galea a
Department of Biology, University of Malta, Msida MSD2080, Malta b Institute of Earth Systems, University of Malta, Msida MSD2080, Malta c Integrated Science and Technology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA th
7 Meeting of the European Pond Conservation Network. Faro, Portugal. 1-6 May 2017
Introduction Importance of Maltese Freshwater Rock Pools: Biodiversity hotspots; early indicators of climate change; fragile habitats for endemic species.
Overall Ecological Status
Ecological Integrity Index
‘Unfavourable’ (Oct 2015)
The Ecological Integrity of a pool can be ‘Good’, ‘Intermediate’, or ‘Poor’, according to the value of several indicators. These abiotic and biotic indicators were selected because they are components of a stable pool ecosystem, as assessed over time.
Stresses: Fragmentation of pool landscapes; habitat loss; anthropogenic activity; climatic changes. The Study: While the pools have been monitored for 30 years (see pictures bottom centre), there is no systematic monitoring of the pools nor is there any methodological framework to monitor the pools. This study proposes such a framework.
The indicators for ‘Good’ Ecological Integrity are given in the table below. Similar tables were drawn up for ‘Intermediate’ and ‘Poor’ Ecological Integrity. Flora ’Inadequate’ (Feb 2016) Fauna
Aims / Methods
Presence of ostracods/copepods/cladocera
Sediment covers basin and mostly >2cm thick No immediate threats to pools from particulate Low Human fallout, encroachment, waste disposal, flows of Impact fluid, or habitat destruction
‘Favourable’ (Feb 2016)
Conservation Index Each pool landscape receives a computed score (given in brackets) based on values assigned to the level of national or international importance (protected across the EU) of a given species in legislation.
We propose for these pool landscapes: Two indices: an ‘Ecological Integrity index’ and ‘Conservation Index’. After an assessment of each pool using the indices is made, the ‘Overall Ecological Status’ is determined.
Community Interest (5)
Index Testing: The indices were tested using biotic and abiotic data collected during the 2013/14, 2014/15, and 2015/16 wet seasons.
Elatine gussonei
Results
National Interest (3)
Specific to Pools but Not Red Data Book (3) Listed (1)
Zannichellia melitensis
Callitriche truncata Damasonium bourgaei Fairy shrimps Tadpole shrimps Clam shrimps
The graph below shows the percentage of pool landscapes with a given overall ecological status over a three year period.
Proportion of pool landscapes
Presence of any 2 large branchiopods
‘Good’ 3 pools or more within a 10m radius Ecological A:V ratio intermediate Hydrology and Integrity Morphometry Surface water present
We wanted to: Create a systematic monitoring framework of Maltese rock pool habitats that is accessible to non-specialist personnel for assessment pool landscape ecological quality over time. This was based on the same broad principles of a similar 1 baseline index proposed by Lumbreras et al (2016) We determined: Specific abiotic and biotic factors indicative of ‘ecological integrity’. The indicators chosen for this study were based on community compositional data and pool morphometric data collected over three decades, from 1987 to 2016.
Simultaneous presence of amphiphytes and hydrophytes; contiguous patches covering much of the pool basin
Crassula vaillantii Ranunculus saniculifolius All ostracods All copepods All cladocerans Lythrum hyssopifolia
1.0
Overall Ecological Status
0.8
After the Ecological Integrity Index is determined for each pool in each pool landscape, the pool is given a snapshot Overall Ecological Status.
0.6
Overall Ecological Status Components
0.4
The Index is Retroactive
0.2
February 2016 ‘Unfavourable’
‘Favourable’
At least 2 categories of 'Good', one of which should be the 'flora' of simultaneous present of amphiphytes and hydrophytes, none 'Poor'
‘Inadequate’
All cases that are not 'Favourable' or
0.0 Favourable
Inadequate
Unfavourable
Ecological Status 2013-14
2014-15
2015-16
‘Unfavourable’
Conclusion Validity: In general, the values returned by the indices were consistent with trends observed in the field, suggesting that these indices are reflective of the ecological and conservation status of these habitats. The index is sensitive to inter-annual fluctuations in climatic conditions. Application: These tools will allow for monitoring of inter-annual biotic changes and longitudinal policy decisions for each pool landscape. If any degradation in ecological quality is observed in a given year, the data may be able to reveal a time period so that policy makers can implement safeguards in the future.
‘Poor' vegetation status for both categories
References 1
March 1990 ‘Inadequate’
Lumbreras, A., Marques, J.T., Belo, A.F., Cristo, M., Fernandes, M., Galioto, D., Machado, M., Mira, A., Sa ́-Sousa, P., Silva, R., Sousa, L.G., and Pinto-Cruz, C. (2016) Assessing the conservation status of Mediterranean temporary ponds using biodiversity: a new tool for practitioners. Hydrobiologia 782(1) 187-199.
From left to right: Sandro Lanfranco, Jennifer Shunfenthal and Lara Galea.
