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BIODIVERSITY OF CRUSTACEANS
IN TEMPORARY PONDS
Preface
The preservation of Biodiversity is the critical factor determining success when facing the challenges posed by sustainable development.
The safe path to reach that purpose is by facilitating the increase of scientific knowledge through the development of projects in which the inherent value is
maximized by fostering the cooperation among institutions of recognized merit.
Following this approach, the research project CHARCOScomBIO, developed in
partnership by the Centre for Environmental Biology (CBA) and the Centre for Research on Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO), started the phase of scientific divulging with the exhibit Trapped in the pond and with this brochure.
EDP sponsored this project through its Biodiversity Fund and assumed a position of aggregating efforts scattered among several working groups and scientific
institutions.
Congratulations are due to the authors of this scientific endeavour.
The results obtained, highlighting the natural value of temporary ponds in terms of biodiversity and nature conservation, and the attractive and didactic way of
presenting the work to the general public, are factors that stimulate the general
interest on the fragile and complex interdependence among living organisms, and
the importance to preserve that equilibrium.
EDP has, since long, valued the importance of natures biodiversity in a pioneering way, and integrates biodiversity in its various business areas. In 2007, EDP implemented its Policy for Biodiversity with the intent of contributing to the worlds
objective of reducing biodiversity loss.
We are convinced that a strong commitment from society, companies and researchers is required to ensure the good functioning of ecosystems, valuing the
services and products provided by nature, and creating opportunities for the sustainable use of natural resources. We are committed in pursuing this strategy in a
clear and transparent way.
Contents
INTRODUCTION 4
TEMPORARY MEDITERRANEAN PONDS 5
What are ponds? 5
Ponds are priority habitats! 6
BIODIVERSIT Y OF MEDITERRANEAN TEMPORARY PONDS 7
Pond visitors 7
Permanent inhabitants 8
CRUSTACEANS OF TEMPORARY PONDS 10
What are crustaceans? 10
Micro-crustaceans 11
Copepods 11
Calanoida 11
Cyclopoida 13
Harpacticoida 13
Branchiopods 14
Ostracodes 16
Macro-crustaceans Large Branchiopods 17
Anostraca 17
Notostraca 18
Spinicaudata 19
Crustaceans from the age of Dinosaurs! 20
DYNAMICS OF TEMPORARY PONDS 22
Autumn
22
Winter
23
Spring 26
Summer
27
How do pond animals feed? 27
CONSERVATION OF TEMPORARY PONDS 29
What can we do to contribute to pond conservation? 29
Introduction
Temporary Mediterranean ponds are
freshwater systems with shallow depth
that undergo periods of flooding and
drought, and are isolated from permanent water bodies (ex. lakes or rivers).
Ponds are of great ecological and cultural
importance in the arid and semi-arid
areas of the Mediterranean Region. This
type of habitat exists in areas with land
depressions and varies according to local
geology, geomorphology, depth and water origin (underground or runoff water).
Many natural or man made ponds are
profoundly associated with agriculture
and animal farming, and are structuring
elements of the landscape and of the
history of agriculture. Yet, during the XX
century, a sharp decrease in the number
of these aquatic habitats was observed
throughout Europe, as a result of agriculture intensification and urban development. In Portugal, systematic work on
the conservation status of these habitats
and on the temporal variation of its
quality and quantity is unknown. Additionally, projects especially directed to
the conservation of these wetlands are
scarce, and the civil society is generally
unaware of the importance to protect the
habitats. In this context, the project entitled Investigation, Conservation and
Public Awareness of Temporary Ponds
Biodiversity CHARCOScomBIO aimed
to improve the scientific knowledge on
Mediterranean temporary ponds and on
the biodiversity of crustaceans and amphibians inhabiting the ponds, in articulation with a conservation program and
activities to raise the public awareness
of this biodiversity, and environmental
education.
Exhibit Trapped
in the Pond
The project CHARCOScomBIO included the production of the exhibit
entitled Trapped in the Pond, at the
National Museum of Natural History and
Science. This exhibit intended to show
to the general public, the diversity of
temporary ponds in Portugal, the most
common and abundant crustaceans species in the ponds, and their adaptations
to the environment and life in the ponds
throughout the year.
The visitors are stimulated to know
the answers to the most relevant questions about this subject, such as: What
are temporary ponds? What is the actual
dimension of the crustaceans living in
ponds? How do crustaceans grow? How
do they breathe? What are their reproduction strategies?
In this brochure, we will explore and
illustrate some of these questions, contributing to a better knowledge of one of
the most important and unknown biodiversity of Portugal and of the Mediterranean Region.
Trapped
in the pond
What is a pond?
Temporary ponds are without doubt
some of the most remarkable yet
most threatened habitats in the
Mediterranean region.
Mediterranean Temporary Pools, Quzel P.
In Grillas et al. 2004
Temporary ponds are natural ecosystems of still or slow flowing water
where periods of flood follow periods of
drought. The flood period is dependent
ECOSYSTEM
It is the assemblage of organisms living in
a certain area (biotic components) together
with the physical and chemical factors with
which they interact (abiotic components).
In sum, it is the community of organisms
plus the environment in which they live.
Mediterranean
temporary pond
at a fossil dune,
Pond B27, Natural
Park from the
Southwest and
Vicentine Coast
(PNSACV).
HABITATS DIRECTIVE
Its main objective is to ensure the
preservation of biodiversity in
the European Union through the
conservation of natural habitats
considered threatened and of the
animal and floral species there
inhabiting.
NATURA 20 0 0 NETWORK
It is a network of areas established
to ensure the conservation of
habitats and rare wild species,
threatened or vulnerable in the
European Union. It results from the
implementation of two directives:
Birds and Habitats Directive.
As ponds are temporary and only
exist during periods of heavy rainfall,
they are frequently unnoticed in the
landscape. However, the biodiversity of
these habitats is unique, adapted to the
alternating periods of flood and drought.
Numerous species of aquatic plants,
crustaceans and other micro- and macroinvertebrates live exclusively in ponds,
spending there their entire life cycle.
These are the so called permanent inhabitants of ponds. Other organisms,
named visitors, such as amphibians and
most insects, use ponds to spend part of
their life cycle or to feed.
In fact, temporary ponds host a
greater biodiversity, and have a larger
number of rare or threatened species,
than other freshwater systems, and
Pond visitors
Many insects and amphibians are species that visit ponds only during the reproduction period or as feeding grounds.
It is the case of coleopteran insects
(beetles) like the genus Dytiscus. Their
larvae hatch and grow in the pond where
they feed on crustaceans, other insects
and even amphibian larvae. When the
ponds dry, the adults move to permanent water bodies such as rivers, lakes
and reservoirs.
There are insects belonging to the order Hemiptera that characteristically are
predators that reproduce in the ponds.
Full pond
(pond B26, PNSACV)
Dry pond
(pond B26, PNSACV)
This order of insects includes waterstriders (Gerris sp.), insects that live at
the bottom (water scorpions Nepa sp.)
and swimmers (Notonecta sp.).
The amphibians reproduce in the
ponds and both larvae and insects feed
there. The aquatic birds feed in the
Coleopteran
of the genus
Dytiscus (water
beetle)
Marble newt,
Triturus
marmoratus
Swallow
collecting water
Water-strider
insect, Gerris sp.
Permanent
inhabitants
J. Petronilho
Swimming
insect,
Notonecta sp.
Several species of plants, gastropods (snails), hirudines (leeches), tardigrades and crustaceans are among the
inhabitants that spend their complete
life-cycle in the ponds. Plants like Eryngium coriculatum (pond thistle) colonize
the deepest areas of ponds, while Ranunculus peltatus (buttercups) floats and its
flowers emerge from the water surface
in Spring. Potentilla erecta (common
Ranunculus
peltatus
Isoetes sp.
Despite their large numbers, crustaceans are the less known organisms
in temporary ponds. In fact, when we
think of crustaceans, we recall shrimp,
lobsters, stone crabs and giant crabs
that live in the sea. Yet, there are many
crustaceans that live in freshwater!
There is a great diversity of crustaceans
that live in temporary ponds, and there
exhibit special adaptations and survival
strategies.
Tardigrade
THORAX
HEAD
Body regions of
the crustaceans
ABDOMEN
The community of crustaceans that
inhabits temporary ponds is of paramount importance because it maintains
water quality, controlling the growth of
algae, regulating water transparency and
the type of available nutrients.
What is a crustacean?
Crustaceans are arthropods, such as
insects and spiders. The body is formed
by several articulated segments that are
NAUPLIUS 5
NAUPLIUS 6
NAUPLIUS 4
NAUPLIUS 3
NAUPLIUS 2
NAUPLIUS 1
10
Naupliar development
stages
INTERIOR RAMUS
OR ENDOPOD
EXTERIOR RAMUS
OR EXOPOD
Micro-crustaceans
The micro-crustaceans are the most
abundant crustaceans in ponds and
never exceed 5 mm in length. These
crustaceans are divided into three major
groups: copepods, small branchiopods
and ostracodes.
COPEPODS
Calanoida
Calanoid copepods are planktonic
animals with long antennae and the
ability to produce resting or resistant
eggs. The eggs are transported in a sac
until the female releases them. Several
species of various dimensions inhabit
temporary ponds.
In temporary ponds from the coastal
region of continental Portugal, the most
11
Hemidiaptomus
roubaui
Hemidiaptomus
(Gigantodiaptomus) roubaui
(Richard 1888)
Maximum Length: 6 mm
It is the largest and most colourful
copepod in Portugal. It is usually reddish to blue because of the presence of
carotenoid pigments (such as the ones
giving colour to carrots and tomatoes).
After the first rains of autumn, the resting eggs in the sediment hatch originating the single annual generation
inhabiting the ponds from November to
February.
12
Dussartius
baeticus
Diaptomus kenitraensis
(Kiefer 1926)
Maximum Length: 2.6 mm
It is a copepod that usually accompanies Hemidiaptomus roubaui in the
coastal ponds of southern Portugal. It
is generally orange in colour and it is
omnivorous.
Diaptomus
kenitraensis
Cyclopoida
Acanthocyclops robustus
(G.O. Sars 1863)
Maximum Length: 1.7 mm
It is the cyclopoid with the largest
distribution in Portuguese ponds and
reservoirs.
Cyclopoid copepods are both planktonic and benthic. They have shorter
antennae than calanoids and females
carry two sacs of eggs that hatch a few
days after laying. When the ponds dry,
the larval stages and adults of some
species migrate to the sediment where
they fold upon themselves and enter a
stage or dormancy or diapause. In each
pond there are usually three to six species of cyclopoid copepods varying from
0.8 mm of Tropocyclops prasinus to 3 mm
of the species Megacyclops viridis and
Macrocyclops fuscus.
Macrocyclops fuscus
(Jurine 1820)
Maximum Length: 3.1 mm
It is a large copepod and adults are
carnivorous, frequently preying upon
other crustaceans and insect larvae.
Females carry two egg sacs with numerous eggs that hatch a few days after
laying.
Harpacticoida
U. Hopp
Macrocyclops fuscus
Cyclopoid
copepod,
Acanthocyclops
robustus
13
Attheyella
trispinosa
Attheyella (Neomrazekiella)
trispinosa (Brady 1880)
Maximum Length: 0.95 mm
Lives associated with submerged
plants and may swim in the water column.
BRANCHIOPODS
14
Chydorus
sphaericus
Chydorus sphaericus
(Mller 1776)
Maximum Length: 0.23 mm
It is the smallest known crustacean
in Portuguese ponds. The animals usually have the shape of a sphere flattened
laterally. Unlike Daphnia that are strictly
planktonic, Chydorus may swim in the
water column but usually live associated
with submerged plants or on the bottom
of ponds (they are benthic).
Daphnia (Ctenodaphnia) hispanica
(Glagolev & Alonso 1990)
Maximum Length: 3.5 mm
A. Petrusek
Daphnia
hispanica
Daphnia obtusa
15
Ceriodaphnia reticulata
(Jurine 1820)
Maximum Length: 1.3 mm
The body is shaped like a globe and
has a reddish colour when living in
transparent water. It has a very large
compound eye.
Scapholeberis rammneri
(Dumont y Pensaert 1983)
Maximum Length: 2.5 mm
It is a rare crustacean in Portugal.
The ventral part of the carapace forms
a flat surface with setae (like feathers),
which allows it to swim inverted at the
water surface; it swims with the belly
up. The ventral area is heavily pigmented
from brown to red, which offers protection against ultra-violet radiation when
the animals swim beneath the water
surface.
Scapholeberis
rammneri
Ceriodaphnia reticulata
Simocephalus exspinosus
(DeGeer 1778)
Maximum Length: 2.8 mm
It feeds mainly on detritus and may
live in the ponds during the whole flood
period, associated with the submerged
vegetation.
OSTRACODES
Simocephalus exspinosus
16
Macro-custaceans
Large Branchiopods
ANOSTRACA
J.F. Cart
17
Chirocephalus
diaphanus
Chirocephalus diaphanus
(Desmarest 1823)
Maximum Length: 13 mm
It is a Mediterranean species widely
distributed in Europe. The animals are
translucent, with red tips in the abdomen and limbs. Its life cycle is very fast,
and can only survive in the absence of
predators. The eggs tolerate complete
dryness and hatch when in contact with
water.
Tanymastix stagnalis
(Linnaeus 1758)
Maximum Length: 9 mm
Its the fastest growing branchiopod
that inhabits short duration ponds with
only a few centimetres depth. They live
in temporary ponds all over Europe, yet
nowadays they are threatened by the
18
J.F. Cart
Tanymastix
stagnalis
Triops baeticus
19
Cyzicus grubei
Triops
cancriformis
20
J. F. Cart
Hans Hillewaert
Atlantic
horseshoe
crab, Limulus
polyphemus
(Linnaeus 1758)
21
In temporary ponds, species succeed each other during the hydrological period. Some species such as the
copepod Hemidiaptomus roubaui or the
large branchiopod Tanymastix stagnalis establish themselves after the first
rains. Other species appear only after a
few weeks of flooding such as Daphnia
and the small copepod Dussartius baeticus. Crustaceans may arrive at the pond
from other places, brought by birds or
other visiting organisms. However, usually the crustaceans in a pond originate
from resistance forms that are stored
in the sediment at the bottom of that
pond.
Autumn
During the first rains in Autumn, the
ponds begin to fill and the crustaceans
that were trapped in the sediment try
to rapidly dominate the habitat.
The resistance eggs hatch and from
them exit:
Miniatures of adults in the case of
cladocerans that try to establish
large populations.
or
Larval forms named nauplius in the
case of copepods and large branchiopods.
22
The females of the cladoceran Daphnia hatch from resistance eggs and procreate without fertilization from males
they form clones of females through a
type of reproduction called without fertilization or parthenogenesis. Males only
appear when the environmental conditions are not favourable.
Hatching of
Daphnia from a
resistance egg
resume their active life, they start immediately to produce hundreds of eggs. This
ability gives them advantage over species
that spent the dry period as larval stages
and still have to develop to the adult stage
before starting to reproduce.
Larval stages of
Triops sp.
24 HOURS
15 HOURS
48 HOURS
7 HOURS
3 HOURS
23
Winter
When the pond fills at the beginning of
winter, the micro-crustaceans and the macrocrustaceans reach their maximum diversity.
Scapholeberis rammneri
(Dumont & Pensaert 1983)
Dussartius baeticus
(Dussart 1967)
Macrocyclops fuscus
(Jurine 1820)
Triops baeticus
(Korn 2010)
Simocephalus
exspinosus
(DeGeer 1778)
Macro-crustaceans
Micro-crustaceans
24
Chirocephalus diaphanus
(Prevost 1803)
Daphnia hispanica
(Glagolev & Alonso 1990)
Hemidiaptomus roubaui
(Richard 1988)
Ceriodaphnia reticulata
(Jurine 1820)
Ostracoda
Cyzicus grubei
(Simon 1886)
25
Spring
Reproduction of
Daphnia sp., that
includes a parthenogenic
and sexual cycle
PARTHENOGENETIC REPRODUCTION
SEXUAL REPRODUCTION
Adverse
environmental
conditions
26
Summer
As water disappears from the pond,
crustaceans prepare themselves to face
the period of drought, before becoming
food to insects, amphibians and birds.
During the dry period, crustaceans
remain as resting stages, in a state of
latent life or diapause. Most of them
remain at the bottom of the pond as resistance eggs, yet some species remain
dormant as resistant stages in a state
of suspended life.
The resistance eggs are very resistant
to drought. Some eggs of Triops may be
viable after 15 years in the sediment
which may have contributed to the survival of the genus on earth while dinosaurs disappeared millions of years ago.
TROPHIC WEB
Is the way to express the food
relationships among organisms of a
community/ecosystem, starting at
the producers (plants or bacteria) and
connecting with herbivores, predators
and decomposers. There is a transfer of
energy through the trophic web under the
shape of nutrients (the available energy
diminishes along the trophic web), always
from producers to decomposers.
Egg of
Tanymastix
stagnalis
Egg of
Chirocephalus
diaphanus
27
H ER B I VO R ES
C ARNIVO RES
Protozoans
P ROTO Z OAN S
P H Y TO P L AN K TO N
Bacteria
MICROBIAL LOOP
D I S S O LV ED O RG AN I C MAT T ER
28
Temporary ponds have been valued by human communities for millennia because of their functions as
water reservoirs for cattle drinking
water during the rainy season, and as
a source of fresh grass in the dry season. As natural ecosystems, temporary
ponds were used as resting and feeding
grounds by local and migratory aquatic
birds. Additionally, they serve as water purifying systems for groundwater
reserves. However, nowadays there
is a sharp decrease in the number of
Mediterranean temporary ponds. The
main problems of this habitat are its
short duration and small size, which
renders them unnoticeable in the landscape. Other problem derives from the
present agricultural and cattle raising
practices that no longer require the
services offered by ponds because of
the intensification of the production
means. Therefore, because of their
limited visibility and the lack of recognition of its value, the habitat is easily
destroyed or transformed.
The most common threats to ponds
result from deficient management as a
result of decrease in traditional agricultural practices, forestation and land
use incompatible with the presence of
these habitats such as removal of surrounding vegetation, extraction and
drainage of water, deepening of ponds
and its transformation into permanent
water reservoirs. Management of temporary ponds is directed towards restoring their ecological function, correcting
the negative effects of human activities
that disturb them.
Conservation measures are mainly
related to grazing management, control of agricultural activities in the surrounding areas and control of invasive
and exotic species (ex. ice-plants, wattles, Louisiana crayfish).
29
Recommendations
for biodiversity
conservation
in temporary ponds:
1. Ponds should not be disturbed when
full.
2. When the ponds dry, walking and
driving through them should be
avoided to prevent the destruction
of eggs and resistance stages stored
in the sediment.
3. Fish should not be introduced in the
ponds since they feed on crustaceans
and destroy their populations.
4. The pond area should not be used in
agriculture.
5. Fertilizers should be avoided in the
ponds surrounding areas. Fertilizers
stimulate the growth of algae that are
30
REFERENC ES
P RO M O T O R S
JULY 2013
AUTHOR S
F U N D I NG
Marta Fonseca
PHO T OGRAPHY
PA R T N E R S
TVM designers
I SBN
978-989-98300-2-8
ACKNOWLEDG EMENT S
Adam Petrusek
Antonio Guilln, Proyecto Agua
Hans Hillewaert
Joo Petronilho
Jean Franois Cart
Lus Cancela da Fonseca
Margarida Machado
Patrcia Garcia Pereira
Ulrich Hopp
SUPPORT