Low rate of population establishment of a freshwater invertebrate (Gammarus lacustris) in experimental conservation translocations
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Abstract
Conservation translocations may be a useful tool for the restoration of declining freshwater invertebrates, but they are poorly represented in the literature. We conducted a before-after/control-impact (BACI) experiment to test the efficacy of conservation translocation for re-establishing abundant populations of the amphipod Gammarus lacustris, a declining species and wildlife food resource in depressional wetlands in the upper Midwest of the United States of America. Each study site (n = 19) contained at least one treatment wetland receiving translocated G. lacustris from a local donor and one control wetland. We selected study wetlands based on a suite of wetland characteristics and randomly assigned recipient versus control treatment. Gammarus lacustris was detected post-translocation at only 2 of 22 recipient wetlands (1 of 19 sites). Overall, there was a statistical increase in G. lacustris density in recipient wetlands compared to controls; however, the results were of minimal biological significance due to being driven by a single site with low G. lacustris densities. Accordingly, our results suggest that future conservation translocations of amphipods might be successful if limited to recently restored wetlands or informed by a more complex habitat suitability model to differentiate dispersal limitations from habitat limitations. To develop such a model would involve identifying the fewest, most influential physical and biological factors (e.g. wetland size/structure, fish, aquatic vegetation, and water chemistry) from the numerous inter-related factors that correlate with the abundance of naturally occurring G. lacustris; candidate wetlands to receive amphipods would be those for which the model predicts abundant G. lacustris but in which they do not presently occur.
Suggested Citation
Fitzpatrick, M.J., Anteau, M.J., Isaacson, C.W., Carleen, J.D., Keith, B.R., Thoele, B., Bieganek, M., Taylor, A., Larson, D.M., 2024, Low rate of population establishment of a freshwater invertebrate (Gammarus lacustris) in experimental conservation translocations: Restoration Ecology, v. 32, no. 7, e14191, 18 p., https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.14191.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Low rate of population establishment of a freshwater invertebrate (Gammarus lacustris) in experimental conservation translocations |
| Series title | Restoration Ecology |
| DOI | 10.1111/rec.14191 |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue | 7 |
| Publication Date | June 13, 2024 |
| Year Published | 2024 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Wiley |
| Contributing office(s) | Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center |
| Description | e14191, 18 p. |
| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |