Impacts of terrestrial habitat transformation on temporary wetland invertebrates in a sclerophyllous Sand fynbos landscape
There has been recent debate about the extent to which human disturbance of the landscape affects wetland invertebrates given that the organisms are already adapted to high levels of natural…
Macroinvertebrates as unreliable indicators of human disturbance in temporary depression wetlands of the south-western Cape, South Africa
Macroinvertebrates have a successful history of use as indicators of human impact in lotic environments. More recently, macroinvertebrate indices have been recommended for use in certain wetland…
Wetlands in Changed Landscapes: The Influence of Habitat Transformation on the Physico-Chemistry of Temporary Depression Wetlands
Results suggest that conservation of relatively narrow buffer strips around temporary wetlands is likely to be effective in the maintenance of natural conditions in terms of physico-chemical water quality.
Variable niche size of the giant mangrove whelk Terebralia palustris (Linnaeus, 1767) in a subtropical estuary
- J. Raw, R. Perissinotto, M. Bird, N. Miranda, N. Peer
- Environmental ScienceHydrobiologia
- 5 May 2017
The variability in the diet of T. palustris is important when considering the ecological role of this species, as a link between mangrove primary productivity and higher trophic levels, and the high C:N ratio observed in July could be driving the dietary diversification.
Increasing salinity drastically reduces hatching success of crustaceans from depression wetlands of the semi-arid Eastern Cape Karoo region, South Africa
- Annah Mabidi, M. Bird, R. Perissinotto
- Environmental ScienceScientific Reports
- 13 April 2018
The semi-arid Eastern Cape Karoo region of South Africa has been earmarked for shale gas development through hydraulic fracturing, and the process uses large amounts of water and produces briny wastewater, which may lead to salinisation of surface freshwater bodies in the region.
Diversity patterns of temporary wetland macroinvertebrate assemblages in the south-western Cape, South Africa
Five new species were collected—three hydraenid beetles, one streptocephalid fairy shrimp and one hydryphantid acarine—indicating the current paucity of knowledge about temporary wetland macroinvertebrates, indicating the conservation potential of wetlands with homogeneous biotopes.
Non-reliance of metazoans on stromatolite-forming microbial mats as a food resource
- G. Rishworth, R. Perissinotto, J. Raw
- Environmental ScienceScientific Reports
- 16 February 2017
Results clearly demonstrate that the dominant macrofaunal grazers do not utilise stromatolite material as a food resource, but rather subsist on autochthonous macroalgae, and suggest that grazers likely have a restrictive influence on pool macro algae, maintaining the competitive balance between micro- and macroalgal groups.
Grazer responses to variable macroalgal resource conditions facilitate habitat structuring
- G. Rishworth, R. Perissinotto, M. Bird, N. Pelletier
- Environmental ScienceRoyal Society Open Science
- 1 January 2018
This study assesses the dietary composition of grazer communities following seasonal changes in the characteristics of their staple food-source (macroalgae), and demonstrates a mechanism whereby grazer dietary shifts following a change in their preferred food resource can affect the ecosystem structure of their environment.
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