The influence of substrate type on macroinvertebrate assemblages within agricultural drainage ditches
Open accessAbstract
Artificial drainage ditches are common features in lowland agricultural catchments that support a wide range of ecosystem services at the landscape scale. Current paradigms in river management suggest activities that increase habitat heterogeneity and complexity resulting in more diverse floral and faunal assemblages; however, it is not known if the same principles apply to artificial drainage ditch systems. We examined the effects of four artificial substrates, representing increasing habitat complexity and heterogeneity (bricks, gravel, netting and vegetation), on macroinvertebrate community structure within artificial drainage ditches. Each substrate type supported a distinct macroinvertebrate community highlighting the importance of habitat heterogeneity in maintaining macroinvertebrate assemblages. Each substrate type also displayed differing degrees of community heterogeneity, with gravel communities being most variable and artificial vegetation being the least. In addition, several macroinvertebrate diversity metrics increased along the gradient of artificial substrate complexity, although these differences were not statistically significant. We conclude that habitat management practices that increase habitat complexity are likely to enhance macroinvertebrate community heterogeneity within artificial drainage channels regardless of previous management activities.
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Ditch hydrological connectivity with surrounding terrestrial environments, and thus biogeochemical exchange, depends primarily on their local geography and geomorphology, i.e., position within the landscape, length, width, presence and density of subsurface drainage, and channel substrate.
“Similar to natural streams, ditch hydrological connectivity with surrounding terrestrial environments, and thus biogeochemical exchange, depends primarily on their local geography and geomorphology, i.e., position within the landscape, length, width, presence and density of subsurface drainage, and channel substrate which may be permeable (sand, loam, peat, Fig. 1C, D, F, H) or impermeable (clay,”
From Lines in the landscape (2025) · cites this paper as [106]
Ditches can support a high biodiversity of aquatic macroinvertebrates, waterbirds, amphibians, macrophytes and fish.
“and can support a high biodiversity of aquatic macroinvertebrates 106,187 ), waterbirds 188,189 , amphibians 190 , macrophytes 191,192 and fish 193,194 .”
From Lines in the landscape (2025) · cites this paper as [106]
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- Authors
- Gething, K. J., Ripley, M. C., Mathers, K. L., Chadd, R. P., & Wood, P. J.
- Affiliations
- Loughborough University (GB)
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (CH)
- Environment Agency (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Wood, Paul J.
- Venue
- Hydrobiologia
- Published
- 2020-10-06
- Volume
- 847
- Issue
- 20
- Pages
- 4273-4284
- ISSN
- 0018-8158 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-5117
- OpenAlex
- W3092095977
- Cited by
- 26
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 4
- FWCI
- 1.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Hydrobiologia (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Nottingham Trent University's Institutional Repository (Nottingham Trent Repository) (acceptedVersion)
- DORA Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag)) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Loughborough University
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecology
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Invertebrate Taxonomy and Ecology
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Keywords
- macroinvertebrate communities, substrate type, habitat complexity, habitat heterogeneity, agricultural drainage, community heterogeneity, gravel substrate, artificial vegetation, ecosystem services, habitat management
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