Repeatable patterns in the distribution of freshwater biodiversity indicators across contrasting landscapes
Open accessAbstract
Context: Freshwater biodiversity is declining at unparalleled rates, but fundamental questions remain over how it is distributed at the spatial scales most relevant for conservation management. Objectives: Here, we test the hypothesis that freshwater biodiversity is distributed across standing waterbody types in a pattern that is reproducible across disparate biota and contrasting landscapes, such that conservation efforts can be aligned across landscapes and taxa. Methods: We analysed the richness, composition and distribution of macrophytes, molluscs, beetles and odonates from 199 standing waterbodies (lakes, ponds, ditches and canals) nested within UK landscapes with contrasting dominant land use (agricultural, upland and suburban). Results: We found a common pattern in the distribution of our biodiversity indicators across waterbody types in all landscapes that was largely repeated across biota; lakes consistently had the highest or equal alpha diversity and supported a greater proportion of the sampled species pool in each landscape (mean = 86%) in comparison to ponds (74%). Landscape-specific waterbody types (ditches and canals) also contributed significantly to the regional species pool (69 and 33% respectively). Each waterbody type contributed uniquely to landscape biodiversity and usually species of conservation concern, rather than simply supporting a subset of ubiquitous species found in lakes. Conclusions: Landscape-wide management strategies that encompass multiple habitats and biota should prove advantageous and generalisable. However, our study landscapes suggest that long-term biodiversity conservation should also recognise lakes as a priority for nature recovery, both to minimise further losses and to maintain the largest reservoir of biodiversity.
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At a landscape scale, the unique hydrological characteristics of ditches can provide important ecological niches for many species, thereby increasing regional biodiversity.
“At a landscape scale, the unique hydrological characteristics of ditches can provide important ecological niches for many species, thereby increasing regional biodiversity 186,195,198,199 .”
From Lines in the landscape (2025) · cites this paper as [186]
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- Authors
- Law, A., Baker, A., Sayer, C. D., Foster, G., Gunn, I. D. M., Macadam, C. R., & Willby, N. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Stirling (GB)
- University College London (GB)
- The Aquatic Coleoptera Conservation Trust (GB)
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (GB)
- Buglife (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Law, Alan
- Venue
- Landscape Ecology
- Published
- 2024-11-14
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 11
- ISSN
- 0921-2973 (ISSN-L)
- 1572-9761
- OpenAlex
- W4404313664
- Cited by
- 8
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5
- FWCI
- 2.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Landscape Ecology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- NERC Open Research Archive (Natural Environment Research Council) (acceptedVersion)
- Stirling Online Research Repository (University of Stirling) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- TeesRep (Teesside University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Teesside University Research Portal (Teesside University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Natural Environment Research Council (NE/N006437/1)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecology
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Keywords
- freshwater biodiversity, lakes, ponds, ditches, canals, species richness, species composition, alpha diversity, regional species pool, aquatic plants, Mollusca, Coleoptera, Odonata, land use, conservation management, nature recovery, conservation concern species
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