Cited by 96Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecologyEcology and biodiversity studiesEcology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies

Macroinvertebrate distributions and the conservation value of aquatic Coleoptera, Mollusca and Odonata in the ditches of traditionally managed and grazing fen at Wicken Fen, UK

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Painter, Duncan·1999·Journal of Applied Ecology

Abstract

1. Water‐filled ditches are an important ecological feature of lowland Britain. Originally dug to facilitate wetland drainage, ditches often provide refuges for aquatic flora and fauna of high conservation value. 2. The ditches, ponds and major waterways of a traditionally managed undrained fen and the ditches of a previously drained cattle‐grazed fen meadow were sampled at Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve for Coleoptera, Mollusca and Odonata, and for physical, chemical and biological variables. 3. Multivariate analysis showed a clear division between ditches on the two fens, and between larger and smaller waterbodies. 4. Individual ditches possessed distinctive faunas. Ditch age and bank profile were important factors influencing faunal species composition. 5. Invertebrate distributions were shown to be significantly correlated with macrophyte distribution. 6. Waterbodies were ranked in terms of their species quality, using a point‐scoring system; there was no correlation between rankings for the three invertebrate groups; only ditch age and detritus levels were correlated with species quality score (for Coleoptera). 7. Ditch management recommendations are discussed in the light of these results.

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Crossref · 10.1046/j.1365-2664.1999.00376.x

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  • Many ditches represent novel ecosystems with distinct biotic communities.

    “Despite this, many ditches represent novel ecosystems with distinct biotic communities 21,[184][185][186] , 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 [185]

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Callow\ P[ "0862# Field observations and laboratory experi! ments on the general food requirements of two species of freshwater snail\ Planorbis contortus "Linn[# and Ancylus ~uviatilis "Mhll[#[ Proceedings of the Malacological Society of London\ 39\ 372Ð378[ Caspers\ H[ + Heckman\ C[W[ "0870# Ecology of orchard drainage ditches along the freshwater section of the Elbe Estuary[ Archiv fu Ãr Hydrobiologie\ 32 "Supplement#\ 236Ð 375
  2. Lee\ D[G[ "0877# Environmental change and freshwater macroinvertebrates at Wicken Fen\ Cambridgeshire[ PhD Thesis[ University of Cambridge\ Cambridge\ UK[ J[M[\ Friday\ L[E[ + Bennett\ T[J[ "0886# The National Trust and the management of the Fen[ Wicken Fen] the Making of a Nature Reserve "ed[ L[E[ Friday#\ pp[ 102Ð 143[ Harley Books\ Colchester\ UK[
  3. Miller\ P[L[ "0876# Naturalists| Handbooks 6[ Dragon~ies[ Cambridge University Press\ Cambridge\ UK[

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Authors
Painter, D.
Affiliations
University of Cambridge (GB)
Corresponding author
Painter, Duncan
Venue
Journal of Applied Ecology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
1999-02
Volume
36
Issue
1
Pages
33-48
ISSN
  • 0021-8901 (ISSN-L)
  • 1365-2664
OpenAlex
W2041835694
Cited by
96
References
28
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 5
FWCI
2.93
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
Journal of Applied Ecology (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecology
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Ecology and biodiversity studies
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
Keywords
aquatic macroinvertebrates, Coleoptera, Mollusca, Odonata, fen meadows, cattle grazing, wetland drainage, aquatic plants, Wicken Fen, conservation value

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