Abstract
Anthropogenic interventions are threatening small freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity, which continues to decline at an alarming rate. To address their biodiversity value, 210 small waterbodies in Czechia were sampled to determine how different habitat characteristics and anthropogenic-induced disturbances affect selected species community composition. Three types of habitats were chosen: ponds, pools and flooded quarries. The selected sites were sampled for fish with fyke nets focussing on native crucian carp (Carassius carassius), sunbleak (Leucaspius delineatus) and invasive gibel carp (Carassius gibelio) and topmouth gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva). The surface area of the water body, human population within 1, 5 and 10km radius, water transparency, elevation, macrophyte cover and the other co-existing fish species, newts and diving beetles were recorded. The two focal native fish species tended to co-occur with alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris), great crested newt (Triturus cristatus), the smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris) and diving beetles (Dytiscus sp.) and were associated with sites with higher macrophyte cover. Densely inhabited areas were more likely to contain invasive fish species. Presence of invasive gibel carp and topmouth gudgeon was associated with low habitat quality. Flooded quarries supported fewer common species and had slightly higher diversity among the sampled sites. This study highlights the importance of small artificial water bodies as a secondary habitat for declining fauna primarily associated with floodplain pools.
Published Version
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