Comparison of benthic macroinvertebrates in three polyculture models of ponds stocking mainly Ctenopharyngodon idellus

Abstract

Abstract We investigated the distributions of benthic macroinvertebrates in land-based fish ponds (three polyculture models), mainly stocking Ctenopharyngodon idellus, and studied which environmental variables would lead to variation in macroinvertebrate community structure. We sampled benthic macroinvertebrates in nine ponds, three times from June to October 2010. Meanwhile, many environmental variables were measured. Sixteen species of benthic macroinvertebrates were identified. Aquatic insects made up the majority component of the benthic fauna samples. Glyptotendipes lobiferus and Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri were the most dominant species. Insect and Oligochaeta abundance showed clear change, and their density variation tendency was different in each of the three models. Redundancy analyses (RDA), including the Monte Carlo permutation test and forward selection procedure, showed LOI, TNS, TPS, pH, T, Chl-a, NO2 −-N and TP to be the most important environmental variables acting on the benthic macroinverte...