Loss of ant, beetle and spider abundance and diversity upon desiccation of poorly managed water bodies in the Chihuahuan Desert

Abstract

The Cuatro Ciénegas basin is an international recognized wetland within the Chihuahuan Desert. Some of the water bodies within the area have been subject to unsustainable management practices. Here we study the impact of water extraction on beetles, ants and spiders. Our study started with the drying up of the main water bodies in mid-2011. The water level recovered in 2013 but diminished dramatically since then. We monitored the ant and beetle richness and abundance during 2011 and 2012 and the spiders from 2011 to 2016. The number of ant species diminished in 2012, after the first collapse of the water level. Abundance of both, ants and beetles were also significantly lower in the second year. Spider abundance and richness closely followed the ground desiccation resulting from the declining water levels. We found the highest number of species in 2011. The numbers declined thereafter. Abundance was high in 2011 and 2014, after the wetland recuperated, but declined when the water body dried up again. Our results show the negative impact of ground desiccation resulting from poor water management in wetlands within arid environments.