Loss Of Ponds Research Articles

Patterns and correlates in the distribution, design and management of garden ponds along an urban–rural gradient

Urbanisation results in the loss and alteration of natural wetlands and ponds. However, garden ponds in cities and towns can potentially act as rich reservoirs of aquatic biodiversity and stepping stones for dispersal. Homeowners with a range of different motivations, including biodiversity values, install garden ponds. Here, our main aim was to study whether the design and management choices of garden pond owners depended on the location of ponds (capital city vs. countryside), when ponds were installed (pond age), or whether fish were introduced. We surveyed 834 garden pond owners across Hungary using a citizen science questionnaire, asking questions on pond size, location, construction date and materials, vegetation structure, introduction of fish and management practices. From 753 validated responses, we found that the introduction of fish into ponds and high urbanisation were strongly associated with local features and management practices, especially large ponds with a water circulation feature, irrespective of pond age. A typical garden pond in Hungary is ~ 20 m2, < 10 years old, made of rubber lining, contains fish, aquatic vegetation and circulating water, and is actively managed. There was a spatial separation of ponds based on local features between ponds in the capital city (Budapest) and elsewhere. These findings suggest that garden pond owners in the city were more likely to make different choices in pond design and management compared to owners in regional areas. Our results also suggest that pond owners may primarily select management practices to improve habitat quality for ornamental fish. Our findings have important implications for maintaining aquatic biodiversity in urban areas, where garden ponds may be the only aquatic habitat available.

Satellite Remote Sensing Shows Maintenance of Fish Pond Area Improves Persistence of Eurasian Otters in Hong Kong

Urbanization and land cover change are significantly affecting the availability of habitats for wildlife worldwide. However, linking species persistence to large-scale habitat changes is challenging, especially when wildlife monitoring data is lacking. In China, the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is a species of conservation concern and is listed as endangered as a consequence of declining populations across the country. Hong Kong is home to a small population of Eurasian otters, which are primarily restricted to a set of wetlands in the inner Deep Bay area. However, the drivers of their historical distribution changes are largely unknown. We combined otter spraint data from 2018 to 2019 with historical records of otter data spanning 1959–2018 to examine otter habitat preference and changes in their distribution, relating this with land cover changes measured by Landsat-5 and Landsat-8 satellite remote sensing in the past (1986 and 1995) and present (2018) using supervised random forest classification. We found that otters showed habitat preference for fish ponds and watercourses, and persisted in areas where fish pond area was more readily available. We also found no significant effect of the extent of land cover changes on otter persistence, suggesting that the species is resilient to some level of fish pond loss and find value in available terrestrial habitats. Our results demonstrate the utility of relating satellite remote sensing data to species distribution data over decadal time scales and highlight the importance of managing terrestrial and wetland habitats for otters and other key species in increasingly urbanized landscapes.

Relative importance of VECTRI model parameters in the malaria disease transmission and prevalence.

In this study, a sensitivity analysis on a VECTRI dynamical model of malaria transmission is investigated to determine the relative importance of model parameters to disease transmission and prevalence. Apart from being most climatic prone, Odisha is a highly endemic state for malaria in India. The lack in sufficient modeling studies severely impacts the malarial process studies which further hinder the possibility of malaria early warning systems and preventive measures to be undertaken beforehand. Therefore, modeling studies and investigating the relationship between malaria transmission process studies and associated climatic factors are the need of the hour. Environmental conditions have pronounced effects on the malaria transmission dynamics and abundance of the poikilothermic vectors, but the exact relationship of sensitivity for these parameters is not well established. Sensitivity analysis is a useful tool for ascertaining model responses to different input variables. Therefore, in order to perform the requisite study, a dynamical model, VECTRI, is utilized. The study period ranges from 2000 to 2013, where several sensitivity tests are performed using different model parameters such as infiltration and evaporation rate loss of ponds, degree-days for parasite development, threshold temperature for parasite development, threshold temperature for egg development in the vector, and maximum and minimum temperature for larvae survival. The experiments suggest that the lower value of minimum temperature for larvae survival (rlarv_tmin), i.e., 16°C, provides higher vector density and entomological inoculation rate (EIR) values. EIR reaches its maximum, when the threshold temperature for parasite development (rtsporo) is 22°C and degree-days for parasite development (dsporo) is 8 degree-days. No change is observed in the vector density; even when rtsporo is 30°C, values of EIR are close to 0. A successive increment of infiltration and evaporation rate loss of ponds (rwaterfrac evap126) values from 130 to 200 mm/day result in approximately 5% consistent decline in vector density and EIR. The study concludes that the most sensitive parameters are dsporo, rlarv_tmin, and rwaterfrac evap126. The VECTRI model is rather insensitive to maximum temperature for larvae survival (rlarv_tmin) for vector density and EIR variables. Further certain modifications and improvements are required in VECTRI to predict out variables like vector density and EIR more accurately in highly endemic region.

An evidence-based study mapping the decline in freshwater ponds in the Severn Vale catchment in the UK between 1900 and 2019

Freshwater ponds have long been an overlooked biodiversity store and changing types of land use and the land management practices has led to a steady decline in pond numbers. Establishing the regional extent of pond loss is the first step in identifying key areas for conservation action. This study calculated pond loss in the Severn Vale catchment UK since 1900. Identification of pond location and surrounding land use on historic and contemporary maps enabled a comparison of total number, density and distance between present day and historic ponds. 57.7% of ponds present in 1900 were lost and pond density declined from 7.3 to 4.5 ponds km−2 between 1900 and 2019. This resulted in a 24.6 m increase in the average distance between contemporary ponds. Land use was an important factor in determining pond loss. Although in 2019 the highest density of ponds are in rural areas, 62.3% of ponds lost were from agricultural settings (arable or pasture). Our results highlight the significant pond loss experienced in the Severn Vale since 1900 and provide a valuable baseline for pondscape restoration. The methods described are widely applicable to other regions either with a history of ponds or an environment that could sustain them.

The ecological role of permanent ponds in Europe: a review of dietary linkages to terrestrial ecosystems via emerging insects

ABSTRACT Permanent ponds are valuable freshwater systems and biodiversity hotspots. They provide diverse ecosystem services (ESs), including water quality improvement and supply, food provisioning, and biodiversity support, despite significant pressure from multiple anthropogenic stressors and the impacts of ongoing global change. However, ponds are largely overlooked in management plans and legislation, and ecological research has focused on large freshwater ecosystems, such as rivers or lakes. Protection of ponds is often insufficient or indirectly provided via associated habitats such as wetlands. This situation is likely exacerbated by the lack of a full-scale understanding of the importance of ponds. In this review, we provide a detailed overview of permanent ponds across Europe, including their usages and the biodiversity they support. By discussing the concepts of pondscape and metacommunity theory, we highlight the importance of connectivity among and between ponds and identified fluxes of emerging insects as another ES of ponds. Those insects are rich in essential nutrients such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), delivered through them to the terrestrial environment; however, the extent and impact of this ES remains largely unexplored. Several potential stressors, especially related to ongoing global change, that influence pond diversity and integrity are discussed. We provide our insights on future pond management. Adaptive measures, taking into account the pond system per se within the pondscape, are the most promising to mitigate the loss of natural ponds and restore and conserve natural small waterbodies as refuges and diversity hotspots in increasingly urbanized landscapes.

Conserving wetlands in agroecosystems can sustain aerial insectivore productivity and survival

Agricultural intensification simplifies natural landscapes and frequently results in the loss of biodiversity. Wetlands are highly productive and may offset these losses, but the amount of wetland area needed to support declining avian species on farmland is unknown. Using an avian aerial insectivore, the Tree Swallow ( Tachycineta bicolor (Vieillot, 1808)), we tested whether a gradient of pond area (visible surface water in wetland basins within 500 m of nest boxes; range 0.2%–30% pond area) at cropland and grassland sites was related to aquatic insect biomass, reproductive success, and adult female or nestling body condition. Aquatic insect biomass was ∼2–8 times higher at the cropland sites with intermediate (5.2%) pond areas than at sites with the highest (15.6%) and lowest (0.2%) pond areas. Swallow clutch initiation date was ∼3–4 days earlier, and nestling body condition and model-predicted first-year survival were ∼10% higher among cropland sites with more pond area and were comparable to birds hatched at grassland sites. Loss of ponds due to agricultural drainage can reduce aquatic insect prey during the breeding season with apparent individual and demographic consequences for insectivorous birds. Overall, the results suggest that where wetlands are conserved, intensive croplands can sustain Tree Swallow populations.

Coexistence of two newt species in a transition zone of range overlap

Abstract Theory suggests that spatial segregation of similar, co-occurring species may be driven by alternative innate life history and dispersal strategies, and that it operates through catastrophic events. An inventory of the evolutionary closely related small-bodied newts Lissotriton helveticus and L. vulgaris in the northwest of France demonstrated the species’ spatial partitioning, with L. vulgaris dominating in two pond-rich and historically disturbed coastal areas and L. helveticus prevailing inland where ponds are sparser. Population numbers were followed over several decades (1975–2021) in a pond within the narrow (ca. 2000 m wide) species transition zone. Early in the temporal survey (1986) a massive die-off was observed of two-third of the L. helveticus breeding population from a late frost event. Yet, the contribution of L. helveticus to the newt assemblage was more or less stable around 60%, even though the total population size fluctuated by an order of magnitude. Lissotriton vulgaris and a third species, Ichthyosaura alpestris, made up ca. 30% and 10% of the total till 1993, after which date their relative contributions reversed. These data suggest that a state shift may have occurred among the latter two species and that the assumed two-species dynamics of Lissotriton underlying the study has been an oversimplification. The local decline of L. vulgaris is paralleled by the loss of well-vegetated ponds from the wider agricultural terrain that affects this species more than L. helveticus and I. alpestris.

A process-based assessment of landscape change and salmon habitat losses in the Chehalis River basin, USA.

Identifying necessary stream and watershed restoration actions requires quantifying natural potential habitat conditions to diagnose habitat change and evaluate restoration potential. We used three general methods of quantifying natural potential: historical maps and survey notes, contemporary reference sites, and models. Historical information was available only for the floodplain habitat analysis. We used contemporary reference sites to estimate natural potential habitat conditions for wood abundance, riparian shade, main channel length, and side channel length. For fine sediment, temperature, and beaver ponds we relied on models. We estimated a 90% loss of potential beaver pond area, 91% loss of side-channel length, and 92% loss or degradation of floodplain marshes and ponds. Spawning habitat area change due to wood loss ranged from -23% to -68% across subbasins. Other changes in habitat quantity or quality were smaller-either in magnitude or spatial extent-including rearing habitat areas, stream temperature, and accessible stream length. Historical floodplain habitat mapping provided the highest spatial resolution and certainty in locations and amounts of floodplain habitat lost or degraded, whereas use of the contemporary reference information provided less site specificity for wood abundance and side-channel length change. The models for fine sediment levels and beaver pond areas have the lowest reach-specific certainty, whereas the model of temperature change has higher certainty because it is based on a detailed riparian inventory. Despite uncertainties at the reach level, confidence in subbasin-level estimates of habitat change is moderate to high because accuracy increases as data are aggregated over multiple reaches. Our results show that the largest habitat losses were floodplain and beaver pond habitats, but use of these habitat change results in salmon life-cycle models can illustrate how the potential benefits of alternative habitat restoration actions varies among species with differing habitat preferences.

Upland burning and grazing as strategies to offset climate-change effects on wetlands

Wetland ecosystems perform a multitude of services valued by society and provide critical habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. Despite their importance, wetlands have been lost to different local, regional, and global drivers. Remaining wetlands are extremely sensitive to changing temperature and precipitation regimes. Management of grassland areas in wetland catchments may be an effective strategy for counteracting potentially negative impacts of climate change on wetlands. Our objective was to estimate the effects of climate changes on wetland hydrology, and to explore strategies for increasing surface-water inputs to wetlands. We coupled a field study with process-based simulation modeling of wetland-water levels. We found that climate change could decrease the number of wetlands that hold ponded water during the waterfowl breeding season by 14% under a hot wet scenario or 29% under a hot dry scenario if no upland-management actions were taken. Upland burning reduced pond losses to 9% (hot wet) and 26% (hot dry). Upland grazing resulted in the smallest loss of ponded wetlands, 6% loss under the hot-and-wet scenario and 22% loss under the hot-and-dry scenario. Overall, water inputs could be increased by either burning or grazing of upland vegetation thereby reducing pond losses during the waterfowl breeding season. While field results suggest that both grazing and burning can reduce the vegetative structure that could lead to increases in runoff in grassland catchments, our model simulations indicated that additional actions may be needed for managers to minimize future meteorologically driven water losses.

Temporary pond loss as a result of pasture abandonment: exploring the social-ecological drivers and consequences for amphibians

Amphibian conservation in farming landscapes can be advanced through understanding of the social and ecological contexts. There are very few studies which combines habitat use studies on amphibians with socio-economic drivers of land use change. The goals of this study are: (i) to document the temporary pond loss in a traditional pasture due to land abandonment (period of 2009-2018 and 2019), (ii) to explore the influence of shrub encroachment on the formation of temporary ponds, (iii) to document changes in amphibian species assemblages in the temporary ponds and (iv) to explore the socio-economic and environmental drivers of abandonment. The results show a dramatic increase of shrub cover in the study area as a result of land abandonment. The formation of temporary ponds was negatively influenced by the increase of shrub cover in the vicinity of ponds. The loss of temporary ponds had significant negative influence on the amphibian species assemblages in the remaining temporary ponds. The social component of the research highlights a social-ecological feedback consisting of village depopulation, incorrect interpretation of nature protection law by officials, shrub encroachment caused by the abandonment of grazing and the loss of local’s motivations to restart traditional grazing due to the excessive shrub encroachment. A strong cooperation between farmers and conservation scientists can provide multiple benefits including conservation management of habitats, develop strategies for high nature value farming and tightening social-ecological links between locals and their pasture. We urge the implementation of holistic (social-ecological) research on amphibian conservation in traditional farming landscapes.

Estimating long-term LULC changes in an agriculture-dominated basin using CORONA (1970) and LISS IV (2013-14) satellite images: a case study of Ramganga River, India.

The basin of Ramganga River, a major tributary of Ganga, has seen rapid industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural growth in modern times, especially during and after the 1970s, with consequent changes in Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) of the basin. Object-based classification of seldom-used CORONA images (for 1970) for historical LULC scenario and LISS IV (Resourcesat-2) images (for 2013-14) for the present scenario of the basin was performed with high overall accuracies of 93% and 87% and Kappa coefficients of 0.89 and 0.82 respectively. Object-based classification using the eCognition software tool combined with manual classification of the images revealed significant decrease in total forest cover (~ 485km2) and riverbed (~ 498km2) LULC classes along with correspondingly increased agriculture (~ 898km2) and built-up (~ 313km2) classes in the basin. Further, though Ramganga reservoir (spread over ~ 70km2), operated since in 1974, has increased the water area by ~ 1295% in Afzalgarh sub-basin of the Ramganga Basin, the overall area of water class decreased by 1.64% in the basin, probably due to loss of ponds in agricultural lands. An upward shift of about 42km in the confluence point of Ramganga and Gangan Rivers was also observed, which may be attributed to the course shift of Ramganga in a south-west direction.

The Effectiveness of Hybrid Structure in Overcoming Coastal Abration in Trimulyo, Genuk Subdistrict Semarang City

Trimulyo is one of coastal village in Genuk Subdistrict, Semarang City which now facing serious coastal abrasion. Such a thing has been causing loss of ponds and settlements. One of solution which currently carried is hybrid structure which combining permeable structure to break up the waves and trap sediment. The hybrid structure is designed as agitation dredging, which increase suspended sediment in sea water. The goals of this research were to studying the effectiveness of hybrid structure in handling coastal abration and to counting the volume of sedimentation during 20 months as well as rate of sedimentation. To reach the goals, high resolution satellite imagery year 2015 and 2016, scaled stick and sediment trap were applied to the study. Image processing was conducted by using Arc GIS 10.3 software. The effectiveness of hybrid structured was determined by series of field survey of existing condition. Rate of sedimentation measured during before and after hybrid structure built (20 months). The results showed that hybrid structure was effective to reduce coastal abrasion, it proven by a large amount of sediment was trapped behind the structure and coastline was upward along 170 meter since it was built. The volume of sediment during 20 months is 81.500 m3. If it assumed that the rate of sedimentation constantly, monthly rate of sedimentation is 4.075 m3/month or daily rate is 135,8 m3/day. The sediment that has formed highly recommended to use as mangrove conservation area in Semarang City.

The application of graph theory and percolation analysis for assessing change in the spatial configuration of pond networks

Pond networks support high levels of biodiversity when compared to other freshwater ecosystems such as rivers, lakes and streams. The persistence of species in these small, sometimes ephemeral, aquatic habitats depends on the dispersal of individuals among ponds in the landscape. However, the number of ponds across the landscape is at a historical low as urbanisation and intensified agricultural practices have led to a substantial loss of ponds (nodes in the pond network) over more than a century. Here, we examine the extent and drivers of pond loss in a heavily urbanised landscape (Birmingham, UK) over 105 years and determine how pond loss influences key structural properties of the pond network using graph theoretic approaches. Specifically, we calculated minimum spanning trees (MST) and performed percolation analyses to determine changes in both the spatial configuration and resilience of the pond network through time. Pond numbers declined by 82% between ca1904 and 2009, such that pond density decreased from 7.1 km-2 to 1.3 km-2. The MST analyses revealed increased distance between ponds in the network (i.e. edge length increased) by up to 49% over the 105-year period, indicating that ponds in the modern landscape (2009) were considerably more isolated, with fewer neighbours. This study demonstrates that graph theory has an excellent potential to inform the management of pond networks in order to support ecological communities that are less vulnerable to environmental change.

Ecological impacts of pond losses and abandonments on regional aquatic biodiversity: What will happen in the depopulating Japan?

Ecological impacts of pond losses and abandonments on regional aquatic biodiversity: What will happen in the depopulating Japan?

The influence of fish ponds and salinization on groundwater quality in the multi-layer coastal aquifer system in Israel

This study focuses on the impact of surface reservoirs (fish ponds) on a multi aquifer coastal system, and the relation between the aquifer and the sea. The study was conducted in an Israeli Mediterranean coastal aquifer, which includes a sandy phreatic unit and two confined calcareous sandstone units. The geological description is based on 52 wells, from which 33 samples were collected for stable isotope analysis and 25 samples for organic and inorganic parameters. Hydraulic head and chemical measurements suggest that there is an hydraulic connection between the fish ponds above the aquifer and the phreatic unit, whereas the connection with the confined units is very limited. The phreatic unit is characterized by a low concentration of oxygen and high concentrations of ammonium and phosphate, while the confined units are characterized by higher oxygen and much lower ammonium and phosphate concentrations. Organic matter fluorescence was found to be a tool to distinguish the contribution of the pond waters, whereby a pond water signature (characterized by proteinaceous (tryptophan-like) and typical humic-matter fluorescence) was found in the phreatic aquifer. The phreatic unit is also isotopically enriched, similar to pond waters, with δ18O of −1‰ and δD of −4.6‰, indicating enhanced evaporation of the pond water before infiltration, whereas there is a depleted isotopic composition in the confined units (δ18O=−4.3‰, δD=−20.4‰), which are also OM-poor. The Phreeqc model was used for quantitative calculation of the effect of pond losses on the different units.The Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN) in the upper unit increases downstream from the ponds toward the sea, probably due to organic matter degradation, suggesting contribution of DIN from shallow groundwater flow to the sea. 87Sr/86Sr and Mg/Ca in the brackish and saline groundwater of the lower confined units increase toward seawater value, suggesting that the salinization process in the region is connected to seawater intrusion and not to old brine from the underlying Cretaceous aquitard.

Context-dependent local movements of the blue-tailed damselfly, Ischnura elegans: effects of pond characteristics and the landscape matrix

The loss of ponds and the fragmentation of their surrounding landscape negatively impacts the biodiversity of wetlands, such as damselflies. They are short-distance dispersers and can be influenced by the quality of suitable habitats and the landscape matrix. The aim of this study was to test the effect of the environmental context (i.e. pond characteristics and the surrounding landscape) on movements and survival probability in a damselfly species, Ischnura elegans. Three approaches (i.e. capture-mark-recapture, individual tracking and translocation studies) were performed in Northwestern France. The characteristics of ponds did not influence damselfly survival. However, the landscape context affected movements within ponds, and between ponds. Individuals from open-field ponds moved over longer distances than individuals from urban ponds. Moreover, in cases of disturbances, such as a pond drying up, movements from one pond to another were observed only in the open-field context. The ecological quality of the pond did not appear to affect survival of individuals, probably because I. elegans has a high tolerance to changes in ecological factors. However, higher local movements depend on the degree of openness of the landscape. Landscape context is hence a key issue in damselfly conservation planning and in maintaining ecological continuities, such as along greenways and blueways, and specifically the degree of landscape openness during pond creation.

Amphibian decline, pond loss and reduced population connectivity under agricultural intensification over a 38\xa0year period

Habitat loss, together with less obvious land-use changes such as intensified farming practice, can have significant adverse impacts on biodiversity. An important factor in determining the ability of species to cope with such changes is their potential to sustain a populations network by dispersal across the landscape. Habitat quality and structure are particularly important for surface-dwelling species with low dispersal abilities, such as amphibians. To assess this ecological function, ponds in a coastal and typically rural area of northern France were surveyed for amphibians in 1974, 1992 and 2011. These repeated surveys yielded different outcomes for different species groups. Three rare species persisted in more or less specialized habitat types. Two moderately common species declined, but kept strongholds in coastal dunes and associated marshes. Five common species with broad ecological niches remained equally widespread. The Northern crested newt declined markedly and the Midwife toad declined dramatically, as did their breeding habitats in vegetated ponds and cattle drinking troughs. One species, the Moor frog, may have gone locally extinct. A model of relative resistance to amphibian dispersal was created for different landscape types, on a scale from 0 (low resistance) to 1 (high resistance). This generated values of 0.23 for pasture, 0.72 for arable and 0.98 for urban and transport. As pasture declined in the study area, while arable and urban/transport infrastructure increased, amphibian dispersal became more difficult. However, dispersal paths proved difficult to evaluate in a patchy landscape like the one surveyed, due to a paucity of spatial signal. Pond loss is a more tractable reason for the observed amphibian species decline than is the quality of intervening terrestrial habitat matrix. In 2011, 22 newly created ponds had species richness in line with pre-existing ponds and this will have counteracted a dwindling metapopulation structure, indicating that habitat creation/restoration can play a valuable role in conservation. The colonization of new ponds may also prove more informative for gauging the potential for amphibian dispersal in the landscape than the preceding decline.

Fate of 150 Year Old Beaver Ponds in the Laurentian Great Lakes Region

The North American beaver, Castor canadensis, has recovered from historic overtrapping, recolonizing much of its former range as its population expanded. Previous studies using historical aerial photos document recent increases in number of beaver ponds, but the long-term sustainability of beaver populations and their ponds over centuries of landscape alteration is unknown. This paper analyzes the fate of beaver ponds mapped in 1868 near Ishpeming, Michigan, USA. Of the 64 beaver dam and pond sites mapped in the 1860s, 72 % were still discernible in 2014. Land use changes that altered the terrain (mining, residential development) or stream paths (channelization) were the main sources of beaver pond loss. This remarkable consistency in beaver pond placement over the last 150 years is evidence of the beaver’s resilience.

Bat Activity Over Small Ponds in Dry Mediterranean Forests: Implications for Conservation

In dry Mediterranean forests, ponds constitute essential water resources for animals, especially during summer months. In southeastern Spain, land use changes and the human abandonment of mountainous zones have led to the loss of many ponds. These ponds are scarce landscape elements and, despite their usually small size (< 1,000 m2), they support a considerable amount of biodiversity. We studied the patterns of use of these ponds by bats during the activity season in dry forest landscapes of a Mediterranean region using acoustic monitoring. Our hypothesis was that these ponds are valuable landscape elements for bats, and bat activity and richness species will be high over them. Bat activity and species richness were compared between ponds and adjacent sampling points in the forest matrix. We recorded 14 bat species and our results show that both general bat activity (all species grouped together) and species richness were higher in the ponds than in the forest areas. Bat activity was higher in June, howev...

Assessing Historical and Current Threats to Common Frog (Rana temporaria) Populations in Ireland

Abstract Ponds are an ephemeral feature of the landscape but their large-scale loss can have profound implications for biodiversity and the persistence of amphibian populations. We quantified rates of pond loss throughout Ireland over a period of approximately 125 yr. Environmental parameters and perceived risk factors associated with the current occurrence and density of the Common Frog, Rana temporaria, were also analyzed. The numbers of farmland ponds declined by 54% between 1887–1913 and 2005–11, with most ponds and the greatest losses in the East, coincident with agricultural intensification and human habitation. The decline of pond numbers was significant but, at approximately 0.5% per annum, was substantially less than losses recorded in other European countries. Losses were coincident with major changes to the agricultural landscape including extensive land drainage. However, losses of pond and natural wetland habitats throughout Ireland may have been partially or wholly mitigated by a synchronous...