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Relationships between environmental conditions and macroalgae structure on the benthic macroinvertebrate establishment: diversity and conservation in rivers of central Spain and Mexico

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Abstract

Abstract

The macroinvertebrates associated with algae casts light on the possibility of coevolution in a specific environmental context. The understanding of how biological and environmental factors could favor, or limit such interactions and represent an important step for the comprehension of river socio-ecology dynamics. The aim of this study is to establish convergences and recurrent relationships between the most frequent algal groups and associated macroinvertebrates in temperate and tropical rivers from Mexico and Spain. We collected algal population from sixteen rivers, identifying that environmental factors and the algae characteristics that influence the biotic associations with macroinvertebrates and their implications in conservation from a biological and functional perspective. We found that habitat preference is guided by algae as a provider of food and shelter and that environmental factors were secondary. Paralemanea and Lemanea spp. (Rodophyta) recorded the greatest structural complexity, promoting more diverse but less specific associations, which could be a factor that limits co-evolution. Conversely, Phormidium and Nostoc (Cyanobacteria) recorded less diversity but greater specificity; in particular, Cricotopus (Chironomidae) was dominant, suggesting a recurrent association with the possibility of coupled life cycles. The algal structural complexity was the preponderant factor in determining the specificity of associated macroinvertebrates. The associations were in turn related to a river’s specific environmental context, for example, Nostoc and Cricotopus were characteristic of oligotrophic waters, while Paralemanea and Lemanea with Hydroptilidae and Hydrobiosidae (Trichoptera) were recurrent in meso-eutrophic waters.

Implications for insect conservation

Changes in aquatic ecosystem quality can affect the establishment of populations of algae and insects, affecting species conservation and coexistence relationships mediated by evolutionary coupling events.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Programa de Apoyos para la Superación del Personal Académico (Universidad Nacional Autonóma de México (UNAM) for the sabbatical stay of JCJ and postdoctoral fellowship Programa de Apoyos para la Superación del Personal Académico, UNAM of ACB. We also thank Verónica Aguilar for drawing the map. The authors want to thank the financial support programs: Centro de Estudios de América Latina-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid-Santander-2017-2018; and Programa de Apoyo a Proyectos de Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica-UNAM-IN307219. We thank to PhD candidate Brett Butler for language improvement.

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  1. Laboratorio de Ecosistemas de Ribera, Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico

    Angela Caro Borrero, Javier Carmona Jiménez & Kenia Márquez Santamaría

  2. Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Elvira Perona

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  1. Angela Caro Borrero
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Correspondence to Javier Carmona Jiménez.

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Caro Borrero, A., Carmona Jiménez, J., Márquez Santamaría, K. et al. Relationships between environmental conditions and macroalgae structure on the benthic macroinvertebrate establishment: diversity and conservation in rivers of central Spain and Mexico. J Insect Conserv 25, 769–781 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-021-00342-7

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