| Abstract | 1. We aimed to distinguish the relative contributions of natural and anthropogenic local factors on patterns of fish diversity in European lakes at different geographical scales. 2. We compiled data from standardised fish monitoring using multimesh benthic gill nets, information on lake morphometry and on geographical, climatic and anthropogenic pressure variables from 1632 lakes in 11 European countries. By means of regression trees, we determined those natural and anthropogenic factors and their thresholds that best predicted local fish diversity, density and mean size. Generalised linear models were used to assess the influence of anthropogenic factors at smaller geographical and morphometric scales. 3. Local fish species richness and diversity were related mainly to morphometric and (bio)geographical/climatic variables. Larger and deeper lakes in warm areas tended to be the most species rich and diverse. Fish density was related mainly to anthropogenically driven productivity but also was sensitive to geographical/climatic factors. Thus, warmer and shallower lower-altitude European lakes, which are usually more eutrophic, had higher fish densities than cold and deeper higher-altitude lakes. Fish size increased with altitude and declined with increasing seasonality and temperature. 4. After controlling for the natural factors, productivity had a positive effect on fish species richness and diversity, whereas it negatively influenced fish size. 5. Our results suggest that macroecological patterns of lake fish diversity across Europe are best predicted by natural factors. The contribution of anthropogenic factors to fish diversity was evident only via the effect of eutrophication at smaller geographical scales, whereas no effect could be found from hydromorphological pressures. From an applied perspective, these results suggest that bioassessment and biodiversity evaluation might be most effectively conducted and interpreted locally, where anthropogenic effects on biodiversity become more apparent. At a macroecological scale, the strong effect of environmental temperature on most components of fish diversity suggests future changes in fish diversity as a consequence of climate change. |
| Text | 309318 2013 10.1111/fwb.12167 ISI Web of Science WOS 000321328800002 Scopus 2 s2.0 84880136560 biogeography eutrophication fish assemblage hydromorphology species richness Fish diversity in European lakes geographical factors dominate over anthropogenic pressures Sandra Brucet; Stephanie Pedron; Thomas Mehner; Torben L.Lauridsen; Christine Argillier; Ian J.Winfield; Pietro Volta; Matthias Emmrich; Trygve Hesthagen; Kerstin Holmgren; Lluis Benejam; Fiona Kelly; Teet Krause; Anu Palm; Martti Rask; Erik Jeppesen Brucet, Sandra JCR, European Commission, Ispra VA ; Pedron, Stephanie Pole Hydroecol Plans Eau Onema Irstea, UR HYAX, Irstea, Aix En Provence 5, France; Mehner, Thomas Leibniz Inst Freshwater Ecol Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany; Lauridsen, Torben L. Aarhus Univ, Dept Biosci, Silkeborg, Denmark; Argillier, Christine Pole Hydroecol Plans Eau Onema Irstea, UR HYAX, Irstea, Aix En Provence 5, France; Winfield, Ian J. Lancaster Environm Ctr, Lake Ecosyst Grp, Ctr Ecol Hydrol, Lancaster, England; Volta, Pietro CNR ISE, Pallanza Verbania; Emmrich, Matthias Leibniz Inst Freshwater Ecol Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany; Hesthagen, Trygve Norwegian Inst Nat Res, N 7004 Trondheim, Norway; Holmgren, Kerstin Swedish Univ Agr Sci, Inst Freshwater Res, Dept Aquat Resources, Drottningholm, Sweden; Benejam, Lluis Univ Vic, Dept Environm Sci, Vic 08500, Catalonia, Spain; Kelly, Fiona Inland Fisheries Ireland, Dublin, Swords, Ireland; Krause, Teet Estonian Univ Life Sci, IAES, Ctr Limnol, Tartu, Estonia; Palm, Anu Estonian Univ Life Sci, IAES, Ctr Limnol, Tartu, Estonia; Rask, Martti Finnish Game Fisheries Res Inst, Evo Fisheries Res Stn, Evo, Finland; Jeppesen, Erik Leibniz Inst Freshwater Ecol Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany; 1. We aimed to distinguish the relative contributions of natural and anthropogenic local factors on patterns of fish diversity in European lakes at different geographical scales. 2. We compiled data from standardised fish monitoring using multimesh benthic gill nets, information on lake morphometry and on geographical, climatic and anthropogenic pressure variables from 1632 lakes in 11 European countries. By means of regression trees, we determined those natural and anthropogenic factors and their thresholds that best predicted local fish diversity, density and mean size. Generalised linear models were used to assess the influence of anthropogenic factors at smaller geographical and morphometric scales. 3. Local fish species richness and diversity were related mainly to morphometric and bio geographical/climatic variables. Larger and deeper lakes in warm areas tended to be the most species rich and diverse. Fish density was related mainly to anthropogenically driven productivity but also was sensitive to geographical/climatic factors. Thus, warmer and shallower lower altitude European lakes, which are usually more eutrophic, had higher fish densities than cold and deeper higher altitude lakes. Fish size increased with altitude and declined with increasing seasonality and temperature. 4. After controlling for the natural factors, productivity had a positive effect on fish species richness and diversity, whereas it negatively influenced fish size. 5. Our results suggest that macroecological patterns of lake fish diversity across Europe are best predicted by natural factors. The contribution of anthropogenic factors to fish diversity was evident only via the effect of eutrophication at smaller geographical scales, whereas no effect could be found from hydromorphological pressures. From an applied perspective, these results suggest that bioassessment and biodiversity evaluation might be most effectively conducted and interpreted locally, where anthropogenic effects on biodiversity become more apparent. At a macroecological scale, the strong effect of environmental temperature on most components of fish diversity suggests future changes in fish diversity as a consequence of climate change. 58 Published version Articolo Freshwater_Biology_58_1779_1793.pdf Articolo in rivista Blackwell Scientific Publications. 0046 5070 Freshwater biology Print Freshwater biology Print Freshw. biol. Print pietro.volta VOLTA PIETRO TA.P04.016.004 Ecologia teorica e applicata degli ecosistemi acquatici |
