Effects of Hydrologic Regime Changes on a Taxonomic and Functional Trait Structure of Earthworm Communities in Mountain Wetlands.

ABSTRACT: Disturbances, both natural and anthropogenic, influence the patterning of species and species traits. The shift in species composition and distribution pattern of functional traits can demonstrate if the community is resistant, sensitive or resilient to the disturbance. Based on species- and trait-based approaches, we examined the response of the earthworm community to changing hydrologic conditions caused by the artificial drainage of mountain fens, in which cumulative effects of disturbance events over space and time are much less dynamic than in riverine wetlands. We hypothesized that the drainage-related changes of mountain fen peat soils have an effect on the earthworm community composition and its functional structure. We assume that the shift in species composition and value of comm

SUBMITTER: Pizl V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10045450 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature