New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
Spatial biodiversity patterns in a large New Zealand braided river
Duncan Gray
School of Biological Sciences
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch, New Zealand
email: dpg36@student.canterbury.ac.nz
Mike R. Scarsbrook
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric
Research Limited
P.O. Box 11 115
Hamilton, New Zealand
Jon S. Harding
School of Biological Sciences
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch, New Zealand
Abstract At the catchment scale, braided rivers are recognised as
physically unstable, dynamic landscapes, yet at finer spatial scales they are
a mosaic of micro-habitats including physically unstable braided channels and
more stable spring-sources, spring creeks, and groundwater zones. We investigated
benthic invertebrate communities at 103 sites in braided channels, springs and
hillslope streams in the Waimakariri River, New Zealand over 3 months. One hundred
taxa were identified, including a number of rare phreatic species. Highest total
taxonomic richness occurred in springs (81 taxa), whereas main braids and hillslope
streams had fewer taxa (54 and 56, respectively). Spring-fed habitats also had
the highest diversity of unique taxa (22), whereas main channels had five and
hillslope streams 11 taxa, respectively. Several taxa including the mayfly Deleatidium and
orthoclad chironomids were ubiquitous, whereas others such as the flatworm Prorhynchus had
restricted habitats. Our results highlight the high spatial heterogeneity of
braided river habitats and the importance of springs as centres of invertebrate
diversity within braided river catchments.
Keywords braided river; benthic habitat; springs; benthic invertebrates;
biodiversity
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2006, Vol. 40:
631–642
0028–8330/06/4004–0631 © The Royal Society
of New Zealand 2006
M06040; Online publication date 15 November 2006. Received 10 July
2006; accepted 15 September 2006
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