The structure and dynamics of a water beetle community in a ...

4.1 Review of the literature – Spatiotemporal dynamics, habitat associations, biotic and
abiotic factors shaping water insect communities of stagnant waters
Habitat associations
Various abiotic and biotic factors are known to influence the composition of insect
communities in stagnant water bodies. The current knowledge is taxonomically highly biased
towards dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) but it seems that the structure of communities
is shaped by a wide range of both abiotic and biotic factors, the dominant ones generally
being habitat permanence and predation (Wellborn et al. 1996; Entrekin et al. 2001; McPeek
1990, 2003a, 2003b). The species composition changes and the diversity generally increases
along successional gradients (Fairchild et al. 2000, Suh & Samways 2005). This may be
caused by the increase of amount of vegetation, invasion by predators, and other consequent
changes. In the following text, I briefly discuss the importance of physicochemical variables,
habitat permanence, submerged vegetation, presence of fish predators, and interactions
between invertebrate predators.
Abiotic factors
Abiotic factors such as hydrology and water chemistry have been long considered as
important determinants of the composition of water insect communities. More recent insights
highlight the importance of interspecific interactions on structuring communities (e.g.
McPeek 1990; see below), while the significance of individual variables of water chemistry is
being disputed. From physico-chemical variables proposed to affect aquatic animals through
their impact on physiology, pH is often considered as an important factor determining the
composition of water insect communities (e.g. Bendell & McNicol 1995; Johansson &
Brodin 2003; Nicolet et al. 2004) but recent results demonstrate that at least some species of
water insects have a high tolerance for low pH. Wollmann (2000) collected several species of
the Corixidae in lakes with pH