Community Dynamics of Temporary Aquatic Ecosystems

Temporary aquatic ecosystems, including ephemeral ponds, vernal pools and seasonal wetlands, are characterised by periodic drying and refilling. Community assembly in these habitats is governed by a dynamic interplay of local environmental filters, regional dispersal and biotic interactions. Hydroperiod, the duration and timing of inundation, exerts a primary control on species pools and functional composition, shaping both taxonomic richness and turnover. Dispersal pathways—wind, waterfowl and anthropogenic vectors—mediate colonisation from regional sources, while dormancy in resting stages underpins resilience to desiccation. Species‐specific traits, such as life‐history strategies and physiological tolerances, determine establishment success, influencing metacommunity dynamics across a mosaic of temporary habitats. Functional roles in nutrient cycling and detritus processing are frequently redistributed as species ranges shift under global change, yet ecosystem process rates may exhibit stability through compensatory dynamics. Understanding these processes has major relevance for biodiversity conservation, restoration of ephemeral wetlands and management of freshwater resources under climate change and land‐use pressures.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have used long‐term field surveys and trait‐based analyses to reveal how range expansions alter ecosystem function in subalpine pond assemblages. As upslope shifts occur, resident and colonising species reallocate contributions to nutrient supply and detritus processing without changing total ecosystem rates, highlighting functional compensation amid community turnover. Another body of work has quantified wind‐driven dispersal of microscopic metazoans, demonstrating that active transport of living nematodes and other taxa occurs at high deposition rates, with humidity, wind speed and substrate proximity influencing dispersal patterns. These findings underscore the importance of aerial dispersal pathways and trait‐mediated viability for colonisation dynamics in temporary waters.

Community Dynamics of Temporary Aquatic Ecosystems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in community dynamics of temporary aquatic ecosystems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Hydroperiod: The duration and temporal pattern of water presence in a temporary aquatic habitat.

Alpha diversity: The number of species (or taxa) within a single habitat or community at a given time.

Beta diversity: The variation in species composition between habitats or over time, capturing turnover and nestedness.

Functional traits: Species characteristics (e.g. feeding rates, nutrient excretion) that influence ecosystem processes and interactions.

Propagule: A dispersal unit (e.g. resting egg or spore) capable of giving rise to a new individual under suitable conditions.

References

1. Hydroperiod length, not pond age, determines zooplankton taxonomic and functional diversity in temporary ponds. Ecological Indicators (2024).
2. Consequences of climate-induced range expansions on multiple ecosystem functions. Communications Biology (2023).
3. Long-distance passive dispersal in microscopic aquatic animals. Movement Ecology (2019).
4. The extent of wind-mediated dispersal of small metazoans, focusing nematodes. Scientific Reports (2018).
5. Strong Spatial Influence on Colonization Rates in a Pioneer Zooplankton Metacommunity. PLOS ONE (2012).