Seeing the Pond for the Reeds: Biodiversity of Rural Ponds

Authors

  • Jayci Scheff Wingate University
  • Dr. Shem Unger Wingate University
  • Dr. Erika Niland Wingate University
  • Brad Turley Carolina Wildlands Foundation at Southern 8ths Farm
  • David Harper Carolina Wildlands Foundation at Southern 8’s

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47611/jsr.v11i2.1615

Keywords:

Pond diversity, rural ecosystems, bioblitz, iNaturalist, biodiversity

Abstract

Ponds in rural ecosystems may provide valuable habitat for a variety of cosmopolitan species, including those that are either fully aquatic or pond associated species in riparian habitats of mixed agricultural/wooded areas. We assessed the diversity of three rural ponds on private property (Southern 8’s Farm; Chesterfield, South Carolina), with different management histories using rapid species assessments. Surveys included aquatic dip-netting, sweep netting, acoustic surveys, camera trapping, and visual encounters. Identifications of organisms were performed using iNaturalist.  In total, we compiled 240 unique taxonomic observations of different taxa across all ponds, representing 165 fully identified species (68.8% of observations). This consisted of 166 animal observations (largely arthropods, with some chordates), and 70 plant observations (mostly dicot flowering plants) and only 4 fungi observations. We found that iNaturalist provided a reliable method for identification of flora and fauna pond-associated species and should be considered for bioblitz surveys and rapid biological inventories to document species presence in riparian zones of agricultural ecosystems.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Author Biographies

Dr. Shem Unger, Wingate University

Associate Professor of Biology

Dr. Erika Niland, Wingate University

Associate Professor and Chair of the Biology Department

Brad Turley, Carolina Wildlands Foundation at Southern 8ths Farm

Operations Program Manager

References or Bibliography

Acevedo, M.A., & Villanueva-Rivera. (2006). Using automated digital recording systems as effective tools for the monitoring of birds and amphibians. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 34, 211-214.

Aristeidou, M., Heredotou, C., Ballard, H.L., Young, A.N., Miller, A.E., Higgins, L., & Johnson, R.F. (2021). Exploring the participation of young citizen scientists in scientific research: the case of iNaturalist. PLoS ONE 16, 1-13.https://doi.org/10.371/journal.pone.0245682.

Argarwal, M. (2017). First record of Dendronotus orientalis (Baba, 1932) (Nudibranchia: Dendronotidae) in the temperate Eastern Pacific. BioInvasions Records, 6, 135-138. https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.2017.6.2.08.

Baker, G.M., Duncan, N., Gostomski, T., Horner, M.A., & Manski, D. (2014). The bioblitz: good science, good outreach, good fun. Park Science, 31, 39-45.

Cantonwine, E., Blackmore, M., Nienow, J., Griffin, B., Bergstrom, B., Bechler, D., Henkel, T., Slaton, C., Adams, J., Grupe, A., Hodges, M., & Lee, G. (2019). Results of a fall and spring bioblitz at Grassy Pond recreation area, Lowndes county, Georgia. Georgia Journal of Science, 77, 1-12.

Chandler, D.S., Manski, D., Donahue, C., & Alyokhin, A. (2012). Biodiversity of the Schoodic peninsula: results of the insect and arachnid bioblitzes at the Schoodic district of Acadia National Park, Maine. Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station Technical Bulletin 206, 1-210.

Dudgeon, D., Arthington, A.H., Gessner, M.O., Kawabata, Z., Knowler, D.J., Leveque, C.., Naiman, R.J., Prieur-Richard, A.H., Soto, D., Stiassny, M.L., & Sullivan, C.A. (2006). Freshwater biodiversity: importance, threats, status and conservation challenges. Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, 81, 163-182. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1464793105006950.

Evans, J.P., Cecala, K.K., Scheffers, B.R., Oldfield, C.A., Hollingshead, N.A., Haskell, D.G., & Mckenzie, B.A. (2017). Widespread degradation of a vernal pool network in the southeastern United States: challenges to current and future management. Wetlands, 37, 1093-1103.

Foster, M.E., Muller, L.I., Dykes, S.A., Wyatt, R.L.P., & Gray, M.J. (2013). Efficacy of bioblitz with implications for sampling nongame species. Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science 88, 56-62.

Gass, S., Mui, A., Manning, P., Cray, H., & Gibson, L. (2021). Exploring the value of a Bioblitz as a biodiversity education tool in a post-secondary environment. Environmental Education Research, 27, 1538- 1556. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2021.1960953.

Gazdic, M., & Groom, Q. (2019). iNaturalist is an unexploited source of Plant-insect interaction data. Biodiversity Information Science and Standards, 41, e37303. https://doi.org/10.3897/biss.3.37303.

Gonzalez, E., Zapata, J.A., & Botella, F. (2010). Agricultural ponds as an alternative habitat for waterbirds: spatial and temporal patterns of abundance and management strategies. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 56, 11-20.

Hewitt, S.J. (2017). Additions to the marine mollusk checklist for the island of Saba, Leeward Islands, West Indies. Vita Malacolgica, 16, 40-43.

Hill, M.J., Ryves, D.B., White, J.C., & Wood, P.J. (2016). Macroinvertebrate diversity in urban and rural ponds: implications for freshwater biodiversity conservation. Biological Conservation, 201, 50-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.06.027.

Janssen, A., Hunger, H., Konold, W., Pufal, G., & Staab, M. (2018). Simple pond restoration measures increase dragonfly (Insecta:Odonota) diversity. Biodiversity and Conservation, 27, 2311-2328.

Kahl, S., Wood, C.M., Eible, M., & Klinck, H. (2021). BirdNET: a deep learning solution for avian diversity monitoring. Ecological Informatics, 61, 1-10.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2021.101236.

Karns, D. R., Ruch, D.G., Brodman, R.D., Jackson, M.T., Rothrock, P.E., Scott, P.E., Simon, T.P., & Whitaker Jr., J.O. (2006). Results of a short-term bioblitz of the aquatic and terrestrial habitats of otter creek, Vigo county, Indiana. Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science, 115, 82-88.

Kittelberger, K.D., Hendrix, S.V., & Sekercioglu, C.H. (2021). The value of citizen science in increasing our knowledge of under-sampled biodiversity: An overview of public documentation of Auchenorrhyncha and the Hoppers of North Carolina. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 9, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2021.710396.

Knutson, M.G., Richardson, W.B., Reineke, D.M., Gray, B.R., Parmelee, J.R., & Weick, S.E. (2004). Agricultural ponds support amphibian populations. Ecological Applications, 14, 669- 684. https://doi.org/10.1890/02-5305.

Lewis-Phillips, J., Brooks, S.J., Sayer, C.D., Patmore, I. R., Hilton, G.M., Harrison, A., Robson, H., & Axmacher, J.C. (2020). Ponds as insect chimneys: restoring overgrown farmland ponds benefits birds through elevated productivity of emerging aquatic insects. Biological Conservation, 241, 108253. https://doi.org.10.1016./j.biocon.2019.108253.

Lundmark, C. (2003) BioBlitz: getting into backyard biodiversity. Bioscience 53, 329. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2003)053[0329:BGIBB]2.0CO;2.

Matassa, C.M,, & Hitchcock, C.B. (2021). Bioblitz assessment of rocky intertidal biodiversity within the Boston Harbor Islands Recreational Area. Northeastern Naturalist, 25, 200-234. https://doi.org/10.1656/045.025.s908.

Matheson, C.A. (2014). iNaturalist. Reference Reviews, 28, 36-38.

https://doi.org/10.1108/RR-07-2014-0203.

Nelner, T.B, & Hood, G.A. (2011). Effect of agriculture and presence of American beaver Castor canadiensis on winter biodiversity of mammals. Wildlife Biology, 17, 326-336. https://doi.org/10.2981/09-097.

Roger, E., & Klistorner, S. (2016). Bioblitzes help science communicators engage local communities in environmental research. Journal of Science Communication 15, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.15030206.

Semlitsch, R.D., Peterman, W.E., Anderson, T.L., Drake, D.L., Ousterhout, & B.H. (2015). Intermediate pond sizes contain the highest density , richness, and diversity of pond-breeding amphibians. PLoS ONE 10(4): e0123055. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0123055.

Simpson, A., Jarnevich, C., Madsen, J., Westbrooks, R., Fournier, C., Mehrhoff, L., Browne, M., Graham, J., & Sellers, E. (2009). Invasive species information networks: collaboration at multiple scales for prevention, early detection, and rapid response to invasive alien species. Biodiversity, 10, 5-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/14888386.2009.9712839.

Unger, S., Rollins, M., Tietz, A., & Dumais, H. (2020). iNaturalist as an engaging tool for identifying organisms in outdoor activities. Journal of Biological Education, 1-11.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.2020.1739114.

Walton, R.E., Sayer, C.D., Bennion, H., & Axmacher, JC. (2021). Open-canopy ponds benefit diurnal pollinator communities in an agricultural landscape: implications for farmland pond management. 14, 307-324. https://doi.org/10.1111/icad.12452.

Wilson, J.S., Pan, A.D., General, D.E.M., & Koch, J.B. (2020). More eyes on the prize: an observation of a very rare, threatened species of Philippine Bumble bee, Bombus irisanensis, on iNaturalist and the importance of citizen science in conservation biology. Journal of Insect Conservation, 24, 727-729. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-020-00233-3.

Wood, P.J., Greenwood, M. T., & Agnew, M.D. (2003). Pond Biodiversity and habitat loss in the UK. Area, 35(2). https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-4762.00249.

Published

06-12-2022

How to Cite

Scheff, J., Unger, S., Niland, E., Turley, B., & Harper, D. (2022). Seeing the Pond for the Reeds: Biodiversity of Rural Ponds. Journal of Student Research, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.47611/jsr.v11i2.1615

Issue

Section

Research Articles