Habitat and Biodiversity of On-Farm Water Storages: A Case Study in Southeast Queensland, Australia |
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Authors: | Kim A Markwell Christine S Fellows |
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Institution: | (1) Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith School of Environment, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia |
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Abstract: | On-farm water storages (locally known as farm dams or farm ponds) are an important part of many agricultural landscapes, as
they provide a reliable source of water for irrigation and stock. Although these waterbodies are artificially constructed
and morphologically simple, there is increasing interest in their potential role as habitat for native flora and fauna. In
this article, we present results from a case study which examined the habitat characteristics (such as water physical and
chemical parameters, benthic metabolism, and macrophyte cover) and the macrophyte and macroinvertebrate biodiversity of eight
farm ponds on four properties in the Stanley Catchment, Southeast Queensland, Australia. Each landowner was interviewed to
allow a comparison of the management of the ponds with measured habitat and biodiversity characteristics, and to understand
landowners’ motivations in making farm pond management decisions.
The physical and chemical water characteristics of the study ponds were comparable to the limited number of Australian farm
ponds described in published literature. Littoral zones supported forty-five macroinvertebrate families, with most belonging
to the orders Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Odonata, and Diptera. Invertebrate community composition was strongly influenced by littoral
zone macrophyte structure, with significant differences between ponds with high macrophyte cover compared to those with bare
littoral zones. The importance of littoral zone macrophytes was also suggested by a significant positive relationship between
invertebrate taxonomic richness and macrophyte cover.
The landowners in this study demonstrated sound ecological knowledge of their farm ponds, but many had not previously acknowledged
them as having high habitat value for native flora and fauna. If managed for aquatic organisms as well as reliable water sources,
these artificial habitats may help to maintain regional biodiversity, particularly given the large number of farm ponds across
the landscape. |
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Keywords: | Farm pond Aquatic invertebrates Macrophytes Management Agriculture |
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