Hydrobiologia - Read and share Hydrobiologia’s most influential articles
We are celebrating Hydrobiologia’s most influential articles published over the past 20 years and promote one article per month by including the Shareable Link (this opens in a new tab) which can be shared and posted anywhere.
December 2022
Floods increase similarity among aquatic habitats in river-floodplain systems (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: Sidinei M. Thomaz, Luis Mauricio Bini & Reinaldo Luiz Bozelli
Hydrobiologia 579, 1-33 (2007)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/c2tNa (this opens in a new tab)
Causes and consequences for temporal changes in biological communities have been intensively discussed in Ecology. Natural communities frequently have dynamic temporal changes in community similarities and understanding causality in temporal variation is key to deciphering community assembly mechanisms and, consequently, understanding biodiversity. In this sense, floodplains are particularly interesting ecosystems to study. Indeed, the legendary German limnologist Harald Sioli dedicated his career trying to understand Amazon floodplains; and his legacy was honored by prominent limnologists such as Junk and Neiff that introduced the flood pulse concept in late 80's and early 90's. Thomaz and collaborators (the authors of this chosen paper) are part of this legacy, given all authors were influenced by their mentors that come back to Sioli. They extend the flood pulse concept using empirical data and a conceptual review. They suggested the homogenising effect of the flood phase in floodplains for communities as follows: mass organism dispersal promoted by floods turns local communities similar to each other; but it is followed by different trajectories of communities during droughts that turn local communities different from each other. Their ideas were revolutionary to understand biodiversity in floodplains. Not surprisingly, the control of flood dynamics (common after in man-made dams) has a major impact on floodplain biodiversity. A classical and timely read-and-share paper!
November 2022
Why plankton communities have no equilibrium: solutions to the paradox (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: Marten Scheffer, Sergio Rinaldi, Jef Huisman & Franz J. Weissing
Hydrobiologia 491, pages9–18 (2003)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/c2vOG (this opens in a new tab)
Understanding species co-existence is at the core of Ecology as a science. Indeed, 'the struggle for life' is the key to Darwin's evolutionary theory. As a consequence, there was the development of niche theories, such as the multidimensional niche described by George Evelyn Hutchinson more than one century ago. According to niche theories, species with very similar requirements and traits are unlikely to co-exist. However, a particular biological group (plankton) challenges this concept. The extraordinary diversity of very similar co-existing species was thus called 'the plankton paradox'. Hutchinson was particularly interested in this paradox, calling the attention that external conditions are never constant for plankton, partially explaining the paradox. Even so, the paradox is still under debate. The paper published in Hydrobiologia by Scheffer and his collaborators in 2003 gives us glimpses of the complexity of plankton community assembly, highlighting that plankton communities are never at equilibrium, which is a solution to the abovementioned paradox. After a review of the literature and modeling exercises, the authors suggest that even in relatively homogeneous and constant environments, plankton are never at equilibrium. They also highlighted the importance of looking at different scales. When viewed in detail, plankton dynamics are unpredictable according to them; but at larger scales, predictable patterns can arise. Definitely, a paper worthy to read and share!
October 2022
Linking traits to species diversity and community structure in phytoplankton (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: Elena Litchman, Paula de Tezanos Pinto, Christopher A. Klausmeier, Mridul K. Thomas, Kohei Yoshiyama
Hydrobiologia 653, 15-28 (2010)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/cYm44 (this opens in a new tab)
Trait-based approaches are being increasingly used in ecology to explain and predict species distributions along environmental gradients. This paper published in 2010 offers a (still) updated overview on trait-based approaches in phytoplankton ecology and give examples of how trait data can explain species distributions in both freshwater and marine systems. However, the authors go further and outline new directions in phytoplankton trait-based approaches that, if properly considered by phytoplankton ecologists, could open new perspectives on the role exerted by these organisms in the ecosystem functioning.
September 2022
Regrowth of kelp and colonization of epiphyte and fauna community after kelp trawling at the coast of Norway (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: Hartvig Christie, Stein Fredriksen & Eli Rinde
Hydrobiologia 375, 49-58 (1998)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/cYm33 (this opens in a new tab)
Kelp Laminaria hyperborea is trawled along the Norwegian coast, and other areas (incl. UK) has been suggested for trawling. This has resulted in great controversy, and the sustainability of kelp trawling is heavily debated. The knowledge basis on the effect of kelp trawling is very week. Often the focus has been on the regrowth of the kelp itself, showing if the kelp has grown back to its original size before another round of harvesting. But from an ecological point of view, the return of the species associated with the kelp forest is the most important thing, and this has mainly been overlooked. This paper (Christie et al. 1998) has therefore been the only paper that has been used to discuss the time needed between trawling events in order to recover the kelp ecosystem as a whole.
August 2022
White-band disease and the changing face of Caribbean coral reefs (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: Richard B. Aronson & William F. Precht
Hydrobiologia 460, 25–38 (2001)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/cYm3D (this opens in a new tab)
This review paper is one of the first to systematically gather information on one of the most troubling mass mortality events of recent years. The authors refer to changes occurring in most Caribbean reefs, due to so called white-band disease, that leads to the death of widespread coral species and their replacement by macroalgae. After discussing the ecological implications of this change in the structure of coral reef ecosystems, the authors conclude that “The outbreak of white-band disease has been coincident with increased human activity, and the possibility of a causal connection should be further investigated”. Today we know that coral bleaching occurs through the loss of the symbiotic algae that make visible the underlying coral skeleton. The disease is attributed to increases in ultraviolet radiation, extreme temperatures and salinities, and high levels of turbidity and sedimentation: all consequences of the global change that characterizes the Anthropocene.
July 2022
Recent changes (2008) in cyanobacteria taxonomy based on a combination of molecular background with phenotype and ecological consequences (genus and species concept) (this opens in a new tab)
Author: Jiří Komárek
Hydrobiologia 639, 245-259 (2010)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/cRs2l (this opens in a new tab)
Regardless of its level of taxonomic updating and of the biological group considered, this article highlights the importance of taxonomy in the study of global biodiversity. Furthermore, the paper describes a methodological and conceptual approach useful for correctly classifying “difficult” taxa, paving the way for its implementation. As the author says: “The molecular approach must be the baseline for the reorganisation of our knowledge; however, it should explain and be in agreement with morphological and ecological variation of cyanobacterial genotypes”.
June 2022
Phytoplankton response to a changing climate (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: Monica Winder & Ulrich Sommer
Hydrobiologia 698: 5-16
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/cQCKh (this opens in a new tab)
Phytoplankton is considered as a whole a biosphere engineer. This paper shows how climate change affects the composition of phytoplankton, its size structure and ultimately the services it provides for the functioning of the biosphere as we know it. Already 10 years ago, in a few pages the authors pushed towards an improved understanding of the mechanistic links between climate and phytoplankton dynamics aimed at predicting climate change impacts on aquatic ecosystems. It is disheartening to realise how little has been done since then.
May 2022
Egg banks in freshwater zooplankton: evolutionary and ecological archives in the sediment (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: Luc Brendonck & Luc De Meester
Hydrobiologia volume 491, pages 65–84 (2003)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/cQCH4 (this opens in a new tab)
Many aquatic invertebrate groups have developed evolutionary adaptations to overcome adverse ecological conditions in their habitat. One of the most common ones is the production of resting stages which accumulate in the sediment of lakes and ponds, and which do no hatch immediately but require several seasonal cycles before they do. Amongst those best known are the cladoceran ephippia produced after (mostly sexual) generations before winter, and drought resistant eggs produced by crustaceans, such as Phyllopoda and Ostracoda, in temporary habitats. Such resting stages accumulate into true egg banks, which are ecological and evolutionary reservoirs of different generations and genotypes. Such dormant communities often have higher biodiversity potential than the active communities at any given time. As such, egg banks are the archive of local habitats and can reflect past changes owing to natural or anthropogenic impacts. The authors of the present paper argued, now almost 20 years ago, that any local or regional biodiversity survey should take into account the hidden diversity stored in egg banks in sediments. Given the present episode of rapidly increasing climate change, studying these readily available archives of genetic and taxic richness will prove to be even more rewarding in providing the means for scientifically underpinned management of (mainly inland) inland waters.
April 2022
Habitat complexity: approaches and future directions (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: Katya E. Kovalenko, Sidinei M. Thomaz & Danielle M. Warfe
Hydrobiologia volume 685, 1-17 (2012)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/cQCLu (this opens in a new tab)
Habitat complexity is a main determinant of the structure and functioning of natural populations and assemblages, often invoked as a potential explanation for documented patterns of variation of biodiversity at a range of scales, although rarely following experimental tests of its actual driving role. This paper addresses this issue by first reviewing the effects of habitat complexity on faunal diversity and abundance and other ecosystem processes, then listing the main methods described in the literature to assess this environmental variable in a variety of systems. Such a review is functional to the last part of the paper, where the explicit inclusion of habitat complexity in experimental designs and its evaluation under an integrated approach are recommended. A decade since this publication, such a recommendation is still extremely relevant, at a time when a number of natural and anthropogenic disturbances can deeply modify habitat complexity of natural systems, with drastic consequences to their persistence and functioning.
March 2022
Aquatic invasive species: challenges for the future (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: John E. Havel, Katya E. Kovalenko, Sidinei Magela Thomaz, Stefano Amalfitano & Lee B. Kats
Hydrobiologia volume 750, 147-170 (2015)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/cGF3g (this opens in a new tab)
Biological invasions are threatening the aquatic biodiversity at either local or global scale, with dispersal and colonization processes accelerated by anthropogenic stress factors and human behavior. This paper offers an unusually wide overview of the aquatic invasive species, including microbes, animals, and plants, and all major mechanisms promoting their impact and establishment in a new aquatic ecosystem. Management and eradication options are also discussed along with challenges and directions for future research.
February 2022
Increasing jellyfish populations: trends in Large Marine Ecosystems (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: Lucas Brotz, William W.L. Cheung, Kristin Kleisner, Evgeny Pakhomov & Daniel Pauly
Hydrobiologia volume 690, 3-20 (2012)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/cGwtT (this opens in a new tab)
In the last decades, jellyfish blooms have been reported at several world locations, and perceived as a relevant environmental problem due to their impact on tourism, human safety and fisheries. Nevertheless, such reports are often based on anecdotal evidence and context-specific circumstances, rather than on deep analyses of scientific data suited to identify true increasing trends of jellyfish populations on large scales. This study contributed to fill this gap by adopting a comprehensive approach based on the combination of empirical data on jellyfish abundances collected at a number of world case studies since 1950 with novel modeling techniques. Actual increases in jellyfish abundances were identified in the majority of the large marine areas examined and discussed with regard to their likely driving processes, providing a methodological reference and ecological hypotheses for subsequent research that are still up to date and largely cited almost 20 years after the publication of this paper.
January 2022
Why plankton communities have no equilibrium: solutions to the paradox (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: M. Scheffer, S. Rinaldi, J. Huisman
Hydrobiologia volume 491, 9–18 (2003)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/cCP5O
In 1961, Hutchinson argued that the large number of species in most plankton communities is remarkable in view of the competitive exclusion principle, which suggests that in homogeneous, well-mixed environments species that compete for the same resources cannot coexist. This idea became known as the 'paradox of the plankton': few ideas in aquatic ecology have evoked more research than this one. This review puts the main solutions to the paradox that have been proposed over the years into perspective.
December 2021
Drivers and stressors of freshwater biodiversity patterns across different ecosystems and scales: a review (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: S. Stendera, all 8 authors (this opens in a new tab), D. Hering
Hydrobiologia volume 696, 1–28 (2012)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/cCP5x (this opens in a new tab)
Freshwater biodiversity is currently at risk and needs to be protected, also because it supports invaluable ecosystem services. This comprehensive review across spatial and temporal scales, organisms and ecosystems outlines the major hypotheses explaining patterns and processes in freshwater biodiversity and identifies its main stressors, with the goal of highlighting major knowledge gaps in order to recommend scientifically underpinned conservation measures.
November 2021
Fire as a disturbance in mediterranean climate streams (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: Iraima Verkaik, Maria Rieradevall, Scott D. Cooper, John M. Melack, Tom L. Dudley & Narc ís Prat
Hydrobiologia volume 719: 353-382 (2013)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/cCP08 (this opens in a new tab)
We have recently seen a tremendous increase in fire episodes around the globe. In this review, the authors identified the main impacts of fire on stream environments and communities and analyzed how they recover from this disturbance. Because fires are predicted to become more frequent in response to extreme climatic events in some regions, the findings of this paper can help to predict impacts and adopt preventive management strategies in ecosystems impacted by fire.
October 2021
Biodiversity issues for the forthcoming tropical Mediterranean Sea (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: Carlo Nike Bianchi
Hydrobiologia volume 580, article number: 7 (2007)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/cCkLL
The contents of this paper, published about 15 years ago, are still very relevant today with regard to climate change, invasive species and niche displacement of Mediterranean species. However, something changed since its publication: the tropicalization of Mediterranean Sea discussed by the author is no longer “forthcoming”. What was observed by analysing the biological structure of the Mediterranean Sea a few decades ago, is today confirmed by the extreme climatic events that are becoming more and more widespread along the shorelines of Mediterranean countries.
September 2021
Jellyfish blooms: are populations increasing globally in response to changing ocean conditions? (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: Claudia E. Mills
Hydrobiologia volume 451, pages 55-68 (2001)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/crbBI (this opens in a new tab)
Jellyfish are a common sight at marine sites, also for non-biologists, and their blooms are frequently mentioned in the news. Native and nonindigenous species can gradually build-up their numbers to explode in massive blooms, driven also by global changes in the ocean due to anthropogenic activities. The same environmental changes can also drive other species to extinction, both locally and globally. This paper, published 20 years ago, provided an overview of the causes and effects of jellyfish blooms and predicted what actually happened: an increase in jellyfish blooms for some species. It is still very pertinent to date.
August 2021
The ecology of European ponds: defining the characteristics of a neglected freshwater habitat (this opens in a new tab)
Authors: R. Céréghino, J. Biggs, B. Oertli & S. Declerck
Hydrobiologia volume 597, pages 1-6 (2008)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/crbBQ (this opens in a new tab)
This paper summarises the main outcomes of the 2nd Workshop of the European Ponds Conservation Network. Although, these aquatic ecosystems are numerically preponderant compared to lakes, represent hotspots of biodiversity and provide important services to humanity, their enormous ecological importance has been largely ignored by scientists, stakeholders and citizens until recent times. This article has been a turning point in the study of small waters and, since its appearance in 2008, has continued to provide interesting study ideas for freshwater ecologists worldwide.
July 2021
Ecosystem services provided by freshwater mussels (this opens in a new tab)
Author: Caryn C. Vaughn
Hydrobiologia volume 810, pages 15-27 (2018)
Shareable link: https://rdcu.be/copbG (this opens in a new tab)
Mussels have important ecological roles in freshwater ecosystems, but the paper by Vaughn (2018) shows that these invertebrates provide also a variety of ecosystem services with direct and indirect benefits for humans. Mussels have profound impacts on nutrient cycling and storage, they enhance habitat structure and modify food webs, with consequences for water purification and biomass production at other trophic levels. Mussels can also be used as bioindicators, a necessary tool for environmental monitoring and ecosystem recovery. In addition, mussels are directly used by humans as food, in a variety of cultural services such as tools and jewelry, and for spiritual enhancement. Owing to these benefits, the decline of populations of endemic species and the recognition that numerous species are under threat are matters of general concern.