Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Relative Effects of Willow Invasion, Willow Control and Hydrology on Wetland Zooplankton Assemblages

  • Wetlands Restoration
  • Published:
Wetlands Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Few studies have examined zooplankton assemblages associated with grey willow (Salix cinerea) invasions in wetlands. Our aim was to quantitatively examine zooplankton composition among S. cinerea stands within the South Taupō Wetland, New Zealand, to determine whether these assemblages are affected by willow growth and willow control treatment using the herbicide metsulfuron (C14H15N5O6S). Alternatively, we examined whether wetland hydrology had an over-riding influence. Sampling was performed on three occasions (late-summer, mid-winter, and early-summer). Using Multidimensional Scaling and ANOSIM, we found no significant differences in zooplankton composition or environmental variables among native vegetation, live and dead S. cinerea sites, except for a difference in willow canopy density between late summer and winter. However, zooplankton composition differed on either side of a sand bar, suggesting areas separated by this barrier functioned independently. Overall, we found zooplankton communities to be regulated more by wetland hydrology than by willow presence. A limited willow effect was possibly due to the wetland being at an early stage of invasion, representing stand-alone individuals, with a continuous canopy not yet having formed. Alternatively, willows have lesser effects on invertebrates in wetlands than in streams. Ground control treatment of S. cinerea using metsulfuron had no apparent impact.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adair R, Sagliocco J, Bruzzes E (2006) Strategies for the biological control of invasive willows (Salix spp.) in Australia. Australian Journal of Entomology 45:259–267

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arar E, Collins G (1997) In Vitro determination of chlorophyll a Pheophytin a in marine and freshwater algae by Flurescence. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) method 445.0, revision 1.2, September 1997

  • Attayde JL, Bozelli RL (1998) Assessing the indicator properties of zooplankton assemblages to disturbance gradients by canonical correspondence analysis. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 55:1789–1797

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Champion PD (1994) Extent of willow invasion - the threats. Proceedings of the wild willows in New Zealand. Proceedings of a willow control workshop hosted by Waikato conservancy, Hamilton, New Zealand. Department of Conservation. Pp 43-49

  • Chapman MA, Lewis MH (1976) An introduction to the freshwater Crustacea of New Zealand. William Collins, Auckland

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke KR, Gorley RN, Somerfield PJ, Warwick RM (2014) Change in marine communities: an approach to statistical analysis and interpretation, 3nd edn. PRIMER-E, Plymouth

    Google Scholar 

  • Collier K (1994) Effects of willows on waterways and wetlands - an aquatic habitat perspective. Proceedings of the Wild Willows in New Zealand. Proceedings of a Willow Control Workshop hosted by Waikato Conservancy, 24–26 November 1993, Hamilton. Department of Conservation. pp 33–42

  • Cromarty P, Scott DA (eds) (1995) A directory of wetlands in New Zealand. Wellington, NZ, Department of Conservation

    Google Scholar 

  • de Winton MD, Champion PD (1993) The vegetation of the lower Waikato Lakes, volume 1: factors affecting the vegetation of the lower Waikato lakes. NIWA Ecosystems Publication No. 7

  • Department of Conservation (2002) Tongariro/Taupo conservation management strategy 2002–2012. Wellington, Department of Conservation

    Google Scholar 

  • Duggan IC (2001) The ecology of periphytic rotifers. Hydrobiologia 446:139–148

  • Duggan IC, Green JD, Shiel RJ (2002) Distribution of rotifer assemblages in North Island, New Zealand, lakes: relationships to environmental and historical factors. Freshwater Biology 47:195–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eivers RS, Duggan IC, Hamilton DP, Quinn JM (2018) Constructed treatment wetlands provide habitat for zooplankton communities in agricultural peat lake catchments. Wetlands 38:95–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eser PC (1998) Ecological patterns and processes of the South Taupo wetland, North Island, New Zealand, with special reference to nature conservation management. Unpublished thesis, Victoria University Wellington

  • Glova GJ, Sagar PM (1994) Comparison of fish and macroinvertebrate standing stocks in relation to riparian willows (Salix spp.) in three New Zealand streams. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 28:255–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harding J, Clapcott J, Quinn J, Hayes J, Joy M, Storey R, Greig H, Hay J, James T, Beech M, Ozane R, Meredith A, Boothroyd I (2009) Stream habitat assessment protocols for wadeable rivers and streams of New Zealand. Christchurch, New Zealand, University of Canterbury. 136 p

  • Hornung JP, Foote AL (2006) Aquatic invertebrate responses to fish presence and vegetation complexity in Western boreal wetlands, with implications to waterbird productivity. Wetlands 26:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Husted-Andersen D (2002) Control of the environmental weed Salix cinerea (grey willow) in the South Taupo wetland, central North Island, New Zealand. Unpublished thesis, The Royal Veterinary and Agriculutural University, Copenhagen, Denmark

  • Kratzer EB, Batzer DP (2007) Spatial and temporal variation in aquatic macroinvertebrates in the Okefenokee swamp, Georgia, USA. Wetlands 27:127–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lester PJ, Mitchell SF, Scott D (1994) Effects of riparian willow trees (Salix fragilis) on macroinvertebrates densities in two small Central Otago streams, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 28:267–276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lougheed VL, Chow-Fraser P (1998) Factors that regulate the zooplankton community structure of a turbid, hypereutrophic Great Lakes wetland. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 55:150–161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lougheed VL, Chow-Fraser P (2002) Development and use of a zooplankton index of wetland quality in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin. Ecological Applications 12:474–486

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lucena-Moya P, Duggan IC (2011) Macrophyte architecture affects the abundance and diversity of littoral microfauna. Aquatic Ecology 45:279–287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McInerney PJ, Rees GN, Gawne B, Suter P, Watson G, Stoffels RJ (2016) Invasive willows drive instream community structure. Freshwater Biology 61:1379–1391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Medley KA, Havel JE (2007) Hydrology and local environmental factors influencing zooplankton communities in floodplain ponds. Wetlands 27:864–872

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ortega-Mayagoitia E, Armengol X, Rojo C (2000) Structure and dynamics of zooplankton in a semi-arid wetland, the National Park Las Tablas de Daimiel (Spain). Wetlands 20:629–638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Owen SJ (1998) Department of conservation strategic plan for managing invasive weeds. Wellington, New Zealand, Department of Conservation. 86 p

  • Partridge TR (1994) Ecological impacts of willows in wetlands. Proceedings of the wild willows in New Zealand. Proceedings of a willow control workshop hosted by Waikato conservancy, Hamilton, New Zealand. Department of Conservation. Pp. 17-22

  • Read MG, Barmuta LA (1999) Comparisons of benthic communities adjacent to riparian native eucalypt and introduced willow vegetation. Freshwater Biology 42:359–374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rico-Martínez R, Arias-Almeida JC, Pérez-Legaspi IA, Alvarado-Flores J, Retes-Pruneda JL (2012) Adverse effects of herbicides on freshwater zooplankton. Herbicides - properties, synthesis and control of weeds. In: El-Ghany Hasaneen MNA (ed) herbicides—properties, synthesis and control of weeds, pp 405–434

  • Russell GH (1994) Values and threats of willows in waterways - an engineer's perspective. Proceedings of the wild willows in New Zealand. Proceedings of a willow control workshop hosted by Waikato conservancy, Hamilton, New Zealand. Department of Conservation. Pp. 23-27

  • Schoenberg SA (1988) Microcrustacean community structure and biomass in marsh and lake habitats of the Okefenokee swamp, seasonal dynamics and responses to resource manipulations. Holarctic Ecology 11:8–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Serra MN, Albarinõ R, Villanueva VD (2013) Invasive Salix fragilis alters benthic invertebrate communities and litter decomposition in northern Patagonian stream. Hydrobiologia 701:173–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shiel RJ (1995) A guide to the identification of rotifers, cladocerans and copepods from Australian inland waters. Co-operative research Centre for freshwater ecology. Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre, Albury

    Google Scholar 

  • Shiel RJ, Green JD (1996) Rotifera recorded from New Zealand, 1859-1995, with comments on zoogeography. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 23:191–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singers N (2009) An overview of habitat types and significant sites in Tongariro Taupo conservancy. Tongariro Taupo, Department of Conservation, 139 p

    Google Scholar 

  • Suren A, Sorrell B (2010) Aquatic invertebrate communities of lowland wetlands in New Zealand; Characterising spatial, temporal and geographic distribution patterns. Wellington, Department of Conservation, 62 p

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson DG, MacDonald LM, Staznik B (1992) Persistence of Hexazinone and Metsulfuron-methyl in a mixed-wood/boreal Forest Lake. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 40:1444–1449

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson K, Reeves P (1994) History and ecology of willows in New Zealand. Proceedings of the wild willows in New Zealand. Proceedings of a willow control workshop hosted by Waikato conservancy, Hamilton, New Zealand. Department of Conservation. Pp 3-16

  • USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) (1986) Pesticide fact sheet number 71: Metsulfuron-methyl. Office of Pesticide Programs, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Watts C, Rohan M, Thornburrow D (2012) Beetle community responses to grey willow (Salix cinerea) invasion within three New Zealand wetlands. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 39:209–227

  • Watts C, Ranson H, Thorpe S, Cave V, Clarkson B, Thornburrow D, Bartlam S, Bodmin K (2015) Invertebrate community turnover following control of an invasive weed. Arthropod-Plant Interactions 9:585–597

  • Webb CJ, Sykes WR, Garnock-Jones PJ (1988) Flora of New Zealand volume IV, naturalised Pteridophytes, gymnosperms, Dicotyledons. Botany Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Christchurch, N.Z. 1365 pp

  • Wech J, Suren A, Brady M, Kilroy C (2018) The effect of willow control using a glyphosate formulation on aquatic invertebrates within a New Zealand wetland. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 52:16–41

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Williams JA, West CJ (2000) Environmental weeds in Australia and New Zealand: issues and approaches to management. Austral Ecology 25:425–444

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

L. Laboyrie and W. Powrie assisted with field and laboratory work, and B. O’Brien with microscopy. Department of Conservation Turangi Office, particularly L. Roberts, assisted with the planning and execution of this research. B. Clarkson (Manaaki Whenua) provided comments that improved our manuscript. YT received financial support from the Genesis Energy Committee, a Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board Scholarship, a Motukawa Farm Trust Education Grant, the Tumate Mahuta Memorial Scholarship, Te Runanga o Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi Trust Tertiary Education Grant, a Tauwhao Te Ngare Trust Tertiary Education Grant, a Poripori Farm A Trust Tertiary Education Grant, the Rose Hellaby Postgraduate Scholarship, the Golden Plover Wetland Research Award and a Tongariro Natural History Society Award.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Yvonne M. Taura

    Present address: Manaaki Whenua/Landcare Research, Private Bag 3127, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Research Institute, The University of Waikato, Private Bag, Hamilton, 3105, New Zealand

    Yvonne M. Taura & Ian C. Duggan

Authors
  1. Yvonne M. Taura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ian C. Duggan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ian C. Duggan.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Taura, Y.M., Duggan, I.C. The Relative Effects of Willow Invasion, Willow Control and Hydrology on Wetland Zooplankton Assemblages. Wetlands 40, 2585–2595 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-020-01359-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-020-01359-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation