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Mammalio-limnology: exploring the structuring role of large mammals in pond landscapes

par Cuinat-Guerraz, Soline Félicité
Président du jury Dahdouh-Guebas, Farid
Promoteur Vanschoenwinkel, Bram;Giacomo, Santini
Publication Non publié, 2021-08-31

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Résumé :

Recent insights suggest that mammals might have a larger impact on freshwater ecosystems than previously assumed. However, thus far there has not been any systematic survey of the effects of mammals on freshwater ecosystems worldwide.Here, we use a combination of information from published literature and a consultation of experts using a questionnaire to reconstruct global variation in the mammals that interact with water and potentially impact aquatic habitats.This meta-analysis approach permitted to identify 214 mammalian species impacting freshwaters through a set of behaviors and other traits. As expected, we found that the number of impacts as well as the number of traits increase with mammal mean body mass. Large and heavy mammals have more effects than smaller ones. However, sometimes even small mammals such as aquatic rodents can have many impacts on aquatic habitats. Geographically, mammalian interactions with ponds are strongest in Africa and Asia, where the native large mammal fauna is more intact and more diverse.Notably, some of the mammals that interact most strongly with freshwater such as muskrat and nutria are widespread and invasive beyond their native range and can have negative effects on freshwater biodiversity. However, introduced or reintroduced mammalian species may also have positive effects on freshwater habitat e.g. by promoting pond creation and dispersal of aquatic fauna. As such, they could fulfill roles lost in ecosystems during the Quaternary megafaunal extinctions or more recently.This work has shown that freshwater ecosystems can be strongly affected by mammals. In the light of current rewilding projects with mammals this means that such initiatives may hold both risks and opportunities for freshwater biodiversity.