The independent and interactive roles of spatial variation and dispersal on zooplankton metacommunity structure

In recent years, there has been a growing desire among natural resource mangers to maintain and promote biodiversity in the built environment. Though some management practices are implemented extensively in developed landscapes, their ecological implications are not currently known. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of both dispersal and spatial variation in habitat conditions on biodiversity in urban zooplankton metacommunities. A five-week mesocosm experiment was performed in which human management and elevated zooplankton dispersal rates were manipulated in a series of four-pond metacommunities. Results indicate that dispersal had a significant negative effect on species turnover between communities but did not significantly affect local richness. It was also demonstrated that dispersal and the interaction of the dispersal and management treatments could significantly affect zooplankton density. These results highlight the importance of understanding the complex effects of dispersal and human management regimes on maintaining biodiversity in urban environments.