Correlation of environmental variables with patterns of distribution and abundance of common and rare freshwater macroinvertebrates

摘要: Abstract This study explores the environmental factors underlying variation in abundance of common and rare freshwater taxa. Hybrid multidimensional scaling is used to model distribution microinvertebrate taxa over 17 sample sites upper catchment LaTrobe River, Victoria, Australia. Initial analysis 40 revealed high correlations ordination space with physico-chemical variables related temperature, stream order, particle size water chemistry. Analysis all 269 taxa, or alternatively 229 rarer alone, resulted spaces that showed for additional variables, particularly relating Monte Carlo significance tests supported this finding demonstrating produced a greater number significant between variables. The important correlates by suggested there might be differences set are patterns versus A test was carried out null hypothesis failure recover some simply from small (40) involved. Results generally rareness commonness could not implicated recovery these chemistry inclusion has implications conservation studies at community level. Ordination can survey extension where complete information on unavailable. ability methods summarise incorporate their variation, suggests representativeness useful criterion reserve selection.