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<p>Mediterranean coastal wetlands are ecologically valuable ecosystems increasingly threatened by anthropogenic pressures that affect their biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. In the Mediterranean-climate zone of central Chile, these wetlands sustain high biodiversity, but are simultaneously exposed to growing land-use pressures and environmental change. Terrestrial isopods in particular play crucial roles in decomposition processes and nutrient cycling, yet their diversity and distribution patterns in Chilean Mediterranean wetlands remain understudied. Here we compared the isopod communities of 18 coastal wetlands in central Chile across different land uses, using both traditional and size-based diversity metrics. Environmental conditions varied notably among wetlands. Urban sites were characterized by higher soil humidity, organic matter, and vegetation cover, whereas plantation sites showed lower vegetation complexity. Agricultural sites exhibited higher pH and lower salinity compared to urban wetlands. We found a total of nine taxa, belonging to six families, three including native or endemic species, and three including invasive species or mixed. Isopod diversity was significantly higher in more urban wetlands, whereas size range was lower. However, both taxonomic and size-based metrics increased with soil humidity and organic matter, both of which were higher in urban sites. These results suggest species-specific ecological adaptations to different environmental conditions and highlight the complementarity between taxonomic and size-based approaches for understanding community responses to land-use change.</p>

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Coastal Wetlands Under Pressure: Effects of Land Use and Environmental Variables on Isopod Community Structure and Size Diversity

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月18日

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  • Cristina Coccia,
  • Catarina Quadrado,
  • Rui Rebelo

摘要

Mediterranean coastal wetlands are ecologically valuable ecosystems increasingly threatened by anthropogenic pressures that affect their biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. In the Mediterranean-climate zone of central Chile, these wetlands sustain high biodiversity, but are simultaneously exposed to growing land-use pressures and environmental change. Terrestrial isopods in particular play crucial roles in decomposition processes and nutrient cycling, yet their diversity and distribution patterns in Chilean Mediterranean wetlands remain understudied. Here we compared the isopod communities of 18 coastal wetlands in central Chile across different land uses, using both traditional and size-based diversity metrics. Environmental conditions varied notably among wetlands. Urban sites were characterized by higher soil humidity, organic matter, and vegetation cover, whereas plantation sites showed lower vegetation complexity. Agricultural sites exhibited higher pH and lower salinity compared to urban wetlands. We found a total of nine taxa, belonging to six families, three including native or endemic species, and three including invasive species or mixed. Isopod diversity was significantly higher in more urban wetlands, whereas size range was lower. However, both taxonomic and size-based metrics increased with soil humidity and organic matter, both of which were higher in urban sites. These results suggest species-specific ecological adaptations to different environmental conditions and highlight the complementarity between taxonomic and size-based approaches for understanding community responses to land-use change.