Aquatic insect assemblages of ephemeral ponds in the Apalachicola National Forest, Florida

As part of a multidisciplinary study of the hydrology, vegetation, soils, and aquatic fauna of ephemeral ponds in the Apalachicola National Forest (ANF), we investigated aquatic insect assemblages of four ephemeral ponds in the Munson Sandhills region near Tallahassee, Florida. Recently, the use of ORVs (Off Road Vehicles) in the ANF has been restricted, due in part, because of damage caused by these vehicles to ephemeral ponds which are known to be critical breeding habitat for imperiled amphibians, in particular the striped newt. Aquatic insects were surveyed by collecting dip net samples from the four ponds seasonally for two years. Specimens were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level. Abundance data were used to characterize the aquatic insect diversity of the ponds and examine temporal changes in community structure. Results indicate that the orders Coleoptera (aquatic beetles), Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies), and Heteroptera (aquatic bugs) are the dominant groups of aquatic insects. All of the ponds contained diverse assemblages of aquatic insects, and none of the ponds appeared to be currently impacted by ORV use. The results of this research will be the useful in the development of effective bioassessment tools tailored specifically for these unique ecosystems.