Introduction

Background

Urban stormwater ponds are more than just flood and erosion control measures; they also offer potential benefits for local biodiversity (Tixier et al., 2011; Hassall and Anderson, 2014). Just like natural aquatic ecosystems, the water quality of these stormwater ponds is strongly influenced by the factors in their surrounding areas (Meland et al., 2020). However certain chemicals, such as chloride, have a more prominent effect on urban water bodies, as sodium chloride or calcium chloride are common chemicals used in deicing roads (Charola et al., 2017). This has led to a need for research that helps us understand how city environments impact biodiversity, particularly in relation to water chemistry.

Figure 1. Dipnet sample being taken by myself

Studies have shown that stormwater ponds near highways tend to have higher levels of heavy metals and increased salinity (and conductivity) when compared to more natural ponds. This is mainly because of the runoff and pollution from urban areas (Scher and Thiery, 2005). In contrast, natural ponds often have a lower pH due to the decomposition of organic matter and the release of humic acids in a more natural environment (Le Viol et al., 2009; Bekele and Hudnall, 2006). These findings, combined with the observation that highway ponds tend to host a higher number of short-lived invertebrates than nearby natural ponds, suggest that the composition of aquatic invertebrates in urban stormwater ponds can differ significantly (Le Viol et al., 2009).

Research by Pond et al. (2014) has shown that water conductivity, especially in ponds with higher concentrations of dissolved ions, can have negative effects on invertebrates, particularly those that are more sensitive, such as Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (Beermann et al., 2018). This has implications for the dominance of certain invertebrate orders and their ability to thrive under varying water quality conditions in different stormwater ponds.

It's important to understand that aquatic invertebrates play a vital role in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. They serve as a food source for various animals, including fish, reptiles, birds, mammals, and other insects. Numerous water chemistry variables have been found to influence the abundance of aquatic invertebrates (Stubbington et al., 2018; Hodkinson and Jackson, 2005). Therefore, by examining and comparing the abundance and types of invertebrates in different stormwater ponds, we can gain valuable insights into how these ponds and the invertebrates within them contribute to the broader food chain.

Research objectives

The objective of this study is to