Primary consumer and detritivore communities (Diptera: Ephydridae) in newly restored and constructed wetlands

Although maximum diversity of higher Diptera has been reported in the interface between wetlands and other ecosystems, few studies have documented successful restoration of wetland insects within these ecotones. The consistent collection of shore flies (Diptera: Ephydridae) supports the hypothesis that shore flies rapidly colonize newly restored and constructed wetlands at Miami Trace and Winton Woods county Parks, Hamilton County, Ohio. Rapid colonization of shore flies exhibited a temporal shift that is associated with aquatic vegetation colonization, growth, and maturation. Species composition of shore-fly communities suggests that a minimum of five general nutrient sources were exploited in newly established wetlands, and shore flies may be an essential part of the establishment of complex food webs. A comparison of Sorenson and diversity indices suggests that shore-fly communities in constructed and restored Ohio wetlands were distinct species assemblages. Significant differences among shore-fly communities are attributed to variation in species abundance. Although restored and constructed wetlands were flooded during 1998, variation in species abundance and monthly species accumulation suggests that the development of ecosystems within each wetland was asynchronous.