Data from: A test of the umbrella species approach in restored floodplain ponds.

1.The umbrella species approach, where conservation actions targeted for one or a group of species should benefit the broader community, may provide an effective framework to guide habitat restoration. This requires congruence in the response of umbrella and co-occurring species to environmental stress and recovery, and the identification of potential mechanisms by which co-occurring species benefit from conservation of an umbrella species. 2.Past evaluations of this approach have considered only the presence/absence of umbrella species. In addition to presence/absence, we quantified abundance and biomass of both umbrella and co-occurring species to support a more quantitative evaluation of species co-occurrence. Floodplain ponds are restored in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest to benefit coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch, a presumptive umbrella species. To test its effectiveness as an umbrella species, we assessed the relationships between species richness, abundance and biomass of aquatic vertebrates, including vertebrates of conservation concern (“listed”), and benthic invertebrates and the abundance and biomass of juvenile coho. We used ordination to evaluate relationships between species’ abundance and biomass and environmental attributes. 3.Positive relationships were identified between coho abundance and biomass and species richness, abundance and biomass of fish and listed species. These relationships were negative for benthic invertebrates. Listed species were located close to coho in ordinations, suggesting they respond to similar environmental features while benthic invertebrates clustered away from coho. 4.Synthesis and applications. We found that where our umbrella species coho is most productive, so are other listed species and fish in general, a relationship that would not have been evident had we evaluated species richness alone. We also reported strong relationships between some environmental features manipulated in the habitat restoration and the presence and productivity of coho and co-occurring species. Our study demonstrates the umbrella species approach has potential to guide habitat restoration when there is congruence in the response of umbrella and co-occurring species to environmental attributes that can be manipulated in the restoration. Where this is possible, one can use restoration designed for one or several umbrella species and successfully restore habitats that are viable for other species, including listed species.

1. 伞护种（umbrella species）策略指针对某一或某类物种开展的保护行动可惠及更广的生物群落，该方法或可为栖息地修复提供有效的指导框架。但该策略的落地需满足两项核心条件：一是伞护种与伴生物种（co-occurring species）对环境压力及恢复过程的响应具有一致性；二是需明确伴生物种从伞护种保护中获益的潜在作用机制。
2. 过往针对该策略的评估仅考量了伞护种的存在与否。本研究除纳入存在/缺失数据外，还量化了伞护种与伴生物种的多度与生物量，以实现对物种共存关系的更定量评估。加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省与太平洋西北地区的泛滥平原池塘修复工程，旨在惠及银大麻哈鱼（Oncorhynchus kisutch）——一种被假定为伞护种的物种。为验证其作为伞护种的有效性，本研究分析了水生脊椎动物（包含受保护名录（listed）物种）、底栖无脊椎动物的物种丰富度、多度与生物量，以及幼年银大麻哈鱼的多度与生物量之间的关联。此外，本研究采用多元排序分析（ordination）评估物种多度、生物量与环境因子间的相互关系。
3. 研究结果显示，银大麻哈鱼的多度与生物量，与鱼类及受保护名录物种的物种丰富度、多度和生物量呈显著正相关；而与底栖无脊椎动物的上述指标呈显著负相关。多元排序分析结果表明，受保护名录物种的分布与银大麻哈鱼较为接近，提示二者对相似的环境特征具有响应；而底栖无脊椎动物的聚类结果则远离银大麻哈鱼。
4. 综合与应用。本研究发现，当伞护种银大麻哈鱼的生产力达到最优水平时，其他受保护名录物种及鱼类整体的生产力同样优异——这一关联仅通过单独评估物种丰富度是无法被发现的。此外，本研究还揭示了栖息地修复中人工调控的部分环境因子，与银大麻哈鱼及伴生物种的存在状态、生产力水平之间存在强关联。本研究证实，当伞护种与伴生物种对修复工程中可调控的环境特征具有一致响应时，伞护种策略具备指导栖息地修复的潜力。在此前提下，可通过针对单一或若干伞护种开展修复工程，成功构建可支撑其他物种（包括受保护名录物种）存活的适宜栖息地。