Data from: Habitat diversity and connectivity govern the conservation value of restored aquatic floodplain habitats

Floodplains have been strongly altered by human activities such as
channelization and other river regulations. Globally, there is a growing
interest in their restoration because of an increasing understanding of
the ecological importance of these habitats for feeding, spawning, nursery
or overwintering of aquatic species. In this study, a large floodplain
restoration project of the upper Danube River was used to investigate
colonization and succession patterns of fish, macroinvertebrates,
macrophytes and periphyton in relation to abiotic habitat variables that
can be restored through ecosystem management. Highest species diversity
was detected near the contact zones of the floodplain channel to the main
stem of the Danube, and in the transition zones of river sections (RS) and
oxbow lakes (OS). The highest proportions of all taxa (82%) and of
distinctive species (22%) were detected in RS, followed by OS (66% of all
taxa, 8% distinctive species) and floodplain ponds (FP, 47% of all taxa,
5% distinctive species). The habitat types RS, OS and FP significantly
differed in overall community composition and their colonization processes
comprising fast colonization of current-adapted specialists in RS, and
mostly generalist species in OS and FP. Our results indicate that
restoration of floodplain habitats should not only consider the
re-establishment of maximum connectivity, but also provide a mosaic of
distinct habitat types with different degrees of connectivity and
disturbance. Each habitat type in the floodplain supported a unique
assemblage of species, which suggests that such habitat mosaics can
facilitate exceptionally diverse ecosystems.