Hydroperiod is a key driver of alpine pond communities along an altitudinal gradient in the French Alps and Pyrenees

Data repository for ‘Hydroperiod is a key driver of alpine pond communities along an altitudinal gradient in the French Alps and Pyrenees’ (in prep) Abstract: alpine pond species are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such as warming, drying and isolation. While the role of temperature and hydroperiod in structuring communities along an altitudinal gradient has been demonstrated in alpine lakes or rivers, very few studies have been conducted in alpine ponds, and the role of hydroperiod is actively debated. To understand which environmental factors structure alpine pond communities, we investigated the relationship between three biotic groups (Odonata, Amphibia and macrophytes) and their environment in 500 ponds in the French Alps and Pyrenees. As predicted, most communities varied along an altitudinal gradient, though not uniformly within the alpine biogeographic region. We also showed that hydroperiod is a key determinant of community variation in alpine ponds common to all geographic zones in the alpine biogeographic area. Finally, we demonstrated that connectivity between ponds should be maintained to conserve alpine specialist communities and mediate the effects of temperature and hydroperiod in the context of climate change. In order to design effective conservation measures for alpine pond communities, further research is needed on the drought resistance of non-permanent pond communities and on the connectivity between alpine ponds.