Double drought phases characterize the high-elevation temporary pond hydroperiod
Abstract
Temporary ponds are among the most widespread lentic ecosystems on Earth, capable of sustaining remarkably high levels of biodiversity. Their defining feature is the hydroperiod, the time span during which water remains in a liquid state. Owing to this ephemeral nature, temporary ponds host rare and specialized communities adapted to the alternation between wet and dry phases. However, high-mountain temporary ponds exhibit a distinctive hydrological cycle. For the first time, we define this pattern as a “double dry phase”, consisting of two distinct dry periods within the same annual cycle. The first is a “classic” summer dry phase, when rising temperatures and scarce precipitation cause complete desiccation. The second is a “frozen” winter dry phase, when ponds, unlike most lakes, freeze entirely due to their shallow depth (typically
Fields of Study & Subjects
Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecology
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 100736–100736
- Publication date
- 1 January 2026
- Language
- EN