Cascade micro-wetland engineering enhances benthic invertebrate diversity through habitat heterogeneity: Implications for nature-based micro-wetlands management

Micro-wetlands, as an ideal nature-based solutions, provide essential habitats for various plants and animals playing critical roles in maintaining ecosystem health. However, the influence mechanism of habitat heterogeneity of micro-wetlands engineering on biodiversity remain unexplored. Here, through comprehensive sampling in a micro-wetlands system of Chongqing, the study identified 47 species of macro-benthic animals, revealing that cascade micro-wetlands exhibit significantly higher species diversity than non-cascade ones. This enhanced diversity is driven primarily by species turnover rather than nestedness. The study further shows that hydrological conditions, soil characteristics, and spatial factors significantly influence beta diversity in micro-wetland ecosystems. Zeta diversity analysis suggests that deterministic processes, rather than stochastic ones, govern species distribution. As environmental distance increases, particularly at higher zeta orders, the diversity of species decreases. These findings underscore the importance of habitat heterogeneity in promoting biodiversity and guiding nature-based micro-wetland conservation and management.