An assessment of the conservation potential of forest fire ponds

1. Fourteen forest fire ponds were sampled at Hamsterley Forest (NZ 0030) to determine the composition of their aquatic Coleoptera, Hemiptera-Heteroptera and plant macrophyte assemblages. Two moorland pools were included for comparative purposes. Environmental variables including the physical attributes and water chemistry of the ponds were measured.2. The ponds were classified on the basis of their invertebrate assemblages and also on the basis of their flora using two-Way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN). Ponds were ordinated on the basis of their invertebrate assemblages using detrended correspondence analysis (DECORANA). Community composition was related to environmental variables by means of canonical correspondence analysis (CANOCO).3. TWINSPAN and DECORANA indicated major divisions between the communities of small heavily shaded peat-based forest fire reservoirs, larger exposed forest ponds and moorland pools.4. CANOCO revealed that the major environmental determinants of invertebrate community composition were shade, area, age, pH and conductivity.5. The ponds were found to support mostly common species assemblages, but nevertheless exhibited important differences which have implications for the construction and subsequent management of forest fire ponds for conservation. The ponds undoubtedly contribute to the diversity and conservation value of the forest habitat as a whole.