Journal of the North American Benthological Society最新文献

{"title":"Spatial and temporal variation in the ecological stoichiometry of aquatic organisms in an urban catchment","authors":"W. Tsoi, W. Hadwen, C. Fellows","doi":"10.1899/10-085.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1899/10-085.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Urban land use has increased dramatically over the past few decades. Urban streams are distinguished from forested or agricultural streams, in particular, by their more variable and unpredictable hydrologic pattern. The resulting high variability in nutrient loading is likely to alter the elemental composition of primary producers and, ultimately, to change the elemental composition of other foodweb components. Ecological stoichiometry is a useful framework for improving our understanding of the mass balance of multiple key elements in ecosystems. To this end, the C∶N∶P of key foodweb components were measured in Oxley Creek, an urban catchment in southeastern Queensland, Australia. Ten stream reaches were sampled to explore the spatial variation of C∶N∶P of abundant taxonomic groups across the catchment. Four of these sites were sampled weekly (for 8 wk) to examine temporal variation in elemental composition. Our results suggested that spatial and temporal variation in elemental composition of primary producers and some animal taxa were highly dependent on local (i.e., site) conditions. This local dependence makes determination of catchment-wide drivers of stoichiometric variability difficult, but our results do suggest that site-based influences in urban streams can generate substantial variability in the C∶N∶P content of in-stream biota. In the context of other studies that have been undertaken principally in forested streams, this application of ecological stoichiometry promises to further our understanding of the effects of urbanization on stream food webs and the stability of elemental flow.","PeriodicalId":49987,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the North American Benthological Society","volume":"112 1","pages":"533 - 545"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87775238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The caddisfly Dicosmoecus gilvipes: making a case for a functional role","authors":"M. Limm, M. Power","doi":"10.1899/10-028.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1899/10-028.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Most caddisfly larvae build cases of silk and a variety of collected materials. Multiple functions, including protection from predators, resistance to entrainment by high flows, and improved respiration, have been suggested for caddisfly cases. We investigated the functional role of cases built by Dicosmoecus gilvipes, a limnephilid caddisfly. In this species, the 1st- through 4th-instar larvae build cases with plant material and attach Douglas-fir needles as lateral extensions that resemble vanes on an arrow. We tested whether the lateral extensions and entire case deterred predators by manipulating lateral extensions and case presence for larvae exposed to large steelhead trout. No larva with a case (with or without lateral extensions) was consumed during the experiment, whereas all larvae without a case were consumed. We tested whether lateral extensions provided stability against overturning and entrainment by manipulating presence of lateral extensions and subjecting larvae to turbulent flow conditions. Once dislodged, larvae with lateral extensions experienced fewer revolutions and regained their footing faster than those without extensions. Our results suggest lateral extensions provide stability against overturning in fast flow and may improve the ability of larvae to forage efficiently in turbulent flow conditions. Other caddisfly species build lateral extensions on their case, and the extensions may provide similar benefits for these taxa.","PeriodicalId":49987,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the North American Benthological Society","volume":"18 1","pages":"485 - 492"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80903118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nutrient diffusing substrata: a field comparison of commonly used methods to assess nutrient limitation","authors":"K. Capps, Michael T. Booth, S. Collins, Marita A. Davison, Jennifer M. Moslemi, R. El‐Sabaawi, Joseph L. Simonis, A. Flecker","doi":"10.1899/10-146.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1899/10-146.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Nutrient limitation plays an important role in shaping community structure and ecosystem processes in aquatic environments. Many types of nutrient diffusing substrata (NDS) have been used to estimate nutrient limitation in lotic systems. However, whether these various NDS methods produce comparable results is unknown. We evaluated the 3 most commonly used NDS methods—clay pots, plastic cups, and periphytometers—in a single stream to determine if they gave qualitatively similar results. We also examined the effects of initial nutrient ratios on diffusion rates in all 3 types of NDS and periphyton stoichiometry on clay pots. The largest response in chlorophyll a biomass consistently occurred on substrata that simultaneously diffused both inorganic N and P. However, each NDS method produced a significantly different picture of limitation. Clay pots showed that primary producers were colimited by N and P, plastic cups showed primary limitation by N and secondary limitation by P, and periphytometers showed primary limitation by P and secondary limitation by N. Nutrient diffusion rates were very different among methods. Effects of different N∶P ratios were only seen in clay pots. When N∶P was 16∶1, chlorophyll a biomass was low. When N∶P was 1∶1, periphyton had greater %C and %P and low C∶P and N∶P. Our results indicate that further research is required to clarify methodological differences between the types of NDS. Until such discrepancies are addressed, the results obtained with NDS methods should be interpreted with caution.","PeriodicalId":49987,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the North American Benthological Society","volume":"55 1","pages":"522 - 532"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85514903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Scaling Glossosoma (Trichoptera) density by abiotic variables in mountain streams","authors":"M. W. Morris, M. Hondzo, M. Power","doi":"10.1899/10-068.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1899/10-068.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The stream-dwelling larvae of the caddisfly Glossosoma spp. are dominant grazers in lotic food webs and are capable of suppressing stream periphyton. We explored a method for developing a scaling relationship between macroinvertebrate density and local hydraulic variables. As an example of this method, we quantified habitat for larval stone-cased caddisflies, Glossosoma califica and Glossosoma penitum, in 3 coastal mountain streams in northern California over 2 y. We applied dimensional analysis to develop a functional relationship from a power law based on dimensionless local hydraulic and larval density variables that was applicable to areas where Glossosoma are present. Glossosoma densities were negatively correlated with streambed relative roughness and positively correlated with the ratio of inertial to gravitational forces in the stream. The proposed functional relationship described 41% of the variance in the spatial distribution of glossosomatid larvae. This expression could predict how density and constraints on effects of these important grazers would change under variable hydraulic conditions. Variogram analysis of Glossosoma spatial density and relative roughness revealed overlap in the variogram range, the separation distance above which point measurements were statistically independent. The analysis resulted in an average variogram range of 0.39 m for Glossosoma density and 0.26 m for roughness height. Abiotic variables are increasingly available from laser altimetry, so even where field sampling is limited the proposed scaling relationship facilitates prediction of larval biomass over a range of scales in lotic ecosystems.","PeriodicalId":49987,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the North American Benthological Society","volume":"15 1","pages":"493 - 506"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72735699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Misidentification of freshwater mussel species (Bivalvia:Unionidae): contributing factors, management implications, and potential solutions","authors":"C. Shea, J. Peterson, J. M. Wisniewski, Nathan A. Johnson","doi":"10.1899/10-073.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1899/10-073.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Surveys of freshwater mussel populations are used frequently to inform conservation decisions by providing information about the status and distribution of species. It is generally accepted that not all mussels or species are collected during surveys, and incomplete detection of individuals and species can bias data and can affect inferences. However, considerably less attention has been given to the potential effects of species misidentification. To evaluate the prevalence of and potential reasons for species misidentification, we conducted a laboratory-based identification exercise and quantified the relationships between mussel species characteristics, observer experience, and misidentification rate. We estimated that misidentification was fairly common, with rates averaging 27% across all species and ranging from 0 to 56%, and was related to mussel shell characteristics and observer experience. Most notably, species with shell texturing were 6.09× less likely than smooth-shelled species to be misidentified. Misidentification rates declined with observer experience, but for many species the risk of misidentification averaged >10% even for observers with moderate levels of experience (5–6 y). In addition, misidentification rates among observers showed substantial variability after controlling for experience. Our results suggest that species misidentification may be common in field surveys of freshwater mussels and could potentially bias estimates of population status and trends. Misidentification rates possibly could be reduced through use of regional workshops, testing and certification programs, and the availability of archived specimens and tissue samples in museum collections.","PeriodicalId":49987,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the North American Benthological Society","volume":"27 1","pages":"446 - 458"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84083534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of broad-scale geological changes on patterns in macroinvertebrate assemblages","authors":"Margaret R. Neff, Donald A. Jackson","doi":"10.1899/10-052.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1899/10-052.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Understanding the broad-scale factors that influence biological communities has long been a goal of community ecology. We used benthic macroinvertebrate data to identify broad geographical patterns in macroinvertebrate community composition and specifically to examine the influence of the Precambrian Shield on stream abiotic and biotic conditions. The Precambrian Shield is a geological feature that encompasses most of northern North America. Geology differs between Shield and off-Shield areas, creating distinctly different physical and chemical conditions in aquatic systems. We focused our regional-scale study on south-central Ontario, where both Shield and off-Shield conditions are found in adjacent areas. We used constrained and unconstrained multivariate analyses to examine patterns in biotic, abiotic, and spatial variables. Our results showed that, in low-order lotic systems, macroinvertebrate communities differ between Shield and off-Shield streams. Shield streams have higher dissolved O2, velocity, and discharge, larger amounts of woody debris, and greater canopy cover than off-Shield streams. In contrast, off-Shield streams have higher conductivity, alkalinity, pH, turbidity, and water temperature, and frequently are surrounded by meadow, cultivated, or pastured land. In general, macroinvertebrate communities at off-Shield sites had a greater proportion of taxa preferring pool or depositional habitats, whereas macroinvertebrate communities at Shield sites contained taxa typically associated with riffles or erosional habitats. Analysis of spatial location indicated that the Shield/off-Shield distinction probably is the result of a combination of intertwined abiotic and spatial factors.","PeriodicalId":49987,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the North American Benthological Society","volume":"1 1","pages":"459 - 473"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84935861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal and species-specific patterns in abundance of freshwater mussel glochidia in stream drift","authors":"J. Culp, W. Haag, D. Arrington, T. Kennedy","doi":"10.1899/10-143.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1899/10-143.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract We examined seasonal patterns of abundance of mussel larvae (glochidia) in stream drift in a diverse, large-stream mussel assemblage in the Sipsey River, Alabama, across 1 y. We used recently developed techniques for glochidial identification combined with information about mussel fecundity and benthic assemblages to evaluate how well observed glochidial abundance corresponded to expected abundance based on glochidial production. Glochidia from short-term brooding species (Amblema plicata, Elliptio arca, Fusconaia cerina, Pleurobema decisum, Obliquaria reflexa, and Quadrula asperata) were abundant from May to August but did not occur in drift between November and the end of April. Long-term brooders (Lampsilis spp., Medionidus acutissimus, Obovaria unicolor, and Villosa spp.) occurred in several short peaks in spring, summer, and autumn, but generally were less abundant than short-term brooders. We estimated that the benthic assemblage at our study site produced >500,000 glochidia/m2 annually and production varied widely among species. Abundance of species in the drift was positively related to benthic abundance but was only weakly related to glochidial production. The poor relationship between glochidial production and abundance in the drift suggests that release and transport of glochidia are influenced by a wide variety of abiotic and biotic factors.","PeriodicalId":49987,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the North American Benthological Society","volume":"27 1","pages":"436 - 445"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89103293","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Macroinvertebrate traits distinguish unregulated rivers subject to water abstraction","authors":"A. Brooks, B. Chessman, T. Haeusler","doi":"10.1899/10-074.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1899/10-074.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The biological effect of water abstraction from unregulated streams in New South Wales, Australia, was assessed with data on macroinvertebrate assemblages in riffles (445 samples) and pool edges (718 samples) obtained from a national assessment of river condition in 1995 to 2000. We used limiting environmental difference (LED) modeling to predict the macroinvertebrate assemblage expected for each sample in the absence of water abstraction and estimated effect by comparing predicted and observed assemblages for sites with upstream abstraction. We found a high likelihood of effect on macroinvertebrates in 30% of riffles with upstream abstraction and 22% of edges. Complex combinations of biological traits appeared to determine the sensitivities and tolerances of individual taxa to water abstraction. For example, rheophilous families generally were rarer than predicted in apparently affected riffles, where thermophilic families seemed tolerant of the effects of water abstraction, and free-swimming families were less common than predicted in apparently affected edges, where families with tegument respiration appeared unaffected by water withdrawals. The trait response was clearer for the riffle fauna than for the edge fauna, perhaps because the physical and chemical effects of abstraction are more consistent for riffles than for edges. Our approach can support management planning by identifying taxa that are most at risk from water abstraction and sites where apparent effects are most evident.","PeriodicalId":49987,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the North American Benthological Society","volume":"7 1","pages":"419 - 435"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88490817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Additive effects of mining and residential development on stream conditions in a central Appalachian watershed","authors":"E. Merriam, J. Petty, George T. Merovich, Jennifer B. Fulton, M. Strager","doi":"10.1899/10-079.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1899/10-079.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Large-scale surface mining in southern West Virginia significantly alters headwater stream networks. The extent to which mining interacts with other stressors to determine physical, chemical, and biological conditions in aquatic systems downstream is unclear. We conducted a watershed-scale assessment of Pigeon Creek, an intensively mined watershed of the Tug Fork drainage in Mingo County, West Virginia. Our objectives were to: 1) develop landscape-based indicators of mining and residential development, 2) quantify the interactive effects of mining and residential development on in-stream conditions, and 3) identify landscape-based thresholds above which biological impairment occurs in this watershed. Macroinvertebrate community structure was negatively correlated with intensity of mining and residential development. Correlation analysis and partial Mantel tests indicated that mining (% of total subwatershed area) caused acute changes in water chemistry (r = 0.55–0.91), whereas residential development (parcel density) strongly affected both physical habitat (r = 0.59–0.81) and macroinvertebrate community structure (r = 0.59–0.93). The combined effects of mining and development on in-stream biotic conditions were additive. Sites affected by equivalent levels of both stressors had lower Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera richness than sites affected by either stressor alone. Biological impairment thresholds occurred at ~25% total mining (equivalent to a specific conductance of ~250 µS/cm) and at parcel densities of ~5 and 14 parcels/km2. Our results provide a tool that can be used to predict downstream ecological response to proposed mining given pre-existing watershed conditions. Our study suggests that effective management of impacts from new mine development must address nonmining-related impacts in this region.","PeriodicalId":49987,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the North American Benthological Society","volume":"123 1","pages":"399 - 418"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88467984","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Breakdown rates, nutrient concentrations, and macroinvertebrate colonization of bluejoint grass litter in headwater streams of the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska","authors":"R. Shaftel, R. King, J. Back","doi":"10.1899/10-086.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1899/10-086.1","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Grass litter can be a dominant detritus type in many streams. However, use of this C source in stream food webs often is viewed as insignificant because of its relatively slow breakdown rates and low nutritional quality. We deployed leaf packs containing senesced bluejoint grass (Calamagrostis canadensis) across a natural nutrient gradient of 6 salmon-rearing headwater streams on the lower Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. We hypothesized that litter-colonizing microbes would use dissolved stream nutrients and enhance breakdown rates, litter nutrient concentrations, and densities of macroinvertebrates across streams. Leaf-pack mass and nutrient concentrations were measured on the material at 0 (predeployment), 2, 4, 6, and 8 wk in all streams. Breakdown rates were calculated from the mass measurements with an exponential decay model. Macroinvertebrate composition and abundance were measured at 8 wk in all streams and every 2 wk in 1 stream. Breakdown rates of bluejoint litter were relatively low (20–30% mass loss over 2 mo), but similar to rates found in previous studies of senesced grass litter. Weighted regressions showed that bluejoint breakdown rates in the 6 streams were significantly (p < 0.05) related to dissolved stream nutrient concentrations (r2  =  0.94 and 0.67 for dissolved inorganic N and PO4-P, respectively), litter nutrient concentration (r2  =  0.72 and 0.96 for leaf % N and % P, respectively), total macroinvertebrates/g (r2  =  0.73), and nonmetric multidimensional scaling-axis-1 scores of macroinvertebrate community structure (r2  =  0.80). Litter nutrients changed after just 2 wk and were increasingly and significantly related to stream nutrient concentrations over time. NMS ordination showed that succession of macroinvertebrates on leaf packs from one stream followed a distinct direction over time, and a large shift in macroinvertebrate community structure occurred between weeks 6 and 8, a result potentially indicating a consumer response to microbial conditioning. The abundance and diversity of macroinvertebrate taxa using bluejoint litter provide evidence that it is an important habitat and energy pathway for consumers in headwater streams of the Kenai Peninsula. In addition, climate change has the potential to change terrestrial vegetation assemblages, which drive differences in stream nutrient concentrations in this region. If N-fixing shrubs become more abundant in the future, litter-decomposition rates will be positively affected by increases in both stream and leaf-litter nutrient concentrations.","PeriodicalId":49987,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the North American Benthological Society","volume":"19 1","pages":"386 - 398"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72755040","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}