The effect of long pools on the drift of macro-invertebrates in a mountain stream

Abstract

Macro-invertebrate drift was measured entering and leaving two pools on the Middle Fork of the Cosumnes River, a third order California stream. Drift rates for Baetis spp., Chironomidae, Simulium spp., Capniidae and total drift were calculated. Significant differences in the numbers of organisms entering the two pools were found for Baetis, Chironomidae, and Capniidae. Comparisons of drift rates at the upstream and downstream ends of each pool showed that the abundance of Chironomidae, Simulium, Capniidae and total drift changed in different directions across the pools. The numbers of organisms leaving the two pools, however, were not significantly different for Baetis, Simulium, Capniidae and total drift. These findings lead us to hypothesize that long pools act as barriers, not filters, to stream macro-invertebrate drift. The composition of drift leaving the pools in this experiment appeared to be controlled by the composition of the benthic habitat at the tail of the pool and not by the composition of upstream drift entering the pools.