Abstract
An investigation on the colonization of artificial substrate baskets by benthos was carried out in the Naro Moru River, a second-order high altitude river in Kenya, from November, 1986 to October, 1987. Simuliidae dominated the colonizing benthos. The mean (±95% CL) maximum colonization time was achieved after 9.63±1.57 days. The highest mean diversity (H′) occurred after 6 days of exposure whilst the highest mean H′maximum, evenness (J′) and species richness (s) were achieved after 10, 8 and 10 days respectively.
The benthos arrival rate (AR) declined exponentially with time. The changes in benthos departure rate (DR) with time was insignificant. Equilibrial state (AR:DR=1.0) was not achieved in the present study.
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Mathooko, J.M. Colonization of artificial substrates by benthos in a second-order high altitude river in Kenya. Hydrobiologia 308, 229–234 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00006874
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00006874