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Life history and secondary production of Glossosoma nigrior Banks (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae) in two Alabama streams with different geology

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Abstract

We studied life history and secondary production of a caddisfly scraper, Glossosoma nigrior, in two Alabama streams. Collier Creek, located within the Appalachian Plateau physiographic province, is underlain by sandstone bedrock, while Hendrick Mill Branch is located in the Valley and Ridge physiographic province with limestone bedrock. G. nigrior populations in both streams exhibited trivoltine life histories, which were attributed to the higher water temperature regimes than those found in more northern streams. Mean larval density (556 m−2) and biomass (B) (49.2 mg AFDM m−2) were much higher in Hendrick Mill Branch than Collier Creek (78 m−2 and 6.7 mg AFDM m−2). G. nigrior in Hendrick Mill Branch maintained continuous larval growth and higher larval density than Collier Creek throughout the year mainly due to a greater availability of optimal habitat, a more stable hydrology, and warmer winter water temperature. These factors also resulted in the much higher annual secondary production (P) in Hendrick Mill Branch (965 mg AFDM m−2; P/B = 18.3) than Collier Creek (115 mg AFDM m−2; P/B = 17.9). Gut content analysis revealed that algae (>50%) and detritus (>40%) were the major diet items for G. nigrior, and the majority of secondary production (>80%) was contributed by the consumption of algae. Glossosoma populations play an important role in trophic linkage in these streams with their high production and grazing activities.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Brad Crosson, Mike Howe and Kevin Petrus for their help in the field. Drs. Marsha Stock and Amy Ward provided primary productivity data for study streams. Comments from Drs. Art Benke and Steve Harris, and two anonymous reviewers improved the clarity of this paper. This research was supported by BSR-8818810 from the National Science Foundation. The GIS Lab in the Aquatic Biology Program at the University of Alabama provided Fig. 1. This is contribution no. 260 to the Aquatic Biology Program in the University of Alabama.

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  1. Hwa-Seong Jin

    Present address: Center for Reservoir Research, Murray State University, 561 Emma Drive, Murray, KY, USA

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  1. Center for Freshwater Studies, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

    Hwa-Seong Jin & G. Milton Ward

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Jin, HS., Ward, G.M. Life history and secondary production of Glossosoma nigrior Banks (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae) in two Alabama streams with different geology. Hydrobiologia 575, 245–258 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0370-2

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