Abstract
Oligochaetes are the dominant group of macrofauna in a river reach (1–450 m) below the Dobczyce dam on the River Raba. The Oligochaeta made up from 60.2% to 78.7% of the community. The next most abundant group were the Chironomidae comprising 20.5%–38.8% of the fauna. Upstream-downstream movements of the macrofauna were studied at one station, with an oligochaete density of 50 000 ind. m−2, and a chironomid density about 20 000 ind. m−2. In the drift the proportions of these two groups were reversed—Chironomidae represented 59% of the drift fauna, and the oligochaetes — about 40%. On the river bottom and in the drift a similar number of species (12–13) of Naididae were identified.
In order to compare the intensity of the movement of the various taxonomic groups, the percentage of animals moving upstream and downstream over 24 h was calculated. The highest percentage of the population migrating were dipterans (7.3%). The Chironomidae and Ephemeroptera had similar proportions migrating (3.2% and 2.6% respectively). The Oligochaeta had the lowest value — only 0.6% of animals were displaced in a 24 h period.
The Naididae appear to be strongly attached to the substratum and, under normal environmental conditions, their reproduction sufficiently compensated for the decrease in their number associated with the drift or predation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Armitage, P. D., 1977. Invertebrate drift in the regulated River Tees, and an unregulated tributary Maize Beck, below Cow Green dam. Freshwat. Biol. 7: 167–183.
Armitage, P. D., 1978. Downstream changes in the composition, numbers and biomass of bottom fauna in the Tees below Cow Green Reservoir and in an unregulated tributary Maize Beck, in the first five years after impoundment. Hydrobiologia 58: 145–156.
Bednarz, T. & A. Starzecka, 1993. The production and destruction of organic matter in the water and surface layer of bottom sediments on the stream-estuary — Dobczyce Dam Reservoir line (southern Poland). Acta Hydrobiol. 35: 109–119.
Bergey, E. A. & J. V. Ward, 1989. Upstream-downstream movements of aquatic invertebrates in a Rocky Mountain stream. Hydrobiologia 185: 71–82.
Bishop, J. E. & H. B. N. Hynes, 1969. Upstream movements of the benthic invertebrates in the Speed River, Ontario. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 26: 279–298.
Cellot, B., 1989. Macroinvertebrate movements in a large European river. Freshwat. Biol. 22: 45–55.
Dumnicka, E., 1987. The effect of dam reservoirs on oligochaete communities in the River Dunajec (Southern Poland). Acta Hydrobiol. 29: 25–34.
Dumnicka, E., 1993. Profundal macrofauna of the Dobczyce Reservoir (southern Poland) in the fifth year after its filling. Acta Hydrobiol. 35: 329–340.
Elliott, J. M., 1971. Upstream movements of benthic invertebrates in a lake district stream. J. Anim. Ecol. 40: 235–252.
Fleituch, T. Jr., 1985. Macroinvertebrate drift in the middle course of the River Dunajec (Southern Poland). Acta Hydrobiol. 27: 49–61.
Fleituch, T. M., 1992. Evaluation of the water quality of future tributaries to the planned Dobczyce reservoir (Poland) using macroinvertebrates. Hydrobiologia 237: 103–116.
Gwiazda, R., 1989. Initial stage of bird settlement on the Dobczyce dam reservoir (Vistula basin, southern Poland). Acta Hydrobiol. 31: 373–384.
Hobbs, H. H. & M. J. Butler, 1981. A sampler for simultaneously measuring drift and upstream movements of aquatic macroinvertebrates. J. Crust. Biol. 1: 63–69.
Mazurkiewicz, G., unpublished data. Hydrochemical characteristics of the water of the River Raba.
O'Leary, P., P. S. Lake, R. Marchant & T. J. Doeg, 1992. Macroinvertebrate activity in the water column of backwaters in an upland stream in Victoria. Aust. J. mar. Freshwat. Res. 43: 1403–1407.
Soderstrom, O., 1987. Upstream movements of invertebrates in running waters — a review. Arch. Hydrobiol. 111: 197–208.
Starzecka, A. & T. Bednarz, 1994. Decomposition of organic matter in bottom sediments of a stream and the Dobczyce dam-reservoir in the area of the Wolnica creek (southern Poland). Arch. Hydrobiol. 129: 327–337.
Statzner, B., C. Dejoux & J. M. Elouard, 1984. Field experiments on the relationship between drift and benthic densities of aquatic insects in tropical streams (Ivory Coast). I. Introduction: a review of drift literature, methods, and experimental conditions. Revue Hydrobiol. trop. 17: 319–334.
Ward, J. V. & J. A. Stanford, 1979. Ecological factors controlling stream zoobenthos with emphasis on thermal modification of regulated streams. In J. V. Ward & J. A. Stanford (eds), The Ecology of Regulated Streams. Plenum Press, New York: 35–55.
Waringer, J. A., 1992. The drifting of invertebrates and particulate organic matter in an Austrian mountain brook. Freshwat. Biol. 27: 367–378.
Waters, T. F., 1972. The drift of stream insects. Ann. Rev. Ent. 17: 253–272.
Williams, D. D. & N. E. Williams, 1993. The upstream/downstream movement paradox of lotic invertebrates: quantitative evidence from a Welsh mountain stream. Freshwat. Biol. 30: 199–218.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dumnicka, E. Upstream-downstream movement of macrofauna (with special reference to oligochaetes) in the River Raba below a reservoir. Hydrobiologia 334, 193–198 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00017369
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00017369