Sequences of colonization, diversity, biomass, and productivity of macroinvertebrates on artificial substrates in a freshwater canal

Abstract

The sequence of colonization, species diversity (% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWaa0aaaeaaca% qGKbaaaaaa!36E5!\[\overline {\text{d}} \]), biomass, and productivity of macroinvertebrates on artificial substrates was determined in a relatively constant environment freshwater canal. Three substrates were removed weekly during a 16 week test period. Community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates was determined at the onset and end of the test period and compared with substrate community structure.

Calopsectra sp. was the dominant early colonizing organism; Dicrotendipes sp. and Dicrotendipes modestus were also abundant. In late collections other chironomids, ephemeropterans, gastropods, oligochaetes, amphipods, and trichopterans occurred. Trichopterans were generally dominant in numbers and biomass in later collections. A total of 104 were collected on the substrates.

Collection diversity (% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWaa0aaaeaaca% qGKbaaaaaa!36E5!\[\overline {\text{d}} \]) began at 3.42 (week 1), decreased to 2.72 in the third week, and then continually increased for the remainder of the test period to 4.43. Cumulative diversity had a similar trend, decreasing from 3.42 (week 1) to 3.06 in the fourth week, and then increasing to 4.05. Neither collection % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWaa0aaaeaaca% qGKbaaaaaa!36E5!\[\overline {\text{d}} \] or cumulative % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWaa0aaaeaaca% qGKbaaaaaa!36E5!\[\overline {\text{d}} \] reached an asymptote in the 16 week period.

Collection biomass began at 0.0867 g/0.26 m² for week one and was 1.0575 g/0.26 m² at the end of the test period. Biomass increased linearly for seven weeks, fluctuated widely until week 14, then increased sharply for the remainder of the test period. Productivity ranged from −3.42 g/m²/wk in the eighth week to 5.10 g/m²/wk in the last collection. Biomass and productivity were greatly affected by the presences or absences of a relatively few large organisms.

One hundred two taxa were collected from the benthic samples, 34 not being present on the substrates. Limodrilus hoffmeisteri was the dominant benthic organism, while Calopsectra sp. and Polypedilum sp. were also abundant. The February benthic diversity % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWaa0aaaeaaca% qGKbaaaaaa!36E5!\[\overline {\text{d}} \] was 4.54 and the June % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafiart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-yqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xb9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWaa0aaaeaaca% qGKbaaaaaa!36E5!\[\overline {\text{d}} \] was 4.05.