Abstract
We measured seasonal changes in the gut clearance rate of three stonefly species in a stream. The rate declined with water temperature. Based on the gut clearance rate obtained here, we estimated the half-reduction time of gut contents and consumption rate of stoneflies on algae. Irrespective of stonefly species, the half-reduction time in winter (2 days) was twice as long as that in summer (1 day). The areal consumption rates of stoneflies varied depending on species and season. These results imply that the seasonal consumption impact of aquatic insects can be different, despite their daily ration being similar among species.
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Acknowledgments
This research was partly supported by the 21st COE Program at Ehime University and the Foundation of River and Watershed Environmental Management of Japan.
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Miyasaka, H., Genkai-Kato, M. Seasonal change in the gut clearance rate of three stonefly species in a Japanese stream. Ecol Res 24, 231–234 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-008-0494-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-008-0494-0