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Longitudinal Distribution of the Functional Feeding Groups of Aquatic Insects in Streams of the Brazilian Cerrado Savanna

  • Ecology, Behavior and Bionomics
  • Published:
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Abstract

We demonstrate that the distribution of the functional feeding groups of aquatic insects is related to hierarchical patch dynamics. Patches are sites with unique environmental and functional characteristics that are discontinuously distributed in time and space within a lotic system. This distribution predicts that the occurrence of species will be based predominantly on their environmental requirements. We sampled three streams within the same drainage basin in the Brazilian Cerrado savanna, focusing on waterfalls and associated habitats (upstream, downstream), representing different functional zones. We collected 2,636 specimens representing six functional feeding groups (FFGs): brushers, collector–gatherers, collector–filterers, shredders, predators, and scrapers. The frequency of occurrence of these groups varied significantly among environments. This variation appeared to be related to the distinct characteristics of the different habitat patches, which led us to infer that the hierarchical patch dynamics model can best explain the distribution of functional feeding groups in minor lotic environments, such as waterfalls.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Bruno Spacek and Cristiane P. Ferreira (UFPA Graduate Program in Aquatic Ecology and Fisheries) and F. F. Salles (UFES) for their critical readings of our manuscript, Andrezza Y. V. Sayury for the identification of specimens, Lourivaldo A. Castro (UNEMAT) for his assistance in the field, the UNEMAT Laboratory of Entomology for logistic support. CAPES provided LSB with a graduate stipend, FAPEMAT (#465866/2009) funded the study through a BCT3 scholarship (process 867560/2010) to JDB and the project “Physical and environmental characteristics, and the ecotourism potential of the waterfalls of the Serra do Roncador Complex in Nova Xavantina, Mato Grosso”. Additional resources were provided by CAPES/PROCAD (#109/2007). LJ is funded by CNPq (#303252/2013-8) and the PELD project (MCT/CNPq # 59/2009) “Cerrado-Amazon Forest Transition: ecological and socio-environmental guidelines for conservation (stage II)”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Depto de Ciências Biológicas, Univ do Estado de Mato Grosso-UNEMAT, CP 8, 78690-000, Nova Xavantina, MT, Brasil

    L S Brasil, J D Batista, M G Pavan & H S R Cabette

  2. Lab de Ecologia e Conservação, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Univ Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brasil

    L Juen

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  1. L S Brasil
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Correspondence to L S Brasil.

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Edited by Fernando B Noll – UNESP

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Brasil, L.S., Juen, L., Batista, J.D. et al. Longitudinal Distribution of the Functional Feeding Groups of Aquatic Insects in Streams of the Brazilian Cerrado Savanna. Neotrop Entomol 43, 421–428 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-014-0234-9

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