Ahstnict. Estimation of invertebrate biomass is a critical step in addressing many ecological questions in aquatic environments. Length-dry mass regressions are the most widely used approach for estimating benthic invertebrate biomass because they are faster and more precise than other methods. A compilation and analysis of length-mass regressions using the power model, M (mass) = n L (length)h, are presented from 30 y of data collected by the authors, primarily from the southeastern USA, along with published regressions from the rest of North America. A total of 442 new and published regressions are presented, mostly for genus or species, based on total body length or other linear measurements. The regressions include 64 families of aquatic insects and 12 families of other invertebrate groups (mostly molluscs and crustaceans). Regressions were obtained for 134 insect genera (155 species) and 153 total invertebrate genera (184 species). Regressions are provided for both body length and head width for some taxa. In some cases, regressions are provided from multiple localities for single taxa. When using body length in the equations, there were no significant differences in the mean value of the exponent b among 8 insect orders or Amphipoda. The mean value of b for insects was 2.79, ranging from only 2.69 to 2.91 among orders. The mean value of b for Decapoda (3.63), however, was significantly higher than all insects orders and amphipods. Mean values of n were not significantly different among the 8 insect orders and Amphipoda, reflecting considerable variability within orders. Reasons for potential differences in b among taxa are explained with hypothetical examples showing how b responds to changes in linear dimensions and specific gravity. When using head width as the linear dimension in the power model, the mean value of b was higher (3.11) than for body length and more variable among orders (2.8-3.3). Values of b for Ephemeroptera (3.3) were significantly higher than those for Odonata, Megaloptera, and Diptera. For those equations in which ash-free dry mass was used, % ash varied considerably among functional feeding groups (3.3-12.4%). Percent ash varied from 4.Oo/o to 8.5% among major insect orders, but was 18.9% for snails (without shells). Family-level regressions also are presented so that they can be used when generic equations are unavailable or when organisms are only identified to the family level. It is our intention that these regressions be used by others in estimating mass from linear dimensions, but potential errors must be recognized.

Temperature and nutrient availability play key roles in controlling the pathways and rates at which energy and materials move through ecosystems. These factors have also changed dramatically on Earth over the past century as human activities have intensified. Although significant effort has been devoted to understanding the role of temperature and nutrients in isolation, less is known about how these two factors interact to influence ecological processes. Recent advances in ecological stoichiometry and metabolic ecology provide a useful framework for making progress in this area, but conceptual synthesis and review are needed to help catalyze additional research. Here, we examine known and potential interactions between temperature and nutrients from a variety of physiological, community, and ecosystem perspectives. We first review patterns at the level of the individual, focusing on four traits--growth, respiration, body size, and elemental content--that should theoretically govern how temperature and nutrients interact to influence higher levels of biological organization. We next explore the interactive effects of temperature and nutrients on populations, communities, and food webs by synthesizing information related to community size spectra, biomass distributions, and elemental composition. We use metabolic theory to make predictions about how population-level secondary production should respond to interactions between temperature and resource supply, setting up qualitative predictions about the flows of energy and materials through metazoan food webs. Last, we examine how temperature-nutrient interactions influence processes at the whole-ecosystem level, focusing on apparent vs. intrinsic activation energies of ecosystem processes, how to represent temperature-nutrient interactions in ecosystem models, and patterns with respect to nutrient uptake and organic matter decomposition. We conclude that a better understanding of interactions between temperature and nutrients will be critical for developing realistic predictions about ecological responses to multiple, simultaneous drivers of global change, including climate warming and elevated nutrient supply.

Amphibians can be important consumers in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats and may represent an important energetic link between the two, particularly in the tropics, where amphibian species richness and abundance are high. In the past 20 years, amphibian populations have declined dramatically around the world; numbers have decreased catastrophically in protected upland sites throughout the neotropics, usually resulting in the disappearance of over 75% of amphibians at a given site, particularly those species that breed in streams. Most studies of amphibian declines have focused on identifying causes and documenting changes in adult abundance, rather than on their ecological consequences. Here, we review evidence for the potential ecological effects of catastrophic amphibian declines, focusing on neotropical highland streams, where impacts will likely be greatest. Evidence to date suggests that amphibian declines will have large‐scale and lasting ecosystem‐level effects, including changes in algal community structure and primary production, altered organic matter dynamics, changes in other consumers such as aquatic insects and riparian predators, and reduced energy transfers between streams and riparian habitats. Furthermore, because of habitat and functional differences between larvae and adults in most amphibians, the loss of a single species is akin to losing two species.

Studies of the production of stream insects are now numerous, and general factors controlling the secondary production of stream communities are becoming evident. In this review we focus on how life-history attributes influence the production dynamics of stream insects and other macroinvertebrates. Annual production of macroinvertebrate communities in streams world-wide ranges from approximately 10(0) to 10(3) g dry mass m-2. High levels are reported for communities dominated by filter feeders in temperate streams. Filter feeding enables the accrual and support of high biomass, which drives the very highest production. Frequently disturbed communities in warm-temperate streams are also highly productive. Biomass accrual by macroinvertebrates is limited in these streams, and production is driven by rapid growth rates rather than high biomass. The lowest production, reported for macroinvertebrate communities of cool-temperate and arctic streams, is due to the constraints of low seasonal temperatures and nutrient or food limitation. Geographical bias, paucity of community-wide studies, and limited knowledge of the effects of biotic interactions limit current understanding of mechanisms controlling stream productivity.