1. The effect of light intensity on the decomposition of poplar (Populus nigra) leaves and growth of the shredders, Asellus aquaticus and Gammarus pulex, was studied in a laboratory experiment. The response was studied along a gradient of six light intensities of 0, 5, 23, 54, 97 and 156 lmol m )2 s )1 . It was hypothesised that an increase in light intensity would increase growth of shredders, because of an increase of algae (i.e. food quality) in the leaf-biofilm. 2. Light intensity affected both leaf-biofilm quality and consumer behaviour and affected several aspects of the decomposition-consumer interaction. In the absence of invertebrates, leaf mass loss was lower in the dark, while light intensity had no significant effect on mass loss of poplar leaf in the presence of invertebrates. Light intensity affected algal biomass, density and composition, and had a significant positive effect on the growth of both shredders. 3. Our results suggest that algae can be an important component of the nutritional value of the leaf-biofilm for benthic invertebrates, directly as an additional food source and indirectly through a link with bacteria and/or fungi. 4. The River Continuum Concept mainly emphasises allochthonous inputs to headwater streams and autochthonous production further downstream. Our results suggest that light, by its effect on the biofilms on leaf surfaces, might be a more important factor in headwaters than is usually assumed.

1. Logistic regression predicts the probability of occurrence of a species as a function of environmental variables. This technique was applied to a large data set describing the distribution of two common gammarid species, Gammarus fossarum and G. pulex, in streams in the Netherlands, to evaluate its usefulness in defining habitat requirements. 2. A method is presented that derives optimum habitat ranges for environmental variables from logistic regression equations. The calculated optimum habitat ranges, which are related to the maximum likelihood of presence in the field, agreed with habitat requirements and ecological tolerances in the literature. 3. Single logistic regressions provide good descriptions of the optimum habitat requirements and multiple logistic regressions give insight into the relative importance of each environmental variable. It is the combination that makes logistic regression a valuable tool for constructing habitat suitability indices. 4. Current velocity, pH, Kjeldahl nitrogen, total phosphorus, ammonium nitrogen, conductivity, width and depth are, in this sequence, the most important environmental variables in predicting the probability of occurrence of G. fossarum, whereas current velocity, Kjeldahl nitrogen, pH and depth are the most important variables for the prediction of the probability of occurrence of G. pulex.

Macroinvertebrates were studied along a salinity gradient in the North Sea Canal, The Netherlands, to quantify the effect of trace metals (cadmium, copper, lead, zinc) on community composition. In addition, two methods for assessing metal bioavailability (normalizing metal concentrations on organic carbon and on the smallest sediment fraction) were compared. Factor analyses showed that normalizing trace metals resulted in an improved separation of trace metals from ecological factors (depth, organic carbon, granulometry, and chloride). The variation in the macroinvertebrate data was partitioned into four sources using partial canonical correspondence analysis, with the partitions being purely ecological factors, purely trace metals, mutual ecological factors and trace metals, and unexplained. Partial canonical correspondence analysis applied to total and normalized trace metal concentrations gave similar results in terms of unexplained variances. However, normalization on organic carbon resulted in the highest percentage of variation explained by purely ecological factors and purely trace metals. Accounting for bioavailability thus improves the identification of factors affecting the in situ community structure. Ecological factors explained 45.4% and trace metals 8.6% of the variation in the macroinvertebrate community composition in the ecosystem of the North Sea Canal. These contributions were significant, and it is concluded that trace metals significantly affected the community composition in an environment with multiple stressors. Variance partitioning is recommended for incorporation in further risk assessment studies.

No abstract

Abstract-Macroinvertebrates were studied along a salinity gradient in the North Sea Canal, The Netherlands, to quantify the effect of trace metals (cadmium, copper, lead, zinc) on community composition. In addition, two methods for assessing metal bioavailability (normalizing metal concentrations on organic carbon and on the smallest sediment fraction) were compared. Factor analyses showed that normalizing trace metals resulted in an improved separation of trace metals from ecological factors (depth, organic carbon, granulometry, and chloride). The variation in the macroinvertebrate data was partitioned into four sources using partial canonical correspondence analysis, with the partitions being purely ecological factors, purely trace metals, mutual ecological factors and trace metals, and unexplained. Partial canonical correspondence analysis applied to total and normalized trace metal concentrations gave similar results in terms of unexplained variances. However, normalization on organic carbon resulted in the highest percentage of variation explained by purely ecological factors and purely trace metals. Accounting for bioavailability thus improves the identification of factors affecting the in situ community structure. Ecological factors explained 45.4% and trace metals 8.6% of the variation in the macroinvertebrate community composition in the ecosystem of the North Sea Canal. These contributions were significant, and it is concluded that trace metals significantly affected the community composition in an environment with multiple stressors. Variance partitioning is recommended for incorporation in further risk assessment studies.