An Ecological Study of the Invertebrate Fauna of a Chalk Stream Near Great Driffield, Yorkshire

Whitehead, Hal

doi:10.2307/1213

Cited by 38 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…4) and biomass of invertebrates on the five biotopes at Bagnor revealed the importance of submerged macrophytes compared to gravel and silt. This result was not unexpected and has been recognised in a number of previous studies on chalk streams (Whitehead, 1935; and also more widely on other lowland river systems (Wright et al, 1992). At Bagnor, marginal emergent vegetation was scarce but in other lowland streams, marginal emergents with their root systems under water frequently support a wider range of taxa than submerged macrophytes (Wright et al, 1992).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…Many authors have described the longitudinal distribution of the invertebrate fauna along a given river system (see Hawkes, 1975) and a number of studies have been undertaken on chalk streams in England (Whitehead, 1935;Casey & Ladle, 1976;Pearson & Jones, 1984;Pinder & Fan-, 1987). More detailed information on the occurrence of invertebrates on particular biotopes within chalk streams has also been published (Harrod, 1964;Westlake et al, 1972;.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial and temporal occurrence of invertebrates in a chalk stream, Berkshire, England

Wright

1992

Hydrobiologia

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The invertebrate assemblages of the River Lambourn and its tributary, the Winterbourne stream, were investigated as part of a broad ecological study prior to water resource development in the catchment. The longitudinal distribution of the invertebrate fauna within the Winterbourne stream was examined in detail and supporting data for the R. Lambourn revealed that the upstream intermittent section of each water course had an invertebrate assemblage which was distinct from the fauna downstream where flow was permanent. Within the perennial zone taxon richness tended to increase downstream.A one-year programme of monthly quantitative sampling on five distinct biotopes (Ranunculus, Berula, Callitriche, gravel and silt) at two contrasted sites (shaded and unshaded) was undertaken in the lower perennial of the R. Lambourn below the confluence with the Winterbourne. On each study site, the taxon richness, numerical abundance and biomass of invertebrates were significantly higher on the three macrophytes than on gravel and silt. There were also statistically significant seasonal changes in the biomass of invertebrates on each site. Estimates of total biomass of invertebrates per site revealed a late spring peak (May/June) and a late autumn (November/December) peak, neither of which coincided with the summer peak biomass of macrophytes. This suggested that, in the lower perennial, the level of food resources (epiphytic algae in late spring and fallen tree leaves plus decaying macrophytes in autumn) rather than available habitat, were a major influence on population levels for most of the year.Quantitative sampling of each biotope on each site continued in June and December only for a period of 8 years (1971-78), during which time the river experienced a minor drought (1973) and a severe drought (1976). The Chironomidae showed a strong positive response to conditions of low flow in June of 1973 and 1976, when exceptionally high densities of larvae were recorded. Although further betweenyear differences were recorded in several other major components of the invertebrate fauna, which may have been related to conditions of low discharge, they did not have long-term consequences for the fauna in the lower perennial of the R. Lambourn.In contrast, in the upper perennial, the prolonged drought of 1976 resulted in the loss of wetted perimeter and macrophytes, coupled with deposition of silt, all of which had deleterious effects on the invertebrate assemblages. The following year, despite a normal discharge regime and the removal of silt, some submerged macrophytes were slow to return to their pre-drought condition. In the intermittent section, the drought of 1976 resulted in the total loss of flow for a 16 month period instead of a more typical four month period of water loss.Thus, chalk streams encompass within a single system both stable and extreme hydrological regimes which offer unique opportunities for investigating the processes of community formation and maintenance. 12

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial and temporal occurrence of invertebrates in a chalk stream, Berkshire, England

Wright

1992

Hydrobiologia

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“…Mean numbers per m2 were calculated from samples taken at various depths. Earlier sampling demonstrated that the snails ware not encountered on the muddy substrates found at greater depths (see also WHITEHEAD, 1935). Moreover, the majority of the snails were caught between 0-5 m depth in Lake l and between 0-1.5 m depth in Lake II in all seasons (Dorgelo, unpublished data).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…); she made an inventory of the macrophytes of Lake I from (BEST, 1981 and saw, during Scuba diving, far more P.jenkinsi on Chain than on Elodea. WHITEHEAD (1935), studying a chalk stream, found very low numbers of P.jenkinsi or none at all in stony regions, on mud, and on Callitriche sp., Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculu$ spp., and Slum erectum. Many snails were seen, however, on Hippurus vulgaris.…”

Section: Relationship To Macrophytesmentioning

confidence: 98%

Density fluctuations in populations (1982–1986) and biological observations ofPotamopyrgus Jenkinsi in two trophically differing lakes

Dorgelo

1987

Hydrobiological Bulletin

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The hydrobiid snail Potamopyrgusjenkinsi (E.A. Smith), characterized by parthenogenesis and ovovivipary, was quantitatively sampled monthly between June, 1982, and December, 1986, on sandy bottoms in the shallow zones of the meso-oligotrophic Lake Maarsseveen I and the eutrophic Lake Maarsseveen II. The snail demonstrated a very clumped distribution in both lakes. The mean numbers of juveniles and adults taken together fluctuated strongly. Organism;i in Lake I showed relatively high densities (up to 25,000 per m2) in 1982, followed by a sudden drop to values approaching zero in December, 1982, with a subsequent rapid increase in densities, fluctuating between 2,000 and 200 per m2. In Lake II, densities of snails fluctuated between 13,000 and 300 per m2 with decreases in the spring of 1985 and 1986. The various types of decreases in the lakes are extensively discussed, but no explanation is presently available. The reduction in Lake I was of catastrophic proportions, but the speed of recovery of the population was remarkable.Floating was observed only in Lake I, and only during the occurrence of the highest densities on the sediment. Burrowing behaviour was very common, but strongly suppressed under an uninterrupted dark regime. A shift of temperature from 15 to 22 ~ had the same effect. A number of submerged macrophyte species from Lake I proved to attract P.jenkinsi in the absence of sandy substrate, though these plants were only covered by the snail during the period of the highest densities in 1982. Temperatures of 20 ~ or lower were well tolerated, unl ike temperatures of 25 and 30 ~ Growth was distinct at 10, 15 and 20 ~ Keeled individuals were encountered in much higher numbers in Lake I than in Lake II.

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“…Chironomidae) in the macrophyte habitat. Therefore it could overestimate the density, biomass, richness, and diversity of macroinvertebrates on that habitat (Percival and Whitehead 1929;Whitehead 1935;Barber and Kevern 1973;Wright 1992;Ó Hare and Murphy 1999).…”

Section: Habitat Preferencementioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of two methods for estimating the abundance, diversity and habitat preference of fluvial macroinvertebrates in contrasting habitats

Alonso

Camargo

2010

Limnologica

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a b s t r a c tIn this research we evaluate the effects of the method used for estimating the potential surface available for benthic macroinvertebrates in macrophyte and unvegetated habitats on several metrics and habitat preference of aquatic macroinvertebrates in the upper catchment of the Henares River (Guadalajara, Central Spain). Three sampling sites were selected: a well-preserved stream (site A), a stream with no wood riparian vegetation (site B), and a straightened and deforested reach (site C). Two habitats were selected in each site: unvegetated habitat (i.e., substrata without macrophytes) and macrophyte habitat (i.e., substrata covered by macrophytes). In each habitat, six macroinvertebrate samples (including all macrophytes or mineral particles) were collected using a Hess sampler. Diversity and density of major families were referred to the surface of the Hess sampler ( ¼ Hess surface method) and to the actual surface of either mineral particles or macrophytes ( ¼ actual surface method). In general, for the actual surface method, biomass, richness, dominance, and diversity metrics were higher in the mineral habitat than in the macrophyte habitat. This trend was different for the Hess surface method. In general, densities turned out to be higher in the unvegetated habitat than in the macrophyte habitat when using the actual surface method, but the reverse occurred when using the Hess surface method. This fact is relevant for river biomonitoring, especially when reaches with different dominant substrates (macrophytes vs mineral) are compared using just one of the methods. It is concluded that the macrobenthic metrics and density values are influenced by the method used to estimate the potential available surface for aquatic macroinvertebrates.

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An Ecological Study of the Invertebrate Fauna of a Chalk Stream Near Great Driffield, Yorkshire

Cited by 38 publications

References 5 publications

Spatial and temporal occurrence of invertebrates in a chalk stream, Berkshire, England

Spatial and temporal occurrence of invertebrates in a chalk stream, Berkshire, England

Density fluctuations in populations (1982–1986) and biological observations ofPotamopyrgus Jenkinsi in two trophically differing lakes

Comparison of two methods for estimating the abundance, diversity and habitat preference of fluvial macroinvertebrates in contrasting habitats

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