Are leaf breakdown rates a useful measure of stream integrity along an agricultural landuse gradient?

Hagen, Elizabeth M.; Webster, Jackson R.; Benfield, E. F.

doi:10.1899/0887-3593(2006)25[330:albrau]2.0.co;2

Cited by 105 publications

(130 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…When analyzing environmental variations in the microhabitats, the main aspect creating differences was the presence of litter in the pools of greater depths, with these pools also favoring a higher accumulation of fine particles of sediment. According to Hagen et al (2006) the morphological aspects of the stream can be modified by the organic matter inputs and also the associated fauna. The number of taxa registered in this study reflects the pattern verified for preserved tropical streams.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Benthic macroinvertebrate community structure in a stream of the north-west region of Paraná State, Brazil

2012

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This study aimed to survey the benthic macroinvertebrate fauna of a first order stream located in an agricultural area, and to assess the environmental factors involved in the spatial distribution of this community. Invertebrates were gathered in November 2007 at three sampling sites distributed along the Itiz Stream, located in Marialva municipality, Paraná State. At each site, we measured the physical and chemical variables of the water, and then took four samples, using Surber sampler. In order to evaluate the differences in density, richness, diversity and evenness, we employed an ANOVA and a DCA to summarize biotic data. The invertebrates were categorized into functional groups and the BMWP score was applied to calculate the biological integrity of the environment. The faunal composition was represented by 103 taxa distributed across five phyla, of which the highest occurrence was of arthropods, especially insects. Higher density values were observed for Chironomidae, Ephemeroptera, Coleoptera and Trichoptera. The richness, diversity and density, as well as the density of gathering-collectors, were higher in the intermediate course of the stream. The distribution pattern of the taxa was mainly influenced by lentic or lotic characteristics of the sampled sites and microhabitats, as evidenced by the DCA. The BMWP indices indicated that the three sampling sites presented scores of excellent and good water quality. In the Itiz Stream, the presence of preserved marginal vegetation and the distance from urban centers that generate pollution, combined with peculiarities of each sampling site, influenced the structure of the benthic community.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Benthic macroinvertebrate community structure in a stream of the north-west region of Paraná State, Brazil

2012

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“…In these environments, allochthonous leaf litter is decomposed by a combination of physical, chemical and biological factors (Hagen et al 2006). Thus, the decomposition is influenced by characteristics intrinsic to aquatic environments, such as flow, pH (Gessner & Chauvet 2002), water temperature (Liski et al 2003), chemical composition of detritus (Suberkropp & Chauvet 1995, Ostrofsky 1997 and biomass and the abundance of decomposers and shredded invertebrate (Miyashita & Niwa 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental assessment of temperature increase and presence of predator carcass changing the response of invertebrate shredders

Navarro

Rezende²,

Júnior

2013

Biota Neotrop.

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Experimental assessment of temperature increase and presence of predator carcass changing the response of invertebrate shredders. Biota Neotrop. 13(4): http://www.biotaneotropica.org.br/v13n4/en/abstract?article+bn00313042013Abstract: The role of the invertebrate shredders in leaf decomposition process in tropical lotic ecosystems has been explored only recently. In addition to the influence of the quality of litter and the temperature, the risk of predation generally results in changes on the survival and behavior of invertebrate shredders. The aim of this study was to observe the responses of the invertebrate shredders to different species of leaf litters (Experiment 1: Talauma ovata and Inga laurina ; Experiment 2:Talauma ovata , Inga laurina and Richeria grandis ) under gradual temperature rise (24 °C, 26 °C, 28 °C, 30 °C, 32 °C), in the presence (Experiment 2) and absence (Experiment1) of fish (Astyanax sp.) carcasses, as well as to observe the possible consequences of the leaf mass loss (LML). The results from the first experiment suggest that the quality of the litter was capable of changing the feeding preference of the invertebrate shredders, regardless of temperature. In the second experiment, the leaf mass loss was faster in litter with higher quality (Talauma ovate and Richeria grandis ); in addition, we observed that the exploration of these resources resulted in the case-building in the presence of fish carcass. The negative correlation of leaf mass loss of Inga laurina in relation to temperature in the presence of fish carcass probably occurred due to an accelerated metabolic, respiratory and cardiac rates. Apparently, this process may have led to an increased shredding activity on the litters of better quality in relation to the Inga laurina. This fact may be related to less energy consumption, so as to meet their energy demands more efficiently. Keywords: feeding activity, global warming, decomposition. NAVARRO, F.K.S.P., REZENDE, R.S. & GONÇALVES, J.F.Jr. Avaliação experimental de elevação da temperatura e a presença de carcaça do predador alterando a resposta de invertebrados fragmentadores. Biota Neotrop. 13(4): http://www.biotaneotropica.org.br/v13n4/pt/abstract?article+bn00313042013Resumo: O papel dos invertebrados fragmentadores no processo de decomposição foliar em ecossistemas lóticos tropicais vem sendo recentemente explorado. Além da influência da qualidade do detrito e da temperatura, o risco de predação geralmente implica alterações sobre a sobrevivência e comportamento de invertebrados fragmentadores. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar as respostas dos invertebrados fragmentadores a diferentes espécies de detritos foliares (Experimento 1: Talauma ovata e Inga laurina; Experimento 2: Talauma ovata, Inga laurina e Richeria grandis) sob elevações graduais de temperatura (24 °C, 26 °C, 28 °C, 30 °C, 32 °C), na presença (Experimento 2) e ausência (Experimento1) de carcaças de peixes (Astyanax sp.), assim como verificar as possíveis consequências sobre a perda de massa foliar (PMF). Os...

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“…It is influenced by a variety of physical (e.g. fragmentation and abrasion by current) and biological processes (microbial decomposition and macroinvertebrate consumption), and has been used to assess the ecological consequence of such factors as land use and riparian condition (Bird & Kaushik, 1992;Hagen et al, 2006;McKie & Malmqvist, 2009) as well as, less frequently, channelization and flow regulation (Woodcock & Huryn, 2005;Paul et al, 2006;Death et al, 2009). Litter breakdown process is also influenced by hydrological regime, especially current velocity and high-flow events (Bird & Kaushik, 1992;Lepori et al, 2005;Paul et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of flow and season upon leaf-litter breakdown in monsoonal Hong Kong streams

Niu

Dudgeon

2010

Hydrobiologia

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We investigated the effects of water extraction and flow regime on leaf litter breakdown in 10 Hong Kong streams experiencing varying degrees of extraction: five with severe extraction ([85% downstream flow removed), four with moderate extraction (20-85% removed), and one without extraction (*0% removed). Breakdown rates, macroinvertebrate assemblages and nutrients were compared in upstream (reference) reaches and downstream reaches with reduced flow in each stream during highflow (wet season) and low-flow (dry season) conditions to determine whether responses to flow were influenced by Hong Kong's monsoonal climate. Litter breakdown was slower in downstream reaches during the wet season, and discharge was the main determinant of breakdown rate in both reaches across the 10 study streams. In contrast, inter-reach differences in breakdown during the dry season were small and unrelated to flow. Instead, breakdown rates among streams were influenced by the abundance of detritivorous shredders and chironomids (Chironominae), as well as phosphate concentrations, indicating the importance of biological processing of litter under low-flow conditions. Although litter breakdown rates appear to offer a promising functional indicator of flow-reduction impacts during the wet season, the pattern seen reflected the physical effects of flow rather than any underlying biological processes, and the lack of response to flow reduction during the dry season was notable.

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Are leaf breakdown rates a useful measure of stream integrity along an agricultural landuse gradient?

Cited by 105 publications

References 43 publications

Benthic macroinvertebrate community structure in a stream of the north-west region of Paraná State, Brazil

Benthic macroinvertebrate community structure in a stream of the north-west region of Paraná State, Brazil

Experimental assessment of temperature increase and presence of predator carcass changing the response of invertebrate shredders

The influence of flow and season upon leaf-litter breakdown in monsoonal Hong Kong streams

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