Leaf Litter Dynamics and Its Use by Invertebrates in a High‐Altitude Tropical Andean Stream

Abstract

This study evaluates litter dynamics and its relation to macroinvertebrate communities (assemblages and feeding habits) at Piburja stream (3300 m, Ecuador). Annual litterfall (216 g AFDM/m2 ) was not related to rainfall, but differed significantly between months. Transport of Coarse Particulate Organic Matter (CPOM) did not differ between seasons, but retention was higher during the dry season. Thus, CPOM standing stock was higher in the dry (125.28 g AFDM/m 2 ) compared to the wet season (12.27 g AFDM/m 2 ). Macroinvertebrate richness and diversity were positively related to Coarse Benthic Organic Matter (CBOM) especially during the wet season. Gut content analysis revealed that, regardless of season, CPOM and Fine Particulate Organic Matter (FPOM) were the most important food items in the diet of most invertebrate taxa, including those that are not considered shredders or gathering collectors in the literature. IntroductionInputs of leaf litter from riparian vegetation comprise a significant source of energy and nutrients for headwaters, (SICCAMA et al., 1970;ANDERSON and SEDELL, 1979; WAL-LACE et al., 1997; GRACA, 2001) where they are incorporated into secondary production by decomposers and detritivores (GESSNER et al. 1999;GRAÇA, 2001). In temperate streams, the interactions between organic matter inputs, decomposers, detritivores and physical factors are relatively well understood and have been widely studied (ANDERSON and SEDELL, 1979;SUBERKROPP and WALLACE, 1992;SUBERKROPP and CHAUVET, 1995;WALLACE and WEBSTER, 1996;GRAÇA, 2001). In contrast, tropical streams are understudied, and there is a lack of quantitative information on the inputs, storage and cycling of allochthonous organic matter, even though these streams often drain heavily forested catchments and leaf inputs represent a major potential energy source (GRAÇA et al., 2001a;COLÓN-GAUD et al., 2008). The rates and relative importance of the different pathways through which organic matter passes through in tropical mountain streams is virtually unknown (JACOBSEN, 2008

Assessment of functional feeding groups (FFG) structure of aquatic insects in North- western Rif - Morocco

“…The availability of canopy cover influenced the number of Shredders in a river. Most of aquatic insects feed on allochthonous organic matter, which is less abundant in open (non-shaded) rivers than in shaded streams ( Li et al 2009 , Touma et al 2009 ). Our findings confirmed that Shredders are disappearing from sites impacted by anthropogenic disturbances (S7 and S8).…”

Composición y aspectos funcionales de los macroinvertebrados acuáticos presentes en una microcuenca de cabecera en los Andes de Risaralda, Colombia

“…Sin embargo, es necesario llevar el análisis hasta la escala de microhábitats para comprender las relaciones y la competencia por el recurso. En este sentido, se destacó la combinación de microhábitats de sustrato rocoso y de hojarasca en casi todas las estaciones, lo que asegura la abundancia y riqueza de organismos, así como la de los grupos funcionales alimenticios, preferentemente la de recolectores y fragmentadores, claves en la transformación de la materia orgánica que ingresa al sistema acuático (Heino, et al, 2003;Lorion & Kennedy, 2009;Ríos-Touma, et al, 2009;Ramírez & Gutiérrez-Fonseca, 2014).…”

“…Durante los cinco años de monitoreo en la microcuenca se pudo evidenciar que dominan los organismos recolectores, seguidos de los fragmentadores, tal como lo describen los trabajos previos de Bernal, et al (2006) -Touma, et al (2009) pero en quebradas altoandinas con coberturas boscosas donde los recolectores fueron dominantes, y en un porcentaje importante también se reportaron fragmentadores.…”

Descomposición De Hojas Y Ensamblaje De Macroinvertebrados en Una Quebrada Tropical Andina (Ibagué, Colombia)

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