Long‐term recovery of a mountain stream from clear‐cut logging: the effects of forest succession on benthic invertebrate community structure

Abstract

1. Changes in benthic invertebrate community structure following 16 years of forest succession after logging were examined by estimating benthic invertebrate abundance, biomass and secondary production in streams draining a forested reference and a recovering clear‐cut catchment. Benthic invertebrate abundance was three times higher, and invertebrate biomass and production were two times higher in the disturbed stream. 2. Comparison of invertebrate community abundance 1, 5 and 16 years after clear‐cutting indicated that the proportion of scrapers had decreased, whereas shredders had increased. Functional group percentage similarity indicated that the invertebrate community in the disturbed stream 16 years after clear‐cutting was more similar to the reference than to that found earlier in the disturbed stream. 3. The five indices calculated from data collected over the past 16 years, as well as the abundance, biomass and production data collected during this study, proved to be of differing value in assessing recovery of the disturbed stream from logging. Percent dominant taxon and EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera) taxon richness failed to show any initial differences between reference and disturbed streams, indicating that these indices may not be useful for measuring recovery from logging. The percentage Baetis and shredder–scraper indices showed significant differences only during the 1977 study and suggest recovery (no difference between reference and disturbed) by 1982. The North Carolina Biotic Index showed continued differences during 1982 in the riffle and depositional habitats and recovery by 1993. Total macroinvertebrate abundance, biomass and production, as well as EPT abundance, indicated continued differences between the reference and disturbed streams in the 1993 study.

Is smaller necessarily better? Effects of small-scale forest harvesting on stream ecosystems

“…Previous studies showed similar positive effects of large-scale forest harvesting on benthic invertebrate abundances (Stone and Wallace, 1998;Kiffney et al, 2003;Haggerty et al, 2004). Favorable habitat conditions and greater energy availability may stimulate the production of tolerant invertebrates and thus total invertebrate abundance in recently harvested stream reaches (Ely and Wallace, 2010).…”

The Impacts of Forest Management on Invertebrate Communities Associated with Submerged Leaves in Forested Adirondack Streams

“…However, litter processiag rates (Benfield et al 2001, Griffith and Perry 199 1, Webstcr and Waide 1982), litter retention (Speaker et al 1984, Webster et al 1994) and invertebrate production and abundance in lotic systems (Stone andWallace 1998, Stout et al, 1993) have been well researched. Murphy and Giller (2001) found that factors influencing the structure of detritivore assemblages were important in determining thc rate of detritus processing.…”

“…Leaves that have faster conditioning rates are typically consumed first because they are nutritionally suitable more quickly (Kaushik and Hynes, 1971 (Benfield et al 2001, Griffith and Perry 1991. Webster and Waide 1982, litter retention (Speaker et al 1984, Webster et al 1994, and invertebrate production rates (Stone andWallace, 1998, Stout ct al. 1993).…”

Effects of catchment disturbance on stream invertebrates: comparison of different habitats (vegetation, benthic and interstitial) using bio-ecological groups.

“…Tree fall also increases the light availability and the biomass of benthic algae (major food source for several invertebrates, Robinson & Minshall 1986). Stone and Wallace (1998) observed that after tree fall autochthonous production of organic matter can exceed allochthonous inputs, with strong changes in the invertebrates assemblages.…”

“…The increase in field size and the destruction of riparian vegetation also induce an increase in fine sediment inputs into streams (Stevens & Cummins 1999, Quinn & Stroud 2002, with potential stream bed clogging (Culp et al 1983, Quinn et al 1992, Hancock 2002, changes in the chemical characteristics of interstitial water (Dahm et al 1998) and in the composition of interstitial assemblages (Boulton et al 1998). The destruction of riparian woody buffer generates a decrease in leaf litter inputs (Stone & Wallace 1998, Mc Kie & Cranston 2001, that modifies community composition (decrease of shredders), but increases light availability for aquatic vegetation and phytophilous invertebrates (increase in habitat availability; Habbija et al 2002). Even in forests, human activities (like logging) induce an increase in sediments inputs into streams by soil scouring (Benfield et al 2001, Collier & Smith 2005 or through road construction (Sidle et al 2004), with changes in the composition of invertebrate communities and in organic matter availability (Webster & Waide 206 (2) 1982).…”