Macroinvertebrate functional feeding group structure along an impacted tropical river: The Portoviejo River (Ecuador)

Echelpoel, Wout Van; Forio, Marie Anne Eurie; Butsel, Jana Van; Lock, Koen; Utreras, Juan Antonio Dueñas; Domínguez-Granda, Luis; Goethals, Peter

doi:10.1016/j.limno.2018.10.001

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…The elevation ranges might be also considered as an influential variable as the longitudinal gradient of the river is affected by upstream locations and surrounding land use [81]. In short, our results are in line with the findings of previously reported research, which shows that these variables are not only important for taxonomic diversity but also influence functional diversity [20,[82][83][84].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Instream variability of macroinvertebrate functional feeding group composition is usually linked with chemical interactions and site-specific conditions of which the impact is hard to be unscrambled by biotic indices [20]. Multiple chemical (e.g., nitrogen, conductivity, oxygen) and site-specific (e.g., elevation, velocity, depth, width) variables were identified as potential variables explaining the difference in functional feeding group composition among clusters in the CRB and ARB.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…and prefer warmer temperatures (such as the warm climate of the Amazon in medium-low mountains), while the SH are more abundant in colder temperatures (e.g., the high mountains). The absence of shredders can also be attributed to environmental conditions such as the season with no leaf shedding and continuously high temperatures in the Amazon region, supporting microbial growth and related degradation of coarse organic matter [20]. These factors limit the overall food availability for shredders and influence the food chain.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Variations in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities and Biological Quality in the Aguarico and Coca River Basins in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Cabrera

Forio

Lock

et al. 2021

Water

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Adequate environmental management in tropical aquatic ecosystems is imperative. Given the lack of knowledge about functional diversity and bioassessment programs, management is missing the needed evidence on pollution and its effect on biodiversity and functional ecology. Therefore, we investigated the composition and distribution of the macroinvertebrate community along two rivers. Specifically, 15 locations were sampled in the Coca and Aguarico Rivers (Ecuadorian Amazon) and the macroinvertebrates were used to indicate water quality (WQ), expressed as the Biological Monitoring Working Party Colombia (BMWP-Col) classes. Results indicate that elevation, pH, temperature, width, and water depth played an important role in the taxa and functional feeding groups (FFG) composition. The results show that diversity of taxa and FFG were generally scarce but were more abundant in good quality sites. Collector-gathers (CG) were, in general, dominant and were particularly abundant at low WQ and downstream sites. Scrapers (SC) were the second most abundant group, dominating mostly at good WQ and upstream sites. Predators (PR) were homogeneously distributed among the sites, without clear dominance, and their abundance was slightly higher in sites with medium-low WQ and downstream sites. Lastly, both shredders (SH) and collector-filterers (CF) were almost absent and were more abundant in good quality sites. The findings of this research can be used as baseline information in the studied region since a dam was constructed two years after the sampling campaign, which has been operating since. Furthermore, the results can be used to fill the knowledge gaps related to the bioassessments of other similar systems, particularly for a tropical rainforest.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Variations in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities and Biological Quality in the Aguarico and Coca River Basins in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Cabrera

Forio

Lock

et al. 2021

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“…Differences in the distribution of feeding groups in streams of a region may indicate the integrity of aquatic system (Fu et al, 2015;Castro, Dolédec, & Callisto, 2017). Therefore, studying benthic macroinvertebrate feeding group distributions in aquatic ecosystems is a useful tool for management and conservation (Callisto & Esteves, 1998;Callisto, Moreno, & Barbosa, 2000;Merritt, Fenoglio, & Cummins, 2016;Echelpoel et al, 2018).…”

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confidence: 99%

Variation of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in streams of three landscapes of South Brazilian grasslands

Galeti

Capitanio

Baldissera

2020

RBT

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Introduction: Aquatic ecosystems in southern Brazil are presently under great environmental pressure. Changes in land use result in negative impacts on the ecosystem, affecting the functioning of stream communities. Objective: To compare the benthic macroinvertebrate community richness, abundances and compositions in streams of three South Brazilian grassland landscapes and correlate community patterns with environmental and spatial variables. Methods: Fifteen streams along riparian forests were selected in three landscapes (mean geographical distance of 285.1 km) inserted in the Paraná and Uruguai river basins. Of the three landscapes, two are inserted in conservation units (State Park of Guartelá and Palmas Wildlife Refuge). Invertebrates were collected in 20 kick net points along 150 m of the streams between June and November 2015. Invertebrates were sorted in the laboratory with three sieves and were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible. The taxa were classified in functional feeding groups of shredders/detritivores, predators, scrapers, collectors/filters and gatherers/collectors. For each stream, we measured the environmental variables width and velocity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature; and the relative cover of forest, grassland, plantation and silviculture in the catchments. Results: We found a total of 1 058 individuals, divided in 53 morphospecies and 34 families. Lower abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates was found in the northernmost landscape with higher temperature, and forest in the catchment. These streams were described mainly by predator groups, while streams inserted in the other two landscapes showed a more diverse guild composition of shredders/detritivores, gatherers/collectors, collectors/filterers, and scrapers. Geographical distance was the main factor influencing differences in community compositions among landscapes. Conclusions: Lower abundance of the northernmost landscape may be explained by (i) the low habitat heterogeneity due to dominance of sandy substrates, and by (ii) the anthropogenic land use of agriculture and extensive cattle breeding in the region that is ongoing and started before the creation of the conservation unit. Additionally, composition of macroinvertebrates may be correlated with environmental differences among landscapes that, in turn, are related to the geographical distance. Therefore, macroinvertebrate community responses may reflect different biota biogeographical histories that can also be associated with historical land use practices.

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“…Studying feeding strategies allow us to infer about evolutionary convergences, performance, functional incidence, and biochemical differences in the mobilized resources (Merrit, Cummins, & Berg, 2008). Most studies involving trophic interactions in aquatic invertebrates have been conducted in temperate zones (Heino, 2008;Merritt, Cummins, & Berg, 2017), while for the tropical region this issue has been poorly addressed in specially for lentic ecosystems (Echelpoel et al, 2018;Rivera Usme, Pinilla Agudelo, & Camacho Pinzón, 2013). Therefore, it is necessary to increase efforts to build models that allow us to understand functional aspects in addition to structural ones (Tomanova, Goitia, & Helešic, 2006).…”

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confidence: 99%

Feeding preferences in aquatic invertebrates associated to Egeria densa in a tropical high-mountain lake

Pedroza-Ramos

Tamaris-Turizo

Riaño

2020

RBT

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Introduction: The benthic fauna of the littoral zone in lakes is important in transferring energy to other trophic levels, habitat coupling, and helping to keep habitat stability. The study of this type of interactions in lentic systems is priority, since functional aspects about biological communities are unknown. Objective: Describing the trophic relations of aquatic invertebrates of the littoral zone in a tropical high mountain lake by characterizing gut content and stable isotope analysis of δ13C and δ15N. Methods: Samples of benthic invertebrates were collected in the littoral zone of the Lago de Tota where Egeria densa was present using a handheld net method. Samples were processed in the laboratory, organisms were identified, counted and weighed. Gut contents and δ13C and δ15N stable isotopes analysis were performed as well. Results: Records of the trophic relations of aquatic invertebrates, which live in the littoral in high mountain lentic ecosystem in the Neotropics are shown. The analysis of gut contents distinguished seven food items, microphytes and MOPF were the most frequent, and through the stable isotopes analysis (δ15N) we identified four trophic levels, among resources (macrophytes and POM), and consumers (detritivores, herbivores, and predators). The two upper trophic levels concentrated greater diversity and biomass. Conclusion: Most of the organisms studied were linked to omnivorous habits, evidenced in a wide spectrum of food items in their diet. The δ15N values show an enrichment, which occurs due to the effects of the tendency towards eutrophication of the system or due to unknown values of protozoa and bacteria that plays a fundamental role in the diet of these organisms, besides the δ13C values reported in organisms consumes, allows us to suggest an affinity with native resources of the littoral zone.

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Macroinvertebrate functional feeding group structure along an impacted tropical river: The Portoviejo River (Ecuador)

Cited by 13 publications

References 37 publications

Variations in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities and Biological Quality in the Aguarico and Coca River Basins in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Variations in Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities and Biological Quality in the Aguarico and Coca River Basins in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Variation of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in streams of three landscapes of South Brazilian grasslands

Feeding preferences in aquatic invertebrates associated to Egeria densa in a tropical high-mountain lake

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