Abstract
Aquatic insects around the world exhibit similar morphologies and behaviors even though they are in very different taxonomic groups. This is the basis for the functional feeding group (FFG) method that was initially developed in the early 1960s. Taxonomy is applied only to the level of detail that allows assignment to one of the five FFG categories. These are scrapers adapted to feed on periphyton, shredders adapted to feed on riparian derived plant litter, filtering-collectors adapted to remove fine particle detritus from the water column, gathering-collectors adapted to feed on fine particle detritus where it is deposited on surfaces or in crevices, and predators that capture live prey. In this chapter on trophic relationships, we present (1) the general design of this functional classification system; (2) the basic food resources used by stream macroinvertebrates; (3) how to use the FFG approach in the assessment of the ecological condition of freshwater communities; (4) pictorial keys to identify FFGs; and (5) FFG ratios that can be used as surrogates for stream ecosystem attributes.
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