Abstract
The distribution of adult aquatic insects in the mixed evergreen forest adjacent to Big Sulphur Creek, Sonoma Co., Calif., was examined using sticky traps (0.26 m2 each) that were placed in trees at three distances (5, 40, 150 m) from the stream and at three heights (2, 5, 8 m) above the ground. Species richness, number of individuals, and biomass of aquatic insects, and number of individuals for seven of 12 common aquatic insect taxa decreased (P ≤ 5 0.05) as distance from the stream increased. Species richness, number of individuals, and biomass of aquatic insects showed no relationship with height above the ground, but of the 12 common taxa, three were most abundant near tree tops and one was most abundant near tree bases (P ≤ 0.05). Adult aquatic insects represented 36.9 and 15.4% of total arthropod numbers and 25.3 and 10.7% of total arthropod biomass at the 5-m and 150-m sites, respectively. The abundance of adult aquatic insects in the forest bordering this stream suggests that adult aquatic insects provide an important conduit for energy and nutrients from the aquatic system to the terrestrial food web.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
