Abstract
AIM: This study aimed at to evaluate the influence of habitat heterogeneity on the attributes of richness, abundance, diversity and equitability of Chironomidae assemblage and also the biological differences in faunistic composition related to each microhabitat. METHODS: The sampling was performed in summer (February) and winter (August) 2010, with Surber sampler, in three headwaters streams at Atlantic Forest, in southern Brazil. RESULTS: In the total 6,429 Chironomidae larvae were identified and classified into 96 taxa belonging to Chironominae, Tanypodinae and Ortocladiinae subfamilies. Among the microhabitats, the highest richness was observed in the deposits of litter, and the highest number of exclusive species took place in the pool regions. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, the composition and structure of the Chironomidae assemblage are directly related to the availability and heterogeneity of habitats in streams.
Highlights
Benthic invertebrates are essential to the transformation of organic matter and nutrient cycling in aquatic environments (Graça, 2001; Devine and Vanni, 2002)
The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of habitat heterogeneity on the attributes of richness, density, diversity and evenness of Chironomidae assemblage and the biological differences in the faunistic composition related to each microhabitat
There were no significant differences within biological attributes in relation to season and different sampling sites, indicating that environmental variables exerted no influence on the composition of different Chironomidae taxa
Summary
Benthic invertebrates are essential to the transformation of organic matter and nutrient cycling in aquatic environments (Graça, 2001; Devine and Vanni, 2002). Several authors have studied the composition and distribution of benthic invertebrate assemblages searching for a better understanding of the natural structures of aquatic ecosystems and their biotic and abiotic relationships (Vannote et al, 1980; Ferrington-Junior, 1984; Rae, 2004; Inoue et al, 2005). The Chironomidae larvae is one the most abundant and diverse species in many aquatic environments, due to its adaptive strategy and diversity of feeding habits, making it an essential part of nutrient cycling within those ecosystems (Pinder, 1986; Cranston, 1995; Ferrington-Junior, 2008,). The group is affected by physical and chemical variables as a result of the different stages of organic matter decomposition, depending on both lotic site and microhabitat (Biasi et al, 2013)
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