Long-term effects of resource limitation on stream invertebrate drift

Abstract

We examined the effects of resource limitation on stream invertebrate drift by reducing inputs of terrestrial detritus to a headwater stream in western North Carolina. In the treatment stream, leaf-litter was excluded for 6 years (September 1993 – August 1999), small woody debris was removed for 2 years (September 1996 – August 1998), and large and small woody debris was removed for 1 year (September 1998 – August 1999). Invertebrate abundance in the drift was significantly lower in the treatment stream during the study, but total biomass of invertebrate drift was similar. Although drift densities were higher in the reference stream, a greater proportion of total benthic invertebrate abundance and biomass drifted out of the treatment stream. The proportion of shredder, gatherer, and predator benthic abundance in the drift was significantly greater in the treatment stream, but scraper proportions were higher in the reference stream and filterer proportions were similar for the two streams. Combined data from both streams indicated that the relationship between drift densities and benthic abundance was positive and significant. Our results demonstrate that bottom-up effects of resource reduction in a detrital-based stream influence invertebrate drift, increasing the proportion of the benthic community emigrating from the detritus-poor stream.