Abstract
AbstractThe freshwater amphipod Gammarus pulex produces cohesive, cylindrical fecal pellets that are found in large numbers in the hyporheic sediments of UK chalk streams. We investigated the rate of fecal pellet accretion (deposition + in situ egestion) in chalk streams using benthic fine particulate organic matter traps. We also assessed how long pellets remain intact by observing them over time in the laboratory at 3 different temperatures (4, 10, and 20°C). Traps were sampled seasonally (winter, spring, summer, and autumn), and their vegetation cover (marginal Nasturtium, mid-channel Ranunculus beds, or no vegetation) was recorded to see if accretion rate was affected by the presence of in-stream macrophytes. Accretion rate was strongly seasonal (10 to 20× higher in autumn than in winter, spring, and summer), but was not affected by vegetation cover. Laboratory experiments showed that fecal pellets remained intact for 81 d at 4°C and 10°C, whereas they began to break apart after 40 d at 20°C. Chalk st...
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 callMore From: Journal of the North American Benthological Society
Disclaimer: 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.
