Stability of an Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Community in a Multiyear Hydrologic Disturbance Regime

Abstract

We compared rates and directions of benthic aquatic macroinvertebrate succession following eight spates of varying magnitude that occurred in different seasons over 3 yr in Sycamore Creek, a Sonoran Desert stream. A consistent cycle of seasonal change in assemblage composition occurred each year, little altered by spates. Changes reflected variations in presence or absence rather than relative abundance of taxa. Seasonal patterns were confirmed by plotting temporal changes in densities of common taxa. Invertebrate abundance (mostly oligochaetes and mayflies) peaked in spring. "Summer" dominants included gastropod Physella virgata and the caddisfly larva Cheumatopsyche arizonensis. Assemblages composition remained relatively consistent during spring over 3 yr when high discharge was prolonged, whereas there was a major change in autumn community structure between 1984 and 1986, probably, reflecting low discharge during a drought in 1986. Drying apparently influenced assemblage composition more than spates, possibly by altering habitat availability and the intensity of biotic interactions as surface stream volume shrank. Assemblage resistance to disturbance by spates was variable. Similarly, resistance of individual common taxa varied within and among taxa, and like assemblage resistance, was not simply a function of spate magnitude or timing (season). Resilience was generally high. Succession rate (degree of change in assemblage composition) decline during succession in all but spring sequences, which displayed no consistent trend. The two summer sequences had highest initial succession rates (in first 30 d postspate), possibly reflecting higher water temperatures, as also exhibited late—successional increases in succession rate. Spatial variation in assemblage composition was uncorrelated with any physical variable measured. Factors known to influence ecosystem—level processes such as primary productivity (e.g., inorganic nitrogen flux, days since spate) also affected community—level aspects such as aquatic invertebrate assemblage composition in Sycamore Creek. Discharge and water temperature had lesser but detectable effects, and probably contributed to the marked seasonality in assemblage composition. Further comparisons of collective properties of ecosystems and communities within other biomes may identify "common denominators" that characterize responses to disturbance and environmental change. This will remove the different perceptions about stability we gain by using response variables that are assessed only at a community or ecosystem level.