The influence of an ecosystem-level manipulation on prey consumption by a lotic dragonfly

Abstract

Pesticide application to a small headwater stream (treatment stream) resulted in massive invertebrate drift and altered community structure with respect to both biomasses and densities. The community changed from one dominated by insects to one of primarily noninsects. Insects represented 71 to 78% of total abundance and about 95% of total biomass in an adjacent reference stream during 2 years of study. During the initial treatment year, insects, mainly Chironomidae, composed less than 20% of total invertebrate biomass (<10% of abundance) in litterbags in the treatment stream. Within 2 years of the initial disturbance, invertebrate biomass in the treatment stream was again dominated by insects (90% of total) although insects represented only 36% of total abundance. Lanthus vernalis Carle (Odonata: Gomphidae) was among the insect taxa least affected by the treatment. Diets of larval Lanthus (gut analyses) reflected changes in community structure within the treatment stream, with insects representing only 13% of the prey during the initial treatment year and more than 82% during the 2nd year of recovery. In contrast, Lanthus in the reference stream consumed primarily insects (73 to 78%) in both years. These data indicate that generalist predators such as Lanthus can readily shift to alternative prey when confronted by massive changes in community structure. The results suggest that this disturbance reduced the abundance of the more profitable prey to a level where less profitable prey increased in the diet. Following the disturbance, Lanthus consumption reflected the recovery of more profitable prey in the environment. Secondary production of Lanthus approached 27% of average standing stock biomass of invertebrates in litterbags in each stream and, based on literature values for bioenergetic efficiencies, Lanthus consumed about 65% of the average standing stock biomass of invertebrates. Total consumption necessary to support production of all invertebrate predators may exceed the average standing stock prey biomass by 2.5 to 2.7 times. However, when prey turnover is considered, the potential impact of this predation on invertebrate community structure may be quite modest.