Benthic Invertebrate Community Composition Research Articles

Response of Yellow Perch to Changes in the Benthic Invertebrate Community of Western Lake Erie

In the western basin of Lake Erie, benthic invertebrate abundance and community composition have changed dramatically over the past five decades, as have abundance and growth of yellow perch Perca flavescens. Before 1950, large benthic invertebrates dominated the benthic community of the western basin. Yellow perch readily consumed Hexagenia larvae, caddisfly larvae, amphipods, chironomids, and zooplankton. From 1960 through 1980, large-bodied benthic invertebrates were eliminated from the western basin, and yellow perch relied primarily on smaller chironomids and zooplankton as forage. Growth rates and abundance of yellow perch declined through this period in the western basin, in part because of food limitation. From the late 1980s through the 1990s, large benthic invertebrates, including Hexagenia spp., caddisfly larvae, and amphipods recolonized the basin, and yellow perch again readily consumed them. Additionally, daily food consumption by adult yellow perch in the 1990s was marginally more than in the 1980s, suggesting that submaintenance feeding episodes were less frequent. In recent years, yellow perch growth rates have increased modestly, and yellow perch abundance has rebounded. The growth rate of age-3 yellow perch during the year before spawning explained 49% of the variation in age-0 recruitment, indicating that adult growth and condition may influence recruitment. We suggest that increases in benthic macroinvertebrate abundance are responsible, in part, for the increases in yellow perch growth and recruitment. We also suggest that yellow perch diets are a useful indicator of changes in the benthic community.

The effects of conservation tillage practices on benthic invertebrate communities in headwater streams in southwestern Ontario, Canada

Samples of benthic invertebrates from four pairs of streams in southwestern Ontario collected monthly from May through August 1991, and once during the subsequent autumn and winter, demonstrated that conservation tillage practices have a remedial effect on the water quality of adjacent streams as indicated by biotic, rather than physical or chemical, parameters. One stream of each pair drained a basin under conventional tillage (CONV, mainly mouldboard ploughing), the other primarily under conservation tillage (CONS). The paired drainage basins were otherwise similar to one another in type of crops grown, as well as size, topography, soils and hydrology. CONS streams yielded a greater variety of Insecta but fewer taxa of Mollusca, Annelida and Crustacea than did samples from CONV streams. Both kick-net and Surber samples from CONS streams yielded significantly more taxa, more kinds of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera, and lower Hilsenhoff Biotic Index scores than did samples from CONV streams. Kick samples from CONS streams were significantly more similar to expected reference communities in overall taxonomic composition. Surber samples from CONS streams contained significantly larger numbers of invertebrates. The relatively greater abundances of infaunal species, especially Tubificidae and Chironomini, in CONV streams suggest greater accumulation of fine sediment particles. Conditions during low flow appear to have the greatest influence on the composition of benthic invertebrate communities. The results of the study indicate that conservation tillage practices have a beneficial effect on the quality of surface waters.

Assessing Contamination in Great Lakes Sediments Using Benthic Invertebrate Communities and the Sediment Quality Triad Approach

Sediments in many Great Lakes harbors and tributary rivers are contaminated. As part of the USEPA's Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediment (ARCS) program, a number of studies were conducted to determine the nature and extent of sediment contamination in Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOC). This paper describes the composition of benthic invertebrate communities in contaminated sediments and is one in a series of papers describing studies conducted to evaluate sediment toxicity from three AOC's (Buffalo River, NY; Indiana Harbor, IN; Saginaw River, MI), as part of the ARCS Program. Oligochaeta (worms) and Chironomidae (midge) comprised over 90% of the benthic invertebrate numbers in samples collected from depositional areas. Worms and midge consisted of taxa identified as primarily contaminant tolerant organisms. Structural deformities of mouthparts in midge larvae were pronounced in many of the samples. Good concurrence was evident between measures of laboratory toxicity, sediment contaminant concentration, and benthic invertebrate community composition in extremely contaminated samples. However, in moderately contaminated samples, less concordance was observed between the benthos community composition and either laboratory toxicity test results or sediment contaminant concentration. Laboratory sediment toxicity tests may better identify chemical contamination in sediments than many commonly used measures of benthic invertebrate community composition. Benthic measures may also reflect other factors such as habitat alteration. Evaluation of non-contaminant factors are needed to better interpret the response of benthic invertebrates to sediment contamination.

A Comparison of Benthic Invertebrate Community Composition in the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, Pool 26

ABSTRACT Ponar, artificial substrate, and draft samples were collected to define benthic invertebrate community composition in Pool 26 at the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Illinois River Ponar samples produced primarily Chironomidae and Oligochaeta; Mississippi River Ponar samples were dominated by Chironomidae and Ephemeroptera. Mississippi River artifical substrates were dominated by Potamyia flava, Hydropsyche orris, and Chironomidae. Illinois River artificial substrates were dominated by Cyrnellus fraternus, Chironomidae, and Oligochaeta. Artificial substrates in the Mississippi River were colonized by twice as many taxa and 23 times more organisms than those in the Illinois River. Siltation appeared to be a major factor limiting artificial substrate colonization in the Illinois River. Composition of the drift was depth dependent and greatest numbers of organisms and taxa were collected in the two upper strata (0.3 m and 3 m). Mississippi River diel drift samples were dominated by...

Composition of Benthic Invertebrate Communities in Relation to Phytoplankton Populations in Five Subarctic Lakes

AbstractThe effects of algal food supply, temperature, water depth and lake size on the composition of benthic invertebrate communities were determined during 1978 und 1979 in 5 lakes in the Canadian subarctic. The lakes varied widely in physical conditions and trophic level, with peak algal densities ranging from 40 to 2100 mg/m3 during the summer and 10 to 750 mg/m3 in the winter. The correlation coefficients between the size of the populations of herbivorous chironomids (Chironomus riparius, Ch. plumosus, Ch. decorus, Tanytarsus xanthus) and the density of algae during the winter were highly significant and positive. There were also positive, albeit weak, correlations with the summer growth of algae, temperature, depth and lake size. In addition, the seasonal appearances of fourth instar larvae in the sediments were positively correlated with peaks in the abundance of phytoplankton. In contrast, algal food supplies probably had little impact on the density of oligotrophic indicator species (Heterotrissocladius oliveri, H. changi, Protanypus ramosus, Pontoporeia affinis) and were replaced in importance by temperature and water depth. Variations in the densities of the main oligochaete species (Uncinais uncinata, Arcteonais lomondi, Limnodrilus claparedeianus) and mollusc species (Valvata sincera helicoidea) could not be related to any of the factors that were measured. The diversity of the communities was probably limited by low temperatures, whereas food supply, lake depth and lake size had little impact on the fauna.

Composition and zonation of benthic invertebrate communities in a New Zealand kauri forest stream

SUMMARY. The macro‐invertebrate fauna of Waitakere River and its tributaries, a northern New Zealand kauri forest stream, was surveyed in January 1974 and January and June 1975, as part of a study on stream community dynamics. This survey and regular samples in the study area provided 144 taxa, almost three times the maximum number previously recorded from a New Zealand stream. Many species were restricted in distribution to a high gradient tributary, or the low gradient mainstream. These did not follow the division into rhithron and potamon families suggested for New Zealand.

Influence of food availability and other factors on the composition, structure and density on a subarctic population of benthic invertebrates

The factors influencing the composition, structure and density of benthic invertebrate communities in Yellowknife Bay in the Canadian subarctic were determined between June 1975 and April 1977. Attached algae, primarily Fragilaria vaucheriae, Fragilaria pinnata, Cymbella ventricosa and Cocconeis placentula were ingested in large numbers by several dominant species including the oligochaetes Rhyacodrilus sodalis, Lumbriculus variegatus and Limnodrilus claparendeianus and the mollusc Valvata sincera helicoidea. Although up to 7 × 105 cells/oligochaeta, representing 65% by volume of the gut contents, were recorded for littoral zone populations, specimens in the profundal zone contained < 7.5 × 104 cells in their guts. V. sincera helicoidea also ingested large numbers of attached algae (up to 2.3 × 104 cells/animal), these representing 15–18% by volume of the gut contents. Consequently, multiple regression analysis indicated that the availability of attached algae was the major factor influencing the benthic communities. While 31–64% of the population variability could be accounted for by this factor, other parameters such as phytoplankton availability, water depth, temperature, dissolved oxygen levels, total amount of food in the gut, and the organic content of the sediments had little if any direct effect on the benthic populations.

Some Factors Influencing the Diversity and Species Composition of Benthic Invertebrate Communities in Twenty Arctic and Subarctic Lakes

AbstractThe factors influencing the density, diversity and species composition of benthic invertebrate communities in 20 lakes in the Canadian arctic and subarctic were determined during 1975, 1976 and 1977. Despite small differences in nutrient and phytoplankton levels among the lakes, there was a strong positive correlation between these parameters and the density and diversity of the communities. Other factors, including maximum summer water temperature, lake depth and surface area had little overall effect on the communities. The densities of 2 ultra‐oligotrophic chironomids (Heterotrissocladius oliveri and Micropsectra cf. groenlandica) increased markedly in cold deep lakes. However the abundance of the majority of species, most notably Procladius denticulatus, Tanytarsus sp., and Stictochironomus sp., was not effected by temperature. Other species, (Pontoporeia affinis, Monodiamesa bathyphila and Dicrotendipes nervosus) were probably restricted in their northern distribution by temperature. Surface area usually had little effect on the densities of all common species.