| |
Communication at the NABS Annual meeting, Keystone, 2000
(51) THE COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA VERNAL POOL AQUATIC INSECTS.
M.E. Angelos. 22009 Ocean Ave. Torrance, CA 90503
The aquatic insect communities of three Southern California vernal pool sites were studied to examine the variation between sites, pools, habitats, seasons, and years. A total of 74 genera were identified, none of which were endemic or rare, although Trichoptera were remarkably absent. The sites were similar in community evenness, all being genus poor communities. The sites differed in community composition, each having its own unique set of dominant and rare genera. Some genera showed preferences for particular pools, some for particular habitats. Habitat quality (e.g. richness vs. abundance) varied by emergent vegetation type. Distinct seasonal preferences were observed for some genera, as were seasonal increases in community richness and abundance. Yearly variation in genus dominance was also observed. A comparison of the relative magnitude of community variation between sites, pools, habitats, seasons, and years showed that the variation was not organized strictly along hierarchical lines. Although in general, the magnitude of variation progressed from sites (largest variation), to years, to seasons, to pools, to habitats (smallest variation), some habitat communities deviated from this progression and split out around the same level as seasons.
Presented at 4:15 PM on Monday, May 29, 2000 in Wetlands and Lentic Ecology II
|
|
