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Communication at the NABS Annual meeting, Keystone, 2000
(439) EFFECTS OF AQUATIC MACROPHYTES ON MACROINVERTEBRATE COMMUNITIES.
P. Balci and J.H. Kennedy. Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA 76203
This study provides quantitative information on the influence of mixed-native aquatic macrophytes and an exotic species, Eurasian milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) on the structural and functional aspects of macroinvertebrate communities. The field experiment was conducted at the University of North Texas Water Research Field Station during 1999. Fisheries managers are concerned with the increasing invasion of Eurasian milfoil into North American water bodies where it displace native vegetation and cause the deterioration of water quality. Preliminary results from our study indicated that diversity of benthic invertebrates was lower in Eurasian milfoil compared to the mixed-native plant community. Chironomid larvae were the most abundant organisms. In both plant communities, Apedilum sp. and Pseudochironomus sp. are the dominant chironomid genera, with Tanytarsus sp., Glyptotendipes sp., Dicrotendipes sp., Chironomus sp. and Goeldichironomus sp., often present but at reduced densities. Egg masses were reared in incubators (12L:12D) at three different temperatures to determine cohort production intervals for secondary production estimates. Development of Apedilum elachistus larvae took 11 days at 25°C, 16 days at 20°C, 23 days at 15°C. Development of Goeldichironomus sp. larvae took 18 days at 25°C, 26 days at 20°C and 35 days at 15°C whereas Chironomus stigmaterus larvae took 15 days at 25°C, 22 days at 20°C and 35 days at 15°C. Results will be widely used to predict and understand impacts in aquatic reservoirs and lakes that are invaded by exotic macrophytes as well as the autoecology of four species of chironomids.
Presented at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, May 31, 2000 in Bioassessment
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