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Monday, May 26, 2008 - 9:30 AM
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Macroinvertebrate community composition in ditches: Generated by macrophyte surface area, plant complexity or patch heterogeneity?
Ralf C.M. Verdonschot, Karin Didderen, and Piet F. M. Verdonschot. Centre for Ecosystem Studies, Alterra, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, P.O box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, Netherlands
Ditches are shallow, permanent, standing water bodies with a high degree of connectivity. In summer they are filled with macrophytes, consisting of many species and representing several growth forms. Highest macroinvertebrate species diversity in the ditches with highest macrophyte diversity. Question is how and why plant and macroinvertebrate diversity are related. Several attributes of plant morphology has been recognized to enhance macroinvertebrate diversity, especially an increase in plant surface area, plant complexity and vegetation patch heterogeneity. In macrophyte-rich ditches those attributes coincide. A full factorial field experiment using artificial substrates was designed to differentiate between the effects of area, complexity and heterogeneity. The experiment comprised 3 levels of surface area, 3 levels of complexity, and 3 levels of heterogeneity. In total, we used 160 artificial substrates divided over 5 ditches. In September, after two months of exposure, the artificial substrates were collected and the macroinvertebrates as well as periphyton were sampled. For a number of taxa we discuss whether diversity is generated by macrophyte surface area, macrophyte structural complexity or patch heterogeneity alone, or by any combination of those.
Web Page: habitat complexity, diversity, macroinvertebrate
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See more of The Nabs 56th Annual Meeting (25-28 May, 2008)