Comparison of macroinvertebrate assemblages within a coffee growing region of Manizales, Colombia

Benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled from streams visually designated as first, second, and third order within the region of coffee growers in Manizales, Colombia.  Sample sites occurred within forested buffers or were adjacent to coffee crops.  There were differences in water temperature, embeddedness, and material sorted from samples; streams influenced by coffee production tended to be warmer (+ 1.22 °C) and qualitatively contained more fine sediments (+ 35%) and organic material in the sorting matrix compared to forest buffered sites.  Cluster analysis with a stepwise reduced set of taxa indicated that community assemblages were characterized more by stream size than land use, however, forested sites clustered together within finer branches of the overall dendrogram.  Although total species richness and abundance tended to be higher at coffee crop influenced sites compared to forest buffered sites, preliminary analysis showed no significant differences due to excessive variability.  Specific taxa tended to be representative of each land use.  EPT richness was higher at forested patches, and the genera Polythore sp. and Anacroneuria sp. were found only at these sites.  Stratiomyidae and gastropods were almost exclusive to coffee crop sites.  Future goals for this study are discussed.