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Larval Size and Leaf Conditioning in the Breakdown of Nothofagus pumilio Leaves by Klapopteryx kuscheli (Insecta, Plecoptera) in a South Andean Stream
Author(s) -
Albariño Ricardo J.,
Balseiro Esteban G.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
international review of hydrobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1522-2632
pISSN - 1434-2944
DOI - 10.1002/iroh.19980830507
Subject(s) - larva , biology , biomass (ecology) , botany , insect , ecology
The effect of the shredder Klapopteryx kuscheli (Plecoptera, Austroperlidae) on the breakdown of Nothofagus pumilio leaves was studied in field experiments. Decay rates due to leaching and shredder activity were measured on conditioned and unconditioned leaves. Two sizes of shredder were tested in order to establish if the consumption per unit of shredder biomass varied with insect development. In three days weight losses due to leaching were 8.5%, and decay rates due to shredders were significantly higher than in control replicates. There were no differences in decay rates between conditioned and unconditioned leaves. Small larvae consumed more leaf biomass per unit of insect biomass than large ones. Growth efficiencies of K. kuscheli larva were low, but smaller larvae showed higher efficiencies than larger ones.