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A survey of the invertebrates of four streams in The Moor House National Nature Reserve in Northern England
Author(s) -
ARMITAGE P. D.,
MacHALE ANGELA M.,
CRISP DIANE C.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
freshwater biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.297
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2427
pISSN - 0046-5070
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2427.1975.tb00150.x
Subject(s) - chironomidae , streams , ecology , invertebrate , hydropsychidae , biology , abundance (ecology) , moorland , range (aeronautics) , larva , computer network , computer science , materials science , composite material
Summary The Moor House Nature Reserve, Westmorland, is situated in typical north Pennine moorland and experiences a rigorous climate. Three of the streams arise between 700 and 750 m O.D. and the fourth at 590 m O.D. The sampling sites lie between 570 and 540 m O.D. and conditions in the streams range from slow‐flowing peaty‐bottomed reaches to typical fast‐flowing stony streams. Samples were taken in riffles and pools in May, August and October using the kick method. 111 taxa were recorded from the four streams, 90 of which were identified to the species level. The most abundant and widespread taxa were Leuctra inermis, L. fusca, Rhithrogena semicolorata, Elmis aenea and Chironomidae. Seasonal and annual variation in abundance of several species was marked with L. inermis most numerous in May, E. aenea and Chironomidae in August and R. semicolorata most abundant in October. The total number of animals caught was generally higher in riffles than in pools and the mean number per 60‐sec kick for riffles and pools, based on May, August and October samples between 1967 and 1970, ranged from 110 to 128 in the four streams. Capnia bifrons, Paraleptophlebia submarginata, P. cincta, Leptophlebia marginata, Centroptilum pennulatum, Plectrocnemia geniculata, Cyrnus trimaculatus, Lepidostoma hirtum , Hydropsychidae (larvae indet.) and Philopotamidae (larvae indet.), are all additions to the lists of previously studied groups on the Reserve. All the species of Tricladida, Annelida, Coleoptera, Hydrachnellae and Pisidium are here recorded for the first time for the Reserve. Great Dodgen Pot Sike supported the largest number of species and species groups (88) and was characterized by having water with the lowest pH (6.75) of all the streams and by having the most gentle gradient and a relatively stable bottom. The fauna is discussed and compared with that of the adjacent Cow Green area. Some of the differences between these areas may be attributable to the slightly greater variation in flow‐conditions and water chemistry in the Cow Green basin. Comparison with other areas in the British Isles are made briefly and it is suggested that habitat diversity may account for the species richness of the Moor House streams.