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The macro‐invertebrate fauna of a small Andean stream
Author(s) -
TURCOTTE P.,
HARPER P. P.
Publication year - 1982
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.1365-2427.1982.tb00635.x
Subject(s) - mayfly , fauna , chironomidae , benthic zone , ecology , caddisfly , invertebrate , benthos , biology , hydropsychidae , habitat , larva
SUMMARY. The benthic fauna of a small headwater stream in the Amazon drainage in Ecuador was studied from August 1976 to July 1977. The sampling station was at an altitude of 3300 m in a typical paramo habitat of constant and cool temperatures. The fauna is dominated numerically by Hydracarina, Insecta, Copepoda and Oligochaeta, The major insect groups are Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Elmidae (Coleoptera) and Chironomidae (Diptera). Benthos densities followed a bimodal pattern of rapid decreases and intervening gradual recoveries; similar patterns occur in most taxa, but are more pronounced in smaller animals such as Copepoda and Hydracarina. An analysis of the size‐frequency distribution of three species of mayfly, two of stonefly and six of caddisfly suggest non‐seasonal life‐cycles except for Anacroneuria sp. Spates are thought to be the major factor regulating benthic densities in such non‐seasonal environments.