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Macroinvertebrate colonization and biofilm development on leaves and wood in a boreal river
Author(s) -
HAX CAROLYN L.,
GOLLADAY STEPHEN W.
Publication year - 1993
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.1365-2427.1993.tb00746.x
Subject(s) - detritus , invertebrate , ecology , biology , species richness , biomass (ecology) , boreal , taxon , beech , biofilm , botany , taiga , decomposer , ecosystem , genetics , bacteria
SUMMARY1 Biofilms, the accumulation of micro‐organisms, exoenzymes, and detritus particles on submerged surfaces, may change the quality of leaves and wood as sources of food and/or habitat for invertebrates. We examined the relationship between macroinvertebrate assemblages and biofilm development on leaves and wood in a boreal river. 2 Arrays of white birch ice‐cream sticks and sugar maple leaves were placed at fast‐ and slow‐current sites. Samples were collected periodically, and assayed for microbial biomass (ATP, ergosterol, chlorophyll a ) and macroinvertebrate colonizers. 3 Microbial biomass and macroinvertebrate density were consistently greater on wood than leaves. Taxon richness was similar for all substratum/current combinations, but taxon density (number of taxa m −2 ) was greater on wood. Macroinvertebrate density and taxon richness correlated with all microbial indicators when data from both substrata were pooled. 4 Leaves did not support as great a density of invertebrates as wood perhaps because of their faster breakdown rate and truncated biofilm development. Greater stability and the potential for surface complexity may make wood a site of higher macroinvertebrate diversity than leaves.