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Processing of two detritus types by lake‐dwelling shredders: species‐specific impacts and effects of species richness
Author(s) -
BJELKE ULF,
HERRMANN JAN
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of animal ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.134
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1365-2656
pISSN - 0021-8790
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2004.00901.x
Subject(s) - species richness , biology , alnus glutinosa , detritus , ecology , alder , caddisfly , isopoda , detritivore , plant litter , limnetic zone , biomass (ecology) , ecosystem , larva , crustacean , littoral zone
Summary1 In studies of processes in ecosystems, species are often merged into functional groups. The concept of functional groups requires that species have a similar function with respect to some process. However, in many cases little is known whether the actual species are sufficiently similar. 2 In the present study, species‐specificity among lake‐dwelling detritivores was investigated. Microcosms were used to test 10 species of shredders regarding ability to process alder ( Alnus glutinosa ) and oak ( Quercus robur ) leaves. Taxonomically, nine species were caddisfly larvae (Trichoptera Limnephilidae) and one a freshwater louse (Isopoda Asellidae). 3 The shredders differed significantly in ability to process leaf litter. The most common shredder in lakes of the study area (SE Sweden), the isopod Asellus aquaticus , was shown to be inferior both in terms of capacity per individual and per g animal biomass. Also among the trichopterans, significant differences were found. 4 Consequently, these species cannot be treated as a unit with equal properties in the decomposition process. 5 In addition, 12 multispecies combinations of the shredders were tested for synergistic effects breaking down alder and oak leaves. No positive or negative effects due to species richness were found; it was possible to predict the yield of multispecies treatments using the decomposition output from the single species experiment.