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Stream detritus dynamics: Regulation by invertebrate consumers

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Summary

Insecticide treatment of a small, Appalachian forest stream caused massive downstream insect drift and reduced aquatic insect densities to <10% of an adjacent untreated reference stream. Reduction in breakdown rates of leaf detritus was accompanied by differences in quantity and composition of benthic organic matter between the two streams. Following treatment, transport of particulate organic matter was significantly lower in the treated stream than in the reference stream whereas no significant differences existed prior to treatment. Our results indicate that macroinvertebrate consumers, primarily insects, are important in regulating rates of detritus processing and availability to downstream communities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, 30602, Athens, Georgia, USA

    J. Bruce Wallace & Thomas F. Cuffney

  2. Department of Biology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 24061, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA

    Jackson R. Webster

Authors
  1. J. Bruce Wallace
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  2. Jackson R. Webster
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  3. Thomas F. Cuffney
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Wallace, J.B., Webster, J.R. & Cuffney, T.F. Stream detritus dynamics: Regulation by invertebrate consumers. Oecologia 53, 197–200 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00545663

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00545663

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