Stream Ecology and Macroinvertebrate Biology

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Stream EcologyandMacroinvertebrate Biology

• Background Information for Developing your
  Research Project

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Ecology

• Definition The study of interactions between
  individuals and individuals and their environment
• Simplified Food Chains
• Plants ? Herbivores ? Predators
• Dead organic matter ? Detritivores ? Predators
• Much green material in temporal areas is not
  eaten by herbivores, but is delivered to the
  detrital pool
• Detritus ? Dead, decaying, particulate organic
  matter

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Source A. Berkowitz, posted by T. Meyers
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http//www.stroudcenter.org/lpn/LPNmanual/2_Backgr
oundInformation.pdf
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Functional Feeding Groups of Macroinvertebrates

• Shredders
• Consume coarse organic matter, such as leaves
  (Sowbugs)
• Collectors
• Consume fine pieces of organic matter, such as
  leaf fragments or other material on stream bottom
• Filtering Collectors (Clams)
• Gathering Collectors (Caddisfly larvae)
• Scrapers
• Feed on attached periphyton located on submerged
  underwater surfaces (Example Snails)
• Predators
• Feed on other invertebrates (Example
  Dragonflies)

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Food processingof this detritus is a major
ecosystem function

• Soil formation
• Supports predators
• (some predators consumed by humans)
• Processed in streams
• If it accumulated, would create anoxic conditions
• Influence of processing rates
• Quality of detritus (P, N, polyphenols, lignins,
  etc)
• Fungi and bacteria colonization
• Invertebrate feeding

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Ecological Interactions

• Microbes and invertebrates process and get energy
  from detritus
• Microbes often overlooked on many levels
• Different species process materials at different
  rates
• If a species is lost, the entire ecosystem
  function will change
• Species are being lost at an alarming rate

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Adaptations

• Variations of anatomy/structure allow for
  tolerance, feeding capacities, and competition
• Trichoptera (Caddisflies) Amphipoda
  (Scuds) ((Scuds) (Scuds)

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Importance

• Impacts on Humans
• Aug. 17, 1988, an 85 foot section of Rt. 675
  Bridge collapsed over the Pokomoke (Eastern
  Shore)
• Reduction in cross section area of piles 18-35
• Due to Bacteria and fungal decay, Caddisfly
  decay, water currents
• In 1977, MDE estimated Caddisflies occupied
  30-100 of the underwater pile surfaces
• From 1976-1986, Caddisflies per 1.5 sq feet in
  the area averaged 543.5
• (High 19771837 Low 198650)
• Since 1977, 3 underwater inspections, pile
  measurements were inconsistent
• If use Chemically Treated Wood, less fungal and
  bacterial growth, therefore, less caddisflies

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Trichoptera Biology

• Taxonomy
• Phylum Arthropoda
• Class Insecta
• Order Trichoptera
• Family Lepidostomatidae
• Genus Lepidostoma
• Larvae feed on detritus (shredders)
• Protective cases
• You will identify these to Order at the
• stream, and to Family in the lab

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Amphipoda Biology

• Scuds Detritivores (Shredders)
• Taxonomy
• Phyllum Arthopoda
• Class Malacostraca
• Superorder Peracarida
• Order Amphipoda
• Family Gammaridae

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Trichoperta Life Cycles
Complete Metamorphosis
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Amphipoda Life Cycle
Incomplete Metamorphosis
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Tolerance/Sensitivity of Macroinvertebrates

• Macroinvertebrates can also be categorized by
  their level of tolerance or sensitivity to stream
  conditions
• Dissolved oxygen
• Nutrients
• Pollutants
• Chemical quality
• Some species can live in lower quality water,
  and are said to be
• More tolerant
• Less sensitive

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Shredders Roles
Selected Major Taxa Order/Family TV Density T x D
Mayflies Ephemeroptera 2 16 32
Stoneflies Plecoptera 1 14 14
Caddisflies Tricoptera 3 142 426
Midges - White Chironomidae, Diptera 6 2 12
Midges - Red Chironomidae, Diptera 8 0 0
Beetles Coleoptera 4 6 24
Aquatic Worms Oligochaeta 8 2 16
Crane Flies Tipulidae, Diptera 3 3 9
Black Flies Simuliidae, Diptera 6 5 30
Snipeflies Anthericidae, Diptera 2 3 6
Other Flies Diptera 6 0 0
Dragon/Damselflies Odonnata 5 0 0
Hellgramites Megaloptera 0 0 0
Alderflies Megaloptera 4 0 0
Scuds Amphipoda 8 8 64
Sowbugs Isopoda 8 2 16
Crayfish Decapoda 6 0 0
Snails/Limpets Gastropoda 7 1 7
Clams/Mussels Pelecypoda 7 11 77
Leeches Hirudinea 10 0 0
         
  Density Total   215  
  T x D Total     733
  Biotic Index (T x D) Density 3.41    

• Ecological/Trophic
• Leaf litter breakdown
• CPOM?FPOM
• Course Particulate Organic Matter
• Fine Particulate Organic Matter
• Human Impact
• Predators (Trout, etc)
• Bio-indicator
• 0 - 3.75 No Impairment Evident
• 3.75 - 6.50 Moderate Impairment
• gt6.5 Severe Impairment

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Source A. Berkowitz, posted by T. Meyers
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EEphemeroptera (Mayflies) PPlecoptera
(Stoneflies) TTrichoptera (Caddisflies)
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Stream Water Chemistry

• pH
• Temperature
• Nitrates
• Phosphates
• Chloride
• Dissolved Oxygen

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What Is a Watershed?
A watershed is the area of land that drains to
a particular point along a stream
Center for Watershed Protection
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What is a Watershed? Definition the area of
land that drains to a particular point along a
stream Each stream has its own watershed
Topography is the key element affecting this
area of land The boundary of a watershed is
defined by the highest elevations surrounding the
stream
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OK, now I know that I live in a watershed what
types of things can affect the health of my
watershed?
High levels of paved surfaces, or impervious
cover, and land use changes can have many impacts
on a watershed.
Center for Watershed Protection
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Harmful Pollutants in Runoff

• Bacteria
• Nutrients
• Pesticides
• Oil and Grease
• Turbid (muddy) water
• Heavy Metals (zinc, lead, copper)

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• Impervious
• Surfaces

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Riparian Zone

• Definition The interface between land and a
  stream
• Riparian vegetation is often planted as part of
  stream restoration efforts because it can
• Remove nutrients from runoff (from fertilizers,
  etc)
• Biofilter pollutants
• Trap sediment (less turbid water, improve stream
  banks)
• Improve wildlife habitat
• Shade water, mitigating water temperature changes
• Reduce soil erosion, reduce flood damage

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What is the best way to evaluate stream health?

• Water chemistry is more transient than biotic
  index of macroinvertebrates due to
• Point-source pollution
• Rain events
• Seasonal road salting
• Inconsistent littering/dumping

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Physical Regions of a Stream

• Riffle Rapidly moving water,
• turbulent

Pool Deep, slowly moving water
Run Smooth flowing water, medium water speed
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How do you think these different habitat types
will effect water chemistry and macroinvertebrate
populations?
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Your Research Project

• Objective is to utilize a learned understanding
  of stream ecology and macroinvertebrate biology
  to investigate the effects of habitat preference,
  possibly due to available nutrients and dissolved
  oxygen, on macroinvertebrate species diversity
  and abundance in Hereford High Schools stream
• How can we do this??

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Leaf Packs
Natural
Artificial