The Use of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups to Assess Stream Ecosystem Attributes
Date of Award
2006
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Biology
Abstract
The structure and function of streams can be evaluated by directly measuring ecosystem attributes, however these can be costly and time intensive to measure. In contrast, functional analyses of invertebrate communities are more economical and have been used as surrogates of direct attribute measurements, although studies directly comparing the two approaches have not been conducted/ The objective of this study was to assess whether functional feeding group analyses reflect true ecosystem attributes. Three ecosystem attributes (primary production/community respiration (P/R), coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM/FPOM), and suspended fine particulate organic matter/benthic fine particulate organic matter (SFPOM/BFPOM)) were assessed using direct measurements and their functional feeding group surrogates at seven sites (four runs, three riffles) in Nippersink Creek, McHenry County, Illinois, a midwestern steam partially restored from agricultural activities. Trophic status assessments using P/R direct measurements and surrogates were consistent for site/season combinations when invertebrate taxonomic richness was greater than 20 taxa/sample, however in general there were no correlations between direct measurement values and functional feeding group ratios in any site/season combination. Results from this study suggest that functional feeding group surrogates are useful to assess ecosystem attributes in established streams with moderate species richness (richness >20 taxa) but should not be used in streams with an abundance of moss-covered substrates, low taxonomic richness, and poor representation of functional feeding groups such as in Nippersink Creek and likely other recently restored streams.
Recommended Citation
Andrade, Priscila Campinho Navarro De, "The Use of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups to Assess Stream Ecosystem Attributes" (2006). Master's Theses. 4581.
https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_theses/4581
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2006 Priscila Campinho Navarro De Andrade
