Title

Benthic macroinvertebrate community structural and functional group response to thermal enhancement in the Savannah River and a coastal plain tributary

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1986

Keywords

macroinvertebrate, Savannah River, carbon

Abstract

Benthic macroinvertebrate community structure and functional groups on leaf detritus in a thermal, post-thermal and an undisturbed stream, and in the Savannah River immediately downstream from each stream mouth, were compared over a 7 wk (48 d) period from December 1982 to February 1983. Temperatures in the post-thermal and undisturbed streams ranged from 4—8 and 4—11 °C, respectively, and from 7—12 °C in the Savannah River. Temperatures in the thermal stream fluctuated irregularly between 7—31 °C and in the river below this stream mouth between 7—22 °C. A total of 13,993 macroinvertebrates representing at least 51 families and 84 genera was collected. Numbers of organisms and taxa were depressed at the thermal stream site, whereas numbers of both organisms and taxa increased at the river site receiving thermal effluent. Chironomids of the subfamily Orthocladiinae (including Eukiefferiella discoloripes group and Corynoneur a) comprised 46—60 % of the fauna at all sites except in the thermal stream, where they comprised 5 %. Physa (Gastropoda), Ablabesmyia (Tanypodinae) and Tanytarsus (Chironominae) each contributed over 20 % of the fauna at the thermal stream. Cheumatopsyche (Trichoptera) represented 12—13 % of the riverine fauna at the ambient sites, but 25 % at the thermally-perturbed site. Collectors (mostly gatherers) contributed 51—75 % at all sites except the thermal stream where scrapers dominated with 39 %. Filterer relative abundance increased from 16—19 % at the ambient river sites to 29 % at the thermally-perturbed river site, suggesting that suspended carbon transport from the thermal stream occurred and subsidized the macroinvertebrate community in the Savannah River

Publication Title

Archiv Für Hydrobiologie

Volume

106

Issue

1

First Page

119

Last Page

137

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1127/archiv-hydrobiol/106/1986/119

Type

Text

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

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