bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A stable carbon and nitrogen isotope study of lake food webs in Canada’s Boreal Plain
Authors: Beaudoin Catherine P. , Prepas Ellie E. , Tonn William M. , Wassenaar Leonard I. , Kotak Brian G. 
Published: March 2003

1. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope and fish stomach content analyses were used to investigate food webs in five relatively undisturbed lakes on the Boreal Plain of Canada. Stable isotope analysis was also used to determine the importance of external and internal carbon sources.2. Overlap in the carbon and nitrogen signatures of primary producers made it difficult to determine unambiguously the feeding habits of many invertebrates. However, isotope analysis suggested that external carbon inputs were detectable in the aquatic food chains of the one lake with a short water residence time («1 year). In the other four lakes, with water residence times ≥1 year, autochthonous carbon was the only detectable carbon source in the food webs.3. Food webs in these lakes spanned a range of four to five trophic levels. Both invertebrates and fish appeared to eat a variety of food, often feeding at more than one trophic level.4. With the exception of one lake (SPH20), top predators in these lakes, northern pike (Esox lucius) and fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), occupied similar trophic positions despite large differences in body size and trophic morphology. In SPH20, where there were two additional fish species, pike occupied a higher trophic position. However, all the top predators in each lake appeared to be omnivores and generalists.5. The prevalence of omnivory and the apparent generalist feeding habits of fish in these lakes suggest that organisms are flexible in their feeding habits and that these food webs will be resilient to disturbance.
New Zealand stream crayfish: functional omnivores but trophic predators?
Authors: Parkyn Stephanie M. , Collier Kevin J. , Hicks Brendan J. 
Published: March 2003

1. The feeding ecology of the crayfish Paranephrops planifrons in streams draining catchments in native forest and pastoral land was investigated using analyses of both stomach contents and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen. We aimed to (1) identify the energy sources of crayfish, (2) determine whether these were affected by ontogeny or land use change, and (3) assess the functional and trophic roles of crayfish in New Zealand hill‐country streams.2. In native forest streams, crayfish stomach contents were dominated volumetrically by leaf detritus (>60%), but in pasture streams aquatic invertebrates constituted more than 40% of stomach volumes and leaf detritus <30%. Stable isotope analyses revealed that crayfish from both native forest and pasture streams incorporated energy from aquatic invertebrates into their body tissue but did not appear to utilize detritus for growth. Therefore, deforestation had little impact on crayfish energy sources.3. In native forest streams, adult crayfish (≥20 mm orbit‐carapace length (OCL)) consumed greater amounts of leaf detritus than juvenile crayfish, but a corresponding change in stable isotope signatures was not detected. Ontogenetic shifts in diet were not consistent between land use suggesting that change in local habitat and food resources, as a result of land use change, affect crayfish food choice more than factors related solely to age or size.4. Crayfish appear to occupy the trophic position of a predator, but by functioning as omnivores, they have dual roles as both predators and processors of organic matter. The use of gut content analysis in conjunction with stable isotope analyses revealed that the functional and trophic roles of P. planifrons differed, with implications for the interpretation of diet studies and understanding of the role of omnivores in food webs.
Effects of spring flood and water level draw‐down on methane dynamics in the littoral zone of boreal lakes
Authors: Juutinen  , Alm  , Martikainen  , Silvola  
Published: March 2003

1. The annual dynamics of methane (CH4) in a temporarily flooded meadow, mire bank, lacustrine sedge fen, temporarily and continuously inundated sedge (Carex sp.) and reed (Phragmites australis) marshes were studied from June to November in the humic mesoeutrophic Lake Mekrijärvi and in eutrophicated parts of the mesotrophic Lake Heposelkä in the southern part of East Finland. The effects of water level and temperature on littoral CH4 fluxes were determined. Vegetation zonation along the moisture gradient, and associated CH4 fluxes, were evaluated.2. The CH4 flux increased along the moisture gradient from –0.2 to 14.2 mg CH4 m–2 h–1, and was highest in the permanently inundated marshes. The duration of anoxia in the sediment caused differences in the CH4 flux. Estimated emissions for the period 1 June – 30 September in continuously inundated sparse reed and sedge marshes, drying sedge marsh, and lacustrine sedge fen were 13, 11 and 6 g CH4 m–2, respectively.3. In continuously inundated vegetation, the fluxes were highest in late July/early August. The seasonal CH4 flux pattern suggested that the fluxes were regulated by the supply of organic matter during the course of the summer and the water level. In the temporarily flooded zone, the seasonal CH4 flux dynamics was greatly affected by changes in the lake water level, the fluxes being highest during the spring flood in early June.
Genetic evidence for `leaky' cohorts in the semivoltine stonefly Peltoperla tarteri (Plecoptera: Peltoperlidae)
Authors: SCHULTHEIS ALICIA S. , HENDRICKS ALBERT C. , WEIGT LEE A. 
Published: March 2003

1. Genetic techniques are being used increasingly to address questions about dispersal and gene flow of freshwater invertebrates. However, population genetic structure can be affected by factors other than dispersal. Many stream insects have long life cycles that result in the simultaneous existence of multiple cohorts throughout the larval development period. If larval development is fixed, successive cohorts may be reproductively isolated and, as a result, genetically distinct. In such cases, significant levels of genetic differentiation between cohorts could confound estimates of dispersal based on population genetic structure.2. Peltoperla tarteri is a stonefly that can be abundant in Appalachian headwater streams. Although P. tarteri is univoltine at the type locality (Big Paint Hollow, WV, U.S.A.), the study populations in southwestern Virginia, U.S.A., were semivoltine. This semivoltine life cycle results in the simultaneous existence of multiple cohorts with the potential for significant genetic differentiation among them.3. Levels of genetic differentiation among P. tarteri cohorts were analysed with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence data from the non‐coding origin of replication or `control' region from 93 individuals from two successive cohorts (collected in 1998 and 1999).4. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated no genetic differentiation among cohorts (FST=0.0), and gene flow among cohorts was very high (Nm=∞).5. High levels of gene flow among cohorts suggest that larval development of P. tarteri is not fixed. Gene flow among cohorts most likely occurs as a result of a cohort split in which some individuals complete development in one or three years instead of two.
Dormancy, dispersal and the survival of cyclopoid copepods (Cyclopoida, Copepoda) in a lowland floodplain
Authors: FRISCH D. 
Published: March 2003

1. The survival of cyclopoid copepods was investigated in a floodplain for 2 years where flooding occurred during the cold season. The cyclopoid community was studied in three waterbodies with distinct hydroperiods: a permanent pond connected to the flooded area during inundation, a temporary pool that is part of the flooded area and an isolated temporary pool.2. Field studies, including data obtained from samples of water, sediment and soil, showed the overall predominance of species with a summer diapause over those with a winter diapause or without diapause. Emergence of cyclopoid copepods at the onset of flooding, examined using emergence traps and data from recently filled or still isolated temporary pools, showed that some species can survive several months of drying.3. The ability of the diapausing fourth copepodid stages of Cyclops strenuus and C. insignis, the two cyclopoids most abundant during winter and spring flooding, to survive terrestrial conditions was tested in laboratory experiments. Both species survived for several months, but rates differed among the species. A higher percentage of C. strenuus survived for a longer period, possibly explaining why this species was relatively more abundant in more temporary habitats.4. Both dormancy and dispersal facilitated survival of cyclopoid copepods in transient habitats connected to each other during flood periods. Dormancy was the most important survival strategy, whereas dispersal could be more important following prolonged periods without flooding.
Assessing the influence of water and substratum quality on benthic macroinvertebrate communities in a metal‐polluted stream: an experimental approach
Authors: Courtney Lisa A. , Clements William H. 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARY 1. Field and laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the relative influence of water quality and substratum quality on benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the Animas River, a metal‐polluted stream in south‐western Colorado (U.S.A.).2. A community‐level in situ toxicity test measured direct effects of Animas River water on benthic invertebrates collected from a reference stream (Elk Creek). The effects of metal‐contaminated biofilm were examined by comparing macroinvertebrate colonisation of clean and contaminated substrata placed in Elk Creek. A feeding experiment with the mayfly Baetis tricaudatus Dodds (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) examined metal bioaccumulation and effects of metal‐contaminated biofilm on growth and survival.3. Animas River water was acutely toxic to most taxa, with greatest effects observed on mayflies (Heptageniidae, Ephemerellidae) and stoneflies (Taeniopterygidae and Capniidae).4. Although Animas River biofilm was characterised by high concentrations of metals and low algal biomass, most taxa colonised substratum from the reference stream and the Animas River equally. The exceptions were Ephemerellidae, Taeniopterygidae and Simuliidae, which were less abundant on Animas River substratum. Mayflies grazing Animas River biofilm accumulated significantly more metals and showed reduced growth compared with organisms feeding on Elk Creek biofilm.5. Results of our experiments demonstrated that effects of heavy metals on benthic community structure in the Animas River were complex, and that responses to metals in water and contaminated substratum were species‐specific. Predicting recovery of benthic communities following remediation requires an understanding of these species‐specific responses.
The fauna of dynamic riverine landscapes
Authors: ROBINSON C. T. , TOCKNER K. , WARD J. V. 
Published: March 2003

1.  Riverine landscapes are heterogeneous in space (complex mosaic of habitat types) and time (expansion and contraction cycles, landscape legacies). They are inhabited by a diverse and abundant fauna of aquatic, terrestrial and amphibious species.2.  Faunal distribution patterns are determined by interactive processes that reflect the landscape mosaic and complex environmental gradients. The life cycles of many riverine species rely upon a shifting landscape mosaic and other species have become adapted to exploit the characteristically high turn‐over of habitats.3.  The complex landscape structure provides a diversity of habitats that sustains various successional stages of faunal assemblages. A dynamic riverine landscape sustains biodiversity by providing a variety of refugia and through ecological feedbacks from the organisms themselves (ecosystem engineering).4.  The migration of many species, aquatic and terrestrial, is tightly coupled with the temporal and spatial dynamics of the shifting landscape mosaic. Alternation of landscape use by terrestrial and aquatic fauna corresponds to the rise and fall of the flood. Complex ecological processes inherent to intact riverine landscapes are reflected in their biodiversity, with important implications for the restoration and management of river corridors.
Temporal variation in the drift of plant litter and propagules in a small boreal river
Authors: Andersson E. , Nilsson C. 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARY 1. Rivers are linear ecosystems across landscapes with an effective transport of organisms, sediment and organic matter. Dispersal is studied mostly during single events and for single species, and there is little knowledge on how the drift of plant litter and propagules varies within and between years for entire communities.2. We used floating traps for collecting waterborne plant litter and propagules in a small boreal river over 2 years. We installed the traps at four different locations along the river, and emptied them at least once a week during the ice‐free season. We analysed propagule content by sorting and identifying species and through germination tests on bare soil.3. In total, we recorded at least 54 taxa in the samples, and the highest density recorded in one sample was 5000 propagules per 100 g litter (dry weight). Large temporal variations in litter and propagule transport were revealed, both within and between years.4. The longitudinal pattern was consistent between years, with an increasing mass of litter and number of propagule taxa downstream. The results highlight the importance of the temporal and longitudinal dimensions in river management.
Predatory interactions between a cyclopoid copepod and three sibling rotifer species
Authors: Lapesa S. , Snell T. W. , Fields D. M. , Serra M. 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARY 1. Cyclopoid copepod predation on rotifers affects the dynamics and structure of zooplankton communities. We address the differential vulnerability of three sympatric rotifer sibling species belonging to the Brachionus plicatilis species complex. These co‐occur with their cyclopoid predator, Diacyclops bicuspidatus odessanus.2. Using video recording and tracking, we analysed the steps in predation including attack distance, attack angle, and rotifer species swimming in the presence and absence of the predator. Our results show the greater vulnerability of B. rotundiformis (the smallest species) to D. b. odessanus predation, which is associated with a high percentage of attacks after contact. Brachionus plicatilis (the biggest species) is the less vulnerable prey, with low percentage of attacks after contact and captures after attacks. Branchionus ibericus, the intermediate sized species, had also intermediate vulnerability.3. The differential vulnerability provides insight into the coexistence and seasonal succession of these competing rotifer species. Our results show that the competitive superiority of B. rotundiformis may be balanced by its greater vulnerability to copepod predation.
Effects of land cover on sediment regime and fish assemblage structure in four southern Appalachian streams
Authors: Sutherland Andrew B. , Meyer Judy L. , Gardiner Edward P. 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARY 1. We examined the relationship between catchment land cover, sediment regime and fish assemblage structure in four small streams in the upper Little Tennessee River basin of North Carolina. Study streams drained similar sized catchments (17–31 km2) with different fractions of non‐forested land cover. Non‐forested land cover was <3% in two ‘reference’ streams, whereas it was 13 and 22% in two ‘disturbed’ streams. Land cover data were compared with sediment transport data (suspended and bedload), benthic habitat data (embeddedness, substratum composition and coverage of fines) and fishes collected in autumn 1997.2. Suspended sediment concentration was significantly higher in disturbed streams during both baseflow and stormflow. During baseflow disturbed streams nearly always exceeded 10 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), whereas reference streams never exceeded this threshold. The difference in suspended sediment concentration between reference and disturbed streams was more consistent at baseflow than at stormflow. Therefore, baseflow turbidity may be a useful indicator of potential stream degradation.3. Disturbed sites had five‐ to nine‐fold more bedload transport than reference sites. Both embeddedness and streambed instability increased with increasing non‐forested land cover.4. Relative abundance of fishes requiring clean cobble/gravel substratum for spawning was lower in disturbed streams, whereas relative abundance of mound‐building cyprinids, their nest associates and fishes that excavate nests in soft sediments (centrarchids) was higher. Relative abundance of fishes spawning in benthic crevices and gravel (BC + G) declined as the proportion of non‐forested land cover increased. This study supports growing evidence that human‐induced sedimentation alters stream fish assemblages.
Species‐specific changes in the phenology and peak abundance of freshwater copepods in response to warm summers
Authors: Gerten Dieter , Adrian Rita 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARY 1. Climate warming is now widely recognised as a major factor influencing ecological processes in terrestrial, marine and freshwater habitats. Here, we investigated how a recent period of warm springs and summers has affected the population dynamics of various cyclopoid copepods in a central European lake. We compared (i) the duration of the period when the species were present in the water column, and (ii) their annual peak density in a period dominated by cool summers (1980–91) and one dominated by warm summers (1992–99).2. The copepods under investigation were (i) Thermocyclops oithonoides, (ii) Mesocyclops leuckarti and (iii) Acanthocyclops robustus. These species differ in their thermal demand and seasonal phenology. Therefore, we hypothesised that enhanced summer warming would produce species‐specific responses.3. The active phase of the copepods was usually prolonged both in spring and autumn. The earlier emergence of T. oithonoides (May in the warm years, July in the cool years) was probably related to high water temperature in late spring. The later onset of winter diapause in all species may have been coupled to raised temperature in late summer and autumn.4. The annual peak abundance of the two thermophiles M. leuckarti and T. oithonoides increased significantly in the warm period. In the latter case, the increase was probably because of the early start to population growth. In contrast, M. leuckarti probably responded primarily to mid‐summer heat waves, in that its development time was likely to be short. We speculate that the increase in population size of both species resulted from the development of an additional generation (three instead of two cohorts per year). In contrast to these thermophiles, the coexisting A. robustus, which is adapted to a broader temperature range, did not respond noticeably to the warming trend.5. In general, the nature of these responses to summer warming varied substantially among species, and depended on the detailed seasonal patterning of the warming. Our findings thus support the hypotheses that single species are sensitive indicators of climate change, and that the seasonal timing of warming is crucial in the context of climate–ecosystem relationships.6. Moreover, our results add to the body of evidence that climate warming produces shifts in the seasonal phenology of aquatic and terrestrial organisms.
On the different nature of top‐down and bottom‐up effects in pelagic food webs
Authors: Maciej Gliwicz Z. 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARY 1. Each individual planktonic plant or animal is exposed to the hazards of starvation and risk of predation, and each planktonic population is under the control of resource limitation from the bottom up (growth and reproduction) and by predation from the top down (mortality). While the bottom‐up and top‐down impacts are traditionally conceived as compatible with each other, field population‐density data on two coexisting Daphnia species suggest that the nature of the two impacts is different. Rates of change, such as the rate of individual body growth, rate of reproduction, and each species' population growth rate, are controlled from the bottom up. State variables, such as biomass, individual body size and population density, are controlled from the top down and are fixed at a specific level regardless of the rate at which they are produced.2. According to the theory of functional responses, carnivorous and herbivorous predators react to prey density rather than to the rate at which prey are produced or reproduced. The predator's feeding rate (and thus the magnitude of its effect on prey density) should hence be regarded as a functional response to increasing resource concentration.3. The disparity between the bottom‐up and top‐down effects is also apparent in individual decision making, where a choice must be made between accepting the hazards of hunger and the risks of predation (lost calories versus loss of life).4. As long as top‐down forces are effective, the disparity with bottom‐up effects seems evident. In the absence of predation, however, all efforts of an individual become subordinate to the competition for resources. Biomass becomes limited from the bottom up as soon as the density of a superior competitor has increased to the carrying capacity of a given habitat. Such a shift in the importance of bottom‐up control can be seen in zooplankton in habitats from which fish have been excluded.
A comparative study of the functional response of four species of carnivorous stoneflies
Authors: Elliott J. M. 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARY1. Comparisons were made of the functional responses of mature larvae ofPerlodes microcephalus,Isoperla grammatica,Dinocras cephalotesandPerla bipunctata. Experiments were performed in stream tanks with natural substrata and glass bottoms, so that feeding could be observed above and below the substratum. There was one stonefly per tank and one of 10 prey densities between 20 and 200 larvae of eitherChironomussp. orBaetis rhodaniper tank. Consumed prey were replaced in a first set of experiments but not in a second set. Additional experiments assessed intraspecific interference between larvae of each predator species (two to five predators per tank).2. The number of prey eaten increased curvilinearly with prey density. The relationship was described by two models, a Type II instantaneous model and its integrated equivalent, for experiments with and without prey replacement, respectively. Handling time did not change significantly with prey density, and was the same for experiments with and without prey replacement. Estimates of attack rate were similar for the two models, but varied between prey type and predator species. Handling time varied considerably but was normally distributed for each prey type and predator species. Mean handling time varied forChironomusfrom 39 s forIsoperla, which rarely ate a whole larva, to 57 s forPerlodesand forBaetisfrom 116 s forPerlodesto 167 s forPerla. All predators were more efficient at capturingBaetis, but the longer handling time forBaetisensured that moreChironomuswere eaten. It was concluded that these variations in attack rate and handling time were related to activity and growth differences between the predator species, and that experiments with and without prey replacement could both be relevant to the field, depending on how the predators searched for food.3. In the interference experiments, mean handling time did not change with increasing predator density, but attack rate decreased curvilinearly, the decrease varying from negligible forIsoperlato marked forPerlodes. Prey capture decreased with decreasing attack rate. Therefore, interference reduced prey consumption, but this effect was negligible forIsoperlaand increasingly severe in the orderDinocras,PerlaandPerlodes.