Effects of periphyton quantity and quality on the benthic community characteristics of five south shore Lake Superior tributaries [ABSTRACT]
Rybczynski SM and Strand M. 2005. Effects of periphyton quantity and quality on the benthic community characteristics of five south shore Lake Superior tributaries [ABSTRACT]. In Author unknown: North American Benthological Society Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA. 22-27 May 2005. North American Benthological Society. New Orleans, LA
The National Park Service is interested in assessing the condition of aquatic resources in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, especially the Lake Superior tributaries which support populations of migratory brook trout (coasters). A multi-trophic level production study was conducted as part of a habitat assessment of streams to identify relationships between periphyton production and macroinvertebrate abundance and richness. Invertebrate abundance and richness, and periphyton CO2 efflux differed significantly among streams and seasonally within each stream. Efflux was weakly correlated with stream discharge and water temperature. Invertebrate abundance increased with periphyton quantity, while richness tended to decrease with both periphyton quantity and quality. These results indicate that benthic invertebrate abundance and community composition are linked to variation in periphyton production, and that secondary production of benthic invertebrates may be effectively predicted by measuring periphyton efflux.
- Type
- Conference Proceeding Paper
- Authors
- Rybczynski, Stephen; Strand, Mac
- Units
- PIRO
- Keywords
- Benthos, Invertebrates (Invertebrata), Periphyton, Respiration