Comparison of Channel and Hyporheic Invertebrate Communities in a Southwestern USA Desert Stream
Govedich F, Oberlin G, Blinn DW. 1996. Comparison of Channel and Hyporheic Invertebrate Communities in a Southwestern USA Desert Stream. Journal of Freshwater Ecology. 11(2):201-209
We collected invertebrates seasonally from the channel surface and hyporheic zone of a perennial desert stream in central Arizona, U.S.A. Channel collections were made with a Hess sampler and hyporheic collections were taken with a vacuum bilge pump and sand-point probe. Diptera, Plecoptera. Nematoda and Cyclopoida comprised 86% of total annual abundance in the hyporheic zone, while Diptera and Trichoptera made up 85% of the total annual abundance in the channel. Pot samplers with two substratum sizes and chamber depths were also buried in the channel during the summer for comparison with Hess and sandpoint probe collections. Densities of invertebrates in the channel surface were higher (3,400 animals/m2) than those of subchannel pots (528 animals/m2); however, pots collected 71 animals/L compared to 1.3 animals/L for sand-point probe collections with no significant difference (p >0.20) in selection for substratum size and depth. Hyporheic communities may be restricted in arid biomes and/or in regions with heavy grazing due to elevated sediment loads delivered from the watershed to stream channels and therefore may provide an early signal of land misuse.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Govedich, Fred; Oberlin, Gaye; Blinn, Dean
- Units
- MOCA
- Keywords
- 2, Animals, Communities, Desert, hyporheic zone, Invertebrates, NRCA, Want