Effects of grazing by the oligochaete, Aeolosoma, on detrital and periphytic assemblages

The effects of grazing by the small oligochaete, Aeolosoma, on periphyton assemblages of different algal composition and on unconditioned detritus were examined. Natural water and periphyton inoculum were collected from a littoral environment and used to construct laboratory microcosms. Changes in algal community composition, microbial respiration, and structural indices (Chlorophyll a, protein, and carbohydrate) were measured in grazed and ungrazed cultures through time in 2 to 12 d experiments. Grazed cultures after 10 to 12 d had dissimilar algal community compositions in both the early and late summer periphytic assemblages as measured by Pinkham and Pearson's Index of Similarity (B). Changes resulted from stimulation (Green coccoids, thin green filaments) and suppression (certain diatoms) of individual algal taxa, and not from the dramatic shifts in comunity composition and structure effected by macroinvertebrate grazing.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Zoology

Department dc:contributor.department

Zoology

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1985

Author dc:creator

• Garland, Jay L.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Buikema, Arthur L. Jr.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Horner, Sally G.
• Benfield, Ernest F.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-03122013-040132

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/41558