The role of shredders in detrital dynamics of permanent and temporary streams

The goals of this study were 1) to integrate several aspects of detrital dynamics with the composition and production of shredder populations and 2) to present evidence of a shredder regulatory role in headwater strewn detrital dynamics. The importance of leaf shredding aquatic insects (shredders) in the breakdown of leaf detritus and production of particulate organic matter (POM) was evaluated in three permanent and three temporary southern Appalachian headwater streams. Shredder population dynamics were compared to several stream detrital parameters: CPOM breakdown rates, POM concentrations, average POM particle sizes, and POM transport. In general, permanent streams with the greatest shredder densities, biomass, and annual production rates had the fastest leaf breakdown rates, highest low-flow POM concentrations, largest average POM particle sizes and greatest POM transport estimates. Temporary stream environments depressed shredder populations resulting in a reduction of detrital processing and POM transport. Microbial activity, stream velocity, base-flow discharge, and water temperature did not correlate with detrital parameters for comparisons between permanent and temporary streams. Shredder contribution to total benthic CPOM breakdown in the six study streams ranged from 31% in a permanent stream to 1% in a temporary stream.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Zoology

Department dc:contributor.department

Zoology

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1982

Author dc:creator

• Kirby, John Michael

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Webster, J.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Benfield, Fred
• Voshell, Reese
• Pardue, Garland B.
• Buikema, Arthur L. Jr.
• Cairns, John Jr.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

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

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/87352

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/87352