Aquatic invertebrate food resources along two river continua: an inter-site approach
The river continuum concept predicts that as stream order increases, the biota of a stream should change in a particular way that correlates with physical factors. As stream order increases the main carbon resource (e.g. detritus, algae, etc.) for the stream ecosystem also has been predicted to shift.
At the Coweeta Hydrologic Lab and the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, I am comparing the feeding ecology of aquatic insects along their respective river continua to test these predictions. I am analyzing the gut contents of the major aquatic insects to identify the main carbon resources that are being exploited.
This analysis will allow me to identify and quantify the extent of shifts in resource use along the river continuua. By comparing the two river systems, I will be able to determine if diet shifts are apparent in more than one system. Also, the two differ greatly in their dominant vegetation, which may influence the use of allochthonous and autochthonous resources along the continua.
This research should be complete by summer 1997.