Ecology of benthic macroinvertebrates in experimental ponds

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dc.contributor.authorChristman, Van D.en
dc.contributor.committeechairVoshell, J. Reese Jr.en
dc.contributor.committeememberBuikema, Arthur L. Jr.en
dc.contributor.committeememberPienkowski, Robert L.en
dc.contributor.committeememberHelfrich, Louis A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberCochran, Donald G.en
dc.contributor.departmentEntomologyen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:16:35Zen
dc.date.adate2008-07-28en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:16:35Zen
dc.date.issued1991-09-07en
dc.date.rdate2008-07-28en
dc.date.sdate2008-07-28en
dc.description.abstractI studied life history parameters of 5 taxa of aquatic insects in the orders Ephemeroptera and Odonata, successional patterns over 2 years of pond development, and precision of 15 biological metrics in a series of 6 replicate experimental ponds from March 1989 to April 1990. I determined voltinism, emergence patterns, larval growth rates and annual production for Caenis amica (Ephemeroptera: Caenidae), Callibaetis floridanus (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae), Anax junius (Odonata: Aeshnidae), Gomphus exilis (Odonata: Gomphidae), and Enallagma civile (Odonata: Coenagrionidae). Growth rates ranged from 0.011 to 0.025 mg DW/d for Ephemeroptera and from 0.012 to 0.061 mg DW/d for Odonata. Annual production ranged from 5 to 11 mg DW/sampler/yr for Ephemeroptera and from 10 to 673 mg DW/sampler/yr for Odonata. Comparison of the benthic macroinvertebrate community at the end of year 1 to the benthic macroinvertebrate community at the end of year 2 showed no significant differences for community summary measures (total density, taxa richness, diversity, Bray-Curtis similarity index); however, some individual taxa densities were significantly lower at the end of year 2. Physicochemical parameters measured indicated that the ponds were oligotrophic. Submerged macrophytes colonized and became established in most of the ponds during year 2. A few noninsect taxa were not present in expected numbers, probably due to lack of efficient dispersal mechanisms. Fifteen metrics were analyzed by a statistical procedure that indicates the percent change that must occur (detection limit) to detect true differences between two means. The metrics with the lowest detection limits (usually < 20%) were taxa richness, EOT index (number of taxa in the orders Ephemeroptera, Odonata, and Trichoptera), proportion of Chironominae/Orthocladiinae, and proportion of collector-gatherers. Detection limits of < 20% on all dates were also obtained for taxa richness and EOT index metrics when analyzed using dip net samples. Density metrics only allowed detection limits of about 50% on most dates. This study provided needed information on the life history of taxa important in shallow, lentic ecosystems, ecological succession in newly created ponds, and statistically sound and ecologically meaningful metrics. This study also provides a valuable baseline for impact assessment work in experimental ponds.en
dc.description.degreePh. D.en
dc.format.extentviii, 217 leavesen
dc.format.mediumBTDen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.otheretd-07282008-134927en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-07282008-134927/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/38920en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartLD5655.V856_1991.C574.pdfen
dc.relation.isformatofOCLC# 25146127en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subject.lccLD5655.V856 1991.C574en
dc.subject.lcshAquatic ecologyen
dc.subject.lcshAquatic invertebrates -- Experimentsen
dc.titleEcology of benthic macroinvertebrates in experimental pondsen
dc.typeDissertationen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplineEntomologyen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.leveldoctoralen
thesis.degree.namePh. D.en

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