Macroinvertebrate drift along an elevational and stream size gradient in a southern Appalachian stream

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dc.contributor.authorTurner, Patricia Anneen
dc.contributor.departmentBiologyen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:39:26Zen
dc.date.adate2009-06-30en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:39:26Zen
dc.date.issued1994en
dc.date.rdate2009-06-30en
dc.date.sdate2009-06-30en
dc.description.abstractDrift was measured monthly at four sites on a southern Appalachian stream in order to examine spatial and temporal patterns along elevational and stream size gradients. Measurements consisted of four, one-hour samples corresponding to dawn, mid-day, dusk, and mid-night monthly for 14 months. On average, only 10% of the drifting insects were terrestrial, but terrestrial inputs became numerically important during summer and fall. There were no significant differences among sites in aquatic insect drift density, although taxa richness and total drift (#/sec) increased significantly downstream. None of the sites exhibited a consistent diel pattern. But, all of the lower three sites exhibited decreased drift density during the day. <i>Baetis</i>, the dominant aquatic taxon in the drift, exhibited a typical alterans patterns at UBC, LBC, and CC. Aquatic insect drift density was highest in summer when flows were lowest, while total drift (#/s) was highest in late spring and winter. FPOM and mean daily water temperature accounted for 64% of the variation in total aquatic insect drift density and 60% of <i>Baetis</i> drift density, suggesting both passive and active components in drift. Both variables were also highly correlated with drift density. Taxonomic composition of drift differed from that of the benthos, indicating drift was not simply random, but that taxa vary in the propensity to drift. Overall, this study found more evidence of temporal (diel and seasonal) drift patterns than spatial (along the gradient).en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.extentviii, 144 leavesen
dc.format.mediumBTDen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.otheretd-06302009-040521en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-06302009-040521/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/43514en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartLD5655.V855_1994.T876.pdfen
dc.relation.isformatofOCLC# 31467681en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subject.lccLD5655.V855 1994.T876en
dc.subject.lcshAquatic invertebrates -- Appalachian Region, Southernen
dc.titleMacroinvertebrate drift along an elevational and stream size gradient in a southern Appalachian streamen
dc.typeThesisen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplineBiologyen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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