The effects of shoot age on colonization of an emergent macrophyte (Typha latifolia) by macroinvertebrates

Abstract

1. The colonization and dynamics of epiphytic aquatic macroinvertebrates are described on first-year and second-year shoots of an emergent macrophyte (Typha latifolia) in a Swiss pond. Effects of shoot senescence on composition, richness, density and biomass of the macroinvertebrates are quantified. 2. There were two phases of colonization: a short-term colonization process which corresponded with that usually observed on inert substrates and a longer term colonization process related to the attractiveness of the shoots for the colonizers. In this second process, the older shoots showed a higher attractiveness for most invertebrate taxa. 3. Taxa colonized the shoots at different rates. Rapid colonizers included the limpet Ferrissia zoautieri and the mayfly Cloeon dipterum. Conversely, Oligochaeta, Chironomidae and Ceratopogonidae were particularly slow colonizers. 4. The older shoots supported a higher mean annual richness, abundance and biomass of invertebrates. Compared with younger shoots, the older shoots demonstrated a higher carrying capacity for most invertebrate taxa, as is the case for many other freshwater macrophytes.

Ostracod (Crustacea) colonization of a native and a non-native macrophyte species of Hydrocharitaceae in the Upper Paraná floodplain (Brazil): an experimental evaluation

“…For example, it is known that plant age affects invertebrate colonization (Oertli & Lachavanne, 1995). Our investigation differs by employing a rigorous experimental design, in which both non-native and native species were the same age, cultured simultaneously in the field, and subjected to the same biotic and abiotic environment (pairs of one sample of each species remained side by side in the field).…”

Spatial distribution of subfossil Chironomidae in surface sediments of a large, shallow and hypertrophic lake (Taihu, SE China)

“…However, massive plant macrofossils were found in the sediments. Available studies note that chironomids prefer the senescent, dead, or decomposed plants as a food source and substratum (Smock & Stoneburner, 1980;Oertli & Lachavanne, 1995). Therefore, it is evident that chironomids associated with macrophytes often grow well in spite of the poor development of macrophytes in the nutrient-rich Gonghu Bay.…”

Factors affecting assemblage attributes of freshwater Oligochaeta in Neotropical shallow floodplain lakes

“…The lakes presented significant differences in relation to the size class of coarse and fine organic matter, due to the dense arboreal vegetation verified in the surroundings of these lakes, in which it allows the increase in the entrance of branches and leaves that become part of the sediment of these bodies of water and mainly with the distance between this lake and the main river (Bilia et al, 2015). Benthic invertebrates use the plant material already in the senescence phase as a food resource (Oertli & Lachavanne, 1995;Mormul et al, 2006), which may explain the increase of the fine organic matter after the flood period. We found many correlations between abundance of Oligochaeta species and limnological variables, indicating a stronger influence of limnogical factors than habitat components in structuring Oligochaeta assemblage.…”