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Feeding-preference trials confirm unexpected stable isotope analysis results: freshwater macroinvertebrates do consume macrophytes
Citation
Watson, Anne and Barmuta, LA, Feeding-preference trials confirm unexpected stable isotope analysis results: freshwater macroinvertebrates do consume macrophytes, Marine and Freshwater Research, 62, (10) pp. 1248-1257. ISSN 1323-1650 (2011) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2011 CSIRO
Official URL: http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/MF10298.htm
DOI: doi:10.1071/MF10298
Abstract
The loss of connectivity in intermittent streams can limit aquatic-invertebrate access to food resources, with
different resources available in individual pools. Although leaf litter was abundant in the Macquarie River in Tasmania,
stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses suggested that aquatic macrophytes were more prevalent in shredding
macroinvertebrate diets. We tested this result with two multi-choice trials, which examined the feeding preferences of
Atalophlebia albiterminata (Ephemeroptera) and the case-building trichopterans Lectrides varians, Notalina bifaria,
Triplectides similis and T. ciuskus ciuskus. We first tested preferences for the dominant benthic leaf species (Acacia
mucronata, Eucalyptus amygdalina, E. barberi, E. obliqua and E. viminalis). We hypothesised that macroinvertebrates
would preferentially select leaves with lower chemical concentrations. However, there were no strong preferences
for conditioned leaves by any invertebrate, although the leaves varied in toughness, tannin, nitrogen and allelochemical
content. Second, we examined the preferences for E. amygdalina and E. barberi leaves or the fresh macrophytes
Triglochin procerum, Myriophyllum salsugineum and Potamogeton tricarinatus. Macrophytes were preferred over
leaves by all invertebrates, with T. procerum significantly preferred over the other macrophytes. This suggests that
macrophytes may be undervalued in riverine food webs, and should be included in analyses of food webs using stable
isotopes.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
| Research Group: | Genetics |
| Research Field: | Population, Ecological and Evolutionary Genetics |
| Objective Division: | Environment |
| Objective Group: | Land and Water Management |
| Objective Field: | Coastal and Estuarine Water Management |
| Author: | Watson, Anne (Dr Anne Watson) |
| Author: | Barmuta, LA (Associate Professor Leon Barmuta) |
| ID Code: | 73579 |
| Year Published: | 2011 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 11 |
| Deposited By: | Zoology |
| Deposited On: | 2011-10-17 |
| Last Modified: | 2018-03-20 |
| Downloads: | 3 View Download Statistics |
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