Abstract
The role of biotic interactions in structuring freshwater invertebrate communities has been extensively studied but with mixed results. For example, fish effects on invertebrates are most pronounced in pelagic and soft-sediment benthic habitats that lack structural complexity, yet appear insignificant in benthic rubble habitats. Backwaters of the Green River, Utah, are shallow, structurally simple, quiet-water embayments adjacent to the river. These habitats form in middle to late summer and are colonized by benthic and epibenthic invertebrates that produce standing crops significantly higher than the river. Backwaters are also utilized by a large number of fish species. We used cages to determine if selective exclusion of backwater organisms could significantly change invertebrate community structure. Results showed that backwater invertebrate community components changed significantly in response to exclusion treatments. Two taxa (both predators), the chironomid genus Tanypus (Diptera: Chironomidae) and the corixid genus Trichocorixa (Hemiptera: Corixidae), increased in density in exclusion cages while cladocerans, immature copepods, the cyclopoid copepod Eucyclops speratus, and the chironomid genus Procladius all decreased in density. Diversity of adult copepods was reduced by exclusion treatments, though density of only a single species changed significantly.
Recommended Citation
Collins, Kenneth P. and Shiozawa, Dennis K.
(2001)
"Exclusion experiments with backwater invertebrate communities of the Green River, Utah,"
Western North American Naturalist: Vol. 61:
No.
2, Article 3.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol61/iss2/3