The Influence of Surface Water and Ground Water Interactions on the Composition and Abundance of the Meiofaunal Community in the Hyporheic Ecotone of a Second Order Michigan Stream
Loading...
Authors
Babbitt, Daniel K.
Issue Date
1996
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
The effects of ground water and surface water
interactions on the lotic benthic community have been
generally overlooked by ecologists. The meiofaunal community
and the hyporheic zone have received little scientific
attention in general. This study is a part of a larger
research project examining the effect of surface water and
ground water interactions on sediment organic matter
dynamics. The present research was performed to determine if
the benthic microinvertebrate community varies in abundance
and/or composition in four reaches of a small Michigan stream
that differ by combinations of hydrology and watershed
dynamics. Population density and diversity was determined by
identifying meiofauna taken from stream sediment cores. The
data showed trends indicating that invertebrate population
abundance and diversity were lower in number in the upwelling
reaches than in the downwelling reaches. This pattern could
be a result of lower concentrations of organic matter
available for consumption linked with decreased dissolved
oxygen levels for respiration in the upwelling reaches.
Evidence was also found that in the reaches of the stream
than ran through the wooded area, the substrate had a sizably
greater meiofaunal abundance and diversity. Leaf litter from
the canopy may have served as a food source providing the
forested reaches with greater resources.
Description
iii, 22 p.
Citation
Publisher
Kalamazoo College
License
U.S. copyright laws protect this material. Commercial use or distribution of this material is not permitted without prior written permission of the copyright holder.