Macro-invertebrate communities associated with the macrophytes of Lake Vechten: structural and functional relationships

✍ Scribed by Jan Dvořaki; Elly P. H. Bestz

• Book ID: 104621036
• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1982
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 763 KB
• Volume: 95
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1573-5141
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00044479

✦ Synopsis

The macro-invertebrates associated with eight species of emergent, floating-leaved and submerged macrophytes were recorded in May-June 1979 . The plant species were : Phragmites australis, Sparganium erectum, Typha angustifolia, Polygonum amphibium, Ceratophyllum demersum, Elodea sp ., Myriophyllum spicaturn and Nitella mucronata .

All macrophytes had a high number of macro-invertebrate species in common ; however, some animals were also species-specific, particularly those occurring on the emergent plants . As regards the food source and feeding mechanism, the detritivores, periphytiscrapers and omnivores predominated, followed by predatory carnivores . The seston-filtrators also form a significant part of the community biomass . The macrofaunal distribution depended strongly on colonizable plant surface area and vegetation density . The macrofaunal communities of the Elodea, Ceratophyllum and Phragmites stands contributed mainly to the lake's carbon cycle . Being poorly represented by herbivores, the macro-invertebrate communities will affect the lake's primary production only slightly .