The role of aeglids in shredding organic matter in neotropical streams

Abstract

See, stats, and : https : / / www . researchgate . net / publication / 238660464 The in Article DOI : 10 . 1163 /1937240X-00002165 CITATIONS 11 READS 123 2 : Gláucia Universidade 3 SEE Sandro Universidade 84 SEE All - text , letting . Available : Gláucia Retrieved : 01 A B S T R A C T We studied the input of allochthonous plant material in Crab Creek , a first - order Neotropical stream and its processing by Aegla longirostri Bond - Buckup and Buckup , 1994 , a crustacean shredder . Three experiments were performed : (1) to evaluate the input of allochthonous organic material , five suspended and ten lateral collectors were installed . The yearly input of litter was 1254 g m −2 year −1 , with no difference among the seasons of the year . (2) To evaluate the importance of A . longirostri for litter shredding , two types of experimental channels were placed in the stream , both containing litter bags with leaves of Ficus luschnathiana ; open channels which allowed individuals of A . longirostri to access the leaves , and channels that were closed with a 5 - mm mesh to exclude the crustaceans . The leaves decomposed more rapidly in the presence of aeglids (one - way ANOVA ; F = 10 . 1795 ; P = 0 . 0005) , indicating their potential role as shredders . In addition to accelerating the decomposition rate , the presence of A . longirostri altered the community composition and density of the other macroinvertebrates associated with the litter bags . (3) To evaluate the proportion of leaf input that A . longirostri was able to process , a laboratory experiment was performed . Leaves of Cabralea canjerana , F . luschnathiana , and Nectandra megapotamica , which are common species in the vicinity of the study site , were placed in litter bags and incubated in the stream for 20 days . These leaves were offered to the aeglids , and their consumption was recorded . Leaf consumption did not differ between adult (males and females) , but did differ between adults and the juveniles (one - way ANOVA ; F = 4 . 1633 ; P = 0 . 0279) . These data indicated that the adult population of A . longirostri is able to process approximately 5% of the leaves that fall in the creek . These results indicate that Crab Creek receives different types of plant material that will be accessed by the aquatic community . These locations may show a scarcity of insect shredders , with crustaceans , especially aeglids , assuming this role in the community .