2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
5/26/2021 | 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM | ELEVATION AND LAND USE AS DRIVERS OF MACROINVERTEBRATE FUNCTIONAL COMPOSITION IN AFROMONTANE HEADWATER STREAMS | Virtual Platform
ELEVATION AND LAND USE AS DRIVERS OF MACROINVERTEBRATE FUNCTIONAL COMPOSITION IN AFROMONTANE HEADWATER STREAMS
Macroinvertebrates play a unique role in aquatic ecosystems by acting as processors of nutrients and organic energy from allochthonous and autochthonous sources. Within East Africa and especially Kenya, rapid anthropogenic influence of deforestation and expansion of agricultural lands is currently progressing. This study investigated land use vs. altitudinal shifts in functional composition of macroinvertebrates within the Mt. Elgon catchment in Western Kenya. Twenty sampling sites within forested and agricultural areas, located in different elevations were sampled for physico-chemical water parameters and macroinvertebrates. Significant (p < 0.05) spatial variation was observed in total suspended solids, coarse particulate organic matter, temperature, and electrical conductivity between forested and agricultural sites with higher values recorded in agricultural streams. Temperature, conductivity and coarse particulate organic matter significantly varied across the elevational gradients. Higher shredder biomass and abundance occurred in forested streams in higher elevations than in low elevation agricultural streams. There was significant increase in abundance, taxon richness and biomass of specific functional feeding groups with increasing elevation. Lack of significant interactions between elevation and land use indicated that the elevational gradient played a greater role in influencing the composition of macroinvertebrates in these streams.
- Tropical streams and lakes
- Freshwater continuum
- Conservation
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Presenters/Authors
Mourine Yegon
(), University of Eldoret, Kenya, mourineyegon@gmail.com;
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FRANK MASESE
(), UNIVERSITY OF ELDORET, f.masese@gmail.com;
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AUGUSTINE SITATI
(), UNIVERSITY OF ELDORET, sitatiaugustine@yahoo.com;
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Wolfram Graf
(), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria, wolfram.graf@boku.ac.at;
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