2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference

March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH

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5/20/2019 | 9:00 AM - 9:15 AM | WHEN AND WHERE DOES THE STREAM PARADIGM FOR THE ROLE OF DETRITIVORES IN LITTER BREAKDOWN APPLY TO SHALLOW STANDING WATERS? | 151 DEF

WHEN AND WHERE DOES THE STREAM PARADIGM FOR THE ROLE OF DETRITIVORES IN LITTER BREAKDOWN APPLY TO SHALLOW STANDING WATERS?

Detritus is a major source of nutrients and energy for secondary production in many shallow lentic habitats, and many microcosm studies demonstrate that detritus shredders (e.g., caddisflies, amphipods, isopods) and biofilm grazers (e.g., snails, tadpoles, diptera) are nutritionally dependent on detrital-microbial substrates. Conversely, the impact of these consumers on the overall breakdown of detritus in standing waters is poorly documented compared to streams. We conducted in situ experiments in different types of wetlands using “detritus-tray” leaf packs with fine- (few small animal consumers) and coarse-meshed (all animal consumers) coverings. In two experiments conducted in high-elevation ponds, detritus breakdown was 2-3 times greater with than without consumers (mainly caddisfly shredders). In the other experiments conducted in low-elevation marshes and woodland ponds, animal consumers had trivial effects on detritus breakdown. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that animal consumers play a small role, relative to microbial decomposers, in many ponds and wetlands. Thus, the “stream paradigm” for detritus breakdown might only apply to the subset of shallow lentic habitats that have high densities of macro-consumers relative to the often highly concentrated and voluminous inputs of detritus.

Organic Matter
Invertebrate
Wetland

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Presenters/Authors

Scott Wissinger (), Allegheny College, swissing@allegheny.edu;