2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
5/21/2018 | 2:30 PM - 2:45 PM | SEASONAL VARIATION IN COMMUNITY SIZE STRUCTURE: POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE AND HYDROLOGY ON THE SIZE-SPECTRUM | 310 B
SEASONAL VARIATION IN COMMUNITY SIZE STRUCTURE: POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE AND HYDROLOGY ON THE SIZE-SPECTRUM
Consistent seasonal variation in the slopes and intercepts of size-spectra models has previously been demonstrated but not explained in lotic ecosystems. In this study, we append size-spectra results for fish and benthic invertebrates in three southern West Virginia streams with coincident time-series data on water temperature and discharge, testing for predictable associations between seasonal size-spectra parameters, temperature, and hydrology. We find that variable size-spectra slopes may be driven by differential responses of invertebrates and fishes to the annual accumulation of degree days; earlier onset of spring invertebrate growth may increase invertebrate density relative to fish density, thereby elevating the left-side of size-spectra plots in pre-summer months and steeping the overall slopes. Differences among the size-spectra intercepts may be explained by hydrology. An anomalous mid-summer flood reduced abundances of both invertebrates and fishes in late-summer and fall, thereby lowering the intercepts of the size spectra model. We predict that similar dynamics can explain variation in size-spectra models from other lotic systems.
- Ecosystem
- Fish
- Invertebrate
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Presenters/Authors
Daniel McGarvey
(), Center for Environmental Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, djmcgarvey@vcu.edu;
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Andrew Kirk
(), Virginia Commonwealth University, andrew.kirk@deq.virginia.gov;
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